California Ag Network

Category: Non-Video

  • Recent Fresno State Alumni Creates Meat Science Scholarship Endowment

    Fresno, Calif., (February 23, 2018) – Six recent Fresno State graduates have started the Ag One Meat Science Laboratory Scholarship Endowment to support students who work in the unit and produce an array of popular meat products sold at the Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market.

    The former meats lab student employees graduated in 2013 or later and pledged a combined $25,000 to the Ag One Foundation.

    Four of the donors — Macc Rigdon, Chad Bower, Chance Reeder and John Woodcock — earned bachelor’s degrees in meat technology. Josh Hasty earned a master’s degree in meat sciences, and Kyle Mendes earned a bachelor’s in agricultural education.

    Bower, Hasty and Reeder are also former managers of the student-run facility, and five of the alumni were also part of the campus meat science judging team.

    “‘To whom much is given, much is expected’ is a quote that has rung loud in my ears since the first time I heard my ag teacher say it,” Hasty said. “In the Fresno State meat lab, we were given more than we could ever give back. The lessons that we learned and the friends that became family continue to shape us long after graduation. We loved our time working there and simply wanted to help another group of kids experience what we did. Plus, as Anne Frank put it, ‘No one ever went poor by giving.’”

    Their Fresno State educations have encouraged Bower and Rigdon to pursue doctoral degrees at the University of Nebraska and the University of Georgia, respectively. Hasty received his doctoral degree from Colorado State in 2017. Mendes is currently working on his master’s degree at the University of Florida.

    Hasty is a senior food scientist at Cargill in Wichita, Kansas. Reeder is a plant superintendent for the Yosemite Meat Company in Modesto. Woodcock is a food microbiology technician for Food Safety Net Services in Fresno.

    The Fresno State meat science laboratory is a full-service, USDA-inspected meat processing facility that employs seven Fresno State students and three volunteers. Faculty member Dr. John Henson serves as the unit adviser and teaches classes with Dr. Amanda McKeith that cover animal selection, food safety, meat evaluation, muscle biology production systems, technology and equipment.

    The campus meat lab is the nation’s only university meat lab that specializes in Italian dry products such as a red wine and garlic salami and a spicy Calabrese salami. Students currently develop and market 30 different varieties of pork, lamb and beef sausages, jerky and snack sticks, and add new products regularly.

    Fresno State meat products are sold on campus at Bulldog Stadium and Save Mart Center, as well as China Peak, Cravings Wood Grill, Michelangelo’s Italian Pizzeria and Rocket Dog restaurants.

    “As an alumnus and former University meat lab employee, I find the passion, dedication and generosity of these six young people both humbling and inspiring,” Henson said. “It is satisfying to know that their time at Fresno State has played a part in fostering a love of hands-on education that will be shared by other students who take equally great pride in producing high-quality products for our community. I can think of no greater compliment as an educator than helping develop young people with this type of character, and I am very proud of the professionals that they have become.”

    The campus meat science laboratory is one of 22 student-managed units that are part of the 1,000-acrea University Agricultural Laboratory.

    Established in 1979, Ag One has raised more than $19.5 million to benefit, promote and support the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology and its programs. In that span, more than 3,700 students have received more than $2.7 million in scholarships and grants. In the 2017-18 academic year, Ag One will provide nearly $600,000 to deserving students and programs.

    To discuss potential partnership opportunities, contact Alcidia Freitas Gomes at alcidia@csufresno.edu or 559.278.4266.

     

     

  • Good News For Hedgerows: No Effects On Food Safety In The Field

    Davis, Calif., (February 23, 2018) – Hedgerows enhance wildlife abundance and diversity around farmland without contributing to food safety problems in field crops, according to a new study published by a team of University of California researchers. The UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and UC Davis study documented that field edge plantings around farms are generally too narrow relative to the surrounding landscape to be a source of rodents and foodborne pathogens.

