A farming family with roots in the Central Valley has been recognized for its contribution to the agricultural industry in an event that resulted in big gains for Fresno State’s agriculture department.

Proceeds from the July 14 event at the Fresno Convention Center came from sponsors and ticket sales towards the Ag One—Ross Borba Sr. Family endowment.

Four members of the Borba family from Riverdale were honored at the annual Ag One Community Salute, an event that raised $850,000 for student and program support for the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology at Fresno State.

This edition of the event was the first to honor a family and spotlighted third-generation member Tina Borba and her son, Ross Jr. and son Mark and his wife, Peggy Brown-Borba. The audience of nearly 900 people, which included family, friends, industry members and Fresno State officials, recognized the Borbas for their area agricultural leadership and health and education philanthropy.

“The Jordan College is so fortunate to have the Borba family’s commitment to supporting the next generation of agriculture industry and community leaders,” said Jordan College dean Sandra Witte. “It was such a wonderful evening for such a deserving family.”

The family was also presented with a painting of Tina and her late husband, Ross Borba Sr. that was presented by David Hembree, Fresno State’s director of development for student affairs and enrollment management.

Borba Farms, Inc. was established in 1976, but its Central Valley roots date back to the early 1900s when A.J. Borba started a family dairy near Hardwick. Today’s 9,000-acre operation grows almonds, tomatoes, garlic, melons, lettuce wheat and cotton. It also runs the Rancho del Rio horse ranch near Fresno.