California Ag Network

Tag: Farm Credit

  • California FarmLink Program Helps Farmers Plan Successions Successfully

    According to the USDA’s Census of Agriculture, fully 96% of the nation’s 2.2 million farms are family-owned and operated. But as the baby boom generation continues to age, an estimated 70% of U.S. farmland will change hands in the next 20 years – and the USDA warns that if a farm or ranch family has not adequately planned for succession, it is likely to go out of business, consolidate into larger operations with neighboring farms, or be converted to non-farm uses.

    To help farming families plan for a successful succession, California FarmLink – a certified nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution – recently launched The Regenerator: A Year of Farm Succession Planning. The program is designed to walk families through all the issues that can arise to help ensure that succession goes smoothly. The next cohort of family farmers and ranchers will begin work in November, said Liya Schwartzman, FarmLink’s Senior Program Manager for their Equity andConservation on Working Lands division.

    “FarmLink actually started out in 1999 with a focus on supporting retiring farmers to find someone to lease or take over their operations, but the work we were doing had its limitations. Short workshops weren’t cutting it, and it’s hard to maintain a trajectory when you’re working with 20 families in different stages of planning,” Schwartzman said.

    “I thought there must be a better way, and after we studied programs across the country, we came up with a cohort model to bring people in who are in similar stages of being ready to seek assistance in transferring their land and their businesses to successors.”

    FarmLink launched The Regenerator as a small pilot program in the fall of 2021 with just three families involved, and all three completed the program and created executable plans. After reviewing and fine-tuning the program, the nonprofit is hoping for seven to 10 participants this year, with a vision of scaling up the program in future years.

    FarmLink engages a team of professionals – including CPAs, estate-planning attorneys, appraisers, and transition specialists – to aid the families in crafting plans that fully meet their unique needs. The program also provides $1,600 to each participating group to work with these providers, using funds provided by a USDA educational grant.

    Schwartzman said one of the first things that a family needs to do is determine if family members are interested in taking overand how that would occur.

    “The majority of successors may be heirs, but there is a trend of the immediate heirs moving away from farming. Sometimes the family will have grandchildren who want to come back to the farm, but if nobody in the family is interested, retiring farmers will need to look outside the family. Often a farm manager could be a perfect successor,” she said.

    “But people should start sooner rather than later because it can take several years to find the right successor and complete the transition process.”

    As part of its efforts to support nonprofits making a difference in California agriculture, four Farm Credit organizations serving the state’s farmers and ranchers – AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit – have sponsored FarmLink since 2018. These organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System, the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Kevin Ralph, California State President for AgWest Farm Credit, said participating Farm Credit organizations are proud to support FarmLink’s efforts to preserve family farms.

    “This is a relationship-driven business and Farm Credit prides itself on being trusted advisers to our customers – really understanding our clients’ business and educating them on their options,” Ralph said. “FarmLink’s novel program builds on that and will really help farming and ranch families properly manage their succession issues.”

    Regional Marketing Manager Jacob DeBoer with American AgCredit also noted that the evolution of agriculture is inevitable – and exciting. A sizable percentage of farms without family members who want to take over the operation is providing opportunities for new and up-and-coming farmers – especially women and Latinos – to purchase farm and ranch lands and create strong, viable operations.

    “There are nearly six times more California farmers age 65+ than ones under 35,” DeBoer said. “This succession tsunami will provide opportunities to expand the diversity of California agriculture, which will help ensure a prosperous future for farming and ranching in the Golden State.”

    Schwartzman said another key component of the program is working to build communications skills. “Succession planning most often falls apart when retiring farmers, their heirs and successors, have a breakdown in communication. This can be a very emotional and very intense time. It means someone will no longer be with us when plans are executed. And also, it’s the transfer of something the retiring generation has spent a lifetime building, so not preparing and educating people about effective communication skills and including a plan for mediation is to do a disservice and can be the downfall of the transition,” she said.

    But the biggest reason FarmLink is working to provide succession planning is the potential impact of so many farms changing hands. “This will shape the food system for the following century. We need to put as many resources as we can behind preserving and growing these farm businesses that are about to go through these transitions,” she said.

    Applications are still being accepted for this year’s program. For more information, visithttps://www.californiafarmlink.org/courses/the-regenerator or contact Schwartzman at liya@cafarmlink.org.

    About Farm Credit:

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For a link to this article and for more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

     

    About California FarmLink:

    California FarmLink is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution investing in the prosperity and well-being of farmers, ranchers, and fishers who have limited access to financial resources. Founded in 1999, the organization works across California with a focus on serving communities of color and beginning farmers and ranchers. FarmLink partners with farmers, ranchers, professional advisors, impact investors, public agencies and other nonprofits to advance equity in California agriculture. Learn more at www.cafarmlink.org

  • California Fresh Fruit Association Continues to Support Growers for Over 100 Years

    Every summer, people around the country enjoy luscious fruits like apricots, table grapes, kiwis, peaches and plums. And since California is the nation’s largest producer of each of these commodities, there’s a good chance those fruits were grown right here in the Golden State.

