why farmers are the best science teachers and how kids in the city are
teachers and how kids in the city are
teachers and how kids in the city are the future of Agriculture I’m the
the future of Agriculture I’m the
the future of Agriculture I’m the fourth-generation dairy farmer from
fourth-generation dairy farmer from
fourth-generation dairy farmer from California and the answer to that
California and the answer to that
California and the answer to that question is in my family’s history in
question is in my family’s history in
question is in my family’s history in 1893 my great grandfather Luigi came
1893 my great grandfather Luigi came
1893 my great grandfather Luigi came from southern Switzerland travel across
from southern Switzerland travel across
from southern Switzerland travel across the seas arrived in San Francisco and
the seas arrived in San Francisco and
the seas arrived in San Francisco and came to my hometown of Hanford and
came to my hometown of Hanford and
came to my hometown of Hanford and purchased land from the Southern Pacific
purchased land from the Southern Pacific
purchased land from the Southern Pacific Railroad company that was wild unclaimed
Railroad company that was wild unclaimed
Railroad company that was wild unclaimed land that they sold to pay off the
land that they sold to pay off the
land that they sold to pay off the construction of the railroad during my
construction of the railroad during my
construction of the railroad during my great-grandfather’s
great-grandfather’s
great-grandfather’s time and farming the technology of the
time and farming the technology of the
time and farming the technology of the day was characterized by human in horse
day was characterized by human in horse
day was characterized by human in horse power in the next generation my
power in the next generation my
power in the next generation my grandfather’s generation was farming
grandfather’s generation was farming
grandfather’s generation was farming with the power of diesel to think back
with the power of diesel to think back
with the power of diesel to think back about how different times were when my
about how different times were when my
about how different times were when my grandmother was born who was currently
grandmother was born who was currently
grandmother was born who was currently 104 years old and living still on our
104 years old and living still on our
104 years old and living still on our farm she was born into a house with no
farm she was born into a house with no
farm she was born into a house with no electricity at the age of 23 she married
electricity at the age of 23 she married
electricity at the age of 23 she married my grandfather and moved into a house on
my grandfather and moved into a house on
my grandfather and moved into a house on our farm that is my office today at then
our farm that is my office today at then
our farm that is my office today at then at the age of 23 she likes the joke when
at the age of 23 she likes the joke when
at the age of 23 she likes the joke when she came to this farm she moved into the
she came to this farm she moved into the
she came to this farm she moved into the house with no indoor plumbing and all
house with no indoor plumbing and all
house with no indoor plumbing and all she had was an outhouse with no door my
she had was an outhouse with no door my
she had was an outhouse with no door my father’s era was characterized by better
father’s era was characterized by better
father’s era was characterized by better living through chemistry it was an era
living through chemistry it was an era
living through chemistry it was an era of synthetic fertilizer in the
of synthetic fertilizer in the
of synthetic fertilizer in the development of pesticides my era of
development of pesticides my era of
development of pesticides my era of farming is what I call the Enlightenment
farming is what I call the Enlightenment
farming is what I call the Enlightenment period it’s about maximizing production
period it’s about maximizing production
period it’s about maximizing production with the greatest benefit to human
with the greatest benefit to human
with the greatest benefit to human health and the environment it’s using
health and the environment it’s using
health and the environment it’s using science and technology to understand and
science and technology to understand and
science and technology to understand and work in harmony with the natural
work in harmony with the natural
work in harmony with the natural processes of the earth it’s an era of
processes of the earth it’s an era of
processes of the earth it’s an era of information and computing unlike my
information and computing unlike my
information and computing unlike my three previous generations I left the
three previous generations I left the
three previous generations I left the farm
farm
farm and returned after 15 years my
and returned after 15 years my
and returned after 15 years my experience of living and working on the
experience of living and working on the
experience of living and working on the farm and off the farm has given me a
farm and off the farm has given me a
farm and off the farm has given me a unique view of the future of Agriculture
unique view of the future of Agriculture
unique view of the future of Agriculture so my story is this when I was a boy
so my story is this when I was a boy
so my story is this when I was a boy like every farm kid I got up I went out
like every farm kid I got up I went out
like every farm kid I got up I went out on the farmer did my chores went to
on the farmer did my chores went to
on the farmer did my chores went to school came home continued to work my
school came home continued to work my
school came home continued to work my parents and my neighbors they supported
parents and my neighbors they supported
parents and my neighbors they supported us and encouraged us to participate in
us and encouraged us to participate in
us and encouraged us to participate in programs like 4-h where they would teach
