FAMILY FARM IN GRIDLEY CAN STAY AMONG NEW RANCHETTES

Butte County Land Saved for Ag

State and local organizations have partnered to permanently set aside for agriculture a Butte County ranch potentially in the path of development. The California Department of Conservation (DOC) and the Northern California Regional Land Trust (NCRLT) have created an agricultural conservation easement on the Pamma-Larkin farm one mile outside of Gridley’s sphere of influence, working with the family to ensure it will never be developed.

“My parents migrated from India in 1972 and worked as farm laborers, picking peaches until they saved up enough money to buy their own farm,” said Amarjit Pamma, who now farms the land with his brother Gurvinder.  “They farmed this property for over 30 years before my brother and I took over. It’s a valuable piece of land for farming and we like to keep it in agriculture for future generations.”

The Gridley area is known for its peach, prune and walnut orchards. The 96-acre Pamma-Larkin property is home to five different types of peaches: Stanislaus, Bowen, Andross, Arakelian and Late Ross. Harvested peaches are sold to two nearby canneries, Del Monte and Pacific Coast Producers.

The proximity of the communities of Biggs and Gridley, State Routes 70 and 99, and many small lots and rural ranchettes have put development pressure on the farm, a portion of which is along the Feather River. The farm is located on Larkin Road, hence its name, Pamma-Larkin.

“We are very pleased to see another farm protected forever,” said NCRLT Land Projects Coordinator Zach Mendes. “These projects wouldn’t be possible without the invaluable partnerships between the landowners, the DOC, and the land trust.

“Land Trust members, supporters, and the north state community also provide essential financial support for our work, and we couldn’t have done this without them.”

The Pamma-Larkin farm is the third placed into a conservation easement as a result of NCRLT efforts supported by a California Farmland Conservancy Program (CFCP) planning grant. This is the first conservation easement that CFCP has helped fund in the Biggs/Gridley area and the second it has funded in Butte County.

“We congratulate the Northern California Regional Land Trust and the Pamma family on the creation of this conservation easement,” Department of Conservation Director Mark Nechodom said. “We appreciate the work the land trust does to preserve the productive farmlands of Butte County and to help maintain a viable agricultural economy in the region. We’re very pleased to be a partner in this effort.”

About the Northern California Regional Land Trust: Founded in 1990, the NCRLT currently holds 27 conservation easements in Butte and Tehama counties covering over 15,500 acres. Its smallest easement is 0.39 acre, while its largest acquisition, Llano Seco Rancho, is 4,235 acres.

The organization is dedicated to promoting the conservation and preservation of Northern California’s open spaces, agricultural lands and natural resources with cooperation between the community, private landowners, public agencies and other nonprofit groups. For more information, visit http://www.landconservation.org/ .

About the Department of Conservation’s California Farmland Conservancy Program: Begun in 1996, the CFCP has provided more than $81 million in funding to permanently shield more than  56,000 acres of the state’s best agricultural land from development. For more information, visit: www.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp.

2016-05-31T19:45:19-07:00September 6th, 2013|

ALFALFA AND FORAGE MEETING

Attendees on the Kearney Trams during a Field Tour.

A California Ag TODAY Exclusive



UC Researchers Fill the Gaps on Many Questions


By Patrick Cavanaugh, Editor

Nearly 100 alfalfa and other forage growers and pest control advisors gathered TODAY at the Kearney Research and Extension Center in Parlier, Calif.


Shannon Mueller, UC Cooperative Extension Agronomy Farm Advisor, Fresno County, spoke about the importance of alfalfa variety selection as a tool for managing pests and disease.


Shannon Mueller, Ph.D.
The different regions where alfalfa is produced determine which pests are most important for resistance varieties. “Alfalfa varieties consist of a population of plants which have varying degrees of resistance to an insect or disease. Since alfalfa fields can sustain considerable loss of individual plants without reducing productivity, alfalfa varieties with 51 percent or more plant resistance in the field are considered to be highly resistant (HR), as resistant plants will make up for losses from other plants.


Alfalfa is heterozygous and no plant population would have the same resistance strength.


She noted that growers should know the pest and disease pressure in their areas and buy seed that has the resistance quality needed.


Dan Putnam, Ph.D.
And since alfalfa is a nitrogen-fixating crop producing between 250 and nearly 1000 pounds of N per acre, it could serve as a rotation crop, with wheat for example. “The actual amount depends upon yield and protein concentration. Although most of this N is removed in the crop, some portion remains to benefit the succeeding crop,” said Dan Putnam, UC Davis Agronomy Extension Specialist.


