The Cal Poly Strawberry Center brought together over 800 growers, researchers and innovators in the strawberry industry to their 10th annual Strawberry Center Field Day. Strawberry growers attended the event with the question in mind on what’s the next best thing, to make their product better for the world. With California producing over 90% of the nation’s strawberries, events like these are necessary to keep everyone on the same page. Learn more about the field day in California Fruit and Vegetable Magazine.
Tag: Cal Poly
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Fourth Annual Organic Field Day Returning to Cal Poly on July 23
The Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research at California Polytechnic State University will host its Fourth Annual Organic Field Day on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Cal Poly’s Organic Sandbox on Highland Ave. The free event is open to the public and designed for farmers, agricultural professionals, students, and anyone interested in organic agriculture.
The Organic Field Day offers attendees hands-on access to ongoing student-led research in organic nutrient and pest management, a workshop with the Coalition for Food Safety and Sustainability, and a discussion of trap crops for flea beetles and cucumber beetles. Participants can expect guided field tours, live demonstrations, and direct conversations with Cal Poly researchers and faculty working on practical solutions for organic producers.
“The Grimm Organic Center Field Day is an opportunity to see the next generation of
agricultural innovation in action. Attendees will hear directly from Cal Poly students researching soil health and pest management while engaging with experts on practical topics, including trap cropping, food safety, and sustainability. Whether you’re a grower, advisor, student, or industry professional, you’ll leave with ideas and connections that can be applied immediately.” — Matthew Grieshop, Director of the Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research (mgriesho@calpoly.edu)
“The Grimm Organic Center Field Day is a great event with educational sessions on key topics that are critical for organic farming – organic nutrient management, organic pest and disease management, and understanding soil health. These sessions are all presented by Cal Poly students involved in conducting the research. I believe the information presented will be of interest to the whole organic farming community.” — Ramy Colfer, True Organic Products (rcolfer@true.ag)
The event follows the Strawberry Center Field Day, also held on July 23 at Cal Poly. Attendees should register for each event separately.
Registration is free and open to all. Registration and sponsorship links can be found at
organic.calpoly.edu/field-day-2026
Event Details
Date: Thursday, July 23, 2026
Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM, immediately following the Strawberry Center Field Day.
Location: Cal Poly Organic Sandbox, Highland Ave., Cal Poly campus.
Free Event Parking: H1 Lot, Mount Bishop Rd.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
For more information, please email Matthew Grieshop, director of the Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research, at mgriesho@calpoly.edu, or visit organic.calpoly.edu/field-day-2026. — Story contributed by the Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research
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New Video Series to Sharpen Skills of California Vegetable Growers
To train new people to work with California specialty crops and update the skills of current workers, educators from University of California, Davis and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, Fresno State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Chico State and five California community colleges are producing educational videos. The training video series is available to the public for free on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@jeffreymitchell759/playlists.
“As California’s farmers age, shortages of suitably trained agricultural workers increase, and workers increasingly come from non-farming backgrounds, the role of agricultural colleges in teaching both the theory and practice of agriculture is key today,” said Jeff Mitchell, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis.
“The average age of agricultural producers in California is currently about 59.2 years,” said Mitchell, who is based at the UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Parlier in Fresno County. “Therefore, there is an urgent need to encourage and recruit young people into agriculture to sustain current and future production.”
It is also vitally important that those entering the workforce receive adequate training in current production practices of the state’s particularly dynamic specialty crop industries.
“In response to the growing demand for online education following COVID-19, I have strategically incorporated YouTube video clips – particularly those produced by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources – into my course material to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes,” said Sophia Marin, Bakersfield College adjunct professor. “One of the greatest challenges in teaching agriculture in a virtual setting is the inherently hands-on nature of the industry.”
Marin has been using videos produced a few years ago. The video curriculum series currently being developed includes integrated weed management, postharvest technology, crop breeding, microgreen production, soil management, labor and specialized farm machinery.
