Agriview Spring 2016

IN THIS ISSUE: A VISION OF THE FUTURE

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NAVIGATING THE CYBERSEES

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FACULTY & ALUMNI UPDATES

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Navigating the CyberSEES

C A F E S . C A L P O LY. E D U

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FROM the D E A N

Sowing Seeds of Change

DEAR CAFES ALUMNI AND FRIENDS,

Each year, a growing number of students choose to make CAFES the first investment in their future. The college currently has about 4,000 undergraduates enrolled — and each year the number of student applicants continues to rise. As

PLANS TAKE ROOT TO ENRICH CAFE’S PROGRAMS AND EXPAND FACILITIES

I travel throughout the state of California and across the country, I continue to be amazed — the Cal Poly brand is very strong.

Most of our college facilities were built in the 1950s. The most recent teaching facility, the Agricultural Sciences Building, was built nearly 35 years ago. We have now reached the point where we are utilizing our existing teaching and learning facilities at 113 percent of capacity. The bottom line is this: Our technology and infrastructure needs must be addressed to handle our current students, as well as expansion of the college.

What are we doing about this? Over the past 18 months, we’ve made significant progress on the programming and design of several new buildings with the help of our generous partners such as Peter and Mary Beth Oppenheimer, James Boswell, Jerry Lohr, Troy and Basia Gillespie, and Jim Marderosian. We are very grateful for their time, talent and treasure.

Our primary focus has been on several key facilities that are critically needed to ensure we are able to continue to provide our renowned Learn by Doing education.

These include the Boswell Ag Technology Center, the Center for Wine and Viticulture, new Horticulture and Crop Science facilities, including much-needed green houses, and Animal Science facilities. Given the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of the college, these will positively impact all of CAFES. Here’s where you come in.

Over the next 24 months, we will regularly update you regarding the development of our much-needed new teaching and research infrastructure. I ask for your support as we work to modernize our facilities. We need your ideas, the strength of your networks, and your financial support to retain new faculty and provide the infrastructure they need to give students the best education there is to offer. My promise to you is that we will continue to use every resource we have to its full potential — guaranteeing that each student’s investment is worthwhile not only for them, but for the world at large.

Warmest Regards,

Andrew J. Thulin | Dean

N EWS & NO TES

TOP FOUR COLLEGE

SPRING 2016

1-2 News & Notes Advancement update; Calendar of upcoming events; Faculty News 4

Advancement A generous gift from alumni Troy and Basia Gillespie to fund a new viticulture lab at the Center for Wine and Viticulture

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Cover Story Cal Poly Professor Bo Liu receives a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to fund his research related to smart farms

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Learn By Doing Cal Poly students get a firsthand experience of Super Bowl 50; Cal Poly Wine and Viticulture at the historic California Wine Symposium and trade mission in Cuba

10 Student Success Wins for Dairy Science and Agricultural Education and Communication; Students honored by state lawmakers AGRIVIEW is published for alumni and friends by the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES).

Dean’s Office 805-756-2161 Communications Team Haley Marconett hmarcone@calpoly.edu | 805-756-2933 AnnMarie Cornejo ancornej@calpoly.edu | 805-756-2427

CAFES Director of Development Named Alexis Bradfield has been named director of development for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. She joined CAFES last May as an advancement coordinator and was recognized as being very personable, adaptive and a quick learner. Prior to joining Cal Poly, the CAFES alumna fine-tuned her listening skills and customercentric approach in the hospitality industry. She holds a bachelor’s degree in recreation, parks and tourism administration from Cal Poly. She joins Russ Kabaker, assistant dean of advancement and external relations, and Grant Kirkpatrick, director of development. “I look forward to sharing the amazing Learn by Doing opportunities offered at this university with Cal Poly alumni and industry partners, and helping connect them with ways to further enhance our mission,” said Bradfield. “The hands-on education that Cal Poly provides is truly unique and one that I myself benefited from. I know that only through community support and private donors can we continue to enhance these experiences for students. And our industry partners reap the rewards by being able to hire smart, work-ready students.”

Editor Jo Ann Lloyd jlloyd@calpoly.edu | 805-756-7266 Publication Designer IE Design + Communications, Hermosa Beach, Calif.

Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences has been ranked one of the top four colleges of agriculture in the nation by Campus Explorer, a website that assists more than 30 million students a year with college planning.

LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING

According to Campus Explorer, Cal Poly has everything, including its own creamery, organic farm, and irrigation research center. “If you’re searching for an impressive and more affordable agriculture school, Cal Poly is the place,” states the report.

LEARN BY DOING

“Our Learn by Doing philosophy gives our students firsthand experience in the field of their interest,” said Andrew Thulin, dean of Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

“Our classrooms are living laboratories. Our faculty members partner with students, sharing research opportunities and practical experience needed for successful careers.”

Printer Journal Graphics, Portland, Ore.

Calendar of Upcoming Events

Stay Connected on:

April 16: Open House:

ON THE COVER: Professor Bo Liu of the Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Department is working with undergraduate and graduate students to improve the use of technology in agriculture.

Poly Royal Rodeo and CAFES alumni reception May 6: Students, faculty and staff traveled to Sacramento in January for the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium – the largest industry trade show of its kind in North America.

An Evening of Green & Gold

May 21: Mustang Madness June 11: Spring Commencement C A F E S . C A L P O LY. E D U

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N EWS & N O T E S

EXPANDING OUR FACULTY

Welcoming New Faces and Talent

More than 25 new faculty members joined the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences in 2014-15 and 2015-16. We are pleased to introduce them in this and upcoming issues of our college newsletter.

KELLY IVORS

BO LIU

JOHN CRANDALL

Department: Horticulture and Crop Science

Department: Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering

Department: Wine and Viticulture

Areas of Specialty: Plant pathology, strawberry diseases

Area of Specialty: Mechatronics

Education: Ph.D. in plant pathology, Pennsylvania State

Education: Ph.D. in bioengineering, University of Missouri

Hometown: Flower Mound, Texas

Hometown: Zhangye, China

What book are you currently reading?

Scientific articles

What book are you currently reading?

“The Life We Bury” by Allen Eskens

Area of Specialty: Enology Education: Bachelor’s degree in fermentation science, UC Davis Hometown: Downey, Calif.

What book are you currently reading?

“Go Set a Watchman” by Harper Lee

YI-WEN CHIU

GORDON REES

ASHRAF TUBEILEH

Department: Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences

Department: Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences

Department: Horticulture and Crop Science

Areas of Specialty: Applications of lifecycle analysis, geographical information system, water footprint accounting

Area of Specialty: Forest and range soil science

Education: Ph.D. in water resources science, University of Minnesota Hometown: Nantou, Taiwan What book are you currently reading?

“Escape from the Ivory Tower: A Guide to Making Your Science Matter” by Nancy Baron

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Education: Ph.D. in soils and biogeochemistry, UC Davis Hometown: Salem, Utah What book are you currently reading?

“Soil Genesis and Classification”

by Stanley Buol, R.J. Southard, R.C. Graham and P.A. McDaniel

Area of Specialty: Sustainable cropping systems Education: Ph.D. in agronomy, University of Lorraine, France Hometown: Ottawa, Canada What book are you currently reading?

“History of Antioch in Syria” by Glanville Downey

#AgNowMoreThanEver Our students’ favorite Learn by Doing moments from winter 2016.

Sarah Do

Emma Cummings

Maggie Gannon

Agricultural and Environmental Plant Sciences

Animal Science

Animal Science

Jackie Wang

Liam Hunt

Elizabeth Russell

Agricultural and Environmental Plant Sciences

Wine and Viticulture

Dairy Science

Stay up to date with CAFES on social media! /calpoly.cafes

/calpoly_cafes

/calpoly_cafes

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ADVAN C E M E N T

A Vision of the Future CAL POLY ALUMNI PLEDGE $1.2 MILLION TO SUPPORT CAL POLY’S PROPOSED CENTER FOR WINE AND VITICULTURE

CAL POLY ALUMNI Troy and Basia Gillespie, longtime agricul-

turalists in California’s Central Valley, have pledged $1.2 million to the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences’ new Center for Wine and Viticulture.

The gift will help fund a new viticulture lab that is planned as part of the center.

Basia Gillespie’s parents started farming raisins 30 years ago in Madera County. Today the family grows almonds, prunes, raisins and wine grapes.

“We know the value of viticulture and want to invest in its future because it is so important that students go down that path,” said Troy Gillespie. “You need good, quality grapes to make good wine, and Cal Poly’s hands-on style of teaching is invaluable to the future of the industry.”

