Agricultural Business Student Spotlight: Cassidie Banish

Fresno State agricultural business senior Cassidie Banish is continuing to expand her horizons, thanks to her work with our campus Institute for Food and Agriculture where she works directly with the California Olive Oil Council (COOC) in marketing and product certification.

The Paso Robles native grew up on a family ranch with vineyards, apple orchards, pigs, goats, turkeys and chickens. She was equally attracted to the diversity of our college and campus farm offerings, and its emphasis on marketing and leadership development.

The former California Mid-State Fair first princess runner-up has especially enjoyed the hands-on component of agriculture, whether from her California FFA swine projects to helping her father with his Black Hand Cellars boutique winery and in the vineyard.

Learn more about this Delta Zeta Sorority member in an interview.

 

Q: Why did you choose to attend Fresno State, and how did you pick your major?

“Growing up I have always been fascinated with the agriculture industry, especially since I grew up in Paso Robles which is surrounded by livestock and a variety of crops. Throughout my whole life, I have lived on a ranch surrounded by vineyards, small apple orchards, pigs, goats, turkeys, and chickens. I was inspired to become an agricultural business major with a minor in marketing because in high school I did FFA and showed pigs at the California Mid-State Fair. Throughout high school, FFA made a huge difference in my life, with leadership and opening my eyes to the agriculture industry. This was when I knew that I wanted to go the ag route and make a difference in our community! I also chose Fresno State because Cal Poly seemed too close to home, and Fresno was a great agriculture school to attend.” 

Q: When do you intend to graduate?

“As of now, I should be graduating in the Spring of 2024.”

 

Q: Did you have any other family members graduate or attend Fresno State?

“I am the first in my family to graduate from Fresno State. My mom graduated from San Diego State, and my dad got his associate's degree at a junior college.” 

Q: Which classes & faculty members have had the biggest influence on you at Fresno State?

“I would say the majority of the ag classes have been very beneficial here at Fresno State, specifically swine production, agriculture marketing, and any of my marketing classes. All of these classes have taught me something beneficial either about the ag or marketing industry. My time at Fresno State has been semi-short due to COVID basically taking my first-year experience away. Besides that, I have met so many wonderful professors here at Fresno State, and Dr. Levi in the agricultural business department is hands-down amazing. I have only taken one class from Dr. Levi, but she was the one who introduced me to the COOC internship application during one of her classes.”

 

Q: Talk about which campus farm units you worked at and skills you have learned that you can apply to your career.

“I haven’t worked specifically any farm units just yet, but I would like to work at the swine unit.”

 

Q: Have you been involved with research on campus, and how will it benefit your career path?

“I have not had a chance to be involved with research on campus, just yet.”

 

Q: What was your background in agriculture before you started at Fresno State?

“My dad owns his own boutique tasting room in Cambria called Black Hand Cellars. Growing up I would always tag along with him when he would go to the wine facilities where he would work on his upcoming wines. I have always been a hands-on learner, so I have always helped with the vineyard, bottling and packaging, helping out at wine club (member) events, and so much more. I have always wanted to take over the family business and expand it, but time will tell! I also have raised eight pigs through FFA, so I have become a little pig expert over the years, and I also raised one of my first bottle-fed baby goats. Growing up, I have always been very involved within our ag industry and community.” 

 

Q: Describe any internships you've done at Fresno State and how it has prepared you for your career path?

“The one internship that I have done so far at Fresno State would be the California Olive Oil Council (COOC). I primarily have two main projects, which are the seal certification project and COOC competition project, and I also have a social media marketing project added since I have a minor in marketing. The Seal Certification Project is all about producers sending in their extra virgin olive oil, where the oil will go through a panel of judges who will sample and test the oil to make sure it is meeting the highest standards of extra virgin olive oil on the market. My responsibility for this project is receiving the olive oil bottles, completing all necessary paperwork, and creating the anonymous and unidentifiable samples. The COOC competition project is very similar to the tasks of the seal certification on my behalf, and for the producers this is an opportunity to enter their certified extra virgin olive oil in the COOC competition. For my marketing project, I help create Instagram and Facebook posts and story drafts to be posted within that month.” 

 

Q: Are you a part of any other clubs and organizations at Fresno State?

“I am a part of the Delta Zeta sorority here on campus, which is a non-profit that works with the Speech and Hearing Program, American Society for Deaf Children, and Starkey Hearing Foundation. Our sorority puts on events and fundraisers to help raise money for these organizations. I served as its Vice President of Programs, and I get the opportunity to plan social events and formal events for our chapter.”

 

Q: Have you overcome any challenges to get where you are today that have shaped who you are?

“I would say that COVID was one of the biggest challenges in my life. I graduated high school in 2020, which is the year that COVID shut down our schools. Within this year I learned to make decisions on my own and went for my dreams, which were pursuing my agriculture business degree. I also stepped outside my comfort zone and ran for the 2021 California Mid-State Fair Pageant and received 1st Runner-Up Princess. This was a great opportunity and experience for me to get to know and bond with the community. Once I moved to Fresno and started my second year here, I learned how to properly manage both my academic and social life. I feel like adjusting to everything after COVID has been one of the biggest challenges in my life, and with support from my parents, advisors, professors, and peers I have been able to move forward and grow.” 

 

Q: Are there any other interesting notes about yourself that you would like to include?

“I have completed all of the FFA degrees, including one of the most challenging degrees, which is the American Degree.”