“We want to determine the impacts of rotation with alfalfa on the N fertilization needs of a following crop, such as wheat. We would like to develop an N credit recommendation for management of N fertilizers in non-legumes, rotated with alfalfa. He will have data from his experiment in 2014.


Putnam also discussed UC sorghum nitrogen and variety studies. “Sorghum has been proposed as an alternative forage, primarily as a summer annual silage crop for dairy or other livestock production,” Putnam said. “The primary value of sorghum in the Central San Joaquin Valley, under irrigation, is that it is likely to use less moisture and N than corn, which is currently a major forage crop in California.”


He reported on N-sorghum trials from 2011 and 2012, conducted in three locations. The trials are being repeated this year.


He noted the major advantages of sorghum include:

·      Less expensive to establish

·      Lower N requirement/lower inputs

·      Lower water requirement/ drought resistance

·      Heat Tolerant


Major Limitations:

·      Lodging issues in some varieties

·      Forage Quality (seed percentage/variety specific)

·      Yield (variety dependent/ compared with seed costs)


Following Putnam was a discussion on how to detect if Roundup Ready (RR) alfalfa is present in a sample.  “There are concerns among growers, marketers, and the general public about the co-existence of RR and conventional alfalfa,” said Michelle Leinfelder-Miles, UC Farm Advisor, San Joaquin County. “Key among the concerns is the possibility for the RR trait to transfer by pollen to conventional alfalfa.”

 

Michelle Leinfelder-Miles, Ph.D.

Gene flow has been measured between alfalfa fields grown for seed production; however, gene flow between fields grown for hay is largely prevented by management barriers. The primary barrier is that hay is generally cut before 10 percent flowering so seed is rarely allowed to form, let alone mature.


However, it is courteous and wise to employ practices that allow the co-existence of RR and convention alfalfa. Several important considerations include:


·      Growing certified seed.

·      Understanding the potential for gene flow. Cross-pollination is required in seed production but not in forage production.

·      Preventing the mixing of hay lots or carry-over bales between fields

·      Being aware of neighboring non-genetically engineered (GE) hay.


“Testing for GE Traits is a good way to insure that they do or do notexist when a customer is sensitive to GE crops,” Leinfelder-Miles said. Specific test strips are available to easily and quickly determine if an alfalfa sample is RR. Contact Leinfelder-Miles for more information on testing supplies.


Jeff Dahlberg, Ph.D.
There was also a discussion on Sorghum Variety Trials, presented byJeff Dahlberg, Director, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Sorghum, both grain and forage, is a an important feedstuff for livestock, as well as a fuel stock.


Dahlberg is working on a major trial with many different sorghum varieties. He is measuring how all of them stack up regarding fall dormancy, winter survival, all major pests and diseases, salt tolerance and continuous grazing tolerances. He mentioned many very good varieties for California Production.


Nearly all forage sorghum growers are interested in trying to grow crops with less water, and Bob Hutmacher, UC Davis, Department of Plant Sciences, Shafter Research and Extension Center, presented research that shows respectable yields with three to four fewer inches of water.

Bob Hutmacher, Ph.D.

He stated that he and colleagues are working on different irrigation timings as well as different amounts of water on distinct forage and grain sorghum varieties in several locations. “We are testing forage types and grain types, but all were cut for silage in the trials,” Hutmacher said. “We are seeing some results that even with lower yields due to decreased water, there still can be a profitable yield.” He noted that the yield differences were less on the grain sorghum than on the forage sorghum.


Steve Wright

Steve Wright, UC Cooperative Extension Agronomy Farm Advisor, Tulare County spoke about the N needs of wheat.


“You need to fertilize according to yield potential,” Wright said. “Some varieties will yield five tons per acre, and they will require about 300 pounds on N per acre.


“Growers need to develop variety/nitrogen management strategy what would assure maximum yield and acceptable protein for all growing areas,” Wright said. “Recent research indicates that applying N at plating, tillering, boot, and flowering on newer varieties may increase yield and protein, however more research is needed,” he noted.


Larry Godfrey, Ph.D
Wright noted that a good rule of thumb is three to five pounds N per 100 pounds yield. “However ground water contamination is an important consideration regarding N-use. But I think growers can manage their N so that it will not cause any further problems,” Wright said.


