2nd Joint Conference
National Association of Farm Business Analysis Specialists
National Farm & Ranch Business Management Education Association, Inc.
June 8 - 12, 2008 • Piccadilly Inn University • Fresno, California
| conference home | agenda | tour schedules | university credit | sponsors | tourist info |
| BUS #1 | BUS #2 | BUS #3 | BUS #4 | BUS #5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM Tours: | UC-Kearney Ag Research & Extension Center | UC-Kearney Ag Research & Extension Center | Bravo Farms Cheese Plant & Elkhorn Dairy |
Elkhorn Dairy & Bravo Farms Cheese Plant |
Sunwest Packing Co.-Thoneson Fms |
| PM Tours: | Simonian Fruit Co. | Hammertime Farms | Baloian Packing Co. | On-farm Visit: SE Asian Diversified Farmer | Sun-Maid Raisins |
University of California- Kearney Agricultural Research & Extension Center: Located in the central San Joaquin Valley, one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world, Kearney is the University of California's largest off-campus agricultural research facility. The center’s mission is to provide state-of-the-science research and educational programs to promote sustainability of California's $24.5 billion agriculture industry, and to enhance the quality of the rural environment. For more than 35 years, Kearney has achieved international acclaim for leadership in areas such as development of new fruit, nut and grape varieties, innovative cultural and irrigation practices, and pest and disease management techniques. In addition, Kearney specializes in postharvest biology, working with growers, packers, and shippers of fresh market crops to reduce losses and provide consumers of California produce, near and far, with top quality products. Current research includes air quality effects on crops, groundwater management, and specific pest management biological control techniques.
12:00: Luncheon at the Visalia Convention Center, sponsored by Monsanto, Inc. Welcome by Visalia Mayor Jesus Gamboa; Monsanto video; 2009 Conference Video Presentation. Following the luncheon, spouses and families tour downtown Visalia while NFRBMEA and NAFBAS business meetings take place.
2:30 p.m. Board your same bus for next tour.
Simonian Fruit Company: Simonian Fruit Company is a family-owned grower-packer-shipper of diversified fresh fruits, including apricots, peaches, nectarines, grapes, plums and pomegranates. The company sells fruit both domestically and internationally. They are part of the “Summeripe” program, which is a quality control program that uses USDA certified inspectors to examine the fruit, but uses its own quality control staff to monitor fruit standards.
University of California- Kearney Agricultural Research & Extension Center: Located in the central San Joaquin Valley, one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world, Kearney is the University of California's largest off-campus agricultural research facility. The center’s mission is to provide state-of-the-science research and educational programs to promote sustainability of California's $24.5 billion agriculture industry, and to enhance the quality of the rural environment. For more than 35 years, Kearney has achieved international acclaim for leadership in areas such as development of new fruit, nut and grape varieties, innovative cultural and irrigation practices, and pest and disease management techniques. In addition, Kearney specializes in postharvest biology, working with growers, packers, and shippers of fresh market crops to reduce losses and provide consumers of California produce, near and far, with top quality products. Current research includes air quality effects on crops, groundwater management, and specific pest management biological control techniques.
12:00: Luncheon at the Visalia Convention Center, sponsored by Monsanto, Inc. Welcome by Visalia Mayor Jesus Gamboa; Monsanto video; 2009 Conference Video Presentation. Following the luncheon, spouses and families tour downtown Visalia while NFRBMEA and NAFBAS business meetings take place.
2:30 p.m. Board your same bus for next tour.
Hammertime Farms (tentative): Bill Hammerstrom, Kingsburg, a diversified family farm; or HMC Fruit Packing, Kingsburg, grower-packer-shipper of fresh market tree fruits.
Bravo Farms Cheese Plant: Bravo Farms began in 1979 as a small dairy farm in Visalia, California. Owners Bill and Pat Boersma ran the dairy several years before deciding to evolve into farmstead cheesemakers. This was not an easy task, being the first farmstead cheesemakers in the San Joaquin Valley was a challenging endeavor. Recently, Bill and Pat have partnered with a young artisan cheesemaker, Jonathan Van Ryn, who studied cheesemaking at California Polytechnic University. Jonathan was building a small cheese factory to make his own varieties of cheese, but after meeting with the Boersma's, they came up with a plan to form a partnership in Bravo Farms; they could now make enough cheese to meet the demand. Bravo Farms now makes several varieties of cheese.
