FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Lisa Dobbins, Executive Director
Grower-Shipper Association Foundation
512 Pajaro Street
Salinas, CA 93901
Lisa@GrowerShipperFoundation.org
Cell # 831-588-4505

Grower-Shipper Association Foundation Announces AgKnowledge Program Class XIII 2019

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.

2019 AgKnowledge Class XIII – Fellows

• Leslie Boni, Associate Professor of Finance, CSUMB
• Alejandro Del-Pozo, Integrated Pest Management Advisor Entomology, University of California Cooperative Extension
• Priscilla Du, Agricultural Biologist/Inspector III, Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office
• Dash Dunkell, Stewardship Director, Elkhorn Slough Foundation
• Brenda Eskenazi, Professor of Epidemiology, University of California Berkeley
• Luis Flores, Business Agent, Teamsters Union Local 890
• David Frisbey, Planning & Air Monitoring Manager, Monterey Air Resources District
• Mostafa Ghous, Dean of Academic Affairs, South County Education Services, Hartnell College
• Daniel Gonzalez, Executive Director, Center for Community Advocacy
• Ariana Green, Associate Transportation Planner, Transportation Agency of Monterey County (TAMC)
• Randy Ishii, Chief of Public Works, Monterey County Resource Management Agency (RMA)
• Joann Iwamoto, Cannabis Program Manager, Monterey County CAO-IGLA Cannabis Program
• Amanda Krasa, Water Quality Specialist, Monterey County Health Department Laboratory
• Genevieve LeBlanc, Food Environment Lead, Blue Zones Project
• Sonja Lolland, Vice President Academic Affairs, Hartnell College
• Karen Morrison, Science & Policy Advisor/Environmental Program Manager, California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR)
• Eric Mueller, CPA, Chang, Nguyen, Van Ruler LLP
• Elyse Rivas, Associate Equal Opportunity Analyst, Monterey County Civil Rights Office
• Enid Ryce, Director, CSUMB Salinas Center for Arts & Culture, CSUMB
• Brandon Swanson, Interim Chief of Planning, Monterey County Resource Management Agency (RMA)
• Roger Van Horn, Supervisor Environmental Health Specialist, Monterey County Environmental Health Bureau

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

Program Topics:

• Food Safety
• Regulations affecting agriculture, including competing regulatory interests
• Water
• Supply, quality, regulations and politics
• Groundwater protection, salt water intrusion, overdraft
• Immigration, labor issues, cultural influence of the workforce (past, present, projected)
• Pest prevention, detection, eradication, integrated pest management, pesticide use (synthetic & natural), conventional and organic farming methods.
• Technology, research, opportunities
• Global markets, world competition and trade issues
• Marketing
• Trends in the marketplace
• Value-added
• Industry consolidation
• Sustainability
• Public Relations
• Consumer attitudes
• Health and nutrition programs
• Air Resource Regulations
• Urban/Ag Interfacing, Ag Buffers, Conservation Easements, Williamson Act

Land use issues affecting agriculture:

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.

2017 AgKnowledge Class XI- Fellows

• Sean Capistrano – Manager, Hayashi Wayland
• Amy Clymo – Engineering and Compliance Manager, Monterey Bay Air Resources District
• Jay Donato – Internal Organizer, SEIU Local 521
• Shawne Ellerbee – Deputy Director of Administrative Services, RMA, County of Monterey
• Paul Farmer – CEO, Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce
• Dr. Scott Fausti – Associate Professor of Ag Business, CSUMB-College of Business
• Ben Figueroa – Vice President of Administrative Services, Hartnell Community College
• Krista Hanni – Planning, Evaluation, and Program Manager, Monterey County Health Department
• Hannah Wallis – Agricultural Programs Biologist, Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office
• Pamela Krone-Davis – Agricultural Water Quality Coordinator, CA Marine Sanctuary Foundation, NOAA
• Khaled Mabrouk – Owner/Operational Engineering Leader, Sustainable Productivity Solutions
• Clementina Macias – Director of Farmworker Education & Advancement Program, Hartnell Community College
• Jacob Martinez – Founder, Executive Director, Digital Nest
• Amanda McEldowney – Relationship Manager, Wells Fargo Bank
• Andy Myrick – Economic Development Manager, City of Salinas
• Kate Roberts – President, Monterey Bay Economic Partnership
• Roger Royse – Owner, Royse Law Firm – AgTech
• Enrique Saavedra – Acting Chief of Roads & Bridges, RMA, County of Monterey
• Rosemary Soto – Office of Community Engagement and Strategic Advocacy/Manager of Gang Violence Prevention Initiative, Monterey County Administrative Office
• Sandra Tauriac – Hazardous Materials Management Service Supervisor, Monterey County Department of Environmental Health
• April Theis, Administrative Assistant, Monterey County Farm Bureau
• Jill Townzen – California Department of Pesticide Regulation, Chief Legislative Analyst

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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.