Held annually at the California Capitol, Capitol Ag Day is a chance to celebrate the state’s diverse agriculture industry and speak to the challenges farmer’s across the state face. The event is hosted by California Farm Bureau and brings together Farm Bureau members, 4-H and FFA students, producers, and supporters. It also gives folks a chance to listen to guest speakers who are typically industry leaders, regulators and legislators. This year’s event was held virtually due to COVID restrictions, however, Monterey County Farm Bureau Executive Director Norm Groot said the virtual event was a hit. “I have to say for a virtual event like this, it went much better than expected,” Groot said.
The virtual platform created a pleasant landscape to listen to speakers and while Groot said it’s not ideal for meeting directly with lawmakers, it still served an important purpose. Groot added especially when it came to topics such as UCCE funding, “We got some very good response from the legislators on that,” Groot said. “I think they’re finally understanding that cooperative extension is very important for the agricultural sector.”
Listen to the full report below.
Danielle Leal
Multi-Media Journalist & AgNet News Hour Anchor