    “This study is particularly pertinent right now when FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is calling for farmers to co-manage wildlife and agriculture, instead of clear cutting wild habitat around their crops,” said co-author Rachael Long, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor in the Sacramento Valley. “Our paper provides support for this ruling, showing that the presence of hedgerows does increase wildlife diversity, but does not increase wildlife intrusion into the fields and, more importantly, does not increase the prevalence of animals carrying foodborne pathogens.”

    This is good news for hedgerows, rows of shrubs, trees, grasses and flowers that are planted on field edges. The plants bordering crop fields provide habitat and floral resources for beneficial insects, such as bees and natural enemies, that help with pollination and biocontrol of pests in adjacent crops. Hedgerows also help enhance biodiversity – especially for insect-eating birds – help reduce wind and soil erosion, and protect water quality.

    The two-year study in Sacramento Valley walnut orchards and processing tomato fields was led by Long and Roger Baldwin, UC Cooperative Extension vertebrate pest control specialist at UC Davis, former graduate student Laurel Sellers, the Western Center for Food Safety at UC Davis’s Michele Jay-Russell, Xunde Lib and Edward R. Atwill, and Richard M. Engeman of USDA National Wildlife Research Center.

    The study, titled “Impact of field-edge habitat on mammalian wildlife abundance, distribution, and vectored foodborne pathogens in adjacent crops,” was published in the February 2018 Crop Protection (Sellers et al. 2018).

    Elsevier is providing 50 days of free access to this article. Anyone clicking on the following link before March 31, 2018, will be taken directly to the article on ScienceDirect. No signup or registration or fees are required. Simply click and read at https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1WXU~xPFYej~4.

    Winter migratory birds like to eat the lovely red berries of toyon.

    This journal article supports a growing body of literature suggesting that plantings along the edge of fields do not substantially attract wildlife species that intrude on fields and transfer foodborne pathogens. For example, in a 2015 study, UC Davis researchers found more food pathogens when wildlife habitat was reduced on farms. This may be attributed to the vegetation filtering pathogens, a better breakdown of pathogens in diverse environments, and that removing vegetation may not deter wildlife from entering farm fields.

    Relative to the larger crop acreage, hedgerows and similar field-edge habitats are generally too linear and small to serve as a significant source of rodents to damage nearby crops. However, cottontail rabbits favor hedgerows, and can sometimes cause damage to adjacent seedling crops.

    “Overall, we found risk of crop loss or contamination of foodborne pathogens in crops bordered by hedgerows wasn’t significant in our study in the Sacramento Valley, although potential damage could vary by the sta ge and type of crop and wildlife species present,” Long said. She will be presenting this work at the 28th Vertebrate Pest Control Conference, which will be held in Rohnert Park Feb. 26 to March 1.

    In its Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says, “We continue to encourage the co-management of food safety, conservation, and environmental protection.”

    Hedgerows, the plants bordering this field of processing tomatoes, provide habitat and floral resources for beneficial insects that help pollinate crops and provide natural control of pests.

     

  • How Dairy Farmers Are Helping Us Meet Our Climate Goals

    by Karen Ross, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture

    Sacramento, Calif., (February 22, 2018) – Each time I drive through California’s Central Valley I am in awe of how much food it produces. The Valley is responsible for almost 10 percent of the country’s agriculture value and is home to many of California’s most productive dairies. In fact, 90 percent of California’s milk is produced in eight counties – all located in the center of our great state. California is the country’s number-one milk producer and our dairy farmers work diligently to provide the highest quality milk for America’s families.

    A great many of these dairies are family run. They have been passed from one generation to the next and have become a staple of the Valley’s landscape. But along with milk, Central Valley dairy farmers are increasingly producing something they never have before – renewable energy – and are doing it using manure from cows.

    Earlier this month I joined hundreds of dairy farmers, industry representatives, public officials and academics for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Lakeview Dairy Digester and two other digester facilities in Kern County.  The mood was electric (although that might have been the electricity buzzing through the digester system!)

    As I spoke with our partners who helped make this project a reality, I could not help but appreciate a genuine synergy.  When we were developing the Dairy Digester Research and Development and Program that helped fund the project, we knew that sister agencies like the California Energy Commission, the Air Resources Board, and the California Public Utilities Commission as well as private partners like California Bio Energy would be integral in bringing these projects to life and having them stay operational for many years to come. It was refreshing and energizing to see dairy families working with public and private partners to create something that produces benefits for all Californians.

