Smart Farm University

The project aims to provide education, training or assistance to farmers, ranchers and foresters throughout the Central Valley by hosting a series of monthly workshops on varying topics.

The workshops will tentatively be held on Fridays with exceptions made for holidays or unavailability of classroom or building.

The workshops are at no cost and open to participants with: no experience, “beginning farmers”, small or medium scale farmers, and already operating farmers.

The workshops intend to focus on agricultural business, conservation, or technology; with the goal of promoting business growth and development of new market opportunities.

The workshops will consist of classes on topics such as (but not limited to):

• Business Planning
• Capital / Funding Opportunities
• Irrigation and SGMA
• Equipment Planning
• Agricultural Technology
• Crop Selection and Improvements
• Soil Health and Pest Management
• Conventional vs. Organic
• CalOSHA and Food Safety
• Taxation and Recordkeeping
• Good Agricultural Practices (GAP’s)

Registering for a monthly workshop series allows the attendee access to one-on-one technical assistance resources, ease-of-access to applicable information, or an introduction to a network of different industry experts.

If you would like more general information, feel free to complete form linked below:

Interest Form Sign up for the Project Newsletter

May Workshop Series

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA)

May 08, 2026 | 2pm - 3pm

This workshop will provide an overview of: California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) which provides a statewide framework for local agencies to manage groundwater resources sustainably, aiming to halt overdraft and prevent permanent damage to aquifers.

Erik Rodriguez
SGMA Small Farms Technical Assistance Educator
UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP)

Project Apis, m.

May 15, 2026 | 2pm - 3pm

This workshop will provide an overview of: Project Apis m. (PAm) which is a U.S. non-profit organization focused on funding honey bee research and developing solutions for the beekeeping industry and agricultural pollination.

Tom Johnson
Grower Relations Manager
Project Apis, m.

Grant Writing

May 22, 2026 | 2pm - 3pm

Guidance for Agricultural Grants

This workshop will provide an overview of: how to potentially secure a grant for a small farm from a farmers perspective and the challenges you may face.

Joseph Avila
Avila Family Farms

Register for May Workshop Series

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June Workshop Series

WiseConn Engineering

June 05, 2026 | 2pm - 3pm

This workshop will provide a history about WiseConn Engineering, irrigation automation, and telemetry. Along with automation requirements for upcoming regulations and the benefits of time, labor and sustainability.

Mark Yoshimoto
myoshimoto@wiseconn.com
Office: (559) 326-7613

HotSpot Ag

June 12, 2026 | 2pm - 3pm

This workshop will provide an overview of how irrigation and fertigation automation technologies are being used to improve water efficiency, nutrient management, and operational decision-making in modern agriculture.

Steven Soares
Senior Customer Success Manager (Central Valley)
(559) 415-5933
ssoares@hotspotag.com

Fresno State Women’s Entrepreneur Center (WEC)

June 26, 2026 | 2pm - 3pm

This workshop will provide an overview on the services and resources available for FREE at the Women's Entrepreneur Center (WEC) which include things such as: business planning, digital literacy, or marketing.

Ana Alfaro
Director
Central Valley Women's Entrepreneur Center
Office of Community and Economic Development
559.278.0709
anaa@csufresno.edu

Register for June Workshop Series

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July Workshop Series

Kings River Trust

July 10, 2026 | 2pm - 3pm

Kings River Land Trust partners with farmers and ranchers across Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties to protect working agricultural land through voluntary conservation easements. Our organization's goal is simple: keep land in agriculture, support long-term farm viability, and prevent the loss of productive ground to development.

Cher Arambel
Outreach and Fund Development Director
cher.a@kingsriverlandtrust.org

Agritourism 101

July 17, 2026 | 2pm - 3pm

Agritourism, inviting the public onto farms and ranches, can generate supplemental income for agricultural businesses and provide an outlet for direct-to-consumer sales. This workshop will provide a general overview of the opportunities and considerations for starting an agritourism business, including: safety and liability, regulations and zoning, and marketing.

Marisa Y. Johnson
Agricultural Outreach Specialist
Local Farm and Food Innovation (F3Local)
myjohnson@ucanr.edu

Triple F Ranch & Farming Forest

July 31, 2026 | 2pm - 3pm

A conversation with Richard Felipe; a fourth-generation farmer from Hanford, California who over the past four years has eliminated all synthetic inputs on his 200-acre pistachio ranch. He'll share why they transitioned to regenerative farming and the challenges faced along the way.

Richard Felipe
Owner/Farmer

Register for July Workshop Series

If you choose to register, you will be automatically enrolled into all workshops.

All workshops held at:

Center for Irrigation Technology
5370 N Chestnut Ave, Fresno, CA 93740

Contact

Make an Appointment