Cal Poly’s new Center for Wine and Viticulture will feature a commercial-grade, bonded winery and learning facility that will provide students a holistic understanding of the wine and viticulture industries — from growing the grapes and making the wines to marketing and distributing the finished product.

To join the effort in taking the next big step for

“We are stepping forward and putting our pledge down in the

Cal Poly’s Center for Wine and Viticulture, contact

hope of inspiring others to do the same,” Gillespie said. “This is our

Grant Kirkpatrick, director of development, at

way of shepherding the dream to a reality.”

805-756-2173 or gkirkpat@calpoly.edu.

The couple’s daughter, Courtney, is a wine and viticulture senior at Cal Poly. Their son, Austin, is studying business at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

The nearly 40,000-square-foot bonded winery will include crush, fermentation, bottling and barrel rooms, plus teaching and meeting facilities. There will also be sensory, enology and viticulture teaching

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ADVA NCEMENT

We need you to be a part of the future of the Center for Wine and Viticulture. Multiple naming opportunities are available. For more information, contact Grant Kirkpatrick at 805-781-2173 or gkirkpat@calpoly.edu.

WINE AND VITICULTURE

GRANGE HALL

BUILDING

8. Grange

1.

Winery Naming

2.

Fermentation Hall

3. Research

Building

Naming 9.

Event/Lecture Hall

10. Sensory

Lab

Fermentation Lab

11. Enology

Lab

4.

Crush Pad

12. Viticulture

5.

Analysis Labs

6.

Bottling Room

7. Conference

Lab (Troy

and Basia Gillespie) 13. Event

Plaza

Room

labs and commercial and catering kitchens and university and public meeting spaces.

“The Cal Poly Center for Wine and Viticulture will be a model for the hands-on learning for which Cal Poly is known,” said Andrew Thulin, dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. “With the visionary support of generous individuals and families like the Gillespies, we will soon have a world-class facility for teaching the next generation of wine professionals.”

The center will complement the university’s existing 14-acre teaching and commercial vineyard that produces chardonnay, pinot noir, syrah and tempranillo grapes. The center is currently

Cal Poly Center for Sustainability Receives Funding from the Miossi Charitable Trust Cal Poly’s Center for Sustainability in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences has been awarded $50,000 from the Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust to advance programs in several key areas of sustainable agriculture.

being designed, and construction is expected to begin within the next couple of years.

“We know the value of viticulture and want to invest in its future.” ­—Troy Gillespie In September, viticulture and fruit science Professor Emeritus Paul Fountain donated $250,000 to the Wine and Viticulture Department to make improvements to the teaching vineyard.

The department’s other notable supporters include Jerry Lohr, owner of J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines, who supports Cal Poly’s wine and viticulture program as an advisor and through his generous gifts for the Center for Wine and Viticulture. His own

The donation will enable the center to expand the college’s research and educational opportunities in the areas of soil health and composting, organic farming systems, and holistic grazing.

“We are honored that the Miossi Trust has included the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences in its wide range of beneficiaries providing innovative programs that enhance our community,” said Hunter Francis, director of the Center for Sustainability. “Fostering the adoption of more sustainable agricultural methods today and helping to educate the land stewards of tomorrow is a beautiful complement to the legacy of a man who cared so deeply about both the environment and youth.”

The center will host several public events sponsored by the Miossi Trust in 2016. More information about these and other upcoming events can be found on the center’s website: cfs.calpoly.edu.

vineyards in Monterey, Napa Valley and Paso Robles frequently employ Cal Poly students and alumni.

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COVE R S TO RY

CAL POLY ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AND HIS COLLABORATORS HAVE RECEIVED A NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AWARD.

A SMALL ROBOT DEFTLY NAVIGATES

through a grove of avocado trees, equipped to take soil samples, moisture estimates and photographs. The area, densely populated by trees, is not visible from the grove’s edge.

Navigating the CyberSEES

Yet, because of advanced drone technology, the exact coordinates are readily available to deploy the robot to collect samples that will be analyzed and used to increase the overall health and production of the orchard.

Professor Bo Liu, who specializes in mechatronics in the Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Department, knows that the use of technology by farmers and ranchers is critical to meet modern day demands on the agricultural industry.

The world population is expected to grow to 9.6 billion by 2050, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. In fact, the FAO predicts that food production must increase by 70 percent by 2050.