    Working to protect the interests of growers of these and several other permanent fruit crops is the California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA). With roots dating back to 1921, it’s one of the oldest agricultural trade associations in California, said Courtney Razor, CFFA’s Director of Member Services and Communications.

    “CFFA is a public policy organization that advocates on behalf of 13 permanent, fresh fruit commodities, everything from blueberries to stone fruit to table grapes,” Razor said. “We advocate for our grower and shipper members at the local, state and federal levels on a vast array of issues including but not limited to labor, water, trade and food safety.”

    Statewide, the association has about 350 members from Lake County to the Coachella Valley, with the bulk of operations clustered between Madera and Kern counties.

    Keith Hesterberg, President and CEO of Fresno Madera Farm Credit, said without CFFA members, consumers would have much less fresh fruit.

    “According to state statistics, California growers lead the nation in the production of apricots, figs, table grapes, kiwis, nectarines, peaches, persimmons, plums and pomegranates – and second nationally in blueberries and cherries,” Hesterberg said. “In fact, the state is basically the sole source of American production of kiwis, nectarines, clingstone peaches and plums. Farm Credit is proud to support many different commodities like fresh fruit that are such important parts of California agriculture.”

    Farm Credit Alliance members AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are proud supporters of CFFA. The organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Razor said water supply and implementation of the state’s groundwater management system were key priorities, even in this extremely wet water year.

    On the labor front, CFFA members were disappointed in the passage of AB 2183 last year, which permits so-called “card check” voting for union representation instead of secret-ballot elections that allow workers to vote without fear of coercion. She said the association has been working with other ag organizations to educate members about how to comply with the new requirements. The group is also supportive of technological research and mechanization with the goal of making farm practices more efficient.

    She credits the Association for rising to the occasion during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure CFFA members and their employees had access to personal protective equipment and vaccinations so growers could provide safe working environments and ensure fruit could be harvested and transported to consumers.

    Razor also thanked Farm Credit for its sponsorship of CFFA’s 87th Annual Meeting, which was held in March this year at The Lodge at Torrey Pines near San Diego.

    “The California Fresh Fruit Association is extremely grateful to Farm Credit for their continued partnership and support in helping us make the event a success each year. At our 2023 Annual Meeting, we had 225 members in attendance who heard from keynote speakers about priorities taking place this year at the state Capitol and in Washington, D.C. as lawmakers begin preparations for the Farm Bill,” she said.

    Mark Littlefield, President and CEO of AgWest Farm Credit, said supporting organizations advocating for California agriculture is an important priority for Farm Credit’s philanthropical efforts.

    “The issues CFFA works on are absolutely critical to the success of our state’s fruit growers – indeed, all of California’s farmers and ranchers,” Littlefield said. “Without water, a labor force and the ability to export crops overseas, the industry that feeds the nation and the world could not exist, which is why it’s so important that CFFA and other advocacy organizations do such a great job of educating policymakers here in California and in Washington, D.C.”

    About Farm Credit: 

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For a link to this article and for more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com.

    About the California Fresh Fruit Association:

    The California Fresh Fruit Association is a voluntary public policy organization that represents growers, packers, and shippers of the California table grape, blueberry, kiwi, pomegranate, and deciduous tree fruit communities. CFFA serves as a representative for these growers, shippers, and packers, on issues at both the state and federal levels. More information on the Association can be found at www.cafreshfruit.com.

  • Common Threads Honors 13 Women in Ag for their Service

    Anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

    That is the core of Common Threads, an awards program that recognizes women in agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley and Northern California for their service to agriculture and to their communities. As the Common Threads North awards program put it:

    “Agriculture is the common thread of all honorees. Their contributions are symbolic of the rich, colorful threads used to fashion a multifaceted tapestry, not unlike the agricultural diversity of our region. The common threads of our tapestry display an array of cultures, ages, and regions. Some threads are vivid and bright, like the colorful bounty of our land’s harvest. Some are as soft as well-used denim and a little faded with age. Some have the tensile strength of iron; others the complexity and richness of fine lace.”

    Colleen Cecil, executive director of the Butte County Farm Bureau and a member of the Common Threads North committee, which recognizes women from Stanislaus County north to the Oregon border, said it was important to honor the contributions of women to agriculture.

    “Women are often overlooked because they’re busy working bees in the background and they don’t get the spotlight,” Cecil said.

    “Other programs recognize outstanding people, but this is the only one I know of about women in ag. It’s special to get this award because you’ve been nominated by others who hold you in high regard. I’ve had the opportunity to read the applications and letters of recommendation, and I just want to give everyone an award. We’re grateful to be able to bring attention to these women.”

    Rebecca Quist, the chair of the Common Threads Fresno committee, which recognizes women in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced and Tulare counties, noted that the committee’s honorees represent a wide variety in ages.

    “Ag has no age limit. The women we recognize are legacy women – whether they’ve done things quietly behind the scenes or they’re part of a newer generation where they’re out-front advocating in a public forum,” she said.