    Digesters work by capturing methane released by manure in covered lagoons. The captured methane is then broken down in a high-efficiency generator, where it produces renewable electricity. By using this system, the Lakeview Dairy Project is expected to cut methane emissions by approximately 75 percent and produce 6.7 million kWh of electricity annually – enough to power 757 homes for one year!

    Along with energy production, these three projects will collectively reduce an estimated 503,990 metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent over 10 years, which is equal to taking 107,921 passenger vehicles off the road. In total, the 24 projects supported by the DDRDP will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent.

    The Lakeview project also serves as an excellent example of California’s innovative “hub and spoke” model for meeting our low carbon fuel standards, reducing emissions, and upgrading California’s transportation infrastructure. The concept is simple. One centrally located operation (the hub – in this case Lakeview) collects raw dairy biogas through low pressure PVC pipelines (spokes), from a group of existing dairies. The hub then serves as focal point for cleaning, conditioning and upgrading the gas to be used as fuel for transportation.  Not only does this model significantly reduce construction costs and environmental impacts, but also demonstrates how cooperation and collective action helps us modernize transportation to meet our climate goals.

    I am particularly proud of the environmental rigor in these projects. These digesters have met the strictest water and air quality requirements by double-lining their lagoons to meet the San Joaquin Valley’s strict NOx air quality limits and ensure protection of groundwater from nitrates. These technologies also help reduce odors and reduce overall dairy operating costs.

    It was heartening to hear the experience of Cal Bio Energy’s management team explain their appreciation and positive experience in meeting the new requirement for community outreach. According to them, this turned into a great opportunity to understand any existing concerns, answer questions, and explain to employees, neighbors and other local community stakeholders how the project operates.

    I want to applaud the leadership of all the parties involved in making these projects possible. Achieving our ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals will require cooperation between industry, government agencies and the public.  To quote Governor Jerry Brown, “Taking significant amounts of carbon out of our economy without harming its vibrancy is exactly the sort of challenge at which California excels.”

  • Coalition Taking California to Court Tuesday Over Unjustified, False Prop 65 Listing

    Washington, D. C. (February 22, 2018) – As the state of California attempts to implement a policy that would cause massive damage to American farmers, a national agriculture coalition is going to court tomorrow with a reasonable request: halt California’s extreme action until the judge can consider all of the facts. At issue is California’s unjustified and false Prop 65 listing of glyphosate, one of modern agriculture’s most valuable tools and an industry standard across the world.

    Despite scientific findings from hundreds of studies and conclusions by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and regulatory agencies around the world that glyphosate is safe for use, California ignored facts, data and science, when it added glyphosate to the state’s Prop 65 list.

    “While farmers are readying our fields and making plans to put seeds in the ground, California is engaging in aggressive legal wrangling, placing us at risk to crippling liability for using a product that hundreds of studies and the U.S. EPA say is safe for use,” said Gordon Stoner, President of the National Association of Wheat Growers.  “We intend to make clear in this hearing that agriculture is under attack and implementation of this erroneous Prop 65 listing for glyphosate should be halted until there is a final ruling from the judge.”

    On Tuesday, the agriculture coalition will make the case for a preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, which would halt the implementation of the Prop 65 listing until a final ruling is decided by the court.

    The National Association of Wheat Growers are the lead plaintiff in the case against California filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. The plaintiffs include the Agribusiness Association of Iowa, the Agricultural Retailers Association, Associated Industries of Missouri, Iowa Soybean Association, Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, CropLife America, Missouri Farm Bureau, National Corn Growers Association, North Dakota Grain Growers Association, South Dakota Agri-Business Association and United States Durum Growers Association.  In December, the group filed a temporary injunction asking the court to halt the regulation. 