That growth far outpaces the natural resources available, such as land and water and current methods of food production.

“We need to optimize water use and get more food out of the field by using less labor and fewer chemicals,” said Liu. “And we need to do it now.”

Liu and his collaborators recently received a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to fund his research related to smart farms, or farms using advanced technology.

He is collaborating with Professor Chandra Krintz of UC Santa Barbara and Professor Balaji Sethuramasamyraja of Fresno State to investigate the unification of cyberinfrastructure, such as cloud computing with advanced robotics technology, with agriculture analytics to enable precision and agronomics-driven

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C OVER STO RY (Below) BioResource and agricultural engineering senior Luke Hannemann, works with a robotic arm in an electronics lab. The funding for the arm was donated

by Jim Marderosian of Bee Sweet Citrus. Students used a 3-D printer to make the claw used to grasp objects.

farming by individual growers — technology readily not available today.

Nationwide many large producers have

Professor Bo Liu, third from the left,

already introduced advanced tools such as

with students from the Bioresource

sensor measurements and data analysis into

and Agricultural Engineering

their operations to make them more efficient.

However, small farmers often lose out.

Department as they work with a ground robot in an avocado orchard on campus.

Small growers and ranchers face the conundrum of knowing that they must

called SmartFarm, that will integrate the

increase productivity and efficiency but are

data into a cloud-based data appliance with

unable to afford the often costly technology

built-in analytics that will provide solutions

to make those advances or to analyze the

to farmers tailored to their needs.

massive amount of data collected, Liu said.

Farmers will then be able to use data-driven

“We need a better solution to decrease

analysis and support to increase their

costs and increase efficiency,” said Liu.

productions’ sustainability.

He is working with a team of Cal Poly

“Scientific research continues to connect

undergraduate and graduate students to

the pieces between climate change and

improve such technology in a way that makes it affordable for even the smallest of farms.

The premise is simple, robots and

“To make agriculture more productive

wireless sensors are used to collect data in

and the productivity gains sustainable,

a large agricultural area. That information

growers are increasingly turning to

is then streamed to the internet to be further

environmental sensor measurement, data

studied using cloud based analytics.

acquisition, and data analysis,” Liu wrote

But what becomes of that data? As it is

in an abstract about his research.

now, it is downloaded into a “black box,”

However, those tools have failed to

and farmers must then hire companies to

achieve widespread use by smaller

analyze the data to know what improve-

agricultural operations.

ments need to be made.

“Robots have been used in the car industry

Liu argues that individual growers and

to weld and assemble cars,” said Liu. “Yet

ranchers are underserved by recent advances

farmers are still reliant on high-cost labor

in commercial and research sectors that

to pick their crops. There is not yet a lot of

make data analytics costly and require that

automation in agriculture. Small farmers

growers relinquish control over their data.

simply can’t afford it.”

His goal is to ultimately create a system,

permanently changing weather patterns, in California and beyond,” said Michael Burlingame, a part-time lecturer and graduate student at Cal Poly. “So it is now starting to be accepted that the water, once abundant to us, may never return to what it was. Knowing this, growers want to do everything they possibly can to squeeze every bit of efficiency out of every last drop of water they use.”

Burlingame is working directly with Liu on developing two tools necessary for precision agricultural practices: wireless, soil moisture-monitoring data collection equipment and an autonomous ground vehicle that is capable of sampling and collecting data for a wide range of crops.

The SmartFarm system’s success is contingent on education and outreach,

Thanks to a donation by the J.G. Boswell Foundation, the college has initiated the design and construction of a 30,000-square-foot agricultural teaching and research building.

This building will facilitate the type of innovative, future-thinking research that will place CAFES at the forefront of 21st-century agricultural innovation. To help make this vision a reality, contact Russ Kabaker, assistant dean of advancement and external relations, at 805-756-6601 or rkabaker@calpoly.edu.

Liu said. The technical advancements must be taught to youth, who are increasingly ecologically conscious, so that they can continue advances in precision agricultural science and meet the future global demands of food production.

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LEARN B Y D O I N G

The students served as greeters for the Super Bowl 50 Host Committee, answering questions about activities and amenities at Super Bowl City centered in Justin Herman Plaza on the Embarcadero at the foot of San Francisco’s renowned Market Street.

In addition to greeting visitors and answering questions, students also assisted with crowd control, took photos for attendees, supported public safety and security, and directed the flow of visitors — ultimately serving as the face of Super Bowl City at entrances and exits.