    In the Fresno area, seven honorees were honored on March 1 at a luncheon in Clovis: Lucy Areias, Fresno; Aubrey Bettencourt, Hanford; Juanita Calzadillas-Pedrozo, Merced; Holly Rosa, Hanford; Nanette Simonian, Fowler; Sheri Kanagawa, Hanford; and Tricia Stever Blattler, Honorary Recipient, Tulare.

    And in the north, six women were recognized at a dinner in Winters on April 5:  Geri Byrne, Tulelake; Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli, Woodland; Bobbin Mulvaney, Sacramento; Audrey Z. Tennis, Chico; Linda Walker, Los Molinos; and Sharron Zoller, Kelseyville.

    North CA Honorees (Left to right): Bobbin Mulvaney (Sacramento), Audrey Z. Tennis (Chico), Sharron Zoller (Kelseyville), Linda Walker (Los Molinos), Geri Byrne (Tulelake), Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli (Woodland).

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit have collectively contributed more than $35,000 to support Common Threads as top-level sponsors since 2015. The organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Mark Littlefield, President and CEO of AgWest Farm Credit, said Farm Credit supports Common Threads because of the importance of women in agriculture.

    “Each of the women honored this year has made outstanding contributions to California agriculture, whether managing operations of their family farming business, through work in organizations supporting agriculture or both,” Littlefield said. “And since so many younger women are taking on even more important roles in farming and ranching, they will help ensure a strong future for agriculture in the state.”

    Keith Hesterberg, President and CEO of Fresno Madera Farm Credit, added that the philanthropic efforts of women in agriculture are a cornerstone of the health of farming communities around the state.

    “Since the founding of our nation, rural America has evolved through a unique commitment to volunteerism that has strengthened and improved our communities,” Hesterberg said. “The Common Threads winners truly exemplify this trait as all have given generously of their time over the years to work on projects that have made a real difference.”

    The Common Threads program also benefits the recipients’ communities, Holman noted, as some of the proceeds from the awards events benefit a charity designated by each of the honorees.

    About Farm Credit: AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. We specialize in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About Common Threads: The Common Threads program was launched in 1997 by the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation and the College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology and the Ag One Foundation at California State University, Fresno. The Agricultural Leadership Foundation launched Common Threads North in 2003 in conjunction with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Davis, California Women in Agriculture and nine county Farm Bureaus. For information about Common Threads North, visit https://www.commonthreadsnorth.com and for more information about the Central Valley program, visit https://www.agleaders.org/alumni/common-threads-central-valley/

  • California FFA’s Increased Diversity Bodes Well for Future of Ag

    Roberto Lopez, a senior at Oakdale High School in Stanislaus County, is a strong believer in the value of FFA. Lopez is the president of both the school’s FFA Chapter and the organization’s central region, encompassing the area between Yolo and Merced counties.

    His drive is so strong that he hopes to take a gap year between high school and college and be elected next month to serve as one of six FFA statewide student officers, who will interact with business and industry leaders, thousands of FFA members and teachers, corporate sponsors, government and education officials, local FFA leaders, and the public.

    The team will lead personal growth and leadership training conferences for FFA members throughout the state and help set policies that will guide the future of FFA in California and the next generation of leaders.

    “I was always an individual who was quiet and kept to himself,” Lopez recalls. “But my ag teachers all introduced the idea of how FFA can turn a student into a leader. That really sparked me. What better way to take my passion for ag than to be an advocate for industry?”

    Lopez’s ascent into leadership roles is representative of the growth of Latino membership in the California FFA. For decades after its inception in 1928, FFA – then the Future Farmers of America – was an all-male, all-white organization. During the 1960s, that began to change. Black members joined in 1965 when FFA merged with the segregated New Farmers of America, and women were first allowed to join in 1969.

    But today, while 45% of members nationwide are female, nearly two-thirds of the membership is white.

    California, however, is different. Twenty years ago, FFA membership in the Golden State was still roughly 60% white and 60% male. But according to FFA’s 2021-22 Fact Sheet, 45% of members were Hispanic, 40% were white, 10% were of two or more races, and 2.5% each were Black and Asian. In addition, 73% of its 98,912 members were women. Although these changes are significant, FFA officials recognize that there is still work that needs to be done.

    “FFA may not have radical changes, but change happens,” said Katie Otto, executive director of development for the California FFA Foundation. “And that’s not lost on our students and our leadership. We ask, are we providing opportunities for all students? Are we accessible? And how can we better meet kids where they’re at?”

    Mark Littlefield, President and CEO of AgWest Farm Credit, said FFA’s growing diversity is crucial for the future of California agriculture.

    “Farm Credit is a strong supporter of FFA and has donated over $600,000 in the past 30 years to help FFA fulfill its mission,” Littlefield said. “Farm Credit is committed to encouraging diversity and inclusion, and FFA’s evolution is especially important to reflect the current make-up of California farms.  This will ensure that our farms and ranches and the rest of the ag industry continue to grow and prosper in the years to come.”

