GONZALES — The Center for Land-Based Learning’s Monterey/Santa Cruz FARMS Leadership Program was awarded a $5,000 grant by the Bayer Fund to support field days for the upcoming 2020-21 program year.
Participating schools include Gonzales High School and Soquel High School, and funds will go toward supporting the program’s first-year FARMS Leadership Program and second-year FARMS Advanced Program.
“The Center for Land-Based Learning is particularly special to those of us representing the Bayer Crop Science site in San Juan Bautista,” said Nancy Bergamini, testing and operations manager of Bayer Crop Sciences. “By working together, we are strengthening the market channel for farmers and increasing the agricultural workforce development opportunities within our communities. We look forward to seeing the impacts that these innovative programs will provide throughout our county.”
The FARMS Leadership Program introduces high school students interested in agriculture and environmental science to the college and career opportunities available to them. In addition, during six monthly field days, students gain valuable hands-on experience working on farms, community gardens and agribusinesses while learning the intricacies of their operations, as well as visit a college or university with majors in agricultural and environmental sciences.
“We are so grateful to the Bayer Fund for their generous support,” said Mary Kimball, executive director for the Center for Land-Based Learning. “This is a pivotal time for agriculture and natural resource management. Our FARMS Leadership Program connects high school youth with the kind of engaging, experiential learning that opens their eyes to new opportunities and can launch careers. This generous grant makes a big difference in our ability to provide this critically important program.”