The goal of Super Bowl City, open free to the public, was to highlight the best of the Bay Area with interactive activities for guests of all ages, as well as to celebrate the Super Bowl.

The Cal Poly students who volunteered played an integral role in making sure it was a success.

Bill Hendricks, head of the Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration Department, facilitated the volunteer experience for students by working directly with various contacts he has in the tourism, event, marketing and sport industries.

Hendricks said the abundant Learn by Doing opportunities allowed students to apply knowledge from their courses in areas such as leadership, event planning, experiential marketing, volunteer motivation, sustainability, sponsorship, tourism, mega event operations, and more.

In all, nine freshmen, nine seniors, and 12 sophomore and junior Cal Poly students gained hands-on experience at the event Feb. 5-6.

The international crowd attending Super Bowl City capped at 15,000 people — the largest event any of the students had played a role in.

Many students described the event as both overwhelming and

THIRTY CAL POLY STUDENTS GET A FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE AT SUPER BOWL 50.

rewarding — learning quickly what techniques worked and what didn’t.

“The large crowds were a bit intimidating, but we quickly learned to rely on other volunteers to manage them,” said Julia Petit, a senior.

Students wore uniforms that designated them as volunteers and

Super Bowl

carried “Ask Me” signs.

THIRTY CAL POLY STUDENTS from the Recreation, Parks and

he said. “Seeing all the puzzle pieces of the planning process come

Tourism Administration Department got to experience the 50th

together was exciting. We plan events within our major, but seeing

Super Bowl the best way they know how — ensuring that thousands

Super Bowl City helped put into perspective the time and manpower

of visitors had a safe, pleasurable experience.

it takes to make the event happen.”

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SPRING 2016

Professor Keri Schwab, who also attended, said the event was a great experience for students as they apply for jobs.

“It allowed them to gain confidence and taught them the power of working together,” Schwab said.

Senior Cody Koelzer said his courses and work on past projects through Cal Poly trained him to spot problematic crowd control issues. “The volunteer leadership and management classes we have taken helped equip us to lead a group of fellow volunteers effectively,”

FAC U LTY NEWS

CAL POLY POURS WINE AT THE HISTORIC CALIFORNIA WINE SYMPOSIUM AND TRADE MISSION IN CUBA

FIRST of its KIND Stewart and Christiane Spoto (right), parents of wine and viticulture alumna Arianna Spoto, with Cal Poly Professor Marianne McGarry Wolf (second from left) and Armando Miranda of Beckstoffer Wines on the far right.

CAL POLY WINE AND VITICULTURE Professor Marianne McGarry

Kautz of Kautz Family Vineyards, Jennifer Lamb of Herb Lamb

Wolf helped make history in February by joining other California

Vineyards, and Dante Pozzan of Pozzan Wines all poured their

vintners at the first wine symposium of its kind in Havana, Cuba.

wines at the grand tasting, as did Stewart and Christiane Spoto

Wolf joined about 100 other Californian vintners at the California

of Spoto Wines, whose daughter Arianna recently graduated

Wine Symposium from Jan. 31 to Feb. 3. Cal Poly was the only

from Cal Poly.

university represented at the symposium. The exposition, coordi-

Another Cal Poly alumnus, Steve Burns of O’Donnel Lane, helped

nated by U.S. Cava Exports, was intended to pave the way for the

organize the event. In addition, alumna Linda Reiff represented

export of California wines to Cuba.

Napa Valley Vintners. Other Cal Poly connections at the event

“Exporting wine to Cuba will represent a new export market for

included Cakebread Cellars whose president is a Cal Poly alumus,

California wines,” said Wolf, who added that wines typically served

E. & J. Gallo Winery and Wente Family Estates, which both have

in Cuba now are from South America and Europe.

family members who graduated from Cal Poly.

The symposium included a grand tasting at Havana’s historic

California vintners learned from Cuban government officials and

Hotel Palco Convention Center. While pouring wines, Wolf shared

U.S. Embassy representatives about trade policies and procedures and

with Cuban sommeliers, distributors and restaurant owners that

how to navigate the complex process of exporting wines to Cuba.

Cal Poly engages students with hands-on learning in the three key

“It was quite emotional to learn that an American flag, which had

areas of the wine industry: growing the grapes, making the wine,

not been flown in Cuba since 1961, was flown at the event,” said Wolf.

and marketing it.