    Farm Credit Alliance members AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit, Fresno Madera Farm Credit, Golden State Farm Credit and Yosemite Farm Credit are proud supporters of FFA. The organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Charles Parker, statewide FFA Advisor for the California Department of Education, said it took time during the 1980s and ‘90s to help Hispanic families understand that having their children participate in FFA was not just a pathway to working in the fields.

    “The parents were farm laborers for the most part and the families didn’t understand what we did. We said we want your children to grow and to go to college and we can help you get there,” Parker said. “The students always wanted to be in it. Like all kids, they love to learn with their hands. But now we can show them that FFA students are going to college, and having those success stories is what drives parental support.”

    Otto said the growing Latino and female membership reflects the expansion of FFA from its farming and ranching origins. Members must be enrolled in an ag course at their middle school or high school to be involved. Classes include biology, chemistry, floriculture, welding and mechanics and are as diverse as ag is in California.

    Parker agreed. “We let them know that FFA is about more than working in the fields. It’s building the next robot; it’s doing engineering, developing new ways to sort fruit. Those are the alternatives we’re looking at.”

    Lopez, who plans on being the first member of his family to attend college, is a perfect example of how FFA grows and develops members, said Isaac Robles, the ag department chair at Oakdale High and an FFA advisor.

    “When he was a freshman, he was just another student. But through hard work and sticking to the program, I’ve seen him really develop into a young leader. We always have superstars from day one, but for Roberto it wasn’t easy – he worked his tail off, and you see the potential that develops out of hard work,” Robles said.

    Developing tomorrow’s ag leaders is another reason why Farm Credit backs FFA so strongly, said Jeana Hultquist, Vice President of Legislative Affairs with American AgCredit and a member of the California FFA Foundation Board of Directors.

    “Roberto is a great example of how FFA develops great leaders. His long-term goal is to graduate from Cal Poly with a degree in ag business,” Hultquist said. “There are thousands of other California FFA members who will become leaders in farming, in finance, in the sciences and in advocacy in the years to come. Many of them would not have had these opportunities without FFA.”

    About Farm Credit: 

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit, Fresno Madera Farm Credit, Golden State Farm Credit and Yosemite Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About the California FFA Foundation:

    California FFA Foundation serves more than 100,000 California students and strives to make a difference in their lives by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through educational education.

  • Farm Credit Contributed Nearly $1 Million to California Ag Organizations in 2022

    Farm Credit is the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture, but its support goes much deeper than that. Farm Credit is also committed to the sustainability and long-term viability of agriculture and rural communities and strongly supports non-profits working to preserve and protect California agriculture.

    In 2022, the Farm Credit Alliance – AgWest Farm Credit, American Ag Credit, CoBank, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit, Fresno Madera Farm Credit, Golden State Farm Credit and Yosemite Farm Credit – contributed nearly $1 million to nearly 100 agricultural organizations around the state.

    The funding supports farming and ranching in four main areas – raising awareness of agriculture, preservation of agriculture, education and research, and support for young, beginning and small farmers.

    “By providing funding to a wide range of non-profits working to promote farming and ranching in California, Farm Credit is making an investment in helping the industry thrive today and to ensure it can continue providing food for the nation and the world in the years to come,” said Mark Littlefield, President and CEO of AgWest Farm Credit.

    The lion’s share – more than $480,000 – was directed to organizations that raise awareness through a variety of methods.

    One beneficiary is Western United Dairies’ educational and advocacy program. The organization’s Dairy Leaders program educates up-and-coming dairy industry leaders about the state and federal legislative and regulatory process, how milk products are marketed and ways they can communicate effective messages about the dairy industry.

    Another is the Family Winemakers of California. The group is a strong advocate for small family-owned wineries at the state Capitol, where it focuses on reforming post-Prohibition restrictions on selling directly to consumers. Farm Credit support also helps the group hold two large wine tastings a year to promote small family-owned wineries that can’t afford large advertising budgets.

    Farm Credit is also a strong supporter of groups seeking to preserve agriculture in the Golden State, donating over $150,000 to organizations involved in that cause. One recipient was Cultivate California, which educates policymakers and residents about the crucial link between water and their food supply and counters misinformation about farming’s use of water. The Cultivate California program helps bolster the natural support people have for agriculture and farms and provides them with facts and information about the connection between their food and the water supply.

    Education and research is another Farm Credit priority, receiving over $150,000 as well in 2022. The Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom has been educating students around the state for 36 years that the food they eat doesn’t just come from the supermarket. Its most recent program was highlighting the “99% club” – 16 commodities grown almost exclusively in California. A total of 16,000 students participated in the interactive program during the previous school year.

    In addition, for more than a decade Farm Credit has supported the California Cattlemen’s Association Livestock Memorial Research Fund, which played a major role in funding the development of a vaccine against a tick-borne disease – epizootic bovine abortion – that had wreaked havoc on the state’s cattle industry for decades. The Research Fund is now helping fund research against another tick-borne disease – bovine anaplasmosis – that causes billions of dollars in losses worldwide.

    Finally, Farm Credit continues to strongly support programs to nurture the next generation of farmers and ranchers to ensure the future of agriculture in California, donating over $125,000 to organizations such as FFA. By supporting FFA for more than 20 years, Farm Credit helped make numerous programs possible, including the new Change Makers Summit, which provides college-bound high school seniors with information about the many careers they can pursue in agriculture.