Following Wright was a discussion on the Blue Alfalfa Aphid that caused enormous problems for growers throughout the state this year. The pest populations were very high, the usual materials were not working, and so there were yield reductions. Heading up the discussion was Larry Godfrey, a UC Davis Extension Entomologist.


Godfrey described the biology of the Blue Alfalfa Aphid and said there are several generations per year. He said the pest injects a toxin into the plant while feeding, which causes much more damage than the Pea Aphid.


Tim Hayes
Tim Hays, a PCA with Wilbur-Ellis, Shafter Branch, reported the Blue Alfalfa Aphid was a big problem in the 1970s, and it has always been at least a minor problem each year. “This year we had very high aphid numbers; we sprayed but did not get control. We had good materials that worked well on the aphid until this season. Clearly this is a resistance issue and the answer we need is new materials,” Hays said.


Godfrey noted that there is no apparent evidence that the failure this year was caused by insecticide resistance, and this did not appear to be a failure of the alfalfa’s resistance.


A Section 18 was filed for the use of another effective material for the 2014 season. Godfrey noted that the Section 18 might be canceled soon because a particular registrant has a new product and the company anticipates it will be registered in 2014 for use in the alfalfa industry.


And finally, Kurt Hembree UC Cooperative Extension Weed Management Farm Advisor, Fresno County, spoke about weed management in alfalfa with and without Roundup, on Roundup Ready stands.

 

Kurt Hembree

He noted that growers need to plan their program strategy around the weeds that they have or expect, and dedicate extra efforts to control as many weeds as possible during early stand development.


“When using glyphosate in seedling fields, treat the first time at the third trifoliate leaf stage,” Hembree explained. “Earlier or later timings can result in more weeds escaping control. And growers must expect some crop injury if tank-mixing with other herbicide materials.”


Hembree noted that it’s important to preserve the effectiveness of glyphosate. “Growers need to control escapes and rotate and/or tank-mix other materials as often as necessary,” he said.


He noted that a survey indicates that a large majority of growers are pleased with the Roundup Ready technology in alfalfa because it provides better weed control with simplicity. “However, more than half the growers surveyed are not concerned with glyphosate-tolerant or glyphosate-resistant weeds in alfalfa. The growers who think this way are in trouble,” said Hembree. He stressed: “If you want these products to be around, then you must make smart decisions.”

2016-05-31T19:45:19-07:00September 6th, 2013|

"STOLEN" FARM EQUIPMENT TO BE SOLD, THEN STOLEN

“Stolen” Equipment Case Solved


UPDATE:  It turns out the “stolen” equipment was never actually stolen; the would-be thief intended to sell it and then steal it. 

In a statement TODAY, Megan Foster, Executive Director, Yuba-Sutter Farm Bureau (YSFB), thanked Lt. Casner and the Sutter County Sheriff’s Department; YSFB membership and local media, including this blog, for getting the word out so swiftly; and everyone who called with tips.


“Because of the information the community provided,” Foster wrote, “deputies have been able to ascertain the following:


“The rice equipment was parked for sale in Live Oak off of Hwy 99 by a grower, and was not stolen,” said Foster. “Apparently the suspect in question, who might have been involved in a separate header theft, had taken photos of the parked chopper for potential buyers in Southern California. Once a buyer confirmed the desire to purchase, the suspect planned to steal a chopper, either those in Live Oak or somewhere else.”


Thankfully, it was an case of pending thievery–a crime waiting to happen–caught beforehand.

2016-05-31T19:45:19-07:00September 5th, 2013|

WALNUT PRODUCTION FORECAST DOWN LESS THAN ONE PERCENT FROM 2012

California Walnut Forecast 495,000 Tons
The 2013 California walnut production is forecast at 495,000 tons, down less than 1 percent from 2012’s production of 497,000 tons. This forecast is based on the 2013 Walnut Objective Measurement (O.M.) Survey, which was officially conducted August 1 through August 23, 2013. There were a few samples completed before August 1 for training and scheduling purposes.

Growers in the Sacramento Valley received above average rainfall during November and December, which helped the trees build a more vigorous root system. Weather during the spring was unusually dry and warm, which contributed to a longer bloom. Favorable weather conditions and dense foliage have helped limit sunburn damage. California experienced several short periods of hot weather; however the healthy conditions of many orchards helped the trees withstand the heat.

