August 31, 2017

Former WG Award of Honor Recipient John Elmore Passes Away

John Elmore passed away this past Tuesday. Elmore, who served on the WG Board of Directors for 20 years, was a past recipient of the Western Growers Award of Honor. 

“John, a dear friend and mentor for nearly 50 years, was an inspiring visionary and innovator in the agricultural industry and will truly be missed,” said Tom Nassif, president & CEO of Western Growers. “His initiative to pioneer many of the farming methods we used today will forever impact the industry.”

Among his numerous accomplishments, Elmore developed a drainage tile business by hiring locals and using materials and equipment available in Brawley, Calif., making tiling of the land both cheaper and more efficient. He also transformed a cantaloupe packing shed into a state-of-the-art produce cooler, as well as revolutionized the melon packing process by moving the entire operation to the field which allowed farmers with no access to a packing shed to easily pack melons.

A true steward of the land, Elmore began using tail water for irrigation long before it became a common practice, making him a water conservationist before it was mandatory.

Elmore has long supported the community and industry as a mentor for youth programs such as 4-H Clubs, the Future Farmers of America, the Boys and Girls Club, city Parks and Recreation, Elks Club, Lions Clubs, and provided college scholarships for Brawley Union High School seniors and youth sports.

In honor of his long-time leadership, commitment and support of business in Brawley, the Brawley Chamber of Commerce awarded Elmore the distinguished 2017 Branding Iron Award in June. This is the highest award given to a member of the Brawley community. Unable to attend the award dinner, Western Growers produced a video interview with Elmore to be shown at the ceremony where his sons, Howard and Richard, received the award on his behalf. 

At time of publication, there were no available details on services.

[VIDEO::https://youtu.be/ZX_HEibfwzU::aVideoStyle]