Brad Buckley Email and Phone Number

Brad Buckley was raised on a small farm in Mississippi helping his family grow vegetables and cotton. He received a Masters degree in Public Administration at Mississippi State University and planned to pursue a career in the public sector. After visiting California and falling in love with the scenery, weather, and lifestyle, he relocated to San Luis Obispo in 1987. While waiting for a public sector job opening, he took a production laborer position at The Abalone Farm. Brad thought he would keep the interesting and unique job for a limited time; but he took great interest in what the farm was working to accomplish; to preserve a part of California’s food culture, the Red Abalone. Brad has held various positions in production and administration. He has worked as a crew supervisor and manager in three divisions of production, managed the farm’s distribution and processing divisions and served as administrative assistant and personnel director.The Abalone Farm has grown to become the nation's largest producer of Red Abalone. The farm’s product was exported primarily to Asia in the ‘80’s while only a small percentage was sold in the domestic market. Brad has seen a dramatic reversal of this trend as restrictions were imposed on wild catch and public awareness of sustainable and ocean-friendly choices has increased. The Abalone Farm supports local/regional products and markets all abalone production within the U.S.The Abalone Farm has been in numerous local and national publications such as the New York and Los Angeles Times, Saveur, Sunset and Food & Wine magazine. The farm has also been featured on the Food Network’s’ BBQ with Bobby Flay’, ‘Will Work For Food’ and KCET’s ‘Visiting with Huell Howser’.Marketing and educational outreach includes participation in Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch, local and nationally recognized food and wine events, culinary school and media tours, plus joint marine and food industry research conducted through universities.