The 2013 Walnut O.M. Survey utilized a total of 740 blocks with two sample trees per block. Survey data indicated an average record low nut set of 1,239 per tree, down 10 percent from 2012’s average of 1,375. Percent of sound kernels in- shell was 98.8 percent Statewide. In-shell weight per nut was 23.3 grams, while the average in-shell suture measurement was 33.1 millimeters. The in-shell cross-width measurement was 33.1 and the average length in-shell was 39.0 millimeters. All of the sizing measurements were above average levels.

Estimated nut sets, sizing measurements, average number of trees per acre, and estimated bearing acreage were used in the statistical models.

The Walnut O.M. Survey began in 1958 to fulfill industry needs for an accurate walnut production forecast prior to harvest. The original sample was chosen proportionally to county and variety of bearing acreage. With each succeeding year, additions and deletions have been made in the sample to adjust for acreage removed, new bearing acreage, and operations that choose not to participate in the survey.

2016-05-31T19:45:19-07:00September 5th, 2013|

PLEASE RSVP FOR TWILIGHT FIELD DAY

Twilight Field Day, Sept. 12, Five Points

Sustainable agricultural systems involving precision irrigation and conservation tillage will be featured at the University of California Cooperative Extension’s annual Twilight Field Day and bus tour Sept. 12 from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

A crowd gathers for a presentation last year in the early evening.
“We want to introduce more farmers to these proven technologies,” said Jeff Mitchell, UCCE farm advisor and field day coordinator. “We’ve done the research. These systems work and they save water, reduce dust, store carbon in the soil, and save farmers money.”

This year, the expanded event includes an afternoon bus tour to three San Joaquin Valley farms where conservation agriculture systems are successfully implemented.

Registrants will gather at 1 p.m. at the UC Westside Research and Extension Center, 17353 West Oakland Ave., Five Points, Calif. to load on buses.

The bus tour includes three stops:

1 – Johnny and Joann Tacharra Dairy in Burrel – The Tacharras will explain the application of dairy waste water through an overhead irrigation system to grow forage crops.

2 – Armando Galvan of Five Points Ranch – Galvan will show his refined irrigation system to apply water to vegetable and row crops. Galvan installs special nozzles on the overhead irrigation drop lines to improve water infiltration and avoid ponding and crusting on the soil surface.

3 – Scott Schmidt of Farming ‘D’ Ranch in Five Points – Schmidt will discuss new management strategies to successfully implement new agricultural systems.

Following the tour, participants will reconvene at 4 p.m. at the UC Westside REC for a workshop on the economic and environmental benefits of conservation agriculture systems.

The event continues with a free barbecue dinner, entertainment by the Wheelhouse Country Band, and a keynote address by Suat Irmak, director of the Nebraska Water Center and professor of biological systems engineering.

Jeff Mitchell will name the 2013 Conservation Tillage Farmer Innovator of the Year award winner.

The expanded event coincides with a concerted effort by the Conservation Agricultural Systems Innovation (CASI) Center to grow the conservation agriculture movement in California.

CASI is a diverse group of UC researchers, farmers, public and private industry, and environmental groups formed to develop and exchange information on sustainable agricultural systems for California row crops.

“In each century, there are just a handful of times when agriculture can transform itself in revolutionary ways,” Mitchell said. “There is growing evidence that today presents one of those rare chances for agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley to reinvent itself.”

The event is free but pre-registration is requested.

RSVP to Diana Nix at dlnix@ucdavis.edu

2016-05-31T19:45:20-07:00September 4th, 2013|

THIEF HAS POSTED PHOTOS TO TRY TO SELL STOLEN EQUIPMENT

Crime Alert

Help Needed to Locate Rice Chopper in Photos

The Sutter County Sheriff’s Department discovered the attached photos of a rice chopper on a crime suspect’s phone. The suspect had been sending the photos to potential buyers.

Deputies need help identifying the victim of the theft, as well as the location of where the photos were taken so the equipment can be recovered.

Please take a look at the attached images and call the Sutter County Sheriff’s Department with any information at (530) 822-7307.

