First Organic Grower to be President of Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau For the first time in its 99-year history, the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau has elected a certified organic grower as President of the organization. Tom Broz, owner, Live Earth Farms, assumed his new role with the Farm Bureau on November 1st, 2016.
Tom was born in Middletown, Ohio, but moved to Venezuela with his parents shortly after and lived there until he was 10 years old. From Venezuela his family moved to Ecuador, and Tom lived there until he was 18. He then moved to the United States to attend college. Tom is the only member of his family to be born in the United States. Tom’s wife Constance was born and raised in France.
Tom developed an interest in agriculture while he was doing his undergraduate studies at Cornell. But his interest turned into action when he joined the Peace Corps and worked with farmers in Western Samoa. When Tom returned to the United States he got a job with the Environmental Protection Agency in San Francisco. After getting married and starting a family, Tom enrolled in an organic farming apprentice program at UCSC and purchased land in Watsonville where he started Live Earth Farm.
Live Earth Farm is an organic operation that has focused on its Community Supported Agriculture program.
Tom will be president of the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau during the organization’s celebration of its 100th Anniversary. The Farm Bureau is planning to celebrate its anniversary with a celebration over the entire year that highlights not only the incredible agricultural heritage of this county but also brings awareness to its diverse and often cutting edge agriculture industry so fundamental to the sustainability of Santa Cruz County.
Other officers assuming new duties November 1st
Brendan Miele, State Delegate, Herbs , 1st Vice President;
Arnett Young, Alternate State Delegate, Vegetables, 2nd Vice President;
David Van Lennep, Alternate State Delegate, Timber, Past President
Directors assuming new duties November 1st (19 members total on Board of Directors)
For 1st term, three-year directors:
Gordon Claassen – Cattle
John Pisturino – Cattle
Dennis Webb – Timber