Future Advocates for Agriculture Concerned About Tomorrow (FAACT)
Typical Class Sessions
- Welcome to Fresno County Agriculture: An Overview - Session 1: October
- Tour Activities:
- Big Fresno Fair Visit
- General Overview of county's diversity
- SE Asian farm visit, UC Kearney Field Station, Fresno County Historical Society visit
- Issues to be Covered:
- Overview of Fresno County agriculture- past, present and future
- The economics of ag
- Preview of future class sessions
- Reinforce agricultural economic stability/vitality
- Land Use Planning and Managing Growth - Session 2: November
- Tour Activities:
- On-site discussions with rural communities regarding planning for growth, schools, infrastructure - Clovis and Kingsburg
- Issues to be Covered:
- Williamson Act
- Right to Farm Oridance
- Urban Encroachment
- Landscape of Choice
- County General Plan/Sphere of Influence
- Urban Growth Projections
- Air Quality: how far have we come? - Session 3: January
- Tour Activities:
- On-farm Conservation Management Practices
- Reading Station (altimeters & collection site)
- Dairy/livestock air quality issues
- Issues to be Covered:
- On-farm air quality regulations
- Grape tray burning/IC engines/CMPs
- Title V of the Clean Air Act
- "Extreme" designation
- Pesticides and Ag chemicals
- Myths v. facts - shifting through the rhetoric (Organics v. conventional)
- New strategies - no & blow-till, chipping/shredding
- Environmental Justice
- Agricultural Labor and Immigration - Session 4: February
- Tour Activities:
- Labor Intensive Processing Plants
- Farm Labor contractors
- Issues to be Covered:
- Having an adequate labor supply
- Immigration Reform/Guest Worker Programs
- Farm worker safety
- Workers Compensation Insurance reform
- Farm Labor Contracting
- Organized Labor
- Mechanization
- Training - Workforce Investment Board
- Water: San Joaquin River Issues - Session 5: March
- Tour Activities:
- Field tour of San Joaquin River restoration area
- Issues to be Covered:
- Settlement of San Joaquin River litigation
- Fisheries restoration efforts
- Additional water storage and development
- Water uses/stakeholders/operations on SJR
- Water quality
- Flood Control and management
- Meeting water demands for a growing county
- Water: Kings River Issues - Session 6: April
- Tour Activities:
- Tour following Kings River from Pine Flat to Fresno Weir
- Issues to be Covered:
- Kings River history and development
- Community choice energy projects
- Fisheries restoration efforts
- Additional water storage and development
- Water uses/stakeholders/operations on Kings River
- Water quality
- Flood control and management
- Meeting water demands for a growing county
- Agriculture: What happens to our products once they leave the Valley? - Session 7: May - Special Regional tour
- Tour Activities:
- Tour of Port of Oakland
- Issues to be Covered:
- International trade - impacts to ag/are we losing markets
- Trade regulations/agreements
- Niche markets
- The retail connection/consumer demands
- (Open to all past FAACT participants, sponsors, and FCFB Board of Directors)
- Graduation - Session 8: June
- Special keynote speaker
- Activities:
- Communications and advocacy training
- Recognize FAACT Class participants and sponsors
- Recognition from elected officials
- Issues to be Covered:
- Class member presentations on issues
- (Open to all past FAACT participants, sponsors, and FCFB Board of Directors)
**Subject to change due to availability of speakers and locations