top
Indybay
Indybay
Indybay
Indybay
Indybay
Regions
Indybay Regions North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area North Coast Central Valley North Bay East Bay South Bay San Francisco Peninsula Santa Cruz IMC - Independent Media Center for the Monterey Bay Area California United States International Americas Haiti Iraq Palestine Afghanistan
Topics
Newswire
Features
From the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature

Expanding Equity and Equal Opportunity throughout the "Farm to Fork Capital of America"

by Khubaka, Michael Harris (blackagriculture [at] yahoo.com)
Together, “we will find the Gold, hidden in our communities” by engaging Black youth, young adults and Veterans to achieve greater awareness and participation in the “Farm to Fork Capital of America.”
sm_26195616_2137254639621768_3160694541986529864_n_1.jpg
We are finalizing plans for 2018 Sacramento Black History Month to engage Black youth, young adults and Veterans toward increasing participation in agriculture and related agriculture industries as part of our Carson Creek Ranch Project.

Throughout our 2017 Sacramento Kwanzaa, “First Fruits of the Harvest in the Farm to Fork Capital of America” we questioned youth, young adults and Veterans to gauge the level of awareness of Agriculture industries. A few respondents had met or heard about two or three local Black Farmers, while most were aware of the plight of “undocumented” farmworkers. Very few were aware of the plethora of entry level job opportunities and career paths available in the various agricultural disciplines.

Beginning National Freedom Day, February 1, 2018, and throughout Black History Month the Carson Creek Ranch Project will run an advocacy and education campaign while engaging active collaborative partners to include: Education, Agribusiness, Political leaders and various Local, Regional, Statewide and National Government agencies.

The unemployment rate among the Black youth (between the ages of 15 and 34) in the Sacramento Region is very high, while literacy and incarceration rates are unacceptable by any rational standard of measurement.

Our Agriculture Black Community Survey (ABC Survey) will seek to quantify perceived barriers and then identify paths toward solutions targeting Black youth, young adults and Veterans toward greater participation the broader regional Agriculture sectors.

Together, “we will find the Gold, hidden in our communities” by engage Black youth, young adults and Veterans to achieve greater awareness and participation in the “Farm to Fork Capital of America.”

We will showcase meaningful, well-paid professional jobs in agriculture to include agricultural economists, bankers, accountants, and agronomists forever changing the image of Black Agriculture, locally and throughout the world.

Accurate enumeration and increased participation rates in the 2018 Census of Agriculture will for the first time include both urban and rural producers.

Our continuing mission goal seeks to measure obstacles and participation rates of Black Agriculture producers and to include Black students enrolling and graduating with associates, bachelor’s and advanced degrees in agriculture and agribusiness participation in related industries.

We must identify and showcase local Black Agriculture professionals who will help motivate youth to obtain the required qualifications to participate in STEAM programs at regional Middle Schools and High Schools.

We must prepare for students for excellence while modeling individual and cooperative entrepreneurial businesses tools essential to effectively compete throughout the “Farm to Fork Capital of America.”

Our Black Agriculture survey questionnaire will be circulated throughout 2018 Black History Month to obtain empirical data essential to target resources toward increasing interest and participation programs that lead to a career and/or agribusiness in the vast California Agriculture sector.

The majority of our youth, young adults and Veterans may not realize the possibilities within the broader agriculture industry. "California Grown" links to the regional economy, in both upstream input industries, agriculture production and downstream value added products to include: animal feed, food processing, packaging, and logistic services.

We must ensure today’s black youths overcome the remaining historic obstacles while preparing for global competition. We must provide paths toward meaningful participation in the agricultural sector. Public policy conversations building upon new opportunities involving the USDA, CDFA, Farm Bureau, FFA, and the California Department of Education will be convened Spring 2018.

Our joint efforts will go a long way toward exposing Black youth, young adults and Veterans to the “World Class” opportunities in our "California Grown" agricultural sector. Our Carson Creek Ranch Project will model success and demonstrate the transformation possible utilizing agriculture industries by delivering positive return on investments and synergistic social value in meaningful ways.
Add Your Comments
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!

Donate

$110.00 donated
in the past month

Get Involved

If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.

Publish

Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.

IMC Network