U.S. Ambassador to Cuba Jeffrey DeLaurentis visited the grand

“The Cubans were very interested to learn that our students engage

tasting and gave a briefing at his home for the members of the

in Learn by Doing,” Wolf said. “There was a buzz of excitement that

symposium. The California wine group was among the first U.S. trade

could be felt at the Cal Poly table as Cubans brought their colleagues

groups to visit the ambassador’s residence in more than 50 years.

to taste our wines and learn about our wine and viticulture major.”

Plans are underway for additional educational events to promote

Cal Poly’s impact did not stop at its tasting table. Cal Poly alumni

California wine to the Cuban market.

were well represented at The Cuba Wine Symposium. Alumni Joan C A F E S . C A L P O LY. E D U

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ST UDE N T S U C C E S S

Cal Poly student Natalie Massa rides on the banana split satellite. Photo courtesy of Tom Zasadzinski.

Dairy on Parade

Cal Poly Dairy Cattle Judging Teams Excel in National Contests

THREE CAL POLY STUDENTS RIDE ON CALIFORNIA MILK ADVISORY BOARD’S FIRSTEVER TOURNAMENT OF ROSES PARADE FLOAT Three Cal Poly agriculture students rode aboard the California Milk Advisory

Cal Poly’s two dairy cattle judging teams

Annalicia Luis from Ripon, and Amber

Board’s inaugural Tournament of Roses

placed in the top five at the annual South-

LaSalle from Firebaugh.

Parade float on Jan. 1 in Pasadena, Calif.

western Livestock Exposition Collegiate

The Cal Poly Green Team included Alex

They joined two other riders in repre-

Dairy Judging Contest in Fort Worth, Texas,

Gambonini from Petaluma, Elise Regusci

senting the state’s more than 1,400 dairy

in January.

from Modesto, Elisabeth Regusci also

families on “Adventures in Real Food,”

Fifteen teams representing the top

from Modesto, and Mark Weststeyn from

a 60-foot-long entry featuring a flowing

college dairy programs in the nation com-

Willows. The two Cal Poly teams also placed

river of refreshing milk rapids cascading

peted. The top five overall winning teams

in individual events. The Cal Poly Gold Team

over the Golden State’s rolling hills and

were Wisconsin Madison, first; Cal Poly

placed first in Holsteins and second in

valleys, illustrating how the best culinary

Gold, second; Purdue University, third; Iowa

presenting reasons. The Cal Poly Green

adventures begin with real milk.

State, fourth; and Cal Poly Green, fifth.

Team placed third in Jerseys.

Jordan Dunn, a 21-year-old agricultural

Cal Poly’s dairy cattle judging teams are

Individually, sophomore Lopes placed first

communication major, Natalie Massa, 20,

coached by dairy science Professor Rich Silacci

in Holsteins, second in presenting reasons,

who is studying agricultural business, and

and assisted by Professor Stan Henderson.

and eighth overall. Sophomore Ruby placed

21-year-old Katie Migliazzo, a dairy

“I was pleased to have both of our teams

sixth in presenting reasons, and freshman

science major who is minoring in

in the top five; the Gold Team was only a

Regusci placed 10th high individual.

agribusiness, were aboard the float.

few points shy of winning the whole thing,”

In November 2015, the Cal Poly Dairy

Cal Poly students and alumni regularly

said Silacci.

Judging Team placed fourth overall in the

play a part in the annual parade that

The Cal Poly Gold Team included Matt

North American International Livestock Expo-

is watched by more than 500,000

Ruby from Visalia, Tony Lopes from Gustine,

sition Dairy Judging Contest in Louisville, Ky.

in attendance and an international television audience of 100 million.

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STUDEN T SU CCESS

Cal Poly Student Wins National Championship at Young Farmers and Ranchers Meet Cal Poly agricultural communication senior Kenna Lewis claimed the championship title at the Young Farmers and Ranchers National Collegiate Discussion Meet in Kansas City, Mo., in February.

Lewis, of San Luis Obispo, claimed the 2015 California Champion title in February 2015, qualifying her for the national competition.

The California Farm Bureau Federation of Young Farmers and Ranchers is a program for agriculturists aged 18 to 35 who are actively involved in production and affiliated professions.

