The latest segment in the Growing California video series, a partnership with California Grown, is “Blossom Buddies” – part one of a two-part story on honey bees.

The latest segment in the Growing California video series, a partnership with California Grown, is “Wheel Food,” a story about local food trucks and their efforts to source produce directly from farms.

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/05/23/5441877/foodies-spark-reawakening-of-grange.html

From exclusive Marin to tony Malibu, young food activists are sparking the renaissance of an old fraternal order – the California Grange.

The state Grange still abides by its symbolic Civil War-era ceremonies, but in its modern-day role, it’s become home to food literacy activists, food insecurity worriers and food sovereignty supporters. Not to mention the slow food devotees who, in turn, support the small organic farmers and local produce purveyors.

“For lack of a better term, it seems to be ‘foodies’ who care about community today and see the Grange as a way to provide community service,” said Rick Keel, spokesman for the California State Grange. State Grange leaders say the farm-to-fork ethos that’s taken hold in Sacramento juxtaposes well with the Grange’s purpose since it formed in 1867: to serve the interests of farmers.

“This food movement fits right in line with our purpose and principles,” said Bob McFarland, president of the state Grange. “We call this the Grange renaissance, the reawakening of the Grange.”

For the activists, joining the Grange means gaining a gathering place, a supportive umbrella organization and a platform through which to seek food policy changes.

Since 2009, California’s Grange membership has increased by about 4,800 people, to 8,200, McFarland said. Even more notable, the average age of a California State Grange member has decreased by 20 years – from 65 in 2008 to 45 in 2010, ensuring a new generation is poised to take over when elders bow out.

Before the foodies moved in, Granges in the Golden State were in danger of going down the faded path of the Odd Fellows, the Elks and the Masons. Membership had declined for about 30 years along with the number of family farms. Once-proud, historic Grange halls, including the Pilot Hill chapter that gold-discover James Marshall joined in 1870, were unappreciated and underused – save for the occasional pancake breakfast. But once the food advocates, an updated version of back-to-the-land hippies, recognized the value of organizing as Grange chapters, the nonprofit fraternal group in California set upon the road to rebirth. Since 2009, 39 new Grange chapters have been formed, bringing the total to about 200.

“These are not your father’s Granges,” said member Kathy Les, who also serves on the board of Slow Food Sacramento. “These are people wanting to shine a light on mistaken food policies and contribute to a healthy environment, while keeping the ag economy thriving.”
Enthusiasts include Krist Novoselic, former bassist of the rock band Nirvana, who proudly calls himself a Grange member in Washington state. “I’ve been a member of my local Grange since 2003,” Novoselic wrote in Seattle Weekly in 2008. “It keeps me connected in my community.”

On the national stage, however, Grange membership is still dropping. Unlike its California chapter, the National Grange lobbies for big agriculture; it supports the use of pesticides and genetically modified crops.

The positions espoused by the state Grange have put it at odds with the national organization. The National Grange revoked the California State Grange’s charter in April and filed suit in Sacramento Superior Court to try to force the state Grange to cease operation. The case is pending.

“Unfortunately, some of the leaders in California have chosen to take an exclusive view and declare war on large agriculture,” said National Grange President Ed Luttrell. “They are divisive and exclusionary. We believe that’s not sensible.” Luttrell and McFarland share the view that the fight is over whether the California State Grange is required to follow the national organization’s policies. Luttrell says it must; McFarland says, “This is a democracy. We don’t have to agree or abide.”

Many members say they think the California State Grange’s stance against genetically modified products is behind the split. The state Grange’s members backed last year’s Proposition 37, a statewide initiative calling for labeling of genetically modified food products. It lost in a close election in November. “We are very liberal compared to the National Grange,” Keel said. McFarland is more blunt: “California has a reputation for being the black sheep in the family.”

In the four-county Sacramento region, 30 Granges operate with varying degrees of activism. Some take stands against the use of pesticides, for the legalization of industrial hemp and for regulation in support of the local food movement.

At the California State Grange hall on U Street, close to Stockton Boulevard near Oak Park, the California Food Literacy Center offers classes to those who want to teach others about the health benefits of fresh food and exercise.

Authors such as Wenonah Hauter, who wrote the book “Foodopoly,” drop in to give presentations. Documentaries, including “The Harvest,” spotlighting the plight of child farmworkers, and “A Place at the Table,” examining hunger in America, are shown free to the public.

A community garden will soon take over the front lawn, said administrative assistant Sara Godley. “This is for outreach to kids in local schools, a plot where kids can get their hands in the dirt,” said Godley, who tends to the garden. “It’s important to show kids where food comes from.”

Godley said she hopes to grow enough produce to donate to “Food Not Bombs,” a Sunday meal program for the homeless in downtown’s Cesar Chavez Plaza.
California has the nation’s only vegetarian Grange chapter. A new Spanish language chapter in Coalinga occupies a hall that previously sat largely unused, with broken windows and transients spending the night.

Not long ago, the National Grange called McFarland and asked him to check out someone in Malibu using the Grange name. It turned out to be a vintner helping to organize a new chapter; she was the wife of actor Emilio Estevez, McFarland said.

