“Agriculture is our heritage and our future. By training a new generation of farmers and decision makers, the Center for Land-Based Learning is helping ensure the long-term prosperity of California. Their passion and their mission deserve our support. “
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Craig and Julie McNamara, founders of the Center for Land-Based Learning / Co-Chairs Honorary Committee for the Campaign
Growing Our Future Campaign
CASE S TAT E M E N T
Overview
Since its inception, the Center for Land-Based Learning has played a vital role in California’s agricultural economy by inspiring and training new generations of agricultural leaders and farmers who are focused on the productivity and sustainability of our natural resources. We’ve given thousands of high school students the kind of hands-on, experiential education in agriculture and natural resources management that sparks a lifelong passion and builds careers. Our California Farm Academy – the largest and most comprehensive such program in California — has supported hundreds of beginning farmers by providing the expertise, mentorship and access to land to help launch their agricultural businesses. We are the first in the state to have a Registered Apprenticeship in Farm and Ranch Management. We’ve successfully and strategically created partnerships with government agencies, statewide and regional organizations, private companies and local communities to integrate agriculture into our daily lives, building direct connections to the land that sustains us. And now, 25 years later — as the statewide demand for the Center for Land-Based Learning’s programs, services and expertise has increased — our impact and momentum have exceeded our capacity. Our ability to meet the increasingly critical needs of California is limited by the size of our facilities. Growing Our Future Campaign
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CASE S TAT E EMENT MENT
Overview
As a long-term solution to this challenge, the Center for Land-Based Learning has established a unique partnership with private industry that will allow us to move our statewide headquarters to a larger site in Woodland, California. This opportunity provides: • • • •
A centralized and highly visible location New facilities for housing our statewide headquarters, farming operations and training space More acreage for training farmers and educating students The capacity to expand existing programs and launch new ones
Coinciding with the organization’s 25th anniversary, the Center for Land-Based Learning is launching its Growing Our Future Campaign to raise the $3.1 million needed for the land, construction, equipment and moving costs. Clark Pacific, Inc., our partner in this remarkable opportunity, has provided nearly $1 million of in-kind support. The Growing Our Future Campaign is designed to raise the remaining funds by mid-2019. This campaign is essential for the Center for Land-Based Learning’s future. Its success will give us the capacity to train, support and inspire future generations of farmers, agricultural leaders and natural resource stewards as we look towards the next 25 years.
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Growing Our Future Campaign
California’s Agricultural Economy is at Risk
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This is an especially critical time for California’s — and indeed the world’s— approach to agriculture and natural resource management. The demand for highly productive land and food sources is growing, and the need to manage these resources sustainably is becoming increasingly urgent. There simply aren’t enough farmers being trained today to address these challenges, and, at the same time, agricultural and natural resources industries are facing an alarming shortage of qualified professionals. In addition, technological advances have widened the career pathways in science, technology, engineering and math-related fields across all industries, so the demand for a modern workforce — the kind of highly trained, specialized professionals that are critical to the future of the agricultural and natural resources industries — is stronger than ever. According to a recent study by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and U.S. Department of Agriculture, there will be nearly 60,000 new job openings a year in the agricultural and natural resources industries for workers with agriculturerelated degrees, but the U.S. is projected to produce only 60 percent of the graduates needed to fill those positions. At the same time, the American farmer is getting older. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2012 census found that only 6 percent of American farmers are under age 35. For every farmer under the age of 25, there are 5 over the age of 75. At a time when fewer young farmers are entering the field, more than 700,000 new farmers will be needed to replace those that are retiring.
Of the 60K new jobs to be filled in Agriculture, there are only 35K qualified graduates to fill these positions.
= 10K people
For over 25 years, the Center for Land-Based Learning has engaged and trained a new generation of agriculture industry professionals: From high school students just starting to explore career paths to new farmers and entrepreneurs eager to enter the field but who need access to land and capital. The Center for Land-Based Learning’s broad spectrum of programs, services and audiences make it a unique driver of the California’s workforce development efforts and agricultural economy.
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Agriculture Drives the Regional Economy
According to the Brookings Institution’s April 2018 report, Charting a Course to the Sacramento Region’s Future Economic Prosperity, the Food & Agriculture sector is our community’s most “tradable” industry, providing exportable goods and services that are essential to the sustained growth of the region’s economy. “The Sacramento region’s most unique industry opportunity lies at the intersection of food, agriculture, and technology… the unique combination of agricultural and life sciences research expertise alongside food production and processing capabilities present one obvious opportunity to drive tradable cluster growth.”
