Salinas officials push to rename the city, conveying its agricultural leadership.

The Salinas Valley has long had a reputation as the Salad Bowl of the World, known for its outsized agricultural presence. While strawberries have become the number-one crop in terms of value according to the crop report, an annual analysis compiled by the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner, lettuce only places second because the crop report lists different varieties separately (leaf lettuce was at $782 million in 2023, and head lettuce at $493 million—not to mention other salad greens like spinach at $139 million). 

To help emphasize the continued importance of leafy greens in the local economy, a coalition of business groups is pitching an idea to Salinas City Council to officially change the name of the city of Salinas to Saladville. 

“We’ve spent years trying to expand global awareness of our region’s important contributions to the salad-based economy, and there is no better way to do that than through a simple and straightforward change to our name,” says Paul Farmer, CEO of the Monterey County Business Council. 

(Farmer adds that he changed his own surname about 12 years ago as his own profile as a regional business leader grew, making clear that he represents the economic engine of the county.)

In his day job, Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue runs the Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology, helping drive ag tech projects in the region. “We work with lots of futuristic companies with highfalutin ideas,” Donohue says. “Sometimes we overlook the simplest of ideas that can help convey our values: a simple name change. I already think of Salinas as Saladville.” 

Donohue and Farmer, in consultation with the boards of the Grower-Shipper Association and the Monterey County Farm Bureau, arrived at the idea of Saladville when they added all of those crop report numbers together—and besides, Farmer says, people say they like kale at least 20-percent more than they actually like kale. 

Donohue adds that he has heard from delighted health officials who are enthusiastic about promoting a love of salad. 

“Just think: The Salinas arch over Main Street could instead be a free billboard for improving cardiovascular health,” says Dr. Allen Radner, CEO of Salinas Valley Health. 

“Getting the business community and the health community on board was easy,” Donohue says. “Now it’s just a matter of bringing the recommendation to the rest of City Council.” 

The city manager is expected to present the idea of changing the name of Salinas to Saladville on Tuesday, April 1, for a first formal, public discussion of the name change.