Marin County has a recently formed chapter and may be the only rural spot in California where it’s not possible to have a hall because of financial and land-use constraints. The members – all successful professionals bent on influencing policy changes, McFarland said – are satisfied with meeting in an old railroad car.

While McFarland celebrates the state Grange’s resurgence, he said he’s left perplexed by the motives driving the National Grange. “They questioned whether our young people were hippies,” he said. “Young people should not be seen as a threat. They are hardworking visionaries.”

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/05/23/5441877/foodies-spark-reawakening-of-grange.html#storylink=cpy

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/5/prweb10707614.htm

The California Strawberry Commission is awarding a record number of annual scholarships this year to the children of strawberry farm workers who are pursuing their dreams though higher education.

From throughout the state’s strawberry growing regions, 234 students – high school graduates and those currently enrolled in trade schools and institutions of higher learning – will receive a combined total of $200,510 in scholarships for the 2013-2014 school year.

Now in its 20th year, the program has awarded more than $1.7 million to 1,487 children of California strawberry farm workers. Of the 2013-2014 scholarship recipients, 117 are from the Watsonville area, 67 from Santa Maria, 46 from Oxnard and four from Orange County.

“We place a value on supporting as many eligible students as possible,” said Neil Nagata, Scholarship Committee Chair for the California Strawberry Commission. “We believe it is critical to not just provide financial support but also to send an ongoing, positive signal to these students that we are committed to them over the long haul.”

Awards are based on individual merit and are sent directly to the student’s school to be applied toward tuition and books. To qualify, scholarship applicants must have at least one parent who has been employed as a strawberry farm worker for the past two consecutive seasons. Students must attend an accredited vocational trade school, junior college or four-year university to be eligible for a scholarship.

A little over half of those receiving funding this year represent existing students at four-year universities, community colleges or professional trade schools.

“For us the goal is not just getting students into a college or trade, but helping them throughout the process so they are able to remain in school and ultimately complete their chosen degrees or certifications,” said Nagata.

The California Strawberry Scholarship Program has contributed to the successful completion of educational degrees, including Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD programs. Many recipients have entered professions that enable them to build professional careers and give back to their families and communities. Others are close to reaching their dreams of graduating.

One such student, Carolina Mendez, is set to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from UC Berkeley in the fall of 2013. After graduation, she plans to pursue her long-term goal to obtain a PhD and work as an environmental consultant for the government, a private corporation, or the non-profit sector.

“I’m extremely thankful for the money I received from the strawberry scholarship program, because it helped with the cost of tuition, and math and science materials, and just eased the overall economic pressures,” she said. “I’m especially thankful to my parents who picked strawberries for years – they are a big motivation for me – and the reason I’m continuing to pursue my goals.”

About the Scholarship Program
Formed in 1994 by the California Strawberry Commission, the California Strawberry Scholarship Program was designed as a way to demonstrate grower’s appreciation of the contributions that farm workers make. The California Strawberry Growers’ Scholarship Fund was established by California strawberry growers, shippers, processors and affiliated companies to extend funding for continuing students.

Scholarship Award Ceremonies
Ceremonies are held in various cities to honor the students’ achievements and recognize those who support their endeavors. The student’s friends and families attend, along with local representatives and teachers. 

About the California Strawberry Commission
The California Strawberry Commission is a state government agency that represents more than 400 growers and 100 shippers and processors of California strawberries. With a focus on food safety education, commission strategies also include production and nutrition research, public policy and consumer awareness. For more information, go to CaliforniaStrawberries.com, Facebook.com/CAStrawberries, or Twitter.com/CAStrawberries.

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/Press_Releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=13-013

The California Department of Food and Agriculture will discuss opportunities for beginning farmers and ranchers at its upcoming meeting on June 4th in Sacramento. The meeting is scheduled 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 is home to a number of non-profit programs aimed at developing the next generation of farmers and ranchers. From returning veterans to aspiring farm workers and even consumers looking for new career opportunities – programs are in place to encourage the first steps in entering a farming career. The upcoming meeting is an opportunity for recent graduates of farm training programs to discuss their experiences with the board and offer suggestions to encourage more individuals to become farmers.

Farm demographics are changing across California and the nation – fewer individuals are becoming farmers and the average age of farmers continues to rise. Over the last two decades, the number of beginning farms and ranches has declined in the United States and, currently, only 26 percent of principal farm operators have less than 10 years experience in farming – the lowest level since 1982. The average farmer in California is 58 years old, and the percentage of farmers over the age of 75 (nationally) is increasing faster than the percentage of farmers 25 and under. In 2012, California had approximately 80,500 farms – a decrease of 1,000 farms from the previous year.

Invited speakers include: Nathan Harkleroad of the Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) and recent graduates of the program; Mary Kimball and Jennifer Taylor of California Farm Academy and recent graduates of that program; Michael Wells, Undersecretary, California Department of Veterans Affairs; Michael O’Gorman, Farmer Veteran Coalition; Josiah Mayfield, California FFA and current/past state FFA Officers.

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.

Follow the board on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/Cafood_agboard

The next segment in the Growing California video series, a partnership with California Grown, is “Apple Hill,” a feature on the agritourism draw to El Dorado County each fall for apple season.