Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales Announces Retirement

 

After nearly 4 decades working within the Agricultural Commissioner’s system, Monterey

County Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales is announcing his retirement.

Gonzales began his career with Monterey County 38 years ago as a temporary insect trapper, and

was later promoted to agricultural inspector/biologist, deputy agricultural commissioner, and

chief deputy agricultural commissioner. In 2008, he left to become Agricultural Commissioner of

Ventura County but returned to Monterey County in 2018 to serve as Commissioner.

Gonzales has deep roots in agriculture. He was born into a family of migrant farmworkers and

began working as a farmworker at the age of 14, thinning lettuce with the short-handled hoe

called El Cortito (Spanish for the short one). As a member of the United Farmworkers, he was

able to be a part of an important moment in labor history - he was one of the many demonstrators

outside the Monterey County jail in 1970 while Cesar Chavez was held for violating a court

injunction against a boycott.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to grow from being a farmworker to serving as Agricultural

Commissioner,” Gonzales reflected. “My roots provided an invaluable perspective that played an

essential role in all the work I have done as Commissioner.”

“Henry Gonzalez was among the most effective agricultural commissioners in the nation,” says

Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo. “He knew how critical is was to help ensure a vibrant

ag industry in our county, but also protecting our agricultural workforce. He set the bar of what

an Ag Commissioner should be.”

Looking back at his accomplishments in Monterey County, Gonzales singled out these

successful projects:

• The first-time production of a Cannabis Crop report summarizing commercial cannabis

production in Monterey County.

• The key Crop and Livestock Report, an important product of the Commissioner’s Office,

was translated into Spanish for the first time to better reach farmworkers.

• Successfully implemented an Industrial Hemp Pilot Program as well as reporting the

economic value in Industrial Hemp in the annual crop report for the first time.

• Successfully implemented the Schools and Pesticides regulation.

When the pandemic struck in 2020, followed by wildfires later the same year, the needs of

farmworkers who were essential workers was paramount. Among successes Gonzales points to

during that time are:

• The creation of an Advisory for Agricultural Worker Protection during COVID-19 in

partnership with local elected officials and agricultural industry organizations.

• Created essential agricultural employee cards in Spanish to educate agricultural

employees of services available at the onset of the pandemic.

• Distributed over 1,148,000 single use surgical masks, over 50,0000 16.9 oz. hand

sanitizer bottles and over 360,000 N95 respirators to help protect farmworkers from the

pandemic and wildfire smoke.

• Created a bilingual farmworker hotline 831-809-2394 to receive concerns, questions, and

complaints directly from farmworkers.

“Ag Commissioner Henry Gonzales was the right man at the right time for Monterey County,”

says Monterey County Supervisor Chris Lopez. “Through a pandemic, layered with wildfires,

and new pest challenges, he rose to the challenge and led by initiating collaboration. I will miss

his leadership, and will always appreciate his steadfast dedication.”

Gonzales’s last day as Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner will be December 30, 2022.

He plans on traveling and spending more time with his family as well as looking for new and

interesting challenges.