CA FFA Leadership Conference April 24-28

91st FFA Annual Conference is in Anaheim

By Patrick Cavanaugh, Editor

The FFA is a leadership and career development organization found in many California high schools. It represents more than 91,000 members from 320 chapters across the state.

About 7,000 of those FFA students will converge on Anaheim from April 24 to 26 for the 91^st Annual Conference.

“There’s going to be some public speaking contests, and the students will participate in workshops by the agricultural colleges and universities throughout the state,” said Matt Patton, Executive Director of California FFA. “They’re also going to conduct the business of the FFA association. It is a true student-run organization.”

All 320 chapters from California will send two delegates to do the organization’s business. There are a couple of items that they’re going to debate on and vote on what will be a change in the bylaws of the FFA. Additionally, they are going to elect their new state officers that will represent the state of California for the upcoming year.

Patton noted the diversity of the California FFA.

“Of the more than 91,000 members, 48 percent are female, and 51 percent are male. Hispanic and Latino members represent 41 percent, 43 percent are Caucasian, with three percent African American. We are very diverse in a large demographic of areas.”

For more information on the upcoming convention: https://www.calaged.org/stateconvention

California Ag Today2019-04-12T16:46:45-07:00April 12th, 2019|

Unprecedented CAPCA Conference Attendance!

Agriculture Needs a Hero! Welcome to the Annual CAPCA Conference.

In an exclusive interview at the 42nd Annual California Association of Pest Control Advisers (CAPCA) Conference & Agri-Expo TODAY in Anaheim, CAPCA CEO and President, Ruthann Anderson, shared, “We have had an unprecedented response here at CAPCA.”

Ruthann Anderson, CAPCA CEO and President

“Registrations are at an all-time high,” she continued. “We’ve actually sold out the entire show as well as registrations with 1600 attendees. There were just a handful of walkups that we unfortunately just couldn’t accommodate today. We are excited and looking forward to continuing to have a high professional continuing education program as well as an exhibit hall here today.”

“This year’s theme is ‘Fighting the Fear, Feeding the Nation,’ said Anderson, “so we’ll have Captain CAPCA as well as Doctor Foe here this morning.”

Click here to meet Captain CAPCA and Doctor Foe on this CAPCA ‘NEWS’ video!

Anderson reflected, “You know for us, CAPCA really represents the Pest Control Advisors (PCAs) for production ag and turf and ornamental. As a requirement for their continuing education, they need 40 hours in order to renew [their certification]. For us, bringing together continuing education as well as networking is so valuable for them as they move into the new year.”

Some “Top Gun” people speaking this year, according to Anderson, “are obviously some of our main sponsors. Bayer CropScience and FMC Corporation are both doing high-level presentations. We also have Kern County agricultural commissioner Ruben Arroyo talking about the new proposed regulations for buffer zones around schools, so that’s going to be a great conversation starter for all of our members.”

“We appreciate all of the support we receive,” Anderson stated. “It’s so valuable for us. We exist because of volunteers and we exist because of our membership. We are grateful for all of them.”

The California Association of Pest Control Advisers (CAPCA) represents more than 75% of the nearly 4,000 California EPA licensed pest control advisers (PCAs) that provide pest management consultation for the production of food, fiber and ornamental industries of this state.

CAPCA is dedicated to the professional development and enhancement of our member’s education and stewardship, which includes legislative, regulatory, continuing education and public outreach activities.

CAPCA membership covers a broad spectrum of the industry including agricultural consulting firms, U.C. Cooperative Extension Service, city, county and state municipalities, public agencies, privately employed, forensic pest management firms, biological control suppliers, distributors, dealers of farm supplies, seed companies, laboratories, farming companies and manufacturers of pest management products.

California Ag Today2021-05-12T11:05:45-07:00October 17th, 2016|

36th Annual UnitedAg Meeting & Conference Discusses Future of Agriculture

UnitedAg, California’s member-owned agricultural trade association, recently concluded its 36th Annual Meeting and Conference, held March 15-17 in Anaheim, California.

Pictured left to right, Karri Hammerstrom, Karen Caplan, Kirti Mutatkar, Ellen Way, Judy Lundberg, Abby Taylor-Silva and Fiona Ma. (Photo source: UnitedAg)

The three-day event, themed “Breaking Through,” featured speakers included, California State Assemblymember Fiona Ma, Tax Lobbyist Jon Coupal, Inspirational Speaker Lt. Col Kevin Sweeney, Agricultural Speaker/Comedian Jerry Carroll and Chapman University President Dr. James Doti who discussed issues and opportunities facing the California’s agriculture industry.

The conference also included a 5K Walkathon and member golf tournament benefitting UnitedAg’s scholarship foundation, as well as a member awards banquet.

“We believe the UnitedAg 36th Annual Meeting and Conference started a conversation for the future of the agriculture business here in California,” said Kirti Mutatkar, UnitedAg’s CEO and President.

Founded in 1980, UnitedAg is a member-owned agricultural trade association dedicated to providing innovative solutions for California’s strong and healthy agricultural industry.

UnitedAg works in close partnership with its 500 agriculture-affiliated member organizations to meet their employee benefits needs, promote their interests with lawmakers, and help them comply with legislation and regulation so members can focus on what they do best – run successful businesses and organizations.

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For more information about UnitedAg and its activities, please visit www.unitedag.org.

California Ag Today2016-05-31T19:24:08-07:00March 29th, 2016|