(inspiring music)
- The major benefit to this university farm at Fresno State
is that it gives students a buy-in,
and a place where they're gonna thrive.
- None of what we learn here
is things that you can even begin to try to learn
through a textbook or through a class lecture.
- Our great Valley of California feeds the world.
And we have Class one soil and a dedicated AG industry
to thank for that.
Just as our soil is considered the best there is,
California State University, Fresno
is on a path to claim the same.
- [Narrator] It was over seven decades ago
that business leaders and ranchers
on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley
saw a need to educate future generations of AG leaders
through hands-on experience.
They shared a vision for the university farm laboratory
at Fresno State.
One rooted in creating extraordinary opportunities
to shape the future of agriculture
for the Valley and the world.
- One thing amazing about this university laboratory
is that it's a working farm.
You can be in class and then 10 minutes later
have a hands-on experience that's second to none
with professors that are really showing you
how it's done both in the industry,
and what the potential future for this industry might have.
- [Narrator] Students learn in real-life settings,
working on and managing 22 crop, livestock, vineyard
and food processing enterprises.
The dairy unit is one great example.
- So our dairy is one of the only ones left in the state
that's not only connected to campus,
but it is also 100% student ran and worked.
- About 98% of the students that are working here
did not come from a dairy background,
let alone be able to live on a dairy,
and have that experience that I had.
So I'm able to teach those students
things that they would never be able to learn
if we did not have this farm.
- Fresno State believes that talent
exists in every household,
and that attending college prepares students
to discover not only their own passions and potential,
but also what real difference they can make
in our community, the rest of the Valley and the world.
- I think if you look at all of the major
industry leaders within agriculture,
the first thing you'll notice
is that they got a start somewhere.
And that start always will be grounded in education,
regardless if they were involved in AG in high school
or maybe in college.
At some point throughout their career,
they were taught what they now know.
And the reason why agriculture is important for me
and for the university and for the students
is that we have a hand in getting them prepared
to become a leader in the industry.
- [Narrator] 80% of Jordan College graduates stay
to live, work and contribute back
to make our area a better place to live.
- I'm not shy in saying that I truly believe
Fresno State is the marquee AG school in the nation.
I don't care what anybody else says.
I'm extraordinarily proud of what we do here.
Yes, we have a tremendous opportunity
to try to improve what we're doing.
Obviously there's so many changes rapidly taking place
in the industry and we as a campus need to stay up with that
and be on the innovative side, on the front side of it.
And that obviously takes a massive investment.
We know that this is not cheap.
This campus farm is extraordinarily expensive to operate
because it is a living, breathing laboratory.
Every single dollar that we're putting in this farm
is truly gonna make the difference
for our future survival here for California agriculture.
- There's the quote that says "One day you'll need a lawyer,
"one day you'll need a doctor,
"but every day you need agriculture 'cause we need to eat."
And if we couple that need
with the fact that we're constantly innovating
and growing with new technology,
there's always gonna be somewhere that agriculture can go,
and an avenue in which they can improve.
And so my part in that and the reason why
I'm so passionate about it is that I get to have a hand
in furthering its mission day after day.
(inspiring music)