Elkhorn Dairy: Elkhorn Dairy is a family-owned dairy with about 3,000 cows and features state-of-the art milking and handling equipment. Milk production is the number one agricultural commodity in Tulare County.
12:00: Luncheon at the Visalia Convention Center, sponsored by Monsanto, Inc. Welcome by Visalia Mayor Jesus Gamboa; Monsanto video; 2009 Conference Video Presentation. Following the luncheon, spouses and families tour downtown Visalia while NFRBMEA and NAFBAS business meetings take place.
2:30 p.m. Board your same bus for next tour.
Baloian Packing Company: The Baloian Packing Company is a diversified vegetable and fruit packing facility. View packing of fresh market bell peppers. The Baloian family is one of the premiere grower, packer, shippers of fresh vegetables in California, using new technologies, continually performing agricultural research and being relentless when it comes to the application of food safety programs. To make sure that these goals are pursued and accomplished, you can find 2nd, 3rd, 4th and some days, 5th generation Baloians on site at Baloian Packing Company.
Elkhorn Dairy: Elkhorn Dairy is a family-owned dairy with about 3,000 cows and features state-of-the art milking and handling equipment. Milk production is the number one agricultural commodity in Tulare County.
Bravo Farms Cheese Plant: Bravo Farms began in 1979 as a small dairy farm in Visalia, California. Owners Bill and Pat Boersma ran the dairy several years before deciding to evolve into farmstead cheesemakers. This was not an easy task, being the first farmstead cheesemakers in the San Joaquin Valley was a challenging endeavor. Recently, Bill and Pat have partnered with a young artisan cheesemaker, Jonathan Van Ryn, who studied cheesemaking at California Polytechnic University. Jonathan was building a small cheese factory to make his own varieties of cheese, but after meeting with the Boersma's, they came up with a plan to form a partnership in Bravo Farms; they could now make enough cheese to meet the demand. Bravo Farms now makes several varieties of cheese.
12:00: Luncheon at the Visalia Convention Center, sponsored by Monsanto, Inc. Welcome by Visalia Mayor Jesus Gamboa; Monsanto video; 2009 Conference Video Presentation. Following the luncheon, spouses and families tour downtown Visalia while NFRBMEA and NAFBAS business meetings take place.
2:30 p.m. Board your same bus for next tour.
Southeast Asian Diversified Farmer: On-farm visit with a Southeast Asian diversified farmer. Met by Richard Molinar and/or Michael Yang, of the U.C. Cooperative Extension, Fresno County. Fresno County is home to many farming cultures, including farmers who are Southeast Asian, African-American and Latino. The U.C. Extension Service works with these small producers to help them become economically self-sufficient while preserving their culture and communities. Some of the programs include a marketing and technical assistance cooperative, a farmer training program, health and safety workshops and business seminars. View diversified specialty vegetable crops produced by Southeast Asian farmers.
12:00: Luncheon at the Visalia Convention Center, sponsored by Monsanto, Inc. Welcome by Visalia Mayor Jesus Gamboa; Monsanto video; 2009 Conference Video Presentation. Following the luncheon, spouses and families tour downtown Visalia while NFRBMEA and NAFBAS business meetings take place.
2:30 p.m. Board your same bus for next tour.
Sun-Maid Raisins: Sun-Maid Raisins has served consumers since 1912, providing raisins and dried fruits from the raisin and fruit farms from the San Joaquin Valley. As a cooperative, Sun-Maid Growers of California is owned by family farmers who grow raisin grapes all located within 100 miles of Kingsburg. This fertile agricultural valley produces some of the best fruits and vegetables in the world, including a wide assortment of grapes, peaches, plums, apples, figs, apricots, blueberries, strawberries, and melons. When appropriate, Sun-Maid reaches beyond this geographical area to source a complete array of dried fruits.
Tour Schedules