Ag in the Classroom leader Judy Culbertson retires By Christine Souza
Judy Culbertson, executive director of the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, has retired after more than 40 years of guiding the organization. California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass lauded Culbertson for playing a significant role in raising aware- ness of agriculture. Ag in the Classroom provides educational resources to about 1 million students and thousands of teach- ers each year. “Judy has introduced agriculture to generations of teachers and students, pro- viding information about the value of the state’s diverse food and agricultural sector and showing how it connects to their ev- eryday lives,” Douglass said. On behalf of the foundation, created by the California Farm Bureau in 1986, Culbertson—who retired April 1—said she has spent her career creating resources, pro- grams, events and other opportunities for teachers so students can learn more about where their food and fiber come from. “To reach more people, we found that our niche was in curriculum, so we de- veloped free resources that fit into every subject area, including science, math, English, nutrition, art and physical edu- cation,” Culbertson said. “Many teachers have never been on a farm or don’t know much about agriculture, so we try to make it as easy as possible.” California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross praised Culbertson for her dedication to
Judy Culbertson, executive director of the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, speaks at Capitol Agriculture Day at the state Capitol in 2017. She retired April 1, after more than 40 years of dedication to agricultural education.
agricultural education. “Throughout her career, Judy has touched so many lives of children, teach- ers and parents she may never meet but who have benefitted from her passionate commitment to ag literacy,” Ross said. “She has worked tirelessly to grow Ag in the Classroom to reach more students ev- ery year, and she has mentored talented young staff members to constantly evolve the program in changing times.” After graduating from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo,
with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business management, Culbertson took a job with the California Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers & Ranchers program. The role evolved to include development of ag- ricultural education programs. The idea to focus on agricultur- al education grew out of a phone call, Culbertson said. “It was 1980 when we got the call from the San Francisco Unified School District,” she said. “The district asked if we could ar- range a field trip for teachers to visit apple
orchards in Sonoma County.” The event was so successful, she re- called, “pretty soon, there were more field trips, and then schools wanted curriculum, so it blossomed.” A year later, the Farm Bureau held San Francisco Farm Day, an event that attracted some 10,000 students from 20 schools and featured presentations by farmer volunteers from 10 different county Farm Bureaus. “No matter if you are a city kid or a
See LEADER, Page 15
14 Ag Alert April 3, 2024
Powered by FlippingBook