  • New Hazard for Interplanted Prune Orchards

    Sacramento, Calif., (February 22, 2018) – Interplanting existing prune orchards where established trees don’t fill their space is a long accepted practice to increase grower income while limiting costs compared to complete orchard removal and replanting. This is often done in older orchards either by interplanting down the existing tree row or changing the direction of the tree rows 45° and interplanting on the diagonal between two existing trees.

    Cytospora Blight on Prune Tree

    Research by Dr. Themis Michailides since 2016 has shown pruning wounds on young trees are especially vulnerable to infection by Cytospora, Botryosphaeria, and/or Lasiodiplodia fungi. These infections damage developing scaffolds, potentially limiting orchard productivity over time.

    Growers should reconsider interplanting prunes – or at least how they treat interplanted trees — due to the risk of pruning wound infections. The primary source of the infections in interplanted trees are the mature trees in the orchard — often in decline themselves due to those same canker and wood rot diseases.

    Pruning wound infections can be minimized by

    1) pruning in late summer of spring with no rain in the forecast or

    2) pruning during winter and spraying Topsin-M® or Topsin-M® + Rally® after pruning and before the next rain to protect the cuts from infection. Dr Michailides reports that Topsin-M® is especialy effective against Botryosphaeria. Adding Rally® could be helpful for resistance management.

    With yield and net income limited by tree spacing that is too wide and/or tree health in some older blocks, growers must choose between interplanting and removal/replanting. While pruning wound infections can speed the rate of tree decline in interplanted orchards reducing grower returns.

    By Franz Niederholzer, UCCE Farm Advisor, Colusa and Sutter/Yuba Counties.

  • USDA, Dairy Industry In Partnership to Promote and Enhance Environmental Sustainability

    Hanford, Calif., (February 21, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy to jointly promote and enhance environmental sustainability in the dairy industry. The pact extends and builds upon a MOU originally signed in 2009.

    USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue (r) shakes hands with dairy farmer Paul Rovey after signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the United States Department of Agriculture and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.

    Secretary Perdue signed the MOU yesterday with Arizona dairy farmer Paul Rovey, chairman of Dairy Management Inc. and an Innovation Center board member, at DeGroot Dairies in Hanford, CA.

    “USDA and the Innovation Center will continue to work together to accelerate the adoption of innovative technologies and increase energy efficiency improvements on U.S. dairy farms,” Secretary Perdue said. “These improvements will help producers diversify revenues and reduce utility expenses, while they strive to support their families and local communities by operating economically, environmentally sustainable dairy farms.”

    “USDA has resources that can help the dairy industry be successful but in many cases they are difficult to find because they are spread out through various agencies,” Secretary Perdue continued. “This MOU hopefully will be a potential navigator to the Innovation Center and give a ‘green light’ to interact with our agencies and centralize our various research and voluntary conservation efforts to reach their goals.”

    USDA’s support for agricultural and waste-to-energy research has played a key role in the agreement’s success to date. USDA will continue to work on enhancing the application and approval process for Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) programs, to make the process more efficient and tailored for producer convenience. USDA will also continue to examine ways to expand the award of conservation grants for sustainability initiatives by producers, cooperatives, non-governmental organizations and state and local governments.

    The Innovation Center agrees to work with its member companies to partner with USDA in communicating and educating producers on the value of sustainable practices while encouraging them to take advantage of conservation program opportunities.

    “Over the years, we have pursued creative and common-sense ways to work together that have allowed us to develop research, technologies, and on-the-ground practices that move us closer to our collective goals,” said Barb O’Brien, president of the Innovation Center. “The Innovation Center is proud of the synergy that has resulted from our collaboration with USDA, and we have no question that this public/private partnership works in the best interest of farmers, our dairy community and, most importantly, consumers of dairy who trust us to produce nutritious products they can feel good about feeding to their families.”

    USDA’s national and locally-based teams of subject matter experts and portfolio of programs help improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers, and the quality of life in rural America.

    “This MOU allows the dairy industry to continue to build on all of the good work we have done for years with USDA,” Rovey said. “It allows our industry to have a voice and work within a structure where we can continue making progress toward our shared goals and priorities. We are thankful to have USDA at the table with us.”