programs like 4-h where they would teach
programs like 4-h where they would teach us practical skills and leadership as a
us practical skills and leadership as a
us practical skills and leadership as a nine-year-old I learned things like
nine-year-old I learned things like
nine-year-old I learned things like welding Electrical and Electronics
welding Electrical and Electronics
welding Electrical and Electronics woodworking animal husbandry and plant
woodworking animal husbandry and plant
woodworking animal husbandry and plant science I even learned how to cook and
science I even learned how to cook and
science I even learned how to cook and so because my mother in our small
so because my mother in our small
so because my mother in our small community was the leader that taught all
community was the leader that taught all
community was the leader that taught all the girls stuff and having three sisters
the girls stuff and having three sisters
the girls stuff and having three sisters I had to do whatever they were doing so
I had to do whatever they were doing so
I had to do whatever they were doing so I had to learn to cook and sew and set
I had to learn to cook and sew and set
I had to learn to cook and sew and set the table and things of this nature now
the table and things of this nature now
the table and things of this nature now I guess that would be considered a
I guess that would be considered a
I guess that would be considered a sexist way of thinking but what was also
sexist way of thinking but what was also
sexist way of thinking but what was also interesting is that not saying that I
interesting is that not saying that I
interesting is that not saying that I participated in this but there was a
participated in this but there was a
participated in this but there was a program at the time where we had to sew
program at the time where we had to sew
program at the time where we had to sew a matching outfit for ourself and our
a matching outfit for ourself and our
a matching outfit for ourself and our sheep and then we had to parade them
sheep and then we had to parade them
sheep and then we had to parade them around in competition talk about
around in competition talk about
around in competition talk about character building opportunity for kids
character building opportunity for kids
character building opportunity for kids farm kids were raised to be makers
farm kids were raised to be makers
farm kids were raised to be makers farmers are the original makers 4-h and
farmers are the original makers 4-h and
farmers are the original makers 4-h and it was and still is a hands-on
it was and still is a hands-on
it was and still is a hands-on opportunity to learn STEM science
opportunity to learn STEM science
opportunity to learn STEM science technology engineering and mathematics
technology engineering and mathematics
technology engineering and mathematics after college I left the farm I went to
after college I left the farm I went to
after college I left the farm I went to Cal Poly and I got a degree in dairy
Cal Poly and I got a degree in dairy
Cal Poly and I got a degree in dairy science and when I went out into the
science and when I went out into the
science and when I went out into the world I was concerned because I didn’t
world I was concerned because I didn’t
world I was concerned because I didn’t have any marketable skills in the real
have any marketable skills in the real
have any marketable skills in the real world having a degree in dairy science
world having a degree in dairy science
world having a degree in dairy science so the best opportunity for me was to
so the best opportunity for me was to
so the best opportunity for me was to become a babysitter of rock stars and
become a babysitter of rock stars and
become a babysitter of rock stars and for 10 years of my life I managed tours
for 10 years of my life I managed tours
for 10 years of my life I managed tours for rock bands and I traveled all over
for rock bands and I traveled all over
for rock bands and I traveled all over the United States in the world bringing
the United States in the world bringing
the United States in the world bringing tours from town to town
tours from town to town
tours from town to town entertaining people and and delighting
entertaining people and and delighting
entertaining people and and delighting fans all over the place it turned out
fans all over the place it turned out
fans all over the place it turned out that my farmboy skills translated very
that my farmboy skills translated very
that my farmboy skills translated very well and were actually quite sought out
well and were actually quite sought out
well and were actually quite sought out sought after in that environment I
sought after in that environment I
sought after in that environment I became known as the guy that could fix
became known as the guy that could fix
became known as the guy that could fix anything if a guitar broke I would take
anything if a guitar broke I would take
anything if a guitar broke I would take it apart figure out what was wrong and
it apart figure out what was wrong and
it apart figure out what was wrong and fix it when the bus or the van broke
fix it when the bus or the van broke
fix it when the bus or the van broke down while everyone else was standing
down while everyone else was standing
down while everyone else was standing around wondering who was going to come
around wondering who was going to come
around wondering who was going to come and rescue us
and rescue us
and rescue us I opened the hood figured out what was
I opened the hood figured out what was
I opened the hood figured out what was wrong and fixed it because in that
wrong and fixed it because in that
wrong and fixed it because in that environment the show must go on what I
environment the show must go on what I
environment the show must go on what I discovered what was that it wasn’t the
discovered what was that it wasn’t the
discovered what was that it wasn’t the information I had learned as a child
information I had learned as a child
