Tuesday, October 21, 2014 4:30 – 6:30 pm Grower-Shipper Association 512 Pajaro, Salinas, CA 93901
Join the members of the Grower-Shipper Association Foundation at a reception for Lorelei DiSogra, Ed.D. R.D., Vice President for Nutrition and Health of the United Fresh Produce Association, headquartered in Washington, D.C. Dr. DiSogra will share her thoughts on building partnerships to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in the schools and the upcoming reauthorization of the Healthy and Hunger-Free Kids Act, in advance of her presentation at “A Greater Vision,” on October 22, 2014 at CSUMB.
The Grower-Shipper Association Foundation has accepted 23 fellows to the annual AgKnowledge leadership program based in Salinas, Calif.
They’ll participate in a nine-month program on the heritage of Monterey County, Calif., agriculture and its ties with local government and the community.
Courses focus on issues including food safety, labor and immigration, technology, marketing, conservation and water. From March to November, the fellows will spend 10 Fridays attending forums; visiting farms and processing facilities; and meeting industry leaders, according to a news release.
It’s sponsored by the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California and the Monterey County agricultural commissioner’s office. This is the eighth class.
AgKnowledge Class VIII fellows include:
Joyce Aldrich, Executive Director, Workforce Investment Board, County of Monterey
Jesse Avila, Deputy County Counsel, County of Monterey
Katharine Ball, Digital Editor, Salinas Californian
Priscilla Barba, Board Aide, Supervisor Simon Salinas, County of Monterey
Janet Barnes, Board of Education, Trustee, District 4
Pete Delgado, President/CEO, Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System
Mark Dias, Supervising Environmental Health Specialist, County of Monterey
Veronica Diaz, Political Coordinator, Teamsters Joint Council 7
Irma Gomez, Assistant Director of Customer Service, Markon Cooperative
Linda Gonzalez, District Director, Office of Assembly Member Luis A. Alejo
Grey Hayes, Director Coastal Training Program, Elkhorn Slough Foundation
Shimat Joseph, IPM Advisor, University of California Cooperative Extension
Shyam Kamath, Dean, School of Business, California State University, Monterey Bay
Philip Molnar, Reporter, Monterey Herald
Edward Moreno, Heath Officer, Health Department, County of Monterey
Martina Nino, Manager, Hayashi & Wayland
Ignacio Ornelas, Special Assistant, Stanford University
Susan Pheasant, Director, Ag, Business & Technology Institute, Hartnell College
Cammie Ramsey, Marketing Assistant, Mann Packing Company
Sierra Ryan, Researcher & Program Coordinator, Central Coast Wetlands Group
Karen Stahlman, Chief Deputy Agricultural Commissioner, County of Monterey
Brian Turlington, New Executive Director, Monterey County Business Council
Steve Wotherspoon, Senior Vice President Relationship Manager, Pinnacle Bank
Salinas, CA (February 4, 2014) – The Grower-Shipper Association Foundation is accepting applications for the 2014 AgKnowledge program now through February 28, 2014. Applications are available at the Grower-Shipper Association Foundation website: http://growershipperfoundation.org/agknowledge.
For questions, please contact Darlene Din at 831-682-0734 or darlene@growershipper.com.
Community members are encouraged to apply to the nine-month AgKnowledge executive leadership program, which is focused on educating participants about the heritage, diversity, stewardship, and complexity of Monterey County agriculture and the interdependencies of agriculture, local government, and the community.
AgKnowledge courses focus on issues affecting and influenced by the local agricultural industry, including food safety and security, labor and immigration, technology, marketing, conservation, urban/agriculture interfacing, air, water and much more. More than twenty fellows spend one Friday per month over the course of the program attending forums and visiting farms, processing facilities and meeting leaders and innovators in the industry. One of the program’s most popular facets is “Day with a Farmer” – a day spent with a local grower becoming immersed in agriculture from a boots on the ground perspective.
The 2013 Education Award was presented to Neil Ledford and Grower Shipper Association Foundation’s AgKnowledge Program. In the spirit of Steinbeck’s writings, the Education Award recognizes an individual who through their teachings and efforts inspired or nourished a lifelong love of learning.
The 9th Annual Valley of the World Awards was held at the Corral de Tierra Country Club on April 25, 2013.
The National Steinbeck Center established this event to recognize key pioneers of the Salinas Valley Agricultural Industry. The event helps to support the National Steinbeck Center’s Rabobank Agriculture Museum and proceeds from the event funds exhibitions and public programs held at the National Steinbeck Center throughout the year.
Salinas, CA (March 27, 2013) The Grower-Shipper Association Foundation has announced the fellows accepted to the 2013 AgKnowledge Program (Class VII). These 23 community members will participate in an eight-month executive leadership program focused on educating about the heritage, diversity, stewardship, and complexity of Monterey County agriculture and the interdependencies of agriculture, local government, and the community.
AgKnowledge courses focus on issues affecting and influenced by the local agricultural industry, including food safety and security, labor and immigration, technology, marketing, conservation, urban/agriculture interfacing, air, water and much more. Fellows will spend ten Fridays between April and November attending forums and visiting farms, processing facilities and meeting leaders and innovators in the industry. One of the program’s most popular facets is “Day with a Farmer” – a full day, spent with a local grower, being immersed in agriculture from a boots on the ground perspective.
AgKnowledge is co-sponsored by the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California and the County of Monterey.
AgKnowledge Class VII fellows include:
Jayanti Addleman, Library Director, Monterey County
Call it one of those moments in life when your ignorance shines bright. When I began to forge an agriculture-water beat at The Californian earlier this year, I thought to myself, “How hard could it be?” After all, I spent a large part of my youth on a cattle ranch east of Redding. I knew ranching, so farming couldn’t be much different, right?That’s the moment I was blinded by the light. Two glaring problems with my assumption became obvious —the scale and sophistication of the Salinas Valley. Of course, I had help fully understanding the depth of what I didn’t know. The help even has a name: AgKnowledge.
The program is modeled similar to leadership classes. Once a month our class focuses on one or two specific aspects of farming and ranching in the valley. Two people I tend to work closely with —Maia Carroll, Monterey County communications coordinator; and Robert Johnson, assistant general manager of the Monterey County Water Resources Agency, suggested I go through the program.In hindsight I’m sure I asked a question or made a comment that clued them in that Ranch Boy could use a little help grasping a few key concepts about agriculture in the Salinas Valley.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014