    Previous and current collaborations have resulted in research, resources and a variety of programs that have advanced sustainability within the dairy community, including anaerobic digesters on farms, food waste reduction and the development of nutrient recovery technologies through NRCS and dairy’s Newtrient company.  Additionally, the Farm Smart Project led to the Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Environmental Stewardship module. This voluntary tool empowers farmers to identify opportunities for sustainability improvements on their farm as detailed within the FARM program. Ninety-eight percent of the U.S. milk supply participates in FARM.

    Note – CDFA’s Dairy Digester Research and Development Program is also working for enhanced environmental sustainability on dairies.

  • Tricolored Blackbird Update

    Modesto, Calif., (February 21, 2018) – As I write this on February 14, Valentine’s Day, love is in the air. The Tricolored Blackbirds are also in an amorous mood getting together with their mates and looking for a place to build a nest. In a natural setting 200 years ago they would be looking for a wetland with cattails to weave their nests above the water. However, today fields of wheat and Triticale are more common and just as acceptable to the Tricolored Blackbird.

    The Tricolor continues to be a candidate for listing under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) and as such is a protected species. It is unlawful to kill a protected species. After a considerable time as a candidate, it looks like the Tricolor will get its hearing in front of the California Fish and Game Commission as early as this April. The Commission will decide whether to list the Tricolored Blackbird as threaten or endangered under CESA. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has written a status review of the Tricolored Blackbird and in that status review the Department makes a recommendation that the Commission list the species as threatened. Having farmers work proactively to protect the bird helps make a case that the species does not have to be listed as efforts have been undertaken that will protect this species. Western United Dairymen has been engaged on this issue since I have been here and will continue to advocate for our members at the upcoming hearing.

    One of those efforts is a Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) grant from USDA- NRCS that Western United Dairymen partnered on with California Farm Bureau, Dairy Cares, Sustainable Conservation, and Audubon of California to help compensate farmers who decide to delay harvest due to nesting Tricolors. The grant would make payments for the lost feed value from the area where the birds nest in a field. Additional information about this funding is available at your local NRCS office or you can contact me at the WUD office.

    Farm Bureau, working with the groups mentioned above, has once again worked to develop protections for farmers who delay harvest and follow the advice of a qualified biologist in allowing for an area to not be harvested until the birds have fledged. Farmers that follow that advice, and inform the Department of Fish and Wildlife, are eligible for that protection. This is important because penalties for harming the birds can be significant and are best to be avoided.

    The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and other volunteers will be out once again looking for areas where the birds might be nesting. If you have any questions on this issue please give me a call at the WUD office. If you believe you might have Tricolors nesting your forage fields, you should contact NRCS to have their biologist provide a confidential assessment.

     

  • USDA Moves to Assure Producers Can Vote on FMMO This Year

    Modesto, Calif., (February 20, 2018) – Unlike milk production, excitement surrounding the California dairy industry’s efforts towards better producer prices is not in decline. Indeed, just a week ago, USDA announced an unexpected delay in the FMMO process that left producer groups very disappointed. The agency stated it would be delaying the final decision for a California FMMO until after the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the challenge to the use of Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) throughout the federal government agencies. In an effort to accelerate the process, WUD, along with MPC and CDC, submitted a letter to Secretary Perdue urging him to release the decision. The three California coops (CDI, DFA and LOL) who originally petitioned USDA also submitted a letter. At the Farm Show this morning, when questioned on the process, Secretary Perdue responded he could not provide additional information because of ex-parte rules. He however encouraged stakeholders to listen to a USDA call scheduled a few hours later, providing additional explanation on the delay of the California FMMO and which we should “be pleased with”. Rumors started flying through the Farm Show faster than Olympians on a luge.

