Recognizing
Agricultural
Advocates –
Daniel Bays
Daniel Bays has always known he would be a farmer,
working with his father and grandfather on their family’s
land near Patterson, on the west side of Stanislaus County.
“It’s a pretty unique and special experience not many
people get to do –spending quality time working with your
dad and grandpa,” he said.
His path to farming was always clear to him. He explained
it was what he grew up wanting to do. “It was always in
the back of my mind that it would be nice to come back to
the farm but it may not always be realistic or a good option
depending on the circumstances,” he explained. “I was
lucky with the way things panned out to be able to come
back after school.”
After completing a bachelor’s degree in bioresource and
agricultural engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo,
he assumed responsibility for day to day personnel
management, equipment maintenance and operation, and
part of the water management and irrigation scheduling
duties on his family’s land. His degree has come in handy
when it comes to managing irrigation schedules, increasing
water efficiency and equipment maintenance. “In addition,
I use the critical thinking and problem solving skills in
everything,” he said.
Growing into a Leader
Bays has furthered his education by participating in
numerous leadership programs – including
Blue Diamond’s
Young Leader Class of 2014, the Almond Board of
California’s Almond Leadership Program, and most
recently, with the California Farm Bureau’s Leadership
program. “The programs have helped by giving me
the opportunity to meet people outside of my local
community and expand my network throughout the
state and country,” he explained. “I have had research
opportunities, been exposed to a variety of benefits
available for growers and had the opportunity to be
involved and grow as an industry leader. I hope by
participating, I’m benefiting our own operation and the
community as a whole.”
Bays caught the attention of
Blue Diamond’s
Corporate
Communications and Public Affairs Director Alicia
Rockwell through not only his participation in
Blue Diamond’s
Young Leader program, but also his
participation in the statewide agricultural awareness
campaign Cultivate California. “He is an excellent
example of the next generation of almond growers
looking to make a difference in our industry,” she said.
Rockwell invited Bays to participate with her in a
panel discussion on the benefits of leadership programs
for cooperatives at the National Council of Farmer
Cooperatives’ Annual Meeting.
“We discussed the importance of succession planning
and helping to train the next generation to grow into
director and leadership positions within cooperatives and
commodity groups,” he explained. “I wasn’t sure what
I would really have to offer to a corn grower from the
Midwest but I think I was able to connect because there
are commonalities that we all share as agriculturalists.”
36
Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2016
About Daniel Bays
He is a third generation farmer from Patterson, CA
The Bays family grows: almonds, apricots, walnuts, processing
tomatoes, lima beans, wheat and melons
His favorite
Blue Diamond
Product: Honey Roasted almonds
and
Nut*Thins
What are the most important issues in agriculture? “For California,
it is definitely our resources – water, land and labor – and all of these
are intertwined. On a larger scale, we need to foster an appreciation
for and trust in the farmer that they have the consumers’ interest in
mind and are doing the best with what they have.”
Daniel Bays (left) farms with his father Ken and grandfather Gene.