information I had learned as a child that made me useful what mattered was a
that made me useful what mattered was a
that made me useful what mattered was a way of thinking what my parents 4-h and
way of thinking what my parents 4-h and
way of thinking what my parents 4-h and the farm had taught me was how to solve
the farm had taught me was how to solve
the farm had taught me was how to solve problems a way of thinking that stems
problems a way of thinking that stems
problems a way of thinking that stems from the belief that failure is not an
from the belief that failure is not an
from the belief that failure is not an option and nobody is coming to help it’s
option and nobody is coming to help it’s
option and nobody is coming to help it’s basically up to you to do it as a
basically up to you to do it as a
basically up to you to do it as a teenager at 4 o’clock in the morning if
teenager at 4 o’clock in the morning if
teenager at 4 o’clock in the morning if the feed wagon broke down I would have
the feed wagon broke down I would have
the feed wagon broke down I would have to get up and go fix it because if it
to get up and go fix it because if it
to get up and go fix it because if it wasn’t fixed the cows wouldn’t get fed
wasn’t fixed the cows wouldn’t get fed
wasn’t fixed the cows wouldn’t get fed and that’s not an option failure was not
and that’s not an option failure was not
and that’s not an option failure was not an option when confronted with the
an option when confronted with the
an option when confronted with the notion that failure is not an option and
notion that failure is not an option and
notion that failure is not an option and no one is coming to help sometimes
no one is coming to help sometimes
no one is coming to help sometimes strange things happen innovation happens
strange things happen innovation happens
strange things happen innovation happens baling wire and duct tape are oftentimes
baling wire and duct tape are oftentimes
baling wire and duct tape are oftentimes the tools of choice right done is better
the tools of choice right done is better
the tools of choice right done is better than not in 1998 I left the music
than not in 1998 I left the music
than not in 1998 I left the music business and moved to San Francisco to
business and moved to San Francisco to
business and moved to San Francisco to go to work in web development I came
go to work in web development I came
go to work in web development I came into the internet industry and worked at
into the internet industry and worked at
into the internet industry and worked at a startup company and we were developing
a startup company and we were developing
a startup company and we were developing new tools for the Internet and the
new tools for the Internet and the
new tools for the Internet and the Internet was very young at this time and
Internet was very young at this time and
Internet was very young at this time and very often we would start building a
very often we would start building a
very often we would start building a website with a technology that three
website with a technology that three
website with a technology that three months later while we’re still working
months later while we’re still working
months later while we’re still working on this project
Marvel still working on the project the
Marvel still working on the project the technology would become obsolete so we
technology would become obsolete so we
technology would become obsolete so we had to constantly be thinking toward the
had to constantly be thinking toward the
had to constantly be thinking toward the future to figure out which technology is
future to figure out which technology is
future to figure out which technology is going to be used in the future trying to
going to be used in the future trying to
going to be used in the future trying to guess trends and trying to understand
guess trends and trying to understand
guess trends and trying to understand what the future is going to hold it as
what the future is going to hold it as
what the future is going to hold it as rapidly changing industry we had to
rapidly changing industry we had to
rapidly changing industry we had to think about the future or become
think about the future or become
think about the future or become irrelevant five years into that I was
irrelevant five years into that I was
irrelevant five years into that I was called by my family and informed that my
called by my family and informed that my
called by my family and informed that my father had come down with non-hodgkins
father had come down with non-hodgkins
father had come down with non-hodgkins lymphoma and had cancer and was going to
lymphoma and had cancer and was going to
lymphoma and had cancer and was going to go through treatments and they asked if
go through treatments and they asked if
go through treatments and they asked if I could come back and watch the farm
I could come back and watch the farm
I could come back and watch the farm because failure for the family farm was
because failure for the family farm was
because failure for the family farm was not an option and then being an only son
not an option and then being an only son
not an option and then being an only son it was my obligation to come back so I
it was my obligation to come back so I
it was my obligation to come back so I did when I came home I had to relearn
did when I came home I had to relearn
did when I came home I had to relearn how to farm because I had been away for
how to farm because I had been away for
how to farm because I had been away for it for so long so I looked at the
it for so long so I looked at the
it for so long so I looked at the environment to see what was going on
environment to see what was going on
environment to see what was going on like what was new and farming and I was
like what was new and farming and I was
like what was new and farming and I was using the thinking that I had learned
using the thinking that I had learned
using the thinking that I had learned from being in software about what are