    The conference call organized by USDA was hosted by Stephen Vaden from the Office of General Counsel at USDA. Citing many legal cases and opinions, he described USDA’s options in the process. The main risk and concern to USDA is that if the Supreme Court’s ruling made ALJ appointments unconstitutional, the California FMMO would likely be voided (or vacated in legal speak). With such an outcome, we would be looking at starting the process over and likely not seeing a final decision for another three years. Since USDA is not a fan of Russian roulette, they would rather take the safest route where all the work has no chance of reverting to square one. To ensure this, USDA will hire a judicial officer to review the whole record, all 40 days of it. And by reviewing the record, he will need to look at the whole thing word by word: the transcripts and the exhibits. If he so determines the record complete he will ra9fy it. If he does not, he would seek addi9onal feedback.

    Removing the potential of having to start from scratch certainly took away the biggest risk to the process, but the delay remains and the uncertainty of not seeing a final decision continues to hang over producers head. Despite the documentation-heavy record, USDA thinks this new road will delay the process by one month at best, or four at the most. Basically, if the new officer reaches an agreement with the decision as is, we could see implementation, pending the outcome of the producer referendum, by November 2018. If he does not, there must be a comment period for stakeholders and USDA anticipates this would push the implementation to February 2019. Yes, a year from now. We appreciate the secretary’s effort towards improving a tough situation but we are still disappointed in the delay this is causing.

    WUD’s president Frank Mendonsa is extremely disappointed in the delay of the final decision. Recalling the numerous heartfelt testimonies from producers at the 2015 hearing he added “milk prices in California are still as depressed today as they were over two years ago. While some tweaks have been made to the California formulas since then, there is hope in the producer community this could yield higher prices for California producers”.

    Stay tuned: we should see a decision or a period for comments in the next month or so!

    By Annie AcMoody, director of economic analysis

  • California Issues Warning About Consuming Certain Cactus Imported from Mexico due to Health Risk

    Sacramento, Calif., (February 20, 2018) – The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today warned people not to eat cactus pads imported from Mexico sold at specific retail and wholesale locations around the state, due to the presence of unapproved pesticides.

    Through routine monitoring of fresh produce, the cactus pads, or nopales, were found by DPR inspectors to have various pesticides, including dimethoate, omethoate, monocrotophos and methidathion, at levels that pose a health risk to humans. Both monocrotophos and methidathion have been banned for food use in the United States for several years.

    “Many Californians eat cactus as part of their diet, but the pesticide levels we have found at some specific locations are concerning,” said Brian Leahy, DPR director. “We are not aware of any illnesses that have been reported to date. But we suggest that anyone who bought this product from these locations recently, return it to the place of purchase or dispose of it in the garbage.”

    “Anyone feeling ill after consuming cactus products should consult their health care provider,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. “The symptoms of acute poisoning may include sweating, headache, weakness, nausea, vomiting, hypersalivation, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. Consumption of monocrotophos can lead to neurotoxicity and permanent nerve damage.”

    The contaminated cactus pads were offered for sale to consumers and wholesale customers between Jan. 23 and Jan. 29th at the following locations:

    • Rancho San Miguel Markets, Madera
    • La Monarca Market, Lower Lake
    • FreshPoint Central California, Turlock
    • Arteaga’s Food Center, Sacramento
    • Stater Bros. Distribution Center, San Bernardino
    • S&L Wholesale Produce, San Francisco

    DPR immediately took action to remove the products it could locate from store shelves and distribution centers. The products have been quarantined or destroyed so that they do not pose a threat to consumers. However, DPR believes it is possible that some of the contaminated cactus may have been sold to other stores in California, Nevada and Oregon. The tainted produce was packaged with the brand names “Mexpogroup Fresh Produce” or “Aramburo” or “Los Tres Huastecos”.

    Washing or peeling the cactus prior is not effective and people should not try to salvage any of this contaminated produce. CDPH and CDPR have alerted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about the issue.

    Consumers that observe these products being offered for sale are encouraged to report the activity to the CDPH toll free complaint line at (800) 495-3232.

     

  • Latino Youths Increase Their Presence In UC ANR 4-H Program

    Sacramento, Calif., (February 20, 2018) – For more than 200 youngsters in California, including 45 Latinos, the last weekend of January was a unique experience, full of physical activities and workshops that will help them build a successful future. Under the theme “Be a leader, Be a hero,” they participated in the 4-H Youth Summit carried out in several California counties. The event showcased the efforts of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources to increase the participation of young Latinos in its 4-H Youth Development Program.