    Farm Credit also supports aspiring farmers, such as by providing the Center for Land-Based Learning with funding to create a new six-week Explorer Course for people interested in farming but who don’t have the time to participate in its seven-month Beginning Farmer Training program. A large percentage of participants aren’t ready for a lengthy program but do want to know what steps they would need to take to become successful farmers. This is especially important because the average farmer is nearly 60 years old, so encouraging people with an interest in farming is vital.

    “We know the importance of continuing to support, young, beginning, and small producers as they take the step to learn the complex and dynamic business of agriculture,” said Jeana Hultquist, who runs the local community impact program for American AgCredit. “Farm Credit is committed to the prosperity of not only today’s rural families, farms, and businesses, but also the next generation of agriculture.”

    About Farm Credit: 

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit, Fresno Madera Farm Credit, Golden State Farm Credit and Yosemite Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

  • Fresno State Seeks to Expand Diversity in California Ag, Farm Credit Helps with $700,000

    The Central Valley of California is the largest producer of agricultural commodities in the nation, and agriculture is by far the largest segment of the region’s economy. But as Dr. Sharon Freeman, an assistant professor at California State University Fresno puts it, the state’s changing demographics mean agriculture has to change as well.

    “To remain competitive, we need to encourage Latinos and other underrepresented students to continue their education through our hands-on learning programs and to become future leaders for the agricultural industry in California,” she said.

    Freeman is the program coordinator for the Jordan College of Agricultural Science and Technology’s Ag Ambassadors Program, which began some 40 years ago to promote Fresno State, the Jordan College and higher education in general. But she pays special attention to the Farm Credit Multicultural Ambassadors – five undergraduate students majoring in one of the college’s six departments who are recruited to reach out to Latino and other underrepresented populations.

    The team visits urban and rural high schools and community colleges in the Central Valley and along the Central Coast to advise prospective students about the opportunities at Fresno State and to serve as role models to motivate and encourage these students to acquire the needed skills and courses to enroll. Taking advantage of technology, the program even had a virtual session with students in Carpinteria in southern Santa Barbara County.

    “The Multicultural Ambassador Program provides recruitment activities, career fairs, farm tours, and educational days to help ensure that underrepresented students become aware of careers in agriculture and the opportunities at Fresno State,” Freeman said. In the 2021-22 school year, the program organized some 50 outreach events throughout the region, which reached 620 high school and community college students.

    The program was established by four members of the Farm Credit System – AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, and Fresno Madera Farm Credit. Since the program’s inception in 2013, they, along with Golden State Farm Credit, have donated $701,000 to support the program. The organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Keith Hesterberg, President and CEO of Fresno Madera Farm Credit, said supporting diversity and equity in agriculture is a must.

    “Fresno State’s Jordan College provides agricultural programs that are preparing the next generation of agriculturalists,” Hesterberg said. “Ensuring that these programs are accessible to all students who want to attend college and better prepare themselves for employment in the agriculture industry is crucial to the future of California agriculture, and Farm Credit is proud to have taken a leadership role in this effort.”

    Current Fresno State students say participating in the program’s activities while still in high school made a profound impact on them.

    “It was eye-opening,” recalled Abelino Garza II, a freshman from Bakersfield majoring in biochemistry who is serving on the FFA Field Day Committee. “We’d take the tours of the farm laboratories and animal units and then have time to walk around the campus, which gave me a chance to see what this campus had to offer.  I could see that this was an agricultural college and that there was an opportunity to pursue a career in many ways.”

    But besides helping increase awareness of the university and about career opportunities in agriculture, the ambassadors also gain skills that will help them toward a more successful future because the ambassadors organize and lead the presentations.

    “When I was a freshman, it was intimidating to give the farm tours and provide information about the campus,” said Jocelyne Juarez, a graduate student from Wasco, 25 miles northwest of Bakersfield who is an advisor to the underclassmen. “Being part of the program has created comfort in speaking in front of people. And it’s gone from me doing the presentations to me helping the student give their presentations. Being in the program really helps develop soft skills.”

    Ivan Trujillo, center, with his sister Desiree and Greenfield High School FFA Advisor Daniel Villasenor

    Ivan Trujillo, a senior from Greenfield, 30 miles south of Salinas, agreed.

    “Just by getting involved I was able to develop so many skills I didn’t know I had,” said Trujillo who – like Juarez – plans to become an ag teacher. “I didn’t know that I had great organizational skills and could plan conferences and organize events – things you’d never imagine doing in college. I have one more year here and I want to make the most of it.”

    Freeman said the program has been expanding. Last year, she said they hosted the first Multicultural Ambassador Presentation Day, which brings classes of students in for a half-day of events and learning opportunities. One of the programs promoted there is the Agricultural Career Readiness Skills Certificate Pathway for the 21st Century, which allows high school students to earn a transferable certificate to demonstrate they have participated in soft skills development through their FFA program.

