FOCUS AGRICULTURE WINS NATIONAL AWARD

By Jess Brown, Executive Director, Agri-Culture

The organization Agri-Culture has earned national recognition for an innovative program that informs community leaders about local farming and ranching.  It will be among 15 programs from throughout the nation that will be showcased during the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Annual Meeting this month in Atlanta, Ga.

Agri-Culture earned an “Activity of Excellence” award for its grassroots Focus Agriculture program.  The program seeks to bridge the gap between rural and urban communities by annually educating 20 local elected officials and community leaders about agriculture in Santa Cruz County and the Pajaro Valley.  Participants learn about local agriculture during an intensive, nine-month program, composed of daylong, once-a-month sessions.

Now in its 22^nd year, the Focus Agriculture program includes farm experiences aimed at showing participants the current issues affecting local farms and ranches.  There is a waiting list of more than 200 community leaders who hope to be chosen for the program.  Agri-Culture President Bill Ringe stated, “Building relationships with local leaders early in their careers is critical to establishing a long-standing support system for local farmers and ranchers.”

The organization Agri-Culture was established after the devastating earthquake of 1989.  With earthquake funds received from donations from throughout the United States, the organization established a farm worker housing fund.  It also created learning opportunities for the community to learn more about local agriculture.  The board is comprised of people involved in agriculture, education and community at-large. Focus Agriculture was created to lessen the gap between agriculture and the urban community.  The program has brought together political leaders, environmentalists, non-profit agencies, businesses in the private sector and those involved in various agricultural operations. 

Each year the program changes along with the issues that affect agriculture.  Participants are required to complete an evaluation after each session.  Those comments are given to the board who decide if changes need to be made in any particular session.  Participants receive many farm tours throughout Santa Cruz County and the Pajaro Valley.  They are always given the chance to ask questions of the speakers who generously donate their valuable time.  During one of the sessions, participants are paired with a farmer for the day.  They learn what goes on during a normal day on the farm.  Each participant writes a report about their day that includes photos.  There are currently 21 years of reports that will be placed in a museum so people 100 years from now can read a first-hand account of visiting farms of today.

Applications are currently being accepted for Class XXII – deadline January 21, 2011.  See website for applications http://www.agri-culture.us/

    FOCUS AGRICULTURE CLASS XXI

Graduated November 5, 2010

R1(L-R): Samantha Haschert, Robin Larsen, Patty Quillin, Stuart Kitayama, Laurie Mireles,

Jane McKenzie, Ryan Bolduan, Robert Corbett, Donna Mekis, Rose Kevern (staff), Jess Brown (staff)

R2 (L-R): Ron Duncan, Dave Moeller, Monika Maier, Alicia Moss, Brooke Parker, Erin Kurtz,

Kathy Moeller, Carol Polhamus, Eliseo Tatayon, George Ow, Jr., Matt Freeman

Not Pictured: Elias Alonzo, Amanda Rehn