from being in software about what are
from being in software about what are the trends in the future and what should
the trends in the future and what should
the trends in the future and what should I be doing today to meet those trends
I be doing today to meet those trends
I be doing today to meet those trends and to be ahead of the change in the
and to be ahead of the change in the
and to be ahead of the change in the dynamics of this organization of this
dynamics of this organization of this
dynamics of this organization of this industry and I saw some problems when I
industry and I saw some problems when I
industry and I saw some problems when I came back and some of those problems
came back and some of those problems
came back and some of those problems were environmental in nature in the San
were environmental in nature in the San
were environmental in nature in the San Joaquin Valley here we have one of the
Joaquin Valley here we have one of the
Joaquin Valley here we have one of the most polluted air basins because of the
most polluted air basins because of the
most polluted air basins because of the geography of the valley all the
geography of the valley all the
geography of the valley all the pollution stays in there’s nowhere for
pollution stays in there’s nowhere for
pollution stays in there’s nowhere for it to go I participated in developing
it to go I participated in developing
it to go I participated in developing and new technology for farming that
and new technology for farming that
and new technology for farming that reduced dust and diesel and greenhouse
reduced dust and diesel and greenhouse
reduced dust and diesel and greenhouse gas emissions from the farming process
gas emissions from the farming process
gas emissions from the farming process by 85% a lot of people love this way of
by 85% a lot of people love this way of
by 85% a lot of people love this way of farming the environmentalists loved it
farming the environmentalists loved it
farming the environmentalists loved it they were giving us all kinds of awards
they were giving us all kinds of awards
they were giving us all kinds of awards for sustainable agriculture and for you
for sustainable agriculture and for you
for sustainable agriculture and for you know conservation the bank loved it
know conservation the bank loved it
know conservation the bank loved it because it was actually a more
because it was actually a more
because it was actually a more profitable way to farm everyone loved it
profitable way to farm everyone loved it
profitable way to farm everyone loved it but one person my father my father hated
but one person my father my father hated
but one person my father my father hated the way I farmed even though he would
the way I farmed even though he would
the way I farmed even though he would tell his friends that you know I was
tell his friends that you know I was
tell his friends that you know I was doing a good job and he was proud that I
doing a good job and he was proud that I
doing a good job and he was proud that I came home the last conversation I ever
came home the last conversation I ever
came home the last conversation I ever had with my father
had with my father
had with my father I remember it was on a Sunday night he
I remember it was on a Sunday night he
I remember it was on a Sunday night he called me up and just shooed me out
called me up and just shooed me out
called me up and just shooed me out about how much he hates the way I farmed
about how much he hates the way I farmed
about how much he hates the way I farmed and in the conversation what was
and in the conversation what was
and in the conversation what was uncovered was the fact that what my
uncovered was the fact that what my
uncovered was the fact that what my father was really upset about was that I
father was really upset about was that I
father was really upset about was that I had changed his stuff it wasn’t that my
had changed his stuff it wasn’t that my
had changed his stuff it wasn’t that my practices were good or bad but it was
practices were good or bad but it was
practices were good or bad but it was that I was doing it differently than him
that I was doing it differently than him
that I was doing it differently than him and what I learned from that experience
and what I learned from that experience
and what I learned from that experience was that not only as thinking
was that not only as thinking
was that not only as thinking innovatively important but you also in
innovatively important but you also in
innovatively important but you also in order to solve problems oftentimes have
order to solve problems oftentimes have
order to solve problems oftentimes have to overcome your own personal biases in
to overcome your own personal biases in
to overcome your own personal biases in order to see opportunities and ways to
order to see opportunities and ways to
order to see opportunities and ways to solve problems in my great-grandfather’s
solve problems in my great-grandfather’s
solve problems in my great-grandfather’s time one farmer in America produced
time one farmer in America produced
time one farmer in America produced enough agriculture product to feed a
enough agriculture product to feed a
enough agriculture product to feed a total of four people a family farm was
total of four people a family farm was
total of four people a family farm was literally meant to feed a family today
literally meant to feed a family today
literally meant to feed a family today one farmer feeds nearly 300 people and
one farmer feeds nearly 300 people and
one farmer feeds nearly 300 people and this number is growing rapidly two
this number is growing rapidly two
this number is growing rapidly two percent of the population of this
percent of the population of this
percent of the population of this country feed the other 98% farmers are
country feed the other 98% farmers are
country feed the other 98% farmers are innovating and adopting technologies in
innovating and adopting technologies in
innovating and adopting technologies in the areas of robotics drones satellite
