From left, Gary Serrato and Nish Marjarian, COO of Agrian

The Fresno Chamber of Commerce and accounting and consulting firm Baker Peterson Franklin announced the winners of the 2018 Agriculturalist of the Year and the Ag Business of the Year Tuesday.

Gary Serrato, general manager of the Fresno Irrigation District, won the award for Agriculturalist of the Year award and Clovis ag software company Agrian Inc. won the Ag Business award.

The winners were announced at the Fresno State Viticulture and Enology building lawn area and attended by board members of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, press and members of the community.

“The Chamber is thrilled to recognize Gary Serrato as the 2018 Agriculturalist of the Year for his years of dedication to the ag industry and our community,” said Nathan Ahle, president and CEO of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce.

Serrato had been with the Fresno Irrigation District since 1986 and held the previous positions of watermaster and assistant manager of operations. He announced his retirement earlier this year after leading the district for the past 19 years. He is also the executive officer of the North Kings Groundwater Sustainability Authority. Serrato was also appointed by the governor to the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley and other regional water committees.

“I’m both humbled and honored by this award,” Serrato said. “When you think about those that have won this award prior to me – to be on that same list is just humbling.”

Past winners include Don Cameron, Manuel Cunha, Joe Del Bosque, John Harris and Phil Larson.

Agrarian, Inc. has been helping growers, agronomists, crop advisors, retailers and food processors with a goal of consistent documentation since 2004.

Its free software provides compliance, agronomy, precision farming, sustainability and analytic tools. Agrarian is the first ag software company to operate cloud-based software, leading a shift in the industry and increasing documentation efficiencies. It claims the largest crop protection label database in the world.

This year’s award winners will be honored at the Fresno Chamber’s Agriculture Awards Luncheon on Nov. 7 at the Fresno Convention Center New Exhibit Hall.

For tickets to the visit the Chamber website at www.FresnoChamber.com or email info@fresnochamber.com.