Many key concepts, especially those related to plant pathology and crop management, are difficult to fully convey through traditional textbooks or static images alone, Marin noted.
“To address this gap, I began supplementing my lectures with real-time video recordings captured during farm visits, with the consent of local growers,” she said. “These video clips provide students with invaluable exposure to real-world agricultural practices and allow them to observe phenomena such as plant diseases – including Southern Blight – in a way that is far more dynamic and informative than text-based descriptions.”
“Through visual media, students can see subtle distinctions in plant symptoms, understand how and why spores develop, and gain deeper insight into diagnostic and treatment processes,” Marin noted.
In addition to addressing current practices, the training video series also anticipates the challenges that producers will face.
Vegetable farmers – who tend to have greater labor needs than many in other agricultural sectors – face mounting worker shortages and need to modernize their farm workforce.
“Vegetable production systems need to be dynamic to keep pace with unpredictable economic, social, environmental and regulatory changes,” Mitchell said. “These systems must continually adapt to innovations and must have a workforce that understands and can implement ever-changing technologies.”
Visiting farms and viewing videos give Bakersfield College students a clearer idea of the kinds of jobs they would like to pursue, according to Marin.
“These professionally produced clips complement textbook topics such as urban agriculture, propagation, transplanting and field packing, offering students a visual context that supports their understanding of the material,” Marin said. “What I have noticed is these resources promote active learning: students tend to engage more deeply in discussion boards via Canvas, conduct independent research to supplement course content, and demonstrate increased confidence in both their academic progress and career aspirations.”
Development of the teaching modules to train workers for California’s vegetable crops industry is funded by the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The videos will be used and rigorously evaluated by the four universities and five community colleges that serve as key conduits for agricultural workers to the state’s vegetable production regions.
The first training video of the new series, “Contemporary and future approaches to plant breeding,” is available. New videos will be added at https://www.youtube.com/@jeffreymitchell759/playlists weekly until the 25-part series is complete.
Other project partners include Madera College, Merced College, Santa Rosa Community College, Hartnell College and Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association in Salinas.
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources brings UC information and practices to all 58 California counties. Through research and Cooperative Extension in agriculture, natural resources, economic growth, nutrition and youth development, our mission is to improve the lives of all Californians. Learn more at ucanr.edu and support our work at donate.ucanr.edu.
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Student Efforts are at the Heart of Cal Poly Olive Oil Production
The buttery texture and grassy, fruity profile of Cal Poly’s new olive oil is generating intrigue in the local community as the ideal product for marinades, spreads, drizzling and more.
Students of the Plant Sciences Department produced their second batch of Arbequina extra virgin olive oil from the 230 olive trees at the Crops Unit in the fall — which is available for purchase on campus and in a number of retail stores across San Luis Obispo. The first batch, made from fruit harvested in 2023, flew off the shelves.
The delectable golden liquid is the final step in a process that has come full circle since the orchard was planted in 2020 as a senior project envisioned by Joni Shaffery (Agricultural and Environmental Plant Sciences, ’20).
Students and a contracted crew harvested the olives and Kiler Ridge Mill in Paso Robles pressed them into oil. Pomace, remnants from the milling, was then used by the Cal Poly compost program.
Students are involved in every facet of olive production, said plant sciences Professor Lauren Garner, providing numerous Learn by Doing orchard management opportunities that are unique to the crop. This includes pruning the trees to “ease the task of harvesting the olives by hand and balance the crop load to reduce alternate bearing,” Garner said. In doing so, the orchard will produce a more consistent crop each year. Other tasks done by students include pest management, irrigation and monitoring the fruit’s ripeness.