    Fresno State last year also hosted the statewide Agricultural Ambassador Conference, which brought in 120 community college and university students from around the state to further develop personal skills and provide networking opportunities. Students from five agricultural colleges work together to put the conference together, which includes industry representatives from Farm Credit, the Tulare County Farm Bureau, Taylor Farms, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the California Department of Agriculture. This year’s conference will be held January 28-30 at Fresno State.

    Then in May, the program will hold a new Aspire to Grow Conference, which will target local students from underrepresented communities to hear speakers talk about diversity and inclusion and the need for the students to pursue future education.

    She noted that Farm Credit also supports the annual FFA Field Day at Fresno State, which is scheduled for April 22. The event regularly attracts between 2,000 and 2,500 high school students from around the San Joaquin Valley.

    Mark Littlefield, President and CEO of AgWest Farm Credit, said Farm Credit was extremely pleased to see how the program is continuing to grow and reach increasing numbers of underrepresented students.

    “Farming feeds the world, but unfortunately there are many people who aren’t aware of all the careers available in agriculture – in animal and plant science, engineering and technology, along with developing better ways to grow the food the nation and the world depend on,” Littlefield said. “The Ambassadors Program has provided thousands of students with that information over the years, and Farm Credit looks forward to working with Fresno State to grow this great program even further.”

    About Farm Credit: 

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About the Multicultural Ambassadors Program:

    The Multicultural Ambassadors program is made up of agricultural students attending California State University, Fresno. Their mission is to conduct recruitment activities to encourage underrepresented students to further their education, consider agricultural careers, and to learn about the opportunities available at the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology. Recruitment activities include career fairs, high school presentations, farm tours, and leadership conferences. Through participation in these recruitment activities, the Multicultural Ambassadors develop soft skills, leadership, and career-readiness practices that prepare them for leadership positions in the agricultural industry.

  • California Dairy Leaders Program Helps Build Industry Leaders of Tomorrow

    Like most farmers and ranchers, dairy farmers know a lot about farming but often need to learn more about the ways government actions and farmer checkoffs affect their businesses.

    That’s where the California Dairy Leaders Program comes in. After a COVID-related hiatus, the program – sponsored by Western United Dairies (WUD) – has selected its 16th class of dairy professionals who will spend the next several months learning about the state and federal legislative and regulatory process, how milk products are marketed and ways they can communicate effective messages about the dairy industry.

    Participants in the 2022/2023 California Dairy Leaders Program are:

    • Anthony Agueda, dairy farmer, Alberto Dairy, Stanislaus County
    • Eric Fast, Maas Energy Works, Redding
    • Tyler Ribeiro, dairy farmer, Rib-Arrow Dairy, Tulare County
    • Linda Sousa, Farm Credit West, Tulare County
    • Allison Tristao, Tristar Dairy, Tulare County

    Darby Pedrozo, until recently WUD’s Technical Field Services Representative, said the program is a great learning experience – and she knows that first-hand, having participated in the 2019-20 sessions.

    “I had just started at WUD, and it was great to meet other people in the industry. I made connections and friendships I’ll have for the rest of my life,” she said. “It was a big learning experience and I’m extremely thankful I was able to participate.”

    Art Moessner, Vice President, Agribusiness Dairy Team Lead, with American AgCredit, said Farm Credit sponsors the program to help train future industry leaders by giving them a broader perspective.

    “This program has done a great job over the years in giving dairy producers a better understanding of the forces that shape their industry beyond what they do on the farm,” Moessner said. “Every organization needs a steady stream of new leaders, and Farm Credit is proud to help build the future leadership of WUD.”

    American AgCredit, CoBank, Farm Credit West and Yosemite Farm Credit provide funding for the program. The organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    The program begins with communications and leadership training, environmental and regulatory law that govern the California dairy industry, followed by a trip to Sacramento to learn about the state legislative process and how WUD advocates for key issues affecting the dairy industry. Participants also learn about the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) and dairy market risk management strategies. Dairy’s unique pricing system and subsequent supply side economics are capped off for Dairy Leaders with a trip to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange to get a national perspective on dairy promotion.

    After that comes a trip to the nation’s capital, Washington D.C., to meet with federal agencies and other ag-related trade associations, as well as learning how the federal legislative process works.

    In all, participants are away from their businesses for about 14 days over the course of a year.

    “It’s important for our dairy families to understand all facets of the industry, especially where their milk check deducts are going,” Pedrozo said. “This program gives them an insight into the work Western is doing to represent them, along with groups like the Dairy Export Council and the DMI (Dairy Management, Inc.) and the state checkoff California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB).”

    Mark Littlefield, President and CEO of Farm Credit West, noted that the dairy industry is being particularly affected by state and federal efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, and said it was important for dairy producers to understand the major steps the industry has already taken to reduce emissions and share these successes within the industry and with government leaders.

    “Many larger producers are participating in new systems to capture methane, pipe the emissions to digesters that upgrade the gas and use it to produce renewable electricity, renewable natural gas or hydrogen fuel,” Littlefield said, adding that smaller dairies are also reducing methane through less-costly means.

