Michael Gallo

Born and raised in Livingston, California, Michael Gallo is a third-generation farmer and businessman who was mentored by his father, Joseph. Michael Gallo began farming vineyards for the family business, Joseph Gallo Farms, at an early age and eventually took over the dairy business which, during the 1990s, became the largest family-owned dairy operation in the country. Today, the company is primarily known for its award-winning cheese business. It also produces whey protein and California almonds.

Joseph Gallo Farms is a family company that includes Mike Gallo’s children Micah, Tiffanie, Peter, and Peter’s wife Lindsi; Mike’s wife Lori and their son Marco; Linda Jelacich, her husband Kenny, daughter Ann Marie, and Ann Marie’s husband Tom; and Patricia Gallo, Joseph E. Gallo’s widow.

Some of Mike Gallo's earliest memories involve his father making cheese in the kitchen of their family home, but it wasn't until the early 1980s when they explored the idea of creating a cheesemaking business. They built their first cheese plant in 1982 and started expanding operations with support from a second-generation cheesemaker from Wisconsin. Today, the Joseph Farms Cheese Company brand is recognizable worldwide, with its award-winning Grade-A cow's milk cheese sold in retail locations throughout the US and Mexico.

A good steward of the land, Michael Gallo emphasizes environmental conservation and sustainability in leading the family farming operation. The company has a Department of Environmental Affairs that works to ensure regulatory compliance and compatibility with the farm's surrounding natural habitat. Moreover, Mike Gallo and his father have worked with government agencies to restore hundreds of acres of wetlands. In recognition of its conservation efforts and use of green energy in powering farming operations, the company received the prestigious Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award.

Joseph Gallo Farms’ green energy use includes a two-megawatt solar array that currently powers a processing plant and company offices; the company plans to add another seven megawatts of solar energy. In addition, Joseph Gallo Farms was one of the first California dairy operations to work in partnership with the California Energy Commission to convert 400,000 cubic feet of biogas every day into 8,000,000 kilowatts of electricity every year, to power its facilities.