Salinas, CA (March 2023) – The Grower-Shipper Association Foundation and their co-sponsoring partners, the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner and the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California is pleased to announce the 2023 AgKnowledge Program Class XV Fellows. These 23 community members have been accepted into the program and will participate in a nine-month executive educational program. AgKnowledge provides participating fellows a deeper understanding about the heritage, diversity, stewardship and complexity of Monterey County agriculture and the interdependencies of agriculture, local government and the community.
Salinas, CA (April 2022) – The Grower-Shipper Association Foundation and their co-sponsoring partners, the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner and the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California is pleased to announce the 2022 AgKnowledge Program Class XIV Fellows. These 20 community members have been accepted into the program and will participate in a nine-month executive educational program. AgKnowledge provides participating fellows a deeper understanding about the heritage, diversity, stewardship and complexity of Monterey County agriculture and the interdependencies of agriculture, local government and the community.
Friday March 24, 2023
Opening Day – Ag Overview
Friday April 28, 2023
Heritage
Friday May 19, 2023
Agricultural Workforce
Friday June 16, 2023
North County
Friday July 28, 2023
Water
Friday August 25, 2023
Food Safety, Pesticides and Plant Protection
Friday September 22, 2023
Science & Technology
Friday October 27, 2023
South County
Friday November 17, 2023
Graduation and Closing Reception @ Tanimura & Antle
“Boots on the Ground Day” is pre-planned between you, another class member, and a grower, shipper or rancher.
Contact:
Lisa Dobbins, Executive Director
Grower-Shipper Association Foundation
512 Pajaro Street
Salinas, CA 93901
Lisa@GrowerShipperFoundation.org
Cell # 831-588-4505
Salinas, CA (February 2019) The Grower-Shipper Association Foundation and their co-sponsoring partners, the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner and the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California is pleased to announce the 2019 AgKnowledge Program Class XIII Fellows. These 22 community members have been accepted into the program and will participate in a nine-month executive educational program. AgKnowledge provides participating fellows a deeper understanding about the heritage, diversity, stewardship and complexity of Monterey County agriculture and the interdependencies of agriculture, local government and the community.
The AgKnowledge Program focuses on issues and public policies affecting and influencing the local Monterey County agricultural industry. The issues include but are not limited to food safety, food security, labor, immigration, technology, agri-marketing, conservation and the environment, urban-agriculture interface, air, and water.
The Fellows will spend nine (9) Fridays between March and November attending scientific and policy forums, visiting farms and processing facilities along with meeting key leaders and innovators within the fresh produce industry. One of the program’s most popular facets is the “Boots on the Ground Day,” spending time with a local grower becoming immersed in agriculture from a hands-on perspective.
The AgKnowledge Program is co-sponsored by the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner’s office
and the Grower-Shipper Association.
The Grower-Shipper Association Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote and educate about the health, social and cultural benefits of agriculture to the community and society as a whole.
The purpose of AgKnowledge is to provide policy makers and community leaders the opportunity to “walk in the shoes of a farmer”, to see Monterey County through the eyes of those directly involved in the many facets of agriculture, to be a more informed consumer and to encourage AgKnowledge graduates to extend to others the knowledge and awareness they have gained through participation in the program. It is the hope and expectation that the Class Members will better understand the heart of those that work the land and/or otherwise contribute to the production and distribution of agricultural commodities.
Over the next nine months your seminars and your “Boots on the Ground Day” will take you throughout the diverse geography of Monterey County with farm and agribusiness tours as well as “hands on” experiences covering topics such as; diversity of crops commodities, field and food safety, marketing, technology, politics, regulations, labor, immigration, cultural diversity and a history of the industry and some of the families that make up Monterey County Agriculture.
The intent of the program is to provide you with a context for Monterey County Agriculture:
Historical beginnings and/or current overviewGeography and land stewardshipCrops, technology and economicsGenerational families, cultural issues, workforceComplex Issues – providing different points of viewImpact on the communities – developing common threads among each of the seminars
Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) or Genetically Engineered Organism (GEO)Ag TourismEducation (certificates, degrees, extension, life-long learning)
The goal of AgKnowledge is to assist policy-makers and community leaders in developing an informed appreciation of the broad spectrum of issues affecting agriculture. Fellows will better understand the people, the families, the history and the interdependencies of the agricultural industry. AgKnowledge will bring Class Members a face to the agricultural family; they will see common values with their own families and understanding the overall economic backbone – the “us” factor: All of Monterey County will enjoy a better quality of life with a healthy and sustainable agricultural industry.
The program will provide the Class Fellows with educational presentations, tours, hands-on experiences and panel discussions with speakers from diverse backgrounds and different views regarding the complex issues that affect and comprise the agricultural industry.
The long term goal is that AgKnowledge will develop and sustain community understanding and support for growers, ranchers and all those involved in agriculture in Monterey County.
The Grower-Shipper Association Foundation and their co-sponsoring partners, the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner and the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California is pleased to announce the 2017 AgKnowledge Program Class XI Fellows. These 22 community members have been accepted into the program and will participate in a nine-month executive leadership program. AgKnowledge educates participating fellows about the heritage, diversity, stewardship and complexity of Monterey County agriculture and the interdependencies of agriculture, local government and the community.
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The AgKnowledge Program focuses on issues and public policies affecting and influencing the local Monterey County agricultural industry. The issues include but are not limited to food safety, food security, labor, immigration, technology, agri-marketing, conservation and the environment, urban-agriculture interface, air, and water.
The Fellows will spend nine (9) Fridays between March and November attending scientific and policy forums, visiting farms and processing facilities along with meeting key leaders and innovators within the fresh produce industry. One of the program’s most popular facets is the “Boots on the Ground Day,” spending time with a local grower becoming immersed in agriculture from a hands-on perspective.
The AgKnowledge Program is supported by the CalAgPlate Grant Program.
www.growershipperfoundation.org
The Grower-Shipper Association Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to Raise community awareness of the positive impact Agriculture makes in our lives.