    “California has set an ambitious goal of reducing dairy methane emissions by 40%, and our state’s producers are on track to meet that goal,” he said.

    Pedrozo said producers are also concerned about the drought and the reduced amount of water available to grow feed and to water their cows. But on a brighter note, she said while fluid milk consumption continues to decline nationally, the industry is still holding its own due to the growth in other areas, such as cheese, butter, and ice cream.

    And she should know. Besides working for WUD, Pedrozo has two aunts who married dairymen and in June she married a dairy farmer in Visalia. The couple now own and operate the farm together.

    More information about the program is available here.

    About Farm Credit:
    American AgCredit, CoBank, Farm Credit West and Yosemite Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About Western United Dairies:

    Western United Dairies (WUD) is a voluntary trade association representing more than 75% of the milk produced in California. In appreciation of the tremendous dedication of capital, labor and caring concern that our dairy farming members have invested in their dairies, the staff and Board of Directors at WUD will earnestly and conscientiously work to promote sound legislative and administrative policies and programs for the success of the industry, welfare of the animals and the prosperity of our consumers. WUD is striving to advance strategies for the general welfare and longevity of dairy families, while maintaining the strong and positive public image of the entire dairy industry.

  • Students Learn About Commodities Grown Almost Exclusively in the Golden State

    California’s farmers grow more than 400 commodities each year, making the state the nation’s breadbasket. And for 36 years, the nonprofit California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom has been educating students around the state that the nutritious and tasty fruits and vegetables they eat don’t just come from the supermarket.

    During the past school year, Executive Director Judy Culbertson said the focus of the educational program was highlighting the “99% club” – 16 commodities grown almost exclusively in the Golden State.

    “On April 1 we held our second annual California Farm Day virtually, with presenters talking about a different one of the commodities for 10 minutes, providing information, activities, recipes and ‘did you know’ segments,” Culbertson said.

    “Nearly 500 teachers registered, and we sent out a box of goodies for each class, with snacks, resources for students and teachers and the What’s Growin’ On? newspaper. We put the video package on YouTube, and 16,000 kids registered!” She added that 45 counties had at least one school participating this year.

    Mark Littlefield, President and CEO of Farm Credit West, said Farm Credit organizations have given the foundation over $250,000 since 2002 to help educate students in urban and rural areas alike about the importance of agriculture to California.

    “California’s climate makes it ideal for growing a large variety of crops, many of which can’t be grown anywhere else in the U.S.,” Littlefield said. “It’s important to educate Californians about how much of their food is grown here and why agriculture is so vital to the state’s economy. Farm Credit is proud to be a longtime sponsor of the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, which has done a great job over the years providing that education.”

    Farm Credit West, American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit, Fresno Madera Farm Credit and Yosemite Farm Credit all provide funding. The organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Besides talking about the 99% club commodities during the two-hour virtual event, there was also a half-page devoted to each commodity in the newspaper – which celebrated its 20th anniversary this school year – that provided information about their history, nutrition, and little-known facts.

    The commodities are almonds, artichokes, celery, clover, figs, garlic, honeydew melons, nectarines, olives, peaches, pistachios, raisins, medium- and short-grain rice and walnuts. Among the fun facts included in the publication are:

    • Celery has many health benefits and that bunches of celery were presented to ancient Greek athletes, much as a bouquet of roses would be today.
    • Almonds, roses, and peaches are distant cousins, members of the rose family.
    • Garlic was used as a first aid compound in World War II to kill bacteria and germs on the battlefield.

    Among the Farm Day video presenters was Ag in the Classroom Foundation President Jamie Johansson, an Oroville olive grower who also is president of the California Farm Bureau.

    “It’s a fruit, right, like a cherry or a peach, but it’s one of the few fruits you can’t pick off the tree and just eat,” he told the students. “The first time I tasted an olive off the tree it was so bitter I wondered what I was doing and how I failed.” He later explained that you have to cure the olives by soaking them in lye or brine to remove the bitter compounds. You can view the entire Farm Day presentation here.

    Culbertson said the response from teachers and students was overwhelmingly positive.

    “One teacher wrote back to say, ‘It really gave our students a better understanding of the impact that California’s agriculture has on our state, country, and the world.’ Another wrote, ‘They learned so much about their home state and came back from the weekend telling me what they taught their parents about California agriculture. Thank you so much,’” Culbertson said.

    This year, Ag in the Classroom began working with the Fresno Unified School District to promote the commodities grown in the heart of California’s farm belt. The district received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the California Department of Food and Agriculture to provide locally grown fruits and vegetables to the school lunch program and to provide education about the importance of agriculture.

    “We are providing the education side of the nutrition grant,” Culbertson said. “We produced classroom materials including a monthly Fresno Farms to You newsletter, along with posters for each school’s cafeteria. Both feature information about what’s in season in the Fresno area that month.

    “There are 70,000 kids in Fresno Unified, and everybody goes through the cafeteria and learns about the commodities. We’re going through evaluation now, but it’s a two-year grant, and we’re planning to do it again next year.”