the areas of robotics drones satellite
the areas of robotics drones satellite genetics the Internet of cows which is a
genetics the Internet of cows which is a
genetics the Internet of cows which is a thing and even CRISPR which we heard
thing and even CRISPR which we heard
thing and even CRISPR which we heard about here today we are now at a point
about here today we are now at a point
about here today we are now at a point where technology is completely
where technology is completely
where technology is completely transforming transforming farm life most
transforming transforming farm life most
transforming transforming farm life most of these technologies have a profound
of these technologies have a profound
of these technologies have a profound benefit on the environment since they
benefit on the environment since they
benefit on the environment since they allow us to us farmers to do more with
allow us to us farmers to do more with
allow us to us farmers to do more with less but they also allow us to produce
less but they also allow us to produce
less but they also allow us to produce more food with less people
more food with less people
more food with less people as the industry transforms from human
as the industry transforms from human
as the industry transforms from human labor to automation the need for
labor to automation the need for
labor to automation the need for highly-skilled problem solvers is
highly-skilled problem solvers is
highly-skilled problem solvers is increasing but for the first time in
increasing but for the first time in
increasing but for the first time in human history farmers are finding
human history farmers are finding
human history farmers are finding themselves with problems they can’t
themselves with problems they can’t
themselves with problems they can’t solve and no one is coming to help we
solve and no one is coming to help we
solve and no one is coming to help we need help
need help
need help but solving problems for farmers
but solving problems for farmers
but solving problems for farmers requires thinking like farmers but only
requires thinking like farmers but only
requires thinking like farmers but only 2% of the population are farmers so how
2% of the population are farmers so how
2% of the population are farmers so how do we get kids in the cities the problem
do we get kids in the cities the problem
do we get kids in the cities the problem solvers of tomorrow thinking about
solvers of tomorrow thinking about
solvers of tomorrow thinking about agricultural problems today
agricultural problems today
agricultural problems today wheat we do it by teaching them stem
wheat we do it by teaching them stem
wheat we do it by teaching them stem through agricultural examples in 2009 a
through agricultural examples in 2009 a
through agricultural examples in 2009 a group of farmers started farm academy an
group of farmers started farm academy an
group of farmers started farm academy an interactive live field trip through an
interactive live field trip through an
interactive live field trip through an agricultural destination using advanced
agricultural destination using advanced
agricultural destination using advanced video conference technologies our AG
video conference technologies our AG
video conference technologies our AG professionals take over elementary
professionals take over elementary
professionals take over elementary school classrooms and offer an
school classrooms and offer an
school classrooms and offer an experience to kids in the city that’s
experience to kids in the city that’s
experience to kids in the city that’s the next best thing to being on the farm
the next best thing to being on the farm
the next best thing to being on the farm this program is designed to promote stem
this program is designed to promote stem
this program is designed to promote stem literacy and healthy lifestyles the goal
literacy and healthy lifestyles the goal
literacy and healthy lifestyles the goal is to ignite in students at passion for
is to ignite in students at passion for
is to ignite in students at passion for science and give them examples of how
science and give them examples of how
science and give them examples of how science impacts areas most essential to
science impacts areas most essential to
science impacts areas most essential to their lives food nutrition and the
their lives food nutrition and the
their lives food nutrition and the environment by creating a relationship
environment by creating a relationship
environment by creating a relationship between the Science and Technology of
between the Science and Technology of
between the Science and Technology of Agriculture and the science and
Agriculture and the science and
Agriculture and the science and technology of everyday life farm academy
technology of everyday life farm academy
technology of everyday life farm academy aims to ignite a passion for learning
aims to ignite a passion for learning
aims to ignite a passion for learning and the attitude of the farmer failure
and the attitude of the farmer failure
and the attitude of the farmer failure is not an option
is not an option
is not an option think about the future and work past our
think about the future and work past our
think about the future and work past our biases because these children’s hold the
biases because these children’s hold the
biases because these children’s hold the key to our future as farmers and our
key to our future as farmers and our
key to our future as farmers and our future as the human race and who knows
future as the human race and who knows
future as the human race and who knows maybe one day one of these kids will
maybe one day one of these kids will
maybe one day one of these kids will even come up with a way to hang a door
even come up with a way to hang a door
even come up with a way to hang a door on my grandmother’s outhouse thank you
on my grandmother’s outhouse thank you
on my grandmother’s outhouse thank you [Applause]
”
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