Monterey Times

The County of Monterey Board of Supervisors announced today that Juan Hidalgo has been appointed as the new Agricultural Commissioner for the County. A seasoned Agricultural Commissioner, Juan Hidalgo will succeed outgoing Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales and assume responsibilities on February 6, 2023. Outgoing Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales announced his retirement from the County earlier this year.

Mr. Hidalgo is a resident of Monterey County and the current Agricultural Commissioner/ Sealer of Weights and Measures/ Director of Mosquito and Vector Control with the County of Santa Cruz. He has served in this capacity for more than six years. As part of his tenure with the County of Santa Cruz, he has had the opportunity to effectively use his skills and expertise to support and work with growers for continued success in a highly regulated industry. 

Mr. Hidalgo graduated from the University of California Davis with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Science in 2000.

The selection of Mr. Hidalgo caps a nationwide search process facilitated Avery Associates, a national executive search firm which specializes in placing executives at the nation's various governmental agencies. A large initial prospect pool was narrowed by stages to a group who interviewed with a group of community stakeholders in the agricultural industry, then to a final selection interview with the Board of Supervisors.

“Both the community stakeholder group and the Board of Supervisors found Mr. Hidalgo to be the most suited candidate for the position of Agricultural Commissioner for the County of Monterey,” says Chair-Supervisor Mary Adams, District 5. “Not only is Mr. Hidalgo the right fit for the job, but he is also a Monterey County resident and is thrilled to be working in his home community.”

Mr. Hidalgo is a natural collaborator, is approachable and an open-minded partner with good listening skills. His experience as a department head, diverse administrative responsibilities and positive leadership, have earned him the respect and trust of many local agricultural industry leaders. It is worth noting that Mr. Hidalgo is bilingual as he is fluent is Spanish.

“We are pleased to be able to bring someone of Juan Hidalgo’s caliber to Monterey County and look forward to his leadership,” says Supervisor Chris Lopez, District 3. “I appreciate he can hit the ground running, thanks to his experience collaborating with county and State agencies on emerging issues impacting agriculture and understanding the importance of communicating with community members.”

Original source can be found here.