Bill DuBois: 90 years and still working for agriculture

At home in el Centro, Bill DuBois continues to be active on behalf of farmers.

In 1916 the National Park Service was established, the first electric refrigerators went on sale and Hershey bars sold for 3 cents. That same year California Farm Bureau Federation Director Bill DuBois was born—three years before Farm Bureau itself was founded.

Today, at 90, DuBois has been a Farm Bureau member for six decades. He still takes the stairs instead of the elevator, regularly drives from his El Centro home to Sacramento for meetings, serves on numerous boards, actually reads full Environmental Impact Reports and, to top it off, has a great sense of humor. He is widely respected for his encyclopedic knowledge of water issues.

The reason for his considerable interest in water policy may stem from growing up in the sometimes sizzling Imperial Valley. In 1917 his family moved from Santa Barbara County to the valley, buying 240 acres of sand hills to farm.

"We came because the area had just opened up to irrigation and we could get some land," DuBois explained. "We didn't have electricity or running water. We lived in a tent in the middle of the ranch. But, we did have one luxury—a big cottonwood tree."

Imperial County farmer Larry Gilbert, who has been friends with DuBois for more than 35 years, said what strikes him most about his friend is his statesmanship.

"He's a person who's completely polite and respectful, but has a great deal of knowledge and presents information in such a way that people don't become defensive," Gilbert explained. "In part his sharp intellect and tact are gifts, but he also has worked to cultivate them."

DuBois has had plenty of opportunities to put those skills to use—both as CFBF's director of natural resources for 20 years and continuing today as a consultant. For example, he has been extensively involved in the myriad issues relating to the Colorado River and in the 1970s actively participated in the debate over the proposed Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta peripheral canal and state laws requiring EIRs.

More recently he has participated in discussions about the water transfer agreement between the Imperial Irrigation District and San Diego County Water Authority and is currently working on issues related to the Salton Sea.

DuBois' many contributions to agriculture have not gone unrecognized. He was presented with Farm Bureau's Distinguished Service Award in 2004, the organization's highest honor.

"Bill's most important contribution to California agriculture has been his leadership in finding a sensible approach to solving our water issues," said CFBF Administrator George Gomes. "And, he continues to work on these challenging policy issues."

Imperial County Farm Bureau President Vince Brooke said, "Bill is an old-school statesman and can tell you the law as well as the history. He knows all the players, all the developments, all the changes. He's cool. He's a treasure.

"Sometimes I go get him in my pickup and we drive around the farm and talk," Brooke said. "Bill is a real friend and I rely on him a lot."

(Kate Campbell is a reporter for Ag Alert. She may be contacted at kcampbell@cfbf.com.)