John Garamendi was raised on his family’s ranch in Mokelumne Hill, California. He received his B.A. in business from UC Berkeley where he was a Wheeler Scholar, second team All America offensive guard, two-time all Pacific Coast Conference team, and the 1964 West Coast heavy weight wrestling champion. He also holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. He and his wife Patti served in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia before returning to the U.S and settling down in Walnut Grove, where they raised six children. They now have 14 grandchildren and continue to raise Angus cattle on their ranch and grow pears in their Delta orchard in Walnut Grove.
Congressman Garamendi has made a career out of protecting our public lands and natural resources. He is a conservationist and outdoorsman who supports preserving public lands, and he works closely with hunters and fishermen. He believes clean air and clean water help create healthy communities. He is a consistent advocate for clean energy production and efficiency projects, because he understands that environmental stewardship and long term economic growth go hand-in-hand.
As a longtime resident of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Garamendi understands the economic, recreational and aesthetic benefits that it provides. He is fiercely opposed to an attempts to degrade this national treasure.
For more information concerning Congressman Garamendi's work and views on the issue of Environment, please contact his Washington, DC office.