January E-News

Last week marked the start of a new semester for students, faculty and staff at Fresno State! Ag One welcomes students back to campus and wishes the best for a great semester. For the 2016-2017 academic year, Ag One has provided nearly $600,000 to deserving students and programs. Over the years, donors, board members and volunteers have made it possible to award some 3,700 students with more than $2.7 million in scholarships and grants.

Dr. Vincent E. Petrucci, ‘Father’ of Fresno State Viticulture and Enology programs, leaves lasting legacy On December 27, 2016 the Jordan College and Ag One lost a dear friend, Dr. Vincent E. Petrucci, at the age of 91. Dr. Vincent E. Petrucci, professor emeritus of viticulture at Fresno State, will be remembered as a wonderful man who inspired and trained generations of young people for the grape industry.  Few people have had an impact on the lives of students and an industry more than Dr. Petrucci. Click for press release |  Click for Flickr photo album 

To honor their father, the family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made payable to the Ag One Foundation for the Vincent E. Petrucci Endowment (est. 1994) in support of scholarships for deserving viticulture and enology students, or to support the Vincent E. Petrucci Library Endowment (est. 1996) serving students, researchers and professionals in the grape industry.

To donate online, please select the following link:

Donate to the Vincent E. Petrucci Scholarship Endowment or the Vincent E. Petrucci Library Endowment

Click for more information about the Vincent E. Petrucci Library

Please contact Ag One at 559.278.4266 for more information. 

Gerald J. Steiner, founding member of Ag One at Fresno State, passed away on December 29, 2016 at the age of 94. Mr. Steiner was a graduate of Visalia Union High School where he was an active member of the Future Farmers of America and was a State Star Farmer. He continued to engage in the agriculture industry in the Central Valley as well as state and national organizations including the Pork Producers Association, Bank of America Livestock Symposium, Ranchers Cotton Oil and Cattlemen's Association. Mr. Steiner farmed and resided in the Visalia area until his retirement in 2003. More

Memorial tributes may be made in Gerald Steiner's name to Ag One in support of students and programs in the Jordan College. To donate online, please visit the Giving Opportunities page, select the donate button and add a comment during the transaction that the gift is in honor of Gerald Steiner.

Contact Ag One at 559.278.4266 for more information.

The Jordan College remembers Dr. Gary L. Ritenour, Professor Emeritus of Plant Science, who passed away on January 10, 2017. Dr. Ritenour joined the department faculty in 1969. He taught a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in plant science, agronomy, plant protection, plant health, applied statistics and biometrics. Dr. Ritenour assumed a number of administrative positions, including Director of Agricultural Operations, Chair of the Department of Plant Science and Mechanized Agriculture and Director of Crop Production and Protection Center. He was a consultant in crop production and agricultural chemicals for nearly 30 years, and during his tenure he conducted research on evaluation of agricultural chemicals. He was a member of several professional societies and received many awards from the industry and university. He served the department, college and the university with distinction.  

On March 9, 2017 Ag One will host the 14th annual Ag One - Stanislaus County Alumni and Friends dinner at Durrer’s Barn in Modesto.  This year it is our pleasure to honor Art Bowman ('72, Plant Science) and Dave Rumble ('72, Plant Science) with Salida Ag Chem 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. Art and Dave graduated from Fresno State in 1972 and as young graduates began their adventure in the field of agricultural crop protection or better known aspest control advisors. Together, they established their own business, Salida Ag Chem in 1973. Although they faced competition with larger ag chemical companies, their business continued to grow. Their company now successfully serves growers in Stanislaus and neighboring counties. Please join us in honoring Art and Dave.

Keyed by a recommendation by President Castro’s Commission on the Future of Agriculture, the University Agricultural Laboratory is in the process of $2 million in maintenance updates to many of its units that supply the Gibson Farm Market’s wide array of student-made products. The dairy and food processing centers are making Fresno State ice cream and other favorite products more safely and efficiently thanks to a new shared boiler. The larger unit is energy efficient, reuses water better, reduces room humidity and allows both operations to run equipment simultaneously. The buildings have also undergone painting and repairs to the floor, lighting and roof.  Additionally, units are in the development phase for a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. The agricultural operations shop that services the Jordan College’s motorized fleet has replaced auto lifts and a worker’s well, and has added trucks, trailers and a computer server. Other completed projects include horticulture nursery tables and electrical upgrades, sheep feeder and chute equipment, a hot water system at the winery and a water heater at the meat science laboratory. (Copy from Jordan College E-Newsletter)

