February 2001 | |||
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Vineyards in the San Joaquin Valley |
Fresno CB Facilitates Agricultural Cooperative for New Farmers Community Builder Toulu Thao has worked with a number of entities to facilitate partnerships resulting in a cooperative for farmers in the San Joaquin Valley. The most productive farming region in the world, the Valley is home to over 60,000 Hmong immigrants from Southeast Asia. Unlike age-old Asian manual farming practices, American farming techniques are increasingly sophisticated and technology driven. Toulu, who had over 10 years of farming experience when he joined HUD, has helped the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) work with Pacific Gas and Electric, State Farm Insurance, Oxfam Foundation, and California State Poly-Technical University in San Luis Obispo to create a farming cooperative that is a one-stop shop providing opportunities for new and emerging farmers. By helping these entities work together on this cooperative, the Fresno Community Builders are facilitating jobs and economic growth opportunities in a community very much in need. Although the Valley is a fertile agricultural area, it is home to some of the most impoverished communities in California. The increased economic opportunities available through these partnerships help empower these communities. The cooperative will provide farmers with mentoring from graduate students at the University, hands-on experience in planting, exposure to cutting edge pest control and farming techniques, and help with marketing their crops. Grants from Oxfam supported the marketing development project for the cooperative. Additional grants from The California Endowment will support agri-chemical training and safe handling of pesticides. The USDA Risk Management Agency will provide funding to purchase equipment including tractors, plows, diskers, and furrow makers. Technical support for training is provided by the University of California Cooperative Extension. The marketing support for the cooperative will be provided by Sarabian Farms. The cooperative is located in a trailer on 20 acres of land. Five acres are being used for farming demonstration projects, and the remaining 15 will be leased for 2-3 farmers who will participate in a farming incubation project on-site, and 3-5 farmers will be off site. The incubation project will last for 2-3 years. Once they have graduated from the incubation project, the farmers will be able to farm independently and successfully. The cooperative has also arranged for the farmers to visit other farms across California, and complete classroom training in soil science, accounting and bookeeping, marketing and risk management.
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