Pest management is a critical aspect of maintaining the orchard. Fourth-year plant sciences major Chrisann Perivoliotis explained that she was “involved in the biological control release of a small wasp that parasitizes the olive psyllid. It’s definitely the most unique, and one of the most memorable experiences I’ll take with me.” Students enrolled in the course, Biological Control for Pest Management, determined that the release, which was done in coordination with the California Department of Food and Agriculture resulted in parasitism of all of the orchard’s olive psyllids. Additionally, students in several classes participated in the deployment, monitoring and maintenance of traps that were part of the Integrated Pest Management program that helped control a key pest of olives, the olive fruit fly.
Perivoliotis works with the orchard crew to maintain the various orchards at the Crops Unit, doing everything from pruning, harvesting, fertilizer injections and irrigation management for all of the campus orchards, she said.
Perivoliotis even acquired professional experience from Kiler Ridge Mill, the same company that pressed Cal Poly’s olives into oil, through her connections with Cal Poly’s olive orchard. “I was able to work at the mill for a few weeks last season and it was a great experience,” she said. “The environment was really high paced, but it was awesome to be able to gain the knowledge of pressing olives and making oil firsthand.” — By Lauren McEwen, Cal Poly College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences (from Cultivate – Spring 2025 Issue)
Cal Poly Olive Oil can be purchased at the downtown farmers market on Thursdays, the Cal Poly bookstore, Cal Poly Meats, Village Market on campus, at the Cal Poly U-Pick events on Saturdays, at the Poly Plant Shop, SLO Ranch Market and through Talley Farms’ Farm Box program.
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Cal Poly Welcomes New Director to Dairy Products Technology Center
Carmen Licon-Cano, an experienced food engineer and dairy enthusiast, has joined Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences as the director of the Dairy Products Technology Center, overseeing the research and development of dairy products by Cal Poly students and faculty in partnership with industry professionals.
The Cal Poly Dairy Products Technology Center, located at the university’s dairy unit, offers research opportunities and short courses on developing dairy-related products for industry professionals. The center has active programs in research, outreach and training. The research program currently emphasizes cheese science and technology, dairy foods quality, dairy ingredients technology and novel process technologies. Students assist with research trials and are hired as assistants for the professional courses offered at the center throughout the year.
“The Dairy Products Technology Center is a place where you can innovate and think outside the box,” Licon-Cano said, “so I think research has to follow that trend and address the needs of the industry.”
Prior to joining Cal Poly, Licon-Cano was an assistant professor for six years in Fresno State University’s Food Science and Nutrition Department, teaching food product development. She earned a doctorate in agricultural sciences and engineering, specializing in dairy product development and aroma analysis, from the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Spain, and spent several years in in France for post-doctoral work.
Licon-Cano specializes in cheese making and the use of locally sourced ingredients. While at the University of Castilla-La Mancha, she received a patent for the development of an artisan cheese made from ewe’s milk and saffron.
Since relocating to California, she said, she’s discovered the magnitude of California’s dairy industry, which is the largest milk producer in the U.S. and leading producer of butter, ice cream and nonfat dry milk. The state is the second largest cheese producer, accounting for nearly 20 percent of the nation’s cheese production.
“This was a surprise for me, because outside of the United States, California is not recognized as the dairy state — and that has to change,” she said.
In 2019, Licon-Cano worked with the California Milk Advisory Board, Cal Poly, Fresno State and UC Davis to launch the California Dairy Innovation Center (CDIC) to stimulate innovation in the California dairy industry. The partnership, which united producers, processors and educators around a set of common goals, led to increased funding for student learning opportunities and product advancement, she said.
At Cal Poly, Licon-Cano plans to continue to focus on increased opportunities for students and industry members.
“I want to bring new energy and new opportunities for students and research — bringing continued innovation to the industry,” she said.
About Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Cal Poly is a nationally ranked, comprehensive polytechnic university. The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences is comprised of expert faculty members who take pride in their ability to transform academically motivated students into innovative professionals ready to solve the complex challenges associated with feeding the world in sustainable ways. Students have access to state-of-the-art laboratories, including ranch land, orchards, vineyards and forests, all of which provide the basis for Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing methodology. It is the fifth-largest college of agriculture in the country, with 4,000 undergraduate students.
