Over the next two decades the global population will exceed 8 billion people. While California's farmers and ranchers will play a critical role in meeting the food needs of this growing population, the next generation of farmers and ranchers are going to face substantial economic and logistical challenges that their predecessors may not have faced, including potential rapid changes in land use and land value, increasing drought severity, labor shortages as well as the need to balance local, sustainable food production practices in a globally linked agricultural market. In California, a broad network of partners including the University of California, Future Farmers of America and state legislators are working closely to support our youth through education and on-farm training that will help prepare these future farmers and ranchers to meet the global food needs over the coming decades. 

As a way to highlight the value of this partnership and the regional support behind our future producers, the University of California Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center hosts an annual field day that links high school students across 5 counties with researchers and legislators to explore leading management and policy issues surrounding range and pasture management, as well as beef cattle production. A video highlighting these efforts can be found below. These programs are an exciting opportunity to look towards California's agricultural future. Despite the challenges California faces, the excitement and passion for agriculture that the students have and the solid commitment that educators, researchers and legislators have to supporting their future success provides great optimism that this next generations of producers will have the tools needed to meet the food needs of our growing population. 

For more information about the 2016 Beef & Range Field Day, please email Megan Osbourn at mgosbourn@ucanr.edu. 

The above video was produced by McKenna Kane, SFREC student intern and student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

The Beef and Range Field Day held on October 8, 2014 gave local high school students an opportunity to interact with farm advisors, veterinarians and researchers in order to learn about some of the practical applications of beef cattle production. California Senator, Jim Nielsen took time out of his busy schedule to speak with the students about the pressing issues currently facing California agriculture. He challenged his audience to step up and be in leaders for an industry that will most certainly need their support in the future.  We would like to offer our sincere thanks to Senator Nielsen for the support he has continuously given to agriculture education and for his dedication to those currently involved in agriculture.

The below video includes a summary of the Beef & Range Field Day in addition to comments by Senator Nielsen:

 

The 1st Annual Beef & Range Field Day, hosted by SFREC was a great success. Over 120 students from 4-H and FFA programs in Butte, Nevada, Placer, Yuba and Sutter Counties participated to learn about livestock production and natural resource management. 

The event kicked off with an inspirational address from California State Senator, Jim Nielsen, who applauded students for taking an interest in agriculture and encouraged each of them to actively support agriculture and food production in their future endeavors.

Participants had the opportunity to venture out onto the SFREC landscape and engage in workshops that focused on how livestock producers work to carefully manage the resources in their care. UC Davis veterinarian, Bret McNabb demonstrated practices for safe cattle handing and led students through a beef cattle health evaluation activity.  Students participated in activities led by Theresa Becchetti,

UCCE Livestock & Natural Resource Advisor, that highlighted the factors that can impact water quality. While discussing pasture management techniques, Roger Ingram, UCCE County Director, engaged students in an exercise to calculate the stocking rate of specific pastures. Finally, Andrew Brown of the UC Davis Soils and Biogeochemistry program talked to attendees about the importance of soil and the factors that can impact soil quality. 

SFREC would like to sincerely thank the presenters and volunteers who helped to make this event such an outstanding learning opportunity for local high school students. 

Thank you to the 1st Annual Beef and Range Field Day sponsors:

Yuba-Sutter Farm Bureau

Farm Credit West

On Wednesday, October 8^th, over 125 high school students from FFA and 4-H programs in Butte, Nevada, Placer, Sutter and Yuba counties will gather in Browns Valley for the 1^st Annual Beef & Range Field Day.  This event, hosted by the Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center (SFREC) will provide students with hands-on, practical experience with livestock production and natural resource management.

California State Senator Jim Nielsen, R-Gerber, a key proponent for supporting agriculture education and careers will address the attendees in the morning. The students will then learn from industry experts about topics critical to the livestock industry, including cattle health, pasture management and issues related to water and soil quality.  The goal is to demonstrate how ranchers and livestock producers work to carefully mange the resources in their care.

The future of agriculture and the way in which society views food production centers on youth knowledge and understanding.  4-H and FFA are excellent educational platforms for youth who are interested in raising livestock. SFREC staff and volunteers are excited to complement this training by connecting students with the concerns and issues commonly dealt with on working ranches.

A big thank you to the Beef & Range Field Day sponsors: Yuba-Sutter Farm Bureau and Farm Credit West.