    Young people from age 11 to 19 in San Mateo County took hikes and engaged in other outdoor activities at the 4-H Youth Summit in the Santa Cruz Mountains

    “We are very excited that for the first time 45 Latino youths participated in the Youth Summit,” said Lupita Fabregas, 4-H assistant director for diversity and expansion.

    The participating youths, ages 11 to 19, enjoyed hiking and other outdoor activities at the various 4-H camps. Among the camps were Mountain Center, located in the San Jacinto Mountains in Riverside County; YMCA Camp Jones Gulch in La Honda, located in the Santa Cruz mountains in San Mateo County; and Wonder Valley Ranch in Sanger, located in Sierra Nevada Mountains in Fresno County.

    The adolescents had the opportunity to learn skills to help them develop their potential in addition to other topics of interest.

    “Participants also had the opportunity to learn about engineering design process and the importance of bees to the environment,” said Claudia Diaz-Carrasco, 4-H advisor in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

    The increase of Latino youth in these 4-H camps, is the result of an initiative that has been implemented within the last couple of years.

    Seven California counties including Kern, Riverside, Merced, Monterey, Orange, Santa Barbara and Sonoma were selected to participate in a pilot model to increase the number of young Latinos participating in the 4-H program.

    The youths discussed global issues including food security, climate change and sustainable energy. Riverside County is one of seven California counties participating in UC ANR’s pilot program to increase the number of Latino youths in 4-H.

    The model was designed to ensure that young people living in urban areas could receive the same benefits as those who have participated in 4-H since it was founded in 1902 in Ohio.

    “The original goal was that young men and women learned leadership skills through interaction with farm animals and food conservation,” added Fabregas.

    For the 21st century, 4-H has designed new methods for young people in rural communities, urban and suburban areas based on the same original principles – offering leadership skills to its participants.

    “The 4-H participants learn about issues of global importance such as food security, climate change and sustainable energy. It also teaches them about other issues, such as childhood obesity, and basic finance,” said Diaz-Carrasco, who has seen a considerable increase of Latino participants in the 4-H programs in the Inland Empire.

    “It was hard, we had many challenges,” said Diaz-Carrasco, who works in a county that is 50 percent urban and its young population is almost 59 percent Latino. Lack of transportation, time and money were the biggest threats to the success of the pilot model.

    In 2016, Diaz-Carrasco was selected to participate in UC ANR’s Latino initiative, under the direction of Lupita Fabregas. The first step taken was to hire the first bilingual educator of the 4-H program and establish the first bilingual club in a community center in a heavily Latino populated part of the city of Riverside.

    ”

    Participants in the 4-H Riverside Youth Summit learned about the engineering design process.

    These new models have had an impact on the program in the seven pilot counties,” said Fabregas. Two years later, there are three bilingual clubs in the county.

    The response from the Latino youth has exceeded expectations. In 2015, the California 4-H program worked with less than 1 percent of children in the state. By 2017, participation in the program grew 16 percent and the participation of Latino children increased 89 percent.

    Parents of these young Latinos participating in the 4-H program are seeing positive changes in their kids. According to the parents, 4-H gives their kids an opportunity for social and personal interaction. “It enables young people to understand who they are and prepares them to choose what they are going to do with their life as adults,” said Sergio Sierra, whose children are participating in the 4-H program in Indio, California.

    Studies have shown that young people participating in the 4-H program are 1.9 times more likely to get better grades in school and 2.1 times more likely to report being engaged in school activities.

    California leads the country with more participants in the 4-H Latino Initiative than other states. In spite of the gains achieved, there is still more outreach to be done, Fabregas said.

    At 4-H workshops, participants practiced public speaking and other leadership skills.
    Derek Robinson, 4-H academic coordinator for Money Talks, discusses how to budget money with attendees.
    This year’s 4-H Youth Summit was the first one with a large participation of Latino youths.