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Cal Poly Team Awarded First Place at National Dairy Challenge®
This past year has deeply changed us — all at once, things were no longer as they once were. Dairy Challenge took a widely different path. No longer were students traveling to different areas and exploring the farms with their boots on the ground. The National Dairy Challenge transformed and forged ahead.
College dairy students – 190 in total – from 30 colleges gathered virtually for the 19th annual Dairy Challenge. Dairy students worked to improve their dairy management and communication skills, networked with other students, and explored industry careers.
Dairy Challenge is a unique, real-world experience where dairy students work as a team and apply their college coursework to evaluate and provide solutions for an operating dairy farm.
This year’s contest included 24 universities, whose four-person teams competed for awards based on their quality of teams’ farm analysis and appropriate solutions. Their farm presentations were evaluated by a panel of judges, including dairy producers, veterinarians, finance specialists and seasoned agribusiness personnel.
The Academy provided interactive training for 102 students from four-year universities or two-year dairy programs. Academy participants were divided into smaller groups including dairy industry volunteers who worked as advisors to coach these less-experienced academy participants as they assessed the dairy and developed recommendations.
Dairy Challenge Applies Learning to a Real-world Dairy
Over its 20-year history, Dairy Challenge has helped more than 7,000 students prepare for careers in the dairy industry, dairy production and veterinary medicine.
“Dairy Challenge is an opportunity for college students from across North America to engage with industry professionals to learn about contemporary dairy issues. Analysis of the dairy operation utilizing data such as financial statements, dairy health and reproduction records, feed information, farm maps, and farm manager interviews are all used to pull together recommendations for the produce,” said Wanda Emerich NAIDC board chair. “Our hope is that students build their network with other students in addition to finding jobs with our many sponsors. We want the students to walk away with new knowledge gained they will take out into the world after college.”
The virtual event began with learning webinars where industry representatives helped students better understand dairy conditions and shared details about reproduction, cow comfort, data management, nutrition, transition diseases, and calf raising.
The contest and academy participants received in-depth management data from a Wisconsin dairy. The next day, all students virtually visited the dairy to witness dairy operations. After a question-answer session with the farm owners, the student teams developed recommendations for nutrition, reproduction, milking procedures, animal health, cow comfort, and labor and financial management. The last day students presented their recommendations to the judging panel, visited with sponsors at the career fair, and attended an educational seminar presented by Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin.
Ten College Teams Earn Top Awards
At Friday evening’s awards ceremony, the following contest teams and students were announced as First Place winners:
- University of Idaho: Sadie Hurley, Taythen Larson, Nicole Poxleitner, Taylor Stephenson and Amin Ahmadzadeh (coach)
- Michigan State University: Kristen Burkhardt, Miriah Dershem, Beka McDonald, Lynn Olthof and Roger Thomson (coach)
- California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo: Jacob Nicholas de Jong, Brandon Lemstra, Brian Martin, Derrick Nunes, David Vagnoni (coach), Julie Huzzey (coach) and Rich Silacci (coach)
- The Ohio State University: Paul Bensman, Caleb Rykaczewski, Brietta Latham, Sarah Lehner, Maurice Eastridge (coach) and Benjamin Wenner (coach)
- University of Guelph: Rebecca Barr, Brooke Boonstoppel, Clayton McWilliams, Tyrone Wagler and Trevor DeVries (coach)
Teams and students earning Second Place include:
- University of Wisconsin‐Madison: Emma Gwidt, Caleb LaCount, Jessica Mehre, Dawson Nickels and Ted Halbach (coach)
- The Pennsylvania State University: Shara Allman, George DeMers, Kelly Forbes, Sydney Jewell, Lisa Holden (coach) and Virginia Ishler (coach)
- Virginia Tech: Todd Allen, Isabelle Leonard, John McGehee, Christine Putman and Alex White (coach)
- Aggregate Team #18: Katarina Emerich, Purdue University; Raina O’Leary, University of Idaho; Morgan Smith, University of Idaho; Louise Terwilliger Parmelee, University of Vermont; coached by Jacquelyn Boerman, Elizabeth Karcher, Wanda Emerich and Amin Ahmadzadeh
