On March 19, Mark Sambrailo, president of Sambrailo Packaging, founded in 1923, received the 2025 Al Smith Friend of Agriculture award for his strong support of local agriculture throughout the years.
The award was announced at the National Agriculture Day Spring Luncheon, an event at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds for which more than 220 tickets were sold.
The annual event is coordinated by the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau and the educational organization, Agri-Culture.
Sambrailo helped develop the clamshell with his father in 1987, designed the current raspberry clamshell tray to be folded in the field in1991, opened a Mexican packaging company, SambraMex, in 2001, and developed the first 4 lb. strawberry clamshell that gave 30% freight efficiency to Costco and California berry shippers. He increased the size of company 5-fold since becoming president in 1996.
Zach Friend, who received the award in 2024, presented the award, which is named for Al Smith, the founder of Orchard Supply Hardware who donated 3,000 acres (Swanton Pacific Ranch) on the north coast to Cal Poly. The ranch has row crops, timber and even a one-third-scale railroad, which was Al’s hobby.
The award, a piece of redwood with a train depicted on it, is presented annually to an individual, business or organization not involved in production agriculture but has done much for the industry.
2025 Poetry Contest winner Agustin Guzman
Also recognized at the luncheon were the winner of the 2025 National Ag Day Poster and Poetry Contests: Juan Carlos Calzetta IV, 5th grade, Santa Cruz Montessori School, poster contest winner, and Agustin Guzman, 12th grade, Renaissance High School, poetry Contest winner.
This year, the organization, Agri-Culture, streamlined its scholarship program so that all students could apply for multiple scholarships if they met the qualifications specified in each one. Winners of these scholarships were announced:
- Jimmie Cox Memorial Scholarship — Samuel Garcia, Aptos High School
- JJ Crosetti, Jr. Memorial Scholarship — Odalis Garcia, Watsonville High School
- Laura Brown Memorial Scholarship — Jonathan Zarate-Gutierrez, Cabrillo College
- Frank Prevedelli Memorial Scholarship — Andrea Puente, Watsonville High School
- Lou & Carol Calcagno Memorial Scholarship — Riley Whisler, Salinas High School
- Jeannie Witmer Memorial Scholarship —Lillian Mendonsa, Hollister High School
- Matt Ryan Community Service Scholarship — Sebastian Perez, Watsonville High School
Farm Bureau President Dennis Webb, the master of ceremonies, said, “This event brings agriculture and the broader community together to celebrate local farming.”
First Place Poster — Ag Day 2025
He added, “It is also wonderful to honor local students with scholarships, and the countywide Poster & Poetry Contest that had the theme, ‘Grown in Santa Cruz County and the Pajaro Valley.’”
Tom Am Rhein, director emeritus, Agri-Culture, Inc., spoke on the topic “Build a Legacy, Farm to Table.” He focused on individuals or families establishing endowment funds with Agri-Culture, to permanently provide support for purposes important to the donor, and fit into the mission of Agri-Culture.
Notables in attendance include U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta; retired Santa Cruz County Supervisor Zach Friend; Santa Cruz County Supervisors Felipe Hernandez and Kim De Serpa; Watsonville Mayor Maria Orozco; Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County CEO Susan True; Shadowbrook Restaurant owner Ted Burke; longtime CEO of the Ag History Project John Kegebein.
TOP PHOTO: 2025 Al Smith Friend of Agriculture Recipient Mark Sambrailo (right) with retired SCC Supervisor Zach Friend.