About Us
Our History
As fifth-generation farmers of Italian heritage, the Pitigliano Family takes pride in the fields, ranches, orchards and vineyards that yield food and drink for tables across the world. Their story is testament to the values of persistence, discipline and sacrifice, with a business sense earned through decades in the farming business.
Based in the fertile counties of Kings, Kern and Tulare in Central California’s San Joaquin Valley, the Pitigliano Family traces its farming roots to the 1920s, when great-grandfather Ben Lapadula purchased land to grow and pack potatoes. His grandson, Charlie Pitigliano, Jr. is the patriarch of today’s family farming operation, which began in 1975. By 1980, Charlie was farming his own 350 acres, and managing 80 more for friends and fellow landowners. His wife, Nancy, and the couple’s three sons, brought dinner to him in the fields in those early days of building their business.
Today, Pitigliano Farms continues to operate as a family business, with sons Michael, Josh and Dominic as partners and “boots on the ground” farmers. Together they oversee their own acreage and farm more then 10,000 for fellow farmers and dairymen, investors and absentee landowners.
Meet the family
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Nancy PitiglianoNancy Pitigliano is a successful wife, mother, grandmother, community volunteer and business woman. She has worked as the office manager of the family business since 1977, is serving on the Tulare County Planning Commission and the Water Advisory Committee in Sacramento, is secretary of California Women for Agriculture, and is past president of the Tulare County Farm Bureau. She is also heavily involved in the Sons of Italy Roma Lodge.
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Charlie Pitigliano, Jr.
Charlie Pitigliano, Jr. is a successful farmer and businessman and dedicated community volunteer. He has grown Pitigliano Farms from 350 acres in 1975 to managing/farming more than 11,000 today. He is past chairman of the World Ag Expo and was honored as Tulare Kiwanis Farmer of the Year and Tulare County Agriculturist of the Year by the Farm Bureau.
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Michael Pitigliano
Michael Pitigliano oversees the family’s farming operations in Kern County. He is a graduate of Fresno State University.
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Josh Pitigliano
Josh Pitigliano was recognized as a Top 50 Under 50 Farmer by Agripulse in 2014. He is a graduate of Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo and an executive board member of Tulare County Farm Bureau.
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Dominic Pitigliano
Dominic Pitigliano is a member of the American Pistachio Growers Leadership Board, and is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Give Back.
The Pitigliano Family recognizes its responsibility to the community, and thus volunteers hundreds of hours each year to a variety of organizations, including the Tulare County Farm Bureau, the International Agri-Center, site of the World Ag Expo, Knights of Columbus, Sons of Italy Roma Lodge, Tulare County Young Farmers and Ranchers, and many others.