- Texas A&M University: Christopher Childress, Lyndsey Heywood, Paige Howard, Natalie Koke, Sushil Paudyal (coach) and Jennifer Spencer (coach)
About Dairy Challenge
The North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge is an innovative event for students in dairy programs at North American post-secondary institutions. Its mission is to develop tomorrow’s dairy leaders and enhance progress of the dairy industry, by providing education, communication and networking among students, producers, and agribusiness and university personnel. Over its 20-year national history, Dairy Challenge has helped prepare more than 7,000 students for careers as farm owners and managers, consultants, researchers, veterinarians or other dairy professionals. The next national event will be hosted in Green Bay, Wisconsin, March 31- April 2, 2022. Four regional events are held in late fall and winter; details are at www.dairychallenge.org.
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Grimmway Farms Donates $5 Million to Cal Poly to Establish Center for Organic Production & Research
Cal Poly is set to change the landscape of organic agriculture with a $5 million donation made to the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences by Grimmway Farms, the global leader in organic produce and the world’s largest producer of carrots.
With this gift, Cal Poly will expand its emphasis on applied research in organic production and soil health by providing a unique, collaborative platform for academia, industry and government from across California and beyond to come together to advance the organic industry.
Announced this week, the partnership between Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and Grimmway will establish a unique learning model that will enable research and innovation across disciplines, focusing on real-world issues that directly impact the state’s $10 billion organic industry. The Grimmway Farms donation will be used to launch the Center for Organic Production and Research on campus, as well as build the Grimmway Farms/Cal-Organic Soil Health and Sustainability Laboratories to provide research and teaching opportunities in topics related to healthy soils, water and air.
“Our partnership with Grimmway will facilitate bringing increased science and technology to the production of organic food,” said Andre Thulin, dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. “Cal Poly is at the forefront of using the power of collaboration to solve real world problems. This new center will integrate the greatest talents in academia, private industry, government and a wide range of disciplines to benefit the organic industry as a whole.”
The need to increase focused efforts on organic research and create pathways for students to enter the industry is clear. The organic industry is one of the fastest growing agricultural segments in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. This emphasis on organic production and research is of particular importance in California, which accounts for 40 percent of all organic production in the nation.
“This is an amazing gift and investment in the future of California agriculture and a perfect match with Cal Poly’s excellence in applied research and Learn by Doing model that prepares students for collaborative problem-solving in their careers,” said Karen Ross, California Department of Food and Agriculture secretary. “I want to thank Grimmway Farms and the Grimm family for their generosity, leadership and confidence in the future of California agriculture — one that is built on innovation.”
Nationally, consumer demand for organic products continues to grow — sales of organic fruits and vegetables in the U.S. reached $18 billion in 2019, up nearly 5 percent from the year prior.
Barbara Grimm Marshall, co-owner of Grimmway Farms and Cal-Organic “We believe that lives are transformed through education, and that certainly applies to agricultural education,” said Barbara Grimm Marshall, co-owner of Grimmway Farms and Cal-Organic. “Ever-evolving technologies and more sophisticated business practices mean that students who wish to pursue a career in agriculture must spend as much time in the classroom as in the field. We are thrilled to be providing an avenue for these students to work with the best minds in agribusiness and soil sciences today.”
“With this commitment, the families and Grimmway Farms/Cal-Organic are affirming our belief that agriculture is the economic and cultural cornerstone of our future,” said Brandon Grimm, grower relations manager and co-owner of Grimmway Farms and Cal-Organic. “Our company has been a leader in innovative and advanced farming practices since my father and uncle founded the company 51 years ago. Today we take the next step to build on that legacy by investing in vital organic and soil health research.”
