[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10620]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        IN HONOR OF HUGO TOTTINO

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 25, 2015

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the agricultural and 
public service career of a great American. Mr. Hugo Tottino is being 
honored this month by the Grower Shipper Association of Central 
California with the E.E. Gene Harden Award for Lifetime Achievement in 
Central Coast Agriculture. Known to many as the ``Artichoke King'' and 
to his friends and family at Ocean Mist Farms as simply Hugo, he is one 
of the pioneers of modern agriculture on the Central Coast. So while 
you may have never heard of him, I can guarantee that every member of 
this House has eaten something grown by Hugo and his family.
  Hugo's lifelong love and passion for farming undoubtedly began while 
working closely with his father on the family farm while growing up. 
Upon graduation from Salinas High in 1944, Hugo gave up a Saint Mary's 
College football scholarship to enlist in the Navy. After returning 
home to Castroville in 1946, Hugo joined California Artichoke and 
Vegetable Growers Corporation now known as Ocean Mist Farms. Once at 
work, Hugo turned his boundless energy toward helping to grow this 
family owned business into the dynamic industry leader that it is 
today. His signature work ethic is well known. He still drives to the 
office six days a week. And his leadership has extended beyond Ocean 
Mist Farms to the broader agricultural community. Hugo has been 
instrumental in championing the development of the Castroville Seawater 
Intrusion Project, helping to slow the rate of sea water intrusion into 
fresh water aquifers. He helped rally support to utilize alternative 
sources of water to save thousands of crop acres, and has been actively 
involved in the efforts of soil conservation and water reclamation.
  Hugo also turned his passion towards family and community. In 1951, 
Hugo married the love of his life, Doris Bei from Santa Cruz. Together 
they raised five children: Michele, Les, Karen, Cathy, David and are 
the loving grandparents of Amy, Brian, Katie, Jeff, Kevin, Sarah, Lisa, 
Glen, and Mary. He and Doris have also been active leaders or 
contributors to numerous community endeavors, including Salinas Valley 
Memorial Hospital, the Monterey County Food Bank, Our Lady of Refuge 
Catholic Church, the Ausonio Library, and North Monterey County High 
School, to name just a few.
  Mr. Speaker, I know I speak on behalf of the entire House in thanking 
Mr. Tottino for his decades of service to this nation and its 
agriculture industry. I wish him nothing but success wherever this next 
chapter of life takes him, and we are proud that he calls Castroville 
and California's Central Coast his home.

                          ____________________