The Demand for Our Work has Outgrown Our Facilities
The Center for Land-Based Learning (originally called the FARMS Leadership Program) began in 1993 in Winters, California. Founded by walnut farmers Craig and Julie McNamara, the organization brought 30 students from the Bay Area and Yolo County into the region’s first high school educational program centered on agriculture and the environment. And now, 25 years later, the FARMS Leadership Program connects more than 400 students each year from 58 California high schools to careers in agriculture. And this is just a single example. Since its modest beginnings, the Center for Land-Based Learning’s growing array of agricultural and environmental programs for beginning farmers, educators, students and community leaders has provided the kind of engaging, experiential learning that launches careers. The Center for Land-Based Learning now operates in 27 California counties. The size, scope and complexity of our programs have increased exponentially, but our facilities have remained the same: All of this work has been accomplished on the original site in Winters. The Center for Land-Based Learning is a vibrant hub for youth and adult training and apprenticeships, hands-on habitat restoration and land stewardship, and professional networking and knowledge sharing among California’s current and future farmers. There is increasing need and desire for our programs across the state, but we’ve outgrown our home. We need more acreage for beginning farmer training and business incubator development, and additional space for our career-based adult and youth programs.
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Growing Our Future Campaign
A New Home: The Clark Pacific Site in Woodland
With generous assistance from Clark Pacific, Inc., the Center for Land-Based Learning has an extraordinary, strategic opportunity to move to a 40-acre site in Woodland, California. This prime location gives us the room to expand and, as a long-standing agricultural center, build stronger relationships throughout California. In late 2017, Clark Pacific, Inc., a building products manufacturing company, offered the Center for LandBased Learning a no-cost, 25-year lease for the use of major portions of their property. This includes extensive farmland, existing buildings (which will be retrofitted), space for the construction of a new office building and barn, other site areas to be developed, and an agricultural well. Specific elements that make this location an ideal new base for our operations include: • New administration headquarters and classrooms — A 5,400 square-foot building will be constructed to house our offices, community services and classrooms. • New and existing barn buildings — An existing barn will be used for storing teaching equipment and supplies, and another new barn will be constructed for a produce washing, packing and cooling station that meets modern food safety standards, farm operations and farm equipment storage. • Three farm fields totaling 30 acres — Field plots will be used for the Farm Academy and other educational programs that support the career development of beginning farmers. This is six times more acreage than our current site in Winters and enables the program to serve more new incubator farmers, allow other farmers to scale up in production and support the introduction of crops and livestock that require more land. • Cache Creek riparian habitat and restoration area — Nearly nine acres of creek-side habitat and floodplains will be developed and restored, with a long-term conservation plan to include native grassland and vegetated buffers, erosion control, riparian restoration, trails and interpretive signage. This restoration work will be structured to incorporate student involvement and education. • S pace for training in low-water use, native landscaping – Landscaping and designated areas around the entire grounds may be used for farm and conservation training, and for education in aesthetically designed spaces.
“We believe in the Center for Land-Based Learning — in what they do and, more importantly, what they can do with the proper resources. That’s what our partnership is about, giving a critical organization the support it needs to help secure California’s future.”
Bob Clark, President of Operations, Clark Pacific
Growing Our Future Campaign
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2000/ 2001
A Home Base Center for Land-Based Learning (formerly FARMS Leadership, Inc.) forms board of directors, incorporates as a 501c(3) nonprofit, and opens first office in parnership with Audubon CA.
SLEWS Program Begins Key partners nuture our growth. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation funded parntership with Audubon.
Launch of West Sacramento Urban Farm Program A former vacant city lot located at 317 5th Street becomes a 2/3 acre farm.
2016 An Imporant Anniversary The SLEWS Program celebrates 15 years.
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Growing Our Future Campaign
An Important Hire First employee, Mary employed by the Yolo Conservation District
2002-06
2001-02
2014
1998
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CALFED Funding Moves Us Along Growth for SLEWS and FARMS. Additional staff and partners added in the North State and San Joaquin. Partners continue to help us reach new heights.
S T re L
2012 Founder Feted Craig McNamara receives the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award.
2016-2019 Driscolls Funding Program expansion helps us reach 27 counties.
2018
CA Farm Academy A Program becomes 1st apprenticeship progra Farm & Ranch Manag
1993-94 FARMS Begins It all started with one man planting seeds, one at a time.
y Kimball, is hired, o County Resource t.
