Raising community awareness of the positive impact agriculture makes in our lives.
The Grower-Shipper Foundation seeks funding to expand its core programs—AgKnowledge, Ag Jobs: Bringing a Greater Vision, and Ag Against Hunger—while strengthening organizational capacity to better serve the Monterey Bay community. This support will allow us to educate more leaders, prepare young professionals for ag careers, recover more fresh food for families in need, and build long-term sustainability through improved outreach and innovation.
Agriculture is the backbone of our local economy, yet it remains misunderstood and underappreciated. At the same time, the region faces pressing challenges: workforce gaps in the agricultural sector, food insecurity among vulnerable populations, and the need for informed leadership to shape policies affecting food systems.
With this investment, the Grower-Shipper Foundation will be able to educate more leaders, launch more young people into rewarding careers, and feed more families—all while building a stronger, more sustainable agricultural future for the Monterey Bay region.
The Grower-Shipper Foundation is a three-county Monterey Bay area non-profit. We serve Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties. Our office is located in Salinas. Our programs benefit the community throughout the Monterey Bay area. Our AgKnowledge Program focuses on Ag in Monterey County, our Ag Jobs: Bringing a Greater Vision is in partnership with CSUMB and Hartnell College which serves the greater Monterey Bay area and Ag Against Hunger gleaning is throughout the three-county area.
Growing up in Salinas, my early memories of agriculture were shaped by long days of stoop labor in the strawberry fields. My father, who worked his way from sharecropper to farm owner, believed that experiencing this hard, honest work would motivate his six children to stay in school and pursue better opportunities. When I was invited to join AgKnowledge, I saw a chance to view agriculture through a new lens. The program went far beyond fieldwork, introducing us to the complexity of Monterey County’s agricultural industry. Through sessions with farm owners, scientists, educators, regulators, and lawyers, I discovered an industry driven by innovation, collaboration, and leadership. My “aha” moment came when I realized AgKnowledge not only shares knowledge but sparks partnerships that strengthen our community. Inspired, I applied what I learned to develop economic development infographics at work. AgKnowledge changed my perspective—agriculture is far more than I once remembered.
- Jerry Hernandez, SALINAS