2016-05-31T19:45:20-07:00September 4th, 2013|

RIM FIRE’S EFFECT ON RANCHERS WHOSE LIVESTOCK SURVIVED

Spared Rancher Faces New Pressures

By Laurie Greene, Associate Editor
RIM FIRE UPDATE: InciWeb reported TODAY at 6 pm that the Rim Fire has burned 235,841 Acres (368 square miles) to date and is 80% contained. The estimated containment date for the Rim Fire is September 20, 2013.
Tuolumne County Agricultural Commissioner Vicki Helmar told California Ag Todaythere are no cattle loss statistics yet because even though the Rim Fire is becoming more contained, the fire is still burning, and the scattered cattle are still being rescued and transported.
Marian Rocha Zimmerly, CFO of Farms of Tuolumne County, a countywide program for the support and growth of agriculture, agri-tourism, and preservation of open space, said in addition to cattle, livestock in the area includes sheep, goats, llamas and horses. Most of these animals have been returned to their ranchers or relocated elsewhere in the county.
One fortunate area rancher and former California Sheep Commissioner, Ann Shaeffer of Big Creek Meadow Ranch in Groveland had taken fire prevention measures by removing ladder fuel, and had downsized her cattle to decrease her feed bill.
Shaeffer said, “We dodged a bullet because the fire was all around us, but my sheep ranch remained untouched. The ranch, one or two miles from the fire’s edge that reached CA 120, suffered no direct loss from the fire.
However, Shaeffer is facing new challenges; the fire has forced wildlife such as bucks, lions and coyotes to come down to her area in search of food and water. Shaeffer has a great dog to protect her sheep, but, at present, her grazing land and two ponds will have to be shared with these animals.
What these pressures mean, “only time will tell how wildlife regroups itself,” she said.
Another concern for this burned-out region is erosion when it rains.
Additionally, as many ranchers in the area, she has supplemental agribusiness with homestay guests and local festivals. Her land contains an 1870 historic stagecoach barn (which survived) where Teddy Roosevelt stayed while visiting John Muir. The future of this secondary ag industry here is in question.
Shaeffer says the whole community pulled together by helping each other where they could. Shaeffer took in her neighbors’ unsheltered livestock when his barn burned down. He, like others, had insurance for the barn, but not for the new shipment of hay housed in the barn.
Shaeffer summed it all up by expressing her gratefulness for her ranch surviving the fire and by declaring, “this gives ‘wildfire’ a whole new definition.”
2016-05-31T19:45:20-07:00September 4th, 2013|

MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 10TH IN SACRAMENTO

CDFA and Calif. Water Commission

To Meet for Urgent Water Reliability

The California State Board of Food and Agriculture and the California Water Commission will hold a joint meeting concerning the state’s water supply on September 10th in Sacramento. The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, 1220 ‘N’ Street – Main Auditorium, Sacramento, CA 95814.

“California’s current water situation spells uncertainty for agricultural interests throughout this state,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “We need to work proactively with farmers and ranchers to address groundwater overdraft and water transfers – providing a level of reliability over the next few years.”

On May 20th, Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. issued an Executive Order to streamline approvals for water transfers to protect California’s farms. The order was in response to the very dry conditions occurring within the state. Currently, water allocations for this year remain low with 35 percent of requested amounts through the State Water Project and 20 percent of requested amounts through the federal Central Valley Project. Even if this winter provides a normal wet year, growers throughout the state are preparing for a reduced water supply as nine of the State’s major reservoirs are below historic average levels, and six of these are below 50 percent total capacity. This meeting provides a forum for agricultural stakeholders, water representatives, and government officials to discuss California’s water situation and make recommendations to the state board.

Invited speakers include: Director Mark Cowin, California Department of Water Resources, Randy Record, Chair of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA); Mike Wade, California Farm Water Coalition; Chris White, Central California Irrigation District; Victoria Whitney, State Water Resources Control Board; Karla Nemeth; California Natural Resources Agency; Marvin Meyers, Meyers Farming; Joe MacIlvaine, Paramount Farming; John Sweigard, Merced Irrigation District and Kris Beal, Vineyard Team.

Craig McNamara, President of the California
State Board of Food and Agriculture.
“With the strong potential for drought conditions next year – flexibility within the statewide water system is needed” said Craig McNamara, president of the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. “I’m hopeful that this meeting can help inform policy discussions and encourage action by state and federal agencies.”

The California State Board of Food and Agriculture advises the governor and the CDFA secretary on agricultural issues and consumer needs. The state board conducts forums that bring together local, state and federal government officials, agricultural representative and citizens to discuss current issues of concern to California agriculture.

The California Water Commission consists of nine members appointed by the Governor and subject to Senate confirmation. Its historical role includes advising the Director of the Department of Water Resources on matters within the Department’s jurisdiction, approving rules and regulations, and monitoring and reporting on the construction of the State Water Project.

