Ag One Foundation
February E-News
On March 10th Ag One will host the 13th annual Ag One - Stanislaus County Alumni and Friends dinner at the Modesto Junior
College Ag Pavilion. This year it is our pleasure to honor Bill, Edwin and Jim Genasci
for their involvement and many contributions to education and agriculture in our community
and to induct them into the Stanislaus County Hall of Fame. Proceeds from the event
will be added to the Ag One – Stanislaus County Alumni and Friends Scholarship endowment
fund. Cousins Bill, Edwin and Jim Genasci were raised on their family’s dairy operation,
Genasci Dairy, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. After graduating from Fresno State they returned to the family’s
dairy operation where they have continued the Genasci legacy in their partnership
since 1965. Please join us in honoring Bill, Edwin and Jim. 
Fresno State President Dr. Joseph I. Castro, Mrs. Mary Castro and interim Dean Dr.
Sandra Witte joined members of the Ag One staff at the Tulare-Angra do Heroismo Sister
City Foundation event on January 30th. This inaugural Portuguese soup dinner was sold out. The purpose was to announce
the soon-to-be formalized student exchange program between Fresno State and the University
of the Azores for students majoring in agriculture. For more information, contact
Alcidia Freitas Gomes at Ag One (559) 278-4266 or visit the Facebook page.
On February 6th and 7th Fresno State hosted the 23rd annual Red Wave Classic Junior Livestock Show at the Big Fresno Fairgrounds Carolee
Boele Livestock Pavilion. This event involves 80 Jordan College students and gives
them experience in junior livestock show preparation and management. The event is
sanctioned by the Jordan College’s animal sciences and agricultural education program and features junior participants under the age of 21 while showcasing the to potential
students .
Hundreds of California FFA members competed in the Mid-Winter Field Day on February
6th hosted by Fresno State. Competitions included citrus judging and vine/tree pruning
on the campus farm. Fresno State's FFA Field Day committee, compiled of 50 students,
teamed up with the Viticulture and Enology Department and the Plant Science Department
to ensure a successful day. View the Mid-Winter Field Day results.
The Bulldoggers Rodeo Team hosted its annual banquet on February 6th at the Clovis
Rodeo Hall. They welcomed nearly 400 people for a dinner dance where they raised funds
for the team's annual operations. The Bulldoggers also recognized their donors and
sponsors that night including their two top donors Ed Arakelian and Mark Melkonian
with Central Valley Rodeo, Inc. For more updates on what the Bulldogger's Rodeo Team
is doing, check out their Facebook page.
On February 11th Fresno State President Dr. Joseph I. Castro and Mrs. Mary Castro joined interim Dean
Dr. Sandra Witte, interim Associate Dean Dr. Kathie Reid-Bevington and Jordan College
staff at the World Ag Expo in Tulare. During their visit to the expo, the Fresno State
group met with several Jordan College alumni and friends who exhibited at the Farm
Show including: Jim Martin and Larry Isheim from CalWest Rain; Don Parreira from Ultra
Gro Plant Food and Treasurer of Ag One; Jessica Lawrence from Alltech; Scot Hillman
from JD Heiskell & Co.; Todd and Trent Soares from Best Agri Marketing; and Patty
Hurtgen from Hoard’s Dairymen. Learn more about World Ag Expo in Tulare.
In the past three years over 70 alumni, friends and organizations including the Silkwood
Family Foundation have donated more than $2 million to the Ag One Foundation to support
Fresno State’s Livestock Judging Team. The first donor to this effort was alumnus,
farmer and businessman Marvin Meyers. In recognition of Meyers’ commitment to the
livestock judging program and students, University President Joseph I. Castro announced
that the Fresno State’s team has been named the Meyers Livestock Judging Team. Fresno State has created a video to share how the program impacts our students.
Earlier this month, the Fresh Produce & Floral Council made a $5,000 gift to initiate
annual scholarships for students pursuing degrees in Ag Business, Ag Communications
and Plant Science. The first recipients of these scholarships will also be invited
to attend any of the upcoming FPFC events to be introduced to members and engage in
the industry. The FPFC provides unique networking and business growth opportunities
for professionals in produce and floral in California and seeks to provide timely
market information, enhance business skills, and pool efforts to promote and advance
the industry.
On Feb 4, Jim Kuhtz, Jr., his wife Beverly and their son, David visited Ag One to
meet the recipient of their Ag One - James C. Kuhtz scholarship award. The family
established the endowed scholarship in 2001 to honor the patriarch of their family,
Jim Kuhtz, Sr. following his passing earlier that year. Jim, Sr. revolutionized dairy
herd management with his herd analysis program, Dairy Mating Service, a tool which
continues today. The James C. Kuhtz scholarship fund provides a yearly support to
a deserving student with a demonstrated interest in the dairy industry. This year’s
recipient was Christina Shandler, of Visalia, who is pursuing a career in dairy science
and currently works at the dairy production unit at Fresno State.
Planting seeds of success…
- Fresno State's viticulture and enology program was well represented at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium at the Sacramento Convention Center late January.
- Update on Jordan College Dean search: candidate Dr. George Allen Rasmussen from Texas A&M University – Kingsville visited the Fresno State campus on Thursday, February 11 to meet with faculty, staff and stakeholders. More information on the search to come.
- Jordan College Alumnus Sarah Clark Woolf named to Fresno State Agricultural Foundation Board.
- Four Jordan College alumni graduated in this year’s California Agricultural Leadership Foundation class.
- Fresno State plant science professor Dr. Anil Shrestha received the Weed Science Society of America’s Outstanding Teacher Award at its national conference Feb. 9 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- Jordan College students take honors at plant science conferences.
Important Dates
February 26, 2016 – National Pistachio Day at the Gibson Farm Market
March 10, 2016 – Stanislaus County Alumni and Friends Dinner, Modesto Junior College Ag Pavilion
March 15, 2016 – Ag Fest at the Fresno State Baseball game, Dr. Witte to throw first pitch
March 16, 2016 – 20th Annual Common Threads Luncheon, International Agri-Center Heritage Complex, Tulare
May 9, 2016 – 45th Annual Turf Day Golf Classic, Belmont Country Club
June 20 - 24, 2016 - Angra do Heroismo, Terceira, Azores - President and Mrs. Mary Castro and interim Dean Dr. Sandra Witte will travel to Angra, Terceira to sign an agreement with the University of the Azores. The agreement will put in place an exchange program for students majoring in agriculture. For more information on this visit or the program contact Alcidia Freitas Gomes at 559-278-4266.
Become an Ag One Member!
If you’re not already a member, please consider joining Ag One and receive 10% off selected items like wine and olive oil at the Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market!
