Over 350 people attended the Youth Agriculture and Animal Science Field Day held on February 8, 2020 at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds. The purpose was to provide agricultural education to youth (and their adult leaders, teachers, and mentors) who raise, care, breed, show, and market animals; raise, grow, or farm plants or fibers; and/or care about agriculture.
The event was co-hosted by UC Cooperative Extension and the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds and Event Center. A keynote was provided by Dr. Temple Grandin, Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. Workshops covered a variety of topics including science of wildland fire (Hannah Bird); building and enhancing the client-veterinarian relationship (Randi Black); communicating the value of agriculture and animal science at public exhibitions (Dayna Ghirardelli and Amy Houseman); embracing working landscapes: impacts of agriculture on climate change (Stephanie Larson); basic husbandry and disease prevention in backyard poultry (Maurice Pitesky); enhancing awareness of agricultural career opportunities (Sonoma-Marin Farm Bureau's young farmers and ranchers); There's a horse in the melon patch! The joys and pains of integrating livestock into vegetable cropping systems (Stuart Schroeder, Alda Pires, & Vince Trotter); and supporting positive animal welfare practices (Martin Smith).
Post-event evaluation results were positive!
- 96% agreed they would attend the field day again.
- 96% will recommend the field day to a friend or colleague.
- 97% agreed the field day was an effective learning experience.
- 98% agreed they improved their knowledge of an agricultural-related topic.
- 95% agreed that their educational workshop was valuable in helping them learn about agriculture.
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