2016-05-31T19:45:20-07:00September 4th, 2013|

2013 SEEN AS HEAVY INSECT PRESSURE YEAR

Some Crops Are Coming In, After
A Very Tough Pest Year


Vern Crawford, a Kern County PC

Vern Crawford, a long time pest control advisor with Wilbur-Ellis (Shafter branch) spoke to California Ag Today about the goings on in Kern County and elsewhere.


“The Upland, Acala type cotton will soon be defoliated. Pima cotton fields are full bloom but we are past any new bolls being made from the flowering branches. Defoliation for Pima will begin in about a month,” Crawford said.


It’s full-on harvest of the earlier pistachios, and Kern County almonds are about 2/3 harvested. All the soft shells are at the huller and growers are now picking the hard shells.


“Dried black-eyed beans are doing well. Traditionally, it’s good to have them on the ground by October, as growers do not want to get caught with cold rain and fog,” noted Crawford.  “If that happens, the bean grower is trapped and the crop will need to go to cattle feed.”


“And what a year for alfalfa growers,” said Crawford. “In 2012 we hardly had to spray for anything, except for the alfalfa weevils at the early cutting.”


In 2013, you name the bug and it was a problem. “We had the Blue Alfalfa Aphid that we could not get under control with the usual insecticides. We think it’s a new biotype. We had some significant yield losses especially on the first and second cuttings, which are the high dollar cuttings,” said Crawford. “It was very bad in Imperial County, the Colorado River area, and Kern County.”


“We are looking for a Section 18 for Carbine from FMC, for next year’s hay season to control the Blue Alfalfa Aphid,” noted Crawford.


“Then we had the western yellow-striped armyworm for two cuttings, and now we are getting the alfalfa caterpillar, the pea aphid, along with the cow pea aphid. So we have had a lot of pressure on nearly every cutting this season,” Crawford said.


And almond growers saw enormous mite pressure. “Some growers sprayed four times, which cost the growers as much as $400 per acre. Normally it would cost under $100 per acre with Agri-Mek or other products, which did not seem to work too well this season,” he said.


“Then, inventory for some of the materials was exhausted about mid-season,” said Crawford. “Some growers turned to the old standby product, Omite, and got great results.


“In some fields, which were simply out of control, we flew on some dusting sulfur. On those 100 degree days, the sulfur fumed within the canopy and took care of the mites,” Crawford said.


Last year’s costs were among the cheapest in years for almond growers because of low pest pressure. However, this year could have been the most expensive year; Crawford said some growers were hit by the leaf-footed plant bug and stinkbug. “And everyone was worried about Navel Orangeworm (NOW) after getting hit hard last season. This year, some growers came through with three applications for NOW,” he said.

2016-05-31T19:45:20-07:00September 3rd, 2013|

MORE SCHOOL GARDENS TO BE CULTIVATED

WGA Donates for More School Gardens


Western Growers Foundation presented fifty Arizona K-12 schools with $75,000 in grant money to create and sustain their own edible gardens.  Each school received $1,500.  The grants were provided through the Arizona Department of Agriculture as part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant.  Pending completion of paperwork, the schools will receive their funds by the end of this month.

Western Growers Foundation was created by Western Growers members as a way to give back to their communities. The Foundation’s mission is to plant and sustain a fruit and vegetable garden in every willing Arizona and California school.
 

Edible school gardens give children the opportunity to learn where their food comes from and the importance of good nutrition. The school gardens program is an important educational tool that Western Growers Foundation uses to promote good nutrition to our schoolchildren in Arizona and California.



“It’s staggering to think that the majority of children go without eating even one serving of fruits and vegetables a day when they should be having 5-9 servings,” said Paula Olson, vice president of marketing at Western Growers, who oversees the Foundation’s Edible School Gardens project. “Coupled with the fact that 30% of U.S. children are obese and half are overweight, it’s imperative that we do all we can to promote healthy living.” 
 

The Edible School Gardens Program is open to all K-12 schools, both public and private, in Arizona.  Western Growers Foundation is expecting a new round of grants to be announced by the end of this year.  “If schools are interested in participating, we encourage them to watch the Foundation’s website http://www.westerngrowersfoundation.org/ for the announcement,” Olson added.


For a list of schools that received the grants, see below or click here to go the Foundation’s webpage. To donate, visit www.westerngrowersfoundation.org/donate.
 

2016-05-31T19:45:20-07:00September 3rd, 2013|
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