Brandon Grimm, grower relations manager and co-owner of Grimmway Farms & Cal-Organic “The future of this industry depends solely on the ability to prepare, educate and excite the next generation of growers in organic production,” said Jeff Huckaby, president of Grimmway Farms and Cal-Organic. “We look forward to partnering with this dynamic educational institution to cultivate those who will ensure we continue to meet the ever-growing demand for healthy and nutritious organic produce.”
Cal Poly is uniquely positioned to drive these initiatives forward with its polytechnic educational model and more than 10,000 acres of land for hands-on research and learning. Cal Poly’s location on California’s Central Coast surrounded by a diverse number of specialty crops that are the foundation of the state’s agricultural production, as well as the university’s strong ties with industry, gives students and faculty the opportunity to work directly with companies such as Grimmway Farms and other top producers in the organic industry through internships, research collaborations and more.
Jeff Huckaby, President of Grimmway Farms & Cal-Organic “Our partnership will increase opportunities for students, faculty and staff to gain first-hand experience in the organic food industry and beyond,” said Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong. “This new center for organic production and research emphasizes our Learn by Doing philosophy and will give students the tools to lead impactful careers addressing the agricultural challenges that face California and the world.”
The new Center for Organic Production and Research will serve as a hub for students to work with experts from across the industry to develop solutions to the most pressing issues related to organic production and agriculture. Research of soil structure and biodiversity, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, water quality, composting and organic matter and technology innovation will be at the forefront of the new Center for Organic Production and Research. The new Grimmway Farms/Cal-Organic Soil Health and Sustainability Laboratories will be located in Cal Poly’s planned Plant Sciences Complex.
“Grimmway Farms’ generous support of Cal Poly and its talented students embodies the increasingly vital partnership between the private sector and the California State University,” said CSU Chancellor-select Joseph I. Castro. “I deeply appreciate Grimmway’s partnership with several CSU campuses, including Cal Poly, and their strong commitment to supporting and preparing the next generation of our nation’s agricultural leaders.”
A national recruitment for a director to lead the center will begin in 2021. Cal Poly’s model for the new Center for Organic Production and Research will emulate its demonstrated success with the Cal Poly Strawberry Center (strawberry.calpoly.edu), a collaborative partnership focused on increasing the sustainability of the strawberry industry through research and education that addresses the needs of the $3.5 billion industry.
About Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Cal Poly is a nationally ranked, comprehensive polytechnic university. The university’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences is comprised of expert faculty members who take pride in their ability to transform academically motivated students into innovative professionals ready to solve the complex challenges associated with feeding the world in sustainable ways. Students have access to state-of-the-art laboratories, including organic and conventional crop land, orchards, vineyards, forests, and rangeland, all of which provide the basis for Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing methodology. It is the fifth-largest college of agriculture in the country with more than 4,100 undergraduate students. For more information visit CAFES.calpoly.edu.
About Grimmway Farms
Family-owned and headquartered in Bakersfield, California, Grimmway Farms (grimmway.com) traces its roots to a produce stand opened by the Grimm brothers in the early 1960s. Grimmway is a global produce leader and the world’s largest producer of carrots. Grimmway supplies more than 65 organic, USA-grown crops and brands include Cal-Organic Farms and Bunny-Luv. Grimmway is committed to caring for customers and employees, honoring sustainable practices and preserving natural resources for future generations. For more information visit Grimmway.com.
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Cal Poly Dairy Judging Team Takes First Place at National Competition
San Luis Obispo, Calif., (October 3, 2017) – The Cal Poly Dairy Judging Team won first place in oral reasons and fourth place overall in the All-American Dairy Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Fourteen teams representing the top dairy and animal science college programs throughout the nation, including universities in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Virginia and Indiana, competed in the All-American Dairy Show Youth Judging Contest on Sept. 18.