    The poster for October, for example, featured table grapes, informing students that eating them benefits the heart, brain, and skin. And each month’s poster includes a joke about that month’s commodity, which she said she hopes helps capture their attention. For October, it was, “What happened when the grape was promoted? It got a raisin pay.”

    Keith Hesterberg, president and CEO of Fresno Madera Farm Credit, said he was especially pleased that California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom was able to help promote agriculture in his community.

    “The Fresno area has grown tremendously in recent years, and many people moving here from other parts of the state don’t have the same understanding about the importance of agriculture as people who grew up here. This program is a great way of giving students information as well as a taste of how delicious locally grown fruits and vegetables are,” he said.

    About Farm Credit:
    American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa Glenn Farm Credit, Farm Credit West, Fresno Madera Farm Credit, and Yosemite Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

    About the Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom:
    The California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating youth throughout California about the importance of agriculture in their daily lives. We do this through:

    • Developing materials that are accurate, teacher-tested and scientifically sound to enhance the educational experience of K-12 students.
    • Providing programs, inspiration and training opportunities for educators.
    • Partnering with like-minded organizations to create awareness about the significance of agriculture in our everyday lives.
    • Recognizing teachers and students for their achievements in agricultural literacy.
    • Supporting the pursuit of agricultural careers and continuing education.

    Our mission is to increase awareness and understanding of agriculture among California’s educators and students. Our vision is an appreciation of agriculture by all. Learn more at https://learnaboutag.org.

  • Farmer-Veteran Grant Helps Marine Transition into Beekeeping

    Jesus Toro is a man with a plan. The son of a farmworker and a former Marine helicopter mechanic, Toro’s goal is to become a fulltime beekeeper within three years, servicing orchards in California and the Pacific Northwest. A just-awarded Farmer Veteran Coalition grant – funded by Farm Credit – will be a big step toward achieving that goal.

    The Coalition’s small grant program is designed to support veterans in their early years of farming and ranching by directly purchasing a piece of equipment the farmer has identified as being critical. In Toro’s case, that need was a trailer so he could haul his forklift to farms to unload and load his beehives during pollinating season.

    “My goal is to have 1,000 hives within three years,” said Toro, a Madera native. “The hives will go on my flatbed truck, but I needed the trailer to haul around the forklift. The $5,000 grant made that happen.”

    Keith Hesterberg, President and CEO of Fresno Madera Farm Credit, said grants like this one really make a difference.

    “The Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund provides direct assistance to veterans like Jesus Toro who are in their beginning years of farming and ranching,” Hesterberg said. “The funds are given directly to third-party vendors for items the veteran has identified will make a crucial difference in the success of their farm business.”

    As part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture – Fresno Madera Farm Credit, along with American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa Glenn Farm Credit, Farm Credit West and Yosemite Farm Credit support numerous non-profits like the Farmer Veteran Coalition that provide assistance for beginning farmers.

    Mark Littlefield, President and CEO of Farm Credit West, added that Farm Credit volunteers help review the grant applications as part of the Farmer Veteran Coalition’s efforts to identify recipients who are serious about becoming successful farmers.

    “Veterans receiving these grants need to have an agricultural business in operation and a business plan. In addition, they must provide progress reports and must be willing to mentor other farmer veterans,” Littlefield said. “Farm Credit is proud to be able to help individuals who have served in our armed forces build a new life in agriculture.”

    This year, more than 100 farmer veterans across the country received grants. Over the 11 years the program has been in place, more than 700 veterans have benefitted, with $3.5 million in equipment distributed.

    Toro said when his enlistment ended, he enrolled at Reedley College to study engineering, until he took calculus and physics in the same semester and decided perhaps engineering wasn’t for him. But a new career path was soon found.

    “While at Reedley, one of my close friends told me that the bee business was going to be big in a few years because established beekeepers were getting old and there weren’t enough new guys stepping up to replace them. Then when I got to Fresno State, a beekeeping and biology class popped out at me,” he said.

    In fact, Toro is featured in a 2019 You Tube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7iYB853WTo about the course in which he outlined his goal of establishing his own business.

    After graduating with his degree in plant science, he’s currently working for an area fertilizer business and working with bees on the side. He now has 50 hives – each with up to 40,000 bees – and is looking to ramp up.

    “The goal for me is to buy some land in southern Oregon and take the bees up there for honey production,” he said. “I also want to get contracts for almond pollination in California and for apple and cherry growers in the Northwest, which flower later than trees in California.”

    And no doubt the trailer funded with the Farm Credit grant will put on many miles in the process.

    About Farm Credit:

    American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa Glenn Farm Credit, Farm Credit West, Fresno Madera Farm Credit and Yosemite Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com.

    About the Farmer Veteran Coalition:

    The mission of the Farmer Veteran Coalition is mobilizing veterans to feed America. The Coalition cultivates a new generation of farmers and food leaders and develops viable employment and meaningful careers through the collaboration of the farming and military communities. It believes that veterans possess the unique skills and character needed to strengthen rural communities and create sustainable food systems, and that agriculture offers purpose, opportunity, and physical and psychological benefits. For more information, visit https://farmvetco.org.