2008/2009
2003
Shining Brightly The FARMS Leadership Program and the SLEWS Program eceive the 2003 Governor’s Environmental and Ecdonomic Leadership Award in Children’s Environmental Education.
2010
2010
Firmly Rooted Growing Green, a job training internship program for high school students, takes root. Agrium steps forward to partner on the Caring for our Watersheds Program.
Apprenticeship t registered am for Beginning gers in California.
10,000 Young Leaders 10,000 youth/students served by leadership programs in more than 20 California counties.
2018-2019 Celebrating a Quarter Century 25th Anniversary of the FARMS Leadership Program.
Dinner is Served Center for Land-Based Learning presents the first Dinner on the Farm.
2019 New Headquarters Built The next chapter begins.
Growing Our Future Campaign
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An Investment in Our Future This is an unprecedented opportunity for the Center for Land-Based Learning, but to take advantage of it we need to act quickly and decisively. While Clark Pacific’s generous support makes this move possible, funds will still need to be raised to: • • • • • •
Construct and furnish the administration building Construct a new barn and install the washing/packing/cooling station Retrofit the existing barn and support spaces Purchase new farm equipment Retrofit the existing agricultural well in order to utilize efficient irrigation (drip) systems Install native landscaping, energy efficient lighting, a state-of-the-art “Sky Cool System,” solar power systems, and potential for EV plug-in stations for staff and visitors • Finance the move to the Woodland site The Center for Land-Based Learning’s Growing Our Future Campaign is designed to raise all the necessary funds to support this exciting growth opportunity by mid-2019. Gifts and pledges are now being solicited as donors and friends join this effort to create a powerful, sustainable future for the Center for Land-Based Learning.
[ Growing Our Future Campaign Goals ] New CLBL HQ (building and site work) Lease--land and building (in-kind gift) Furniture/moving expenses Farm Equipment Capital Campaign/Contingency/Other expenses
$2,000,000 750,000 100,000 100,000 150,000
TOTAL CAMPAIGN GOAL
$3,100,000
The Growing Our Future Campaign is being led by the Center for Land-Based Learning’s Board of Directors and executive staff, with support from a Campaign Cabinet and Honorary Committee of prominent volunteer leaders. A campaign plan has been developed and approved by the board, and key stakeholders have been supportive of the campaign goals. The agreement with Clark Pacific, Inc. is complete and the company is in enthusiastic support of the plan. As a friend of the organization and a respected leader in our industry and community, we invite you to join us in building a new home and sustainable future for the Center for Land-Based Learning.
The Opportunity to Achieve Our Potential Recruiting and training California’s next generation of agricultural and natural resources leaders in increasingly productive, water efficient and sustainable farming practices will require excellent facilities, programs to serve larger numbers of students, partnerships to reach every corner of our state, and the land to support our efforts. The Center for Land-Based Learning is leading the state’s agricultural workforce development efforts, and the expanded location in Woodland will significantly increase our ability to impact and address California’s growing needs.
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Growing Our Future Campaign
The proposed site — a historic Yolo County farm — is the perfect location for the Center for Land-Based Learning to train a new generation of agricultural industry leaders and farmers. Its proximity to Sacramento and the I-5 and I-505 corridors make the site accessible and visible. This will help create and solidify relationships with complementary organizations and the Central Valley farming community, and it places us within “influencer range” of the state capital and statewide leaders in agriculture and environmental resources. With 30 acres of prime farmland, the Center for Land-Based Learning’s Farm Academy program can expand to help meet the industry’s workforce demands. Farmers-in-training will have the opportunity to consider perennial crops, such as orchards or vineyards. The new barns will enable large volumes of harvested crops to be processed, washed, packed and put in cool storage, while serving as a teaching facility for these processes. The site’s expansive grounds will serve as teaching gardens. The Cache Creek riparian habitat will be a “living classroom” for teaching watershed restoration and the study of native plants, natural habitats, erosion, and water conservation. On-site administration facilities will allow for classroom and community-use space, and the potential for new programs. Californians of all ages and backgrounds — school groups, adult learners, business leaders, community groups, farmers and policy makers — will be able to take advantage of the Center for Land-Based Learning’s services and expertise. We will greatly expand our ability to offer programs, demonstration tours, convenings, workshops, social events and activities that support and advance our mission — to inspire, educate, and cultivate future generations of farmers, agricultural leaders and natural resource stewards.
