Russell van Loben Sels is a lifelong resident of the Delta where he has farmed with his brother for more than 40 years. The van Loben Sels currently farm 2,500 acres of pears, wine grapes, tomatoes, corn, wheat, safflower, and alfalfa as Amistad Ranches. Parts of the farming operation are on land that has been owned by the family for more than 130 years.

Russell is the president of the Sacramento County Farm Bureau, Chairman of the California Pear Growers Association Board of Directors, and Vice Chair of the California Pear Advisory Board.