California’s agriculture industry is mourning the loss of Jonathan W. Field, 77, of Lincoln, Calif., who died Aug. 5 surrounded by family.
Field served as manager of the California Tree Fruit Agreement (CTFA) for over a decade, led the Walnut Bargaining Association and served as the Compliance Officer for the California and Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreements and the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board.
His passion for agriculture began at age 6 when he received his first sheep on Christmas morning. A lifelong 4-H member, he spent nine months in Kenya with the 4-H and Peace Corps, teaching crop rotation and agricultural best practices. He always maintained his own sheep and cattle, fulfilling his lifelong dream of farming.
Field earned an undergraduate degree in agricultural business from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and a master’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of California, Davis.
Field’s professional journey as part of California’s agricultural industry was as expansive as it was impactful. He began his career with California Agricultural Statistics Service, then served as an economist for the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), where he worked on programs for iceberg lettuce, fresh tomatoes, carrots, celery, potatoes, cling peaches and processing pears. While at CDFA, Field wrote the first marketing agreement program and was the economist assigned to the first commission laws created in California.
In 1981, Field became assistant manager for the CTFA, a conglomerate of marketing order programs representing California-grown peaches, plums, nectarines and pears. He became manager in 1987 and served until 2000. While there, he championed growers, strengthened industry standards and left a lasting mark on California’s tree fruit sector. He was integrally involved in litigation that went successfully to the U.S. Supreme Court, upholding the legality of mandatory commodity programs.
“During the 1990s, the California Tree Fruit Agreement was extremely fortunate to have Jonathan Field as its Manager,” says Melvin Enns, a tree fruit grower-shipper who served on the CTFA board for many years.
“Jon was well-versed in the intricacies of government regulations. He formed a diverse team of experts in the areas of merchandising, export development, communications and grower relations to create programs that complied with these directives,” Enns adds. “And, together with the 1,500+ growers of California peaches, pears, plums, and nectarines, Jonathan and his team built a federal and state marketing order that was the envy of tree fruit growers in every other state.”
Not only did Field leave a lasting impression on the California fruit industry, but he championed several causes impacting California agriculture in general. Working with a group of marketing order and commission managers (who are now retired) — including Bruce Obbink, California Table Grape Commission; Dennis Balant, California Walnut Board; Rich Peterson, California Prune Board; Terry Stark, California Raisin Advisory Board; and Dave Riggs, California Strawberry Commission — Field was instrumental in founding the Alliance for Food and Farming, the Agricultural Issues Forum, the Minor Crop Farmer Alliance, the California Specialty Crop Council and the Buy California Marketing Agreement, or “California Grown.”
After leaving CTFA, Field formed Paradigm Consulting Co., where he worked for several organizations including as executive director of the Walnut Bargaining Association, a cooperative of California walnut growers.
“Jon Field was a true representative for our industry,” said Donald Norene, chairman of the Walnut Bargaining Association (now known as the Walnut Alliance of California.). “He was committed to empowering walnut growers with the financial information necessary to successfully negotiate a fair return for their walnut crop and his analysis was highly regarded by bankers, growers and handlers.”
In 2007, Field began working as the first compliance officer for the newly formed California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement and its sister organization, the Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement, to help ensure leafy greens growers are following stringent food safety practices. In 2012, he began performing these same functions as the compliance officer for the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board. Field retired in 2023.
“I had known Jon for many years prior to bringing him on at the LGMA as our very first compliance officer,” says Scott Horsfall, former president and CEO of the California LGMA. “He was the perfect person for this role with his strong background in working with CDFA, his knowledge of marketing orders and agreements and his strong desire to help the agricultural industry through challenges. He will be missed.”
Field is survived by his wife of 52 years, Christine; children Erin, Jonathan and Heather; seven grandchildren; his sister, Shirley; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. The family will provide more information about a celebration of life at a later date.
