Agricultural Council of California

04/17/2026

Ag Council co-hosted a successful bipartisan gubernatorial forum in early April at Fresno State along with Western Growers, California Farm Bureau, and other ag organizations in collaboration with The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute.

Gubernatorial candidates Xavier Becerra, Chad Bianco, Steve Hilton, Matt Mahan, Katie Porter and Antonio Villaraigosa participated in the forum.

The forum provided a critical platform to elevate key issues with an emphasis on affordability in the Central Valley, including water, energy, and housing, as well as the cost of living in the Golden State. Much of the conversation centered around regulatory challenges.

Ag Council President Emily Robidart Rooney said, "It is important for gubernatorial candidates to spend time in the Valley and discuss how they would address the issues facing our ag community, if elected. The region deserves attention along with thoughtful solutions from those seeking to serve as governor. We appreciate each of the candidates who participated."

Did you miss the forum? Watch the video on The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute's YouTube page. The forum discussion begins at the six-minute mark in the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecuIRt5zXws

11/07/2025

Big congratulations to Emily Rooney for receiving the Honorary American FFA Degree!

As our president and also Chair of the California FFA Foundation Board of Directors, Emily has shown up for California’s future agricultural leaders in a big way, championing FFA students, backing leadership development, and investing in the next generation of ag innovators.

Read more here: https://agcouncil.org/ag-council-pres-receives-honorary-american-ffa-degree/

08/01/2025

The Specialty Crop Workforce Development Program (SCWDP) is all about Partnering for Progress 🤝

By opening their doors to SCWDP interns, Winters Farming helps provide real-world skills and long-term opportunity for California Community College students.

Check out this featured video, provided by Region 2 coordinator Amplivare, to hear more about Winters Farming and the potential for these internships to impact the agricultural workforce.

Mitchell is the supervisor for one of the MJC interns this summer. He's been a great mentor and excellent teacher. We appreciate his support of students purs...

07/25/2025

💬 “Every conversation with an employer or student feels like planting a seed for the future.”

Meet Lydia Nattey - founder of Rooted Consulting Group and SCWDP Regional Coordinator for region three. Her passion for workforce equity drives every connection she makes.

Pictured is Lydia (L), Dr. Evelyn Young Spath (R) of Amore Farms, and Antoinique Tarver (C), an intern at Amore Farms who was placed through the Specialty Crop Workforce Development Program.

💬 “Every conversation with an employer or student feels like planting a seed for the future.” Meet Lydia Nattey - founder of Rooted Consulting Group and SCWDP Regional Coordinator for region three. Her passion for workforce equity drives every connection she makes. Pictured is Lydia (L), Dr. ...

07/18/2025

🌍 “Ag is a way to grow community—and opportunity.”

In this week's Mary Jean Russell of Fortitude Community Farm School shares how partnerships are creating long-term workforce change.

Excerpt from the Ag Industry Challenges and Innovations Dinner at the 2024 Winter CATA Conference.

06/27/2025

💼 “We can’t just recruit talent—we have to *build* it.”

In this week's Abel Guzman of The Wonderful Company outlines how workforce development is being reshaped in real time.

06/20/2025

🛠️ “We need to equip students not just with skills—but with purpose.”

For this week's Field Notes Fridays, Tommy Henderson of California State University, Chico, shares what it means to bridge hands-on learning with meaningful agricultural careers.

06/13/2025

🎓 “We’re not just growing crops—we’re growing careers.”

For this week's Field Notes Fridays, Lindsay Ono, Chair of the Ag Department at Bakersfield College, reflects on how education fuels the future of specialty crops. This video is a part of a series captured at the Ag Industry Challenges and Innovation Dinner hosted in partnership with the California Agricultural Teachers Association (CATA) at their 2024 mid-winter conference.

06/10/2025

📣 Ag Council Highlights: Advancing California’s Specialty Crop Workforce

For two years, Ag Council has worked with three outstanding regional coordinators in implementing the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Specialty Crop Workforce Development Program (SCWDP). This forward-thinking initiative is a USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant championed by CDFA Secretary Karen Ross.

The clear mission of this groundbreaking program is to better prepare California's current and future workforce for the evolving and modern demands of the specialty crop sector. With challenges ranging from workforce shortages to limited exposure to agricultural career pathways, SCWDP is working to bridge the gap by building stronger connections between employers, students, and educators across the state.

As a statewide trade association, Ag Council understands how vital it is to be part of the SCWDP. California's specialty crop industry is not only a cornerstone of our state's economy; it is a living ecosystem of innovation, resilience, and growth. Helping to build pathways to introduce more students to meaningful, paid opportunities in this space is something we are proud of.

From Butte to Bakersfield, we are seeing the real impact of the program when collaboration is met with purpose.

Now, we are excited to take you behind the scenes.

🌱 Starting this week, tune in weekly as Ag Council spotlights the work being done across California by our SCWDP Regional Coordinators:
Heidi Carpenter-Harris, Akoniti Leadership, covering North State/Bay Area
Rachelle Antinetti, Amplivare Consulting, covering North San Joaquin/Coastal
Lydia Nattey, Rooted Consulting Group, covering South Central/Inland

Each brings a unique regional perspective and deep commitment to advancing workforce opportunities in specialty crops. You will hear stories from the field, employer partnerships, student success highlights, and reflections.

We hope you will follow along, engage with the stories, and help us amplify the importance of developing a strong, diverse talent pipeline for California ag.

💡 Learn more about the program here:
👉 https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Specialty_Crop_Workforce_Development/

06/09/2025

The dedication of our board members is unparalleled. They were a force during our Legislative Conference – leading teams during outreach with lawmakers on many critical issues. Thank you for your hard work to make the day so successful.

06/04/2025

Congratulations to our Influential Legislator of the Year, Senator Angelique Ashby. Her steadfast resolve is an asset in the Legislature, and we enjoyed honoring her with this distinguished award during our legislative conference.

05/21/2025

Congratulations to our Influential Legislator of the Year - Senator Angelique Ashby. Her steadfast resolve is an asset in the Legislature, and we enjoyed honoring her with this distinguished award during Agricultural Council of California's legislative conference.