2019 Napa Valley Grower of the Year Announced: Pete Richmond of Silverado Farming Company
During a recent dinner, longtime Napa Valley farmer Pete Richmond was honored as the 2019 recipient of the prestigious Napa Valley Grower of the Year award. Richmond was honored for his contributions to Napa Valley agriculture and to the Valley’s grapegrower and farmworker communities.
In 2001, Pete Richmond founded Silverado Farming Company, which he currently owns and operates. His passion for the farming community in Napa Valley runs through all facets of his business. He is an understated but impactful advocate for growers and farmworkers alike. To that end, Richmond quietly implemented “1% for the Community,” a program that donates 1% of Silverado Farming’s gross profits to fund initiatives supporting at-risk youth and agricultural workers.
Richmond’s passion for his community, and the workers who are the bedrock of Napa Valley’s success, is reflected in all his endeavors. He currently serves on the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation board, Ag for Youth, the OLE Health Operation and Foundation boards, and as an advisory board member to Teen’s Connect. He is a past board member for the Napa Valley Grapegrowers, the Napa County Housing Commission and Napa Valley Community Housing.
Born and raised in Northern California, Richmond graduated from Fresno State University with a degree in Agricultural Business. His first job at Bien Nacido Vineyards on the central coast sparked his lifelong love of grape growing and farming. He later moved North to Napa Valley, where he worked in vineyard management for Stag’s Leap Winery, Atlas Peak Winery, and Kendall Jackson, before striking out on his own. His grandmother, mother and son all graduated from Napa High and Richmond currently resides in Napa Valley with his wife and two children.
Richmond is known for his humble generosity, dry sense of humor, a deep love of the farmworker community, and his devotion to his wife, family, and two Labrador retrievers. In his limited spare time, he enjoys woodworking and collecting baseball memorabilia.
Nominations for the Grower of the Year come from the NVG membership, and the recipient is chosen by a special Selection Committee comprised of Past Presidents and current committee members. The award criteria are: a strong commitment to sustainable practices; recognized leadership in agricultural preservation, dedicated community focus, contributions to the Napa Valley community, and someone who actively promotes Napa’s reputation for the highest quality vineyards.
NVG is a non-profit trade organization that has played a vital role in strengthening Napa Valley’s reputation as a world-class viticultural region for over four decades. Its mission is to preserve and promotion Napa Valley’s world-class vineyards. NVG represents over 720 Napa County grape growers and associated businesses.