Growing Our Future Campaign
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High-Impact Programs of th
For more than a quarter-century, the Center for Land-Based Learning has sustainable practices that reflect the future of farming and natural resour
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he Center for Land-Based Learning
s trained new farmers, connected youth to the land and food system, and promoted the rce management in California. And our work has never been more critical than right now.
YOUTH PROGRAMS FARMS Leadership (Farming, Agriculture and Resource Management for Sustainability) FARMS Leadership introduces, trains and recruits high school students for college and career opportunities in agriculture and environmental sciences. The program includes paid summer Internships, job shadows and scholarship opportunities for urban, suburban and rural youth ages 16-24. Last year more than 400 students from 58 high schools in 16 California counties participated in the FARMS Leadership Program. According to a recent survey of alumni, more than half of the students who have participated in this program since its inception in 1993 are working in the agriculture or natural resources industries.
SLEWS (Student and Landowner Education for Watershed Stewardship) High school students gain first-hand experience in real habitat restoration projects, predominantly on privately owned, working lands, while exploring scientific concepts and current environmental issues. Each class is matched with a habitat project where they plant native trees and shrubs, build irrigation systems and participate in ecological field studies. More than 7,500 students have participated in this program since it was established in 2001, and last year it served over 500 students from 14 California counties.
ADULT PROGRAMS California Farm Academy This signature program provides beginning farmers with the knowledge, technical skills, business competency and resources to thrive and grow in a farming career. We offer a seven-month intensive training program, low-cost land leases through our farm business incubator, and provide registered apprenticeships in the industry. In early 2018, we received state certification for our Beginning Farm and Ranch Manager Apprenticeship Program, which requires 250 hours of coursework and 3,000 hours of paid on-the-job training on a farm under the mentorship of a seasoned farmer. More than 110 new farmers have completed the seven-month training program since 2012.
SLEWS Academy This comprehensive program trains resource conservation professionals in the Center for Land-Based Learning’s SLEWS (Student and Landowner Education for Watershed Stewardship) model and helps them adopt its approaches and philosophy into their own communities. Since 2014, SLEWS programs have been started in eight additional counties with 12 new high schools participating in 12 habitat restoration projects.
Caring for Our Watersheds Designed as both an environmental proposal writing contest and a project funding opportunity, this innovative program empowers high school students to imagine, develop and create solutions in their local watersheds. Last year nearly 400 students from 9 California counties submitted proposals and more than $27,000 in prizes and implementation money was awarded.
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27 Counties and Counting...
Sacramento Valley (CA Farm Academy, FARMS Leadership, SLEWS, SLEWS Academy, Caring for our Watersheds, Growing Green) Tehama, Glenn, Butte, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Yolo, Sacramento
Foothills (Caring for our Watersheds) Nevada, Placer Bay Area (SLEWS, FARMS Leadership)
San Joaquin Valley (SLEWS, SLEWS Academy, FARMS Leadership, Caring for our Watersheds)
Sonoma, Napa, Solano
San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Tulare, Kings, Kern
Central Coast (FARMS Leadership)
Southern CA (SLEWS Academy, FARMS Leadership)
Santa Cruz, Monterey
Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego
Butte • Colusa • El Dorado • Fresno • Glenn • Kern • Kings • Madera • Merced • Monterey • Napa • Nevada Orange • Placer • Riverside • Sacramento • San Bernardino • San Diego • San Joaquin • Santa Cruz Solano • Sonoma • Stanislaus • Sutter • Tehama • Tulare • Yolo • Yuba
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With Room to Grow!
Cache Creek Riparian Habitat Restoration Area
Blacksmith Shop & Silo Display Area Farmhouse Plaza Future Farmhouse Building Site Farm Field Plots
California Farm Academy Training Barn
Long Barn Farm Field Plots
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The Farmers and Students We Support are the Future of California’s Agricultural Economy
© Debbie Cunningham
The work we do in developing the agricultural and natural resource workforce is essential to our state’s economy. By providing high school students and new farmers with the training, resources and hands-on experience to succeed in their chosen field, the Center for Land-Based Learning is securing the state’s agricultural industry for decades to come. This is our mission, our passion, and our commitment to California’s heritage and economic future. After 25 years of successfully doing what we do so well – now is the time to prepare for the long-term sustainability of our efforts. It is time for a new home in which to serve the state of California. We invite you to share our passion and join us with your support.
Center for Land-Based Learning www.landbasedlearning.org