The Department of Animal Science and Agricultural Education hosted the 21^st annual Red Wave Sale on Saturday, January 7 at the campus Livestock Pavilion. A total of 62 lambs and 35 goats were sold. The Fresno State sheep unit provided 44 of the lambs, the others were consigned by Fresno State Alumni from Pavletich Club Lambs, Dietz Club Lambs, Brem Livestock and Bush Show Goats. There was a great turnout of buyers and all animals were sold. John Cordeiro, animal science faculty, and Brad Mendes, animal science lecturer, coordinate the program along with students led by Cameron Rocha and Lindsey Vieira. Sheep and goats purchased at the Red Wave Sale will be entered into county fairs and livestock shows across the state and many of these animals will make an appearance at the Red Wave Classic livestock show next month.

On Sunday, January 8, hundreds of family, friends and fellow Fresno State Bulldogs gathered to celebrate the 90th birthday of Emeriti Plant Science Professor, Dr. Harry P. Karle.  Dr. Karle has remained dedicated to Ag One and the Jordan College for decades.  He has continuously served as an advisor on the Ag One board of directors, attends many events to support the college, is one of the founding members of the Ag One Turf Day Golf Classic committee and established an endowment through Ag One which supports scholarships for students in the Jordan College.  Dr. Karle turned 90 years old on January 4th.  Happy birthday Dr. Karle!

The Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation has pledged to fund $50,000 over two years to support scholarships and fellowships for students pursuing an agricultural degree in the Jordan College.  Their gift also provides financial support to the University Agricultural Laboratory, where our students work and gain hands-on experience on the farm.  This is a renewal of the same commitment made to Ag One in 2014. The Newhall Foundation supports charitable organizations, hospitals and educational institutions, among others throughout California where their patriarch, Henry Mayo Newhall had his roots and influence.  We thank the Newhall Foundation for their generous support. 

The Flavor Tree Fruit Company LLC pledges to support students of the Jordan College with scholarships for the next 5 years.  The Flavor Tree Fruit Company is a fruit marketing firm started in 2009 by the Warmerdam family of Hanford, California with over 50 years of farming experience in our valley.  Their gift will support students who also come from this valley and have chosen to study agriculture at Fresno State.  Thank you, Flavor Tree, for helping to create the next leaders in agriculture.

On January 13, Fresno State officials were presented with incentive rebate checks by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) totaling $138,379.80 as part of its Savings By Design Program to encourage energy efficient construction projects. The rebate included $83,487 for the Jordan Agricultural Research Center that was completed in May 2016. More

Planting seeds of success…

• Senior Madeline Loftus is on the fast track to an ag finance career thanks to her Bank of America mentorship and internship
  

• Dr. Mark Manfredo, a 1992 Fresno State agricultural business graduate, has continued to share his passion for education as Arizona State University’s Director of the Morrison School of Agribusiness and Associate Dean for the W.P. Carey School of Business
  

• The Fresno State Plant Science Club won the Agronomy Feeds the World national educational video contest sponsored by the American Society of Agronomy. The 90-second video created and submitted by Fresno State students this past November at the tri-societies national conference in Phoenix detailed how the next generation of agronomists can feed a growing world population in a sustainable, environmentally-conscious manner. At the same event, the club won the President’s Trophy national contest for a speech by Elizabeth Diaz and a presentation detailing the club’s community service and educational outreach.

• The Jordan College Fall/Winter E-Newsletter is now available

Meet our staff 

Megan O'Connell - Student Assistant
Megan was born in San Jose and grew up in Turlock where she lived until she started her college career at Fresno State. She is an Agricultural Communications major and is currently working towards a certificate in Special Event Planning. She will be graduating this May! Megan started at Ag One in May of 2014 after working at the Gibson Farm Market on campus. She is planning on pursing a career in public relations to educate the public about agriculture and help promote agricultural companies throughout the country.

Bryce Johnson - Student Intern
Bryce was born and raised in Fresno. She is pursuing a degree in Animal Science with an emphasis in Livestock Business Management, and is on track to graduate in the Spring of 2018. Bryce started her internship this month, and hopes to take the skills she is developing and apply them to her desired career field. She wants to become a zookeeper and exotic, large animal veterinary technician, and eventually get involved with large game conservation in Africa.

 

 Important Dates