Cal Poly agricultural communication Professor Ann De Lay, coach Lindsey Liebig of the California Farm Bureau, and a group of California Young Farmers and Ranchers committee members traveled with Lewis to Missouri.

The final debate leading to Lewis’ victory was focused on how the Farm Bureau should protect and encourage producers’ ability to use new technology and how the organization can work with government entities and the public to encourage innovation.

THREE CAFES STUDENTS HONORED BY STATE LAWMAKERS Three students from the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences were among 21 Cal Poly students recognized for their accomplishments by state lawmakers on the floors of the Assembly and Senate in Sacramento in February.

“These fine students are indicative

Lewis said the topic is close to her heart.

“In order to feed our population, which continues to rapidly grow, we need to be able to produce more food on the same amount of land,” said Lewis. “The only way to do that is to invest in research and technology that can enhance our current production methods. As an agricultural communication student, I feel I have a responsibility to help express to the public the importance of

of our Learn by Doing philosophy and reflect what their peers are also accomplishing at Cal Poly,” said university President Jeffrey D. Armstrong, who accompanied the students to both legislative chambers.

Seth Borges, an agribusiness major, Preston Fernandes, a dairy science

technology in agriculture and ensure consumers

major, and Kenna Lewis, an agricultural

that the highest safety measures are taken when

communication major, were all honored.

it comes to innovations such as biotechnology.”

CAL POLY’S WESTERN BONANZA JUNIOR LIVESTOCK A SUCCESS Cal Poly’s annual Western Bonanza Junior Livestock Show — the largest student-run exhibition of its kind on the West Coast — was held in February at the Paso Robles Event Center.

Western Bonanza began as a senior project in 1985 and has grown to be one of the largest and most successful student-run jackpot shows. More than 550 exhibitors and 2,000 head of steers, heifers, lambs, hogs and meat goats were entered in the show.

This is the show’s 32nd year.

Exhibitors from Arizona, Idaho, Nevada and Washington and more than dozen California counties showed their animals in four categories: beef, swine, sheep and goats. A management team of 30 Cal Poly students and more than 100 committee members from the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences hosted the free event.

“I joined Western Bonanza because I wanted to be part of putting together a highly respected livestock show and to meet new people who value the same things I do,” said Rachel Wehrman, a freshman agriculture and environmental plant science major.

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HELP CREATE FUTURE AGRICULTURE INNOVATORS WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MODERNIZE NEW FACILITIES. Laboratory Diagram Focus: College of Ag, Food & Env Science The college has notResearch had a new teaching and research facility in nearly 35 years, and we are in critical need of Index No.: Teaching Lab - Paired Option 1B (24 Students Each) - 3D Space Name: NSF + 1,260 NSF Area: a new building. Thanks to1,260 a generous donation by the J.G. Boswell Foundation, we have begun designing the Boswell Ag Tech Center to help us land at the forefront of 21st century agricultural teaching and research. But we

FUNDING IS NEEDED FOR THE FOLLOWING: 10'-6" Module 0'

This diagram is conceptual and is provided only to indicate re

PLANT PATHOLOGY LABS

quired furnishings, equipment, and

Science & Ag Teaching & Research Complex

general room proportions. The

2'

4'

8'

actual room design may change.

SENSORY CULINARY ANALYTICS LABS Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

ZGF Architects

Research Facilities Design

PHYSIOLOGY LABS

DIGITAL PRODUCTION LABS

BREEDING AND GENOMICS LABS

WATER, SOIL AND AIR ANALYTICS LAB

ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY LABS

DATA ANALYTICS LAB

FOOD SAFETY AND MICRO LABS

CLASSROOMS AND MEETING SPACES

YOUR GENEROSITY COULD PROVIDE:

36,000 LABS AND SQUARE FEET OF

COLLABORATION SPACE

1982

THE LAST CAFES TEACHING AND RESEARCH BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED NEARLY 35 YEARS AGO.

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS

OF STUDENTS GAINING HANDS-ON

EXPERIENCE TO MAKE A GIFT OR LEARN MORE, CONTACT:

Russ Kabaker, Assistant Dean, Advancement and External Relations, rkabaker@calpoly.edu or 805-756-3269

PAY IT FORWARD SECURE THE LEARN BY DOING LEGACY

Donate today to help another generation of students reach their full potential by making a tax-deductible gift to the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. To make your gift, use the enclosed envelope, go to our online giving page, or contact us