[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5567]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING MITCH LASGOITY FOR BEING NAMED THE 2017 SENIOR FARMER OF THE 
                                  YEAR

                                  _____
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, April 4, 2017

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Mitch Lasgoity, of 
Madera, California for being recognized as the 2017 Senior Farmer of 
the Year by the Madera District Chamber of Commerce. Receiving such an 
honor is well deserved by this hard working and humble man.
  Mitch was born in Madera, California on April 11, 1930. His father, 
Jean Lasgoity immigrated to the United States from the Basque country 
of France, where he was a sheep herder. After settling in Madera, Jean 
married Jennie Ospital in 1928 and they started their sheep livestock 
business on the plot of land Jennie grew up on.
  Growing up on this family farm business, Mitch learned from a very 
young age, the skills it would take to become a successful farmer. Even 
as a young boy, Mitch was trusted to help around the farm, from 
prepping chickens for dinner to raising hogs to sell to a meat company. 
As he got older, he became more involved in raising ewes into lambs, 
refining the skills needed in the sheep business. By the age of ten, 
Mitch could fully operate and drive a tractor and began doing summer 
work operating a grain harvester at the age of 15.
  After graduating from Madera Union High School, Mitch went on to 
attend Santa Clara University, graduating with a degree in business in 
1952. After college, Mitch partnered with his father in the sheep 
business. Later, at the age of 26, he bought the farm from his father 
and officially became self-employed.
  In 1957, Mitch married Rosemary Mastrofini, who gave birth to their 
four children, Michel, Monica, James and John. While raising a family, 
Mitch was determined to expand and refine his business with the help 
and support of his wife, Rosemary. In no time, Mitch had an outfit of 
5,000 ewes and expanded their grazing territory to Joe and Bob Heguy's 
ranch in Elko County, Nevada. In addition, Mitch partnered with 
Rosemary's uncle, Herb Buchenau, and together they created Copper Sheep 
Company in Ely, Nevada, where they had 10,000 ewes and 500 cows. Not 
stopping there, Mitch bought his first ranch, the Collins Ranch, in 
1967 near Eastman Lake. Around this time he also began to farm a 320 
acre ranch within Western Madera County. From then on, Mitch decided to 
expand his agriculture business to the best of his abilities. He has 
since diversified to producing almonds, grapes, wine and cattle. Now 
farming 3,500 acres, and owning a cattle operation which grazes over 
33,000 acres, Mitch has shown what true hard work and dedication can 
achieve in the farming and agriculture industry.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I ask my colleagues to join 
me in congratulating and honoring Mitch Lasgoity for this prestigious 
award as 2017 Senior Farmer of the Year. It is both fitting and 
appropriate that we honor Mitch for his commitment to the farming 
industry and outstanding accomplishments. I ask that you join me in 
wishing Mr. Mitch Lasgoity continued success.

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