Joseph Gergela

Executive Director

 Joseph M. Gergela is Executive Director of the Long Island Farm Bureau, an organization of more than 7,300 members. Since 1988, Joe Gergela effectively serves as an advocate for agricultural interests on Long Island (New York State’s leading agricultural region in terms of dollars), and represents the industry at the local, state and federal levels of government. He is a highly regarded and widely sought speaker on agricultural issues with local, national and international experience.

Long Island Business News has named Mr. Gergela as one of the “Top 100 Influentials of Long Island.” He was honored with the “Outstanding Service to Agriculture” Award in 1987 and the Public relations Professionals (PRPLI) “Long Island Achievement Award” in 1999.

On October 29, 2000, Mr. Gergela was recognized for his outstanding leadership with a “Distinguished Service Award” from the New York Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. The Long Island Wine Council conferred “Emeritus Membership” for his commitment to the growth of the Long Island wine industry in 2002.

Recently, in October 2004, Mr. Gergela was honored by the Long Island Chapter of the New York League of Conservation Voters for his efforts to a new Best Management Stewardship Program for farmers to address environmental concerns to ground and surface water.

He is actively involved with many business and civic organizations, including: Board of Directors for the New York State Agricultural Society; Suffolk County Soil and Water Conservation District; and the Long Island Partnership and Economic Roundtable. Joe is the past president of the New York Association of Conservation Districts and he is a member of the Long Island Pine Barrens Commission Advisory Committee.  Joe serves on the Board of Directors of Vytra Healthcare, Suffolk Community College Foundation, Central Suffolk Hospital, Long Island Market Authority, and the East End Economic and Environmental Institute.

As a graduate of State University of New York Stony Brook, he was named outstanding alumni from both Suffolk Community College and SUNY Stony Brook University in 1995. Mr. Gergela formerly was a working partner of Gergela Farms, a 200-acre vegetable farm, and he served as the Suffolk County Executive Director of USDA Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service for two years.