Four of the Cal Poly team’s 16 members competed: dairy science juniors Elise Regusci and Elisabeth Regusci, both of Modesto, California; animal science major Hannah Neer of Bishop, California; and dairy science major Alexandra Gambonini of Petaluma, California. Those same students will compete in the largest national competition of its kind at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin on Oct. 2.
Contestants judged 10 classes of cattle then gave oral reasons on four or five of the classes depending on their division. The top five individuals and teams were recognized in each division for specific breed performance, oral reasons and overall results.
The team’s individual placings included: Gambonini, first in Guernseys and fourth in Ayrshires, third in reasons and third overall; Elisabeth Regusci, fourth in reasons; Elise Regusci, fourth in Jerseys. The team placed first in Jerseys and second in Guernseys.
Cal Poly’s dairy cattle judging team is coached by dairy science Lecturer Rich Silacci and assisted by retired Professor Stan Henderson.
“The team’s accomplishments at this competitive event are a testament to the students’ extremely strong work ethic, dedication and collaboration,” Silacci said. “I am very proud of what they have achieved and look forward to their performance at the World Dairy Expo.”
About the All-American Dairy Show
The 54th All-American Dairy Show was held Sept. 17-21 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It featured 23 shows in six days, the nation’s only all-dairy antiques show, nearly 2,000 animals and more than 1,000 exhibitors from across the nation. For more information, visit www.allamerican.pa.gov. -
Cal Poly Named Best in the West by U.S. News for 25th Straight Year
San Luis Obispo, Calif., (September 20, 2017) – For the 25th consecutive year, Cal Poly has been named the best public, master’s-level university in the West by U.S. News & World Report’s annual America’s Best Colleges guidebook.
The 2018 guidebook lists Cal Poly in 11th place overall in the West for regional universities.
The Western regional list includes 141 public and private institutions in 15 states that provide “a full range of undergraduate and master’s-level programs but few, if any, doctoral programs.” (Universities that grant doctoral degrees, such as those in the University of California system, are listed in a separate category.)
“We are honored that U.S. News has now recognized the value of a Cal Poly education for a quarter of a century,” Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong said. “This impressive distinction would not be possible without our talented and dedicated faculty and staff, who provide the foundation for our students’ successful Learn by Doing experience, along with our crucial industry partnerships and continued support from our generous alumni and friends.”
Cal Poly’s College of Engineering ranked No. 7 on the list of best engineering master’s/bachelor’s programs in the nation, in a tie with Bucknell University of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Among specialty programs, the college’s computer engineering program was ranked No. 2 nationwide; civil engineering tied for second; and aerospace, electrical and mechanical engineering each ranked third.
Cal Poly also ranked sixth in the West for most veteran-friendly universities — a listing that shows military vets and active-duty service members which top-ranked schools offer benefits that can help them make pursuing a college education more affordable. Cal Poly is also the top-ranked public university in this category.
The U.S. News rankings methodology focuses on academic excellence, with schools evaluated on hundreds of data points and up to 15 measures of academic quality. Overall, the rankings emphasize student outcomes — such as graduation and freshman retention rates — which carry the most weight at 30 percent.
For more on Cal Poly’s ranking, visit: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/cal-poly-1143.
Contact: Matt Lazier
805-756-7109; mlazier@calpoly.edu -
Joe Rochioli Honored for Outstanding Achievements in FFA and Agriculture
Healdsburg, Calif., (August 14, 2017) – Joe Rochioli Jr. was honored for his outstanding Achievements in FFA and Agriculture by the Healdsburg High School FFA Ag Boosters Board on June 24, 2017 at their Shrimp Boil and Bluegrass fundraiser at Jackson Family Wine’s Richard’s Grove. More than 150 guests turned out for the 2nd annual event, including leaders from the business and agricultural sectors. Guests dined on Southern Shrimp and treats prepared by Ken Rochioli of KR Catering, raised funds through live and silent auctions, and danced to Rovetti and the Meatballs Band.
Joe Rochioli Jr. was born in 1934 to Neoma and Joe Rochioli Sr. and grew up on Westside Road working on the family farm. When Joe was young, his dad was a top-quality hop grower, farming Fenton Acres, a 125 acre farm on what is now Westside Road. Joe’s Italian immigrant family worked very hard and aspired to own the land they farmed. Joe entered Healdsburg High School in 1949 and was one of the first students in the Healdsburg FFA Chapter in 1950. That year he showed 2 Veal Calves that were sold at auction to a local family and the Armor Star Meat Company. During high school, Joe showed many animals at the Healdsburg, Sonoma County, and Sonoma-Marin fairs.
As the top student in FFA Joe was awarded a jersey calf name Rotary-Ann by the Healdsburg Rotary club. Joe loved that calf and raising animals. At one time he had 10 Herford cows, one Herford bull, and 80 sheep. At Healdsburg high, Joe played four years of baseball & football and was student body vice-president. He also played professional baseball for the Prune Packers while he was a senior at Healdsburg. Joe graduated from high school in the summer of 1952 and went straight to Cal Poly.
Joe left for San Luis Obispo with $350 in his pocket, two friends and his 1941 Chevy truck. Joe attended Cal Poly from 1952 to 1956 studying animal sciences and he took as many agricultural classes as he could.
At Cal Poly, Joe did what all Mustangs do, he “learned by doing.”
He worked very hard in and out of the classroom, holding many jobs including at the meat department, as the University fed all the students. He also worked at the “Flying A” fuel station and earned .85 cents an hour doing construction work on military housing trailers. Joe received his State Farmer Award during his first year of college.
Joe played baseball for 4 years at Cal Poly and also later in the U.S. Army. After graduation, he returned to Healdsburg from Cal Poly to again help his dad on the family farm. He was soon married and had two small children, Tom and Becky who, along with their families, are with us this evening.
Joe again left Healdsburg after being drafted into the United States Army where he was quickly promoted. He spent most of his time at the Walter Reed Hospital in Washington DC where he researched radiated food and vitamin deficiencies in K rations, what we today call MRE’s.
Joe left the service and returned to Healdsburg in 1959 to again farm the land he loved. Not many young people stayed committed to Agriculture, but Joe did. After “hopps went to hell”, Joe’s family started farming beans and eventually in 1959, wine grapes. Joe had many ideas about what varietals of grapes would do well on the land and also be financially profitable.
Like many multi-generational farming families, sometimes his dad agreed with him, and sometimes not.
Joe was a passionate farmer and in the mid-1960s fought open price contracts; Joe was a Founder of the North Coast Grape Growers Association that through political lobbying, fought unfair pricing of grapes and paved the way for today’s standards of Wine Grape pricing contracts.
Joe has received many awards including the Vocational arts trophy from Healdsburg high school on display here this evening. He’s also in the Healdsburg High School Sports Hall of Fame. Joe served on the Healdsburg Fair Board for over 25 years and was Parade Marshal in 1984. In 2003, Joe received the inaugural “Copia Award” as Wine Grower of the Year, a national recognition. In 2009, Joe and his wife Vivian received the Sonoma County Harvest Fair Lifetime Achievement Award.
The name Rochioli is synonymous with premium wine grapes and wine. Joe’s understanding of soil types and terrain led him to planting one of the most famed vineyards in Sonoma County.
Today, Joe oversees the farming of over 140 acres of premium wine grapes in the Russian River Valley. These grapes go into the bottles of many top quality producers and to the Estate wines so expertly crafted under the Rochioli and J. Rochioli labels.
Courtesy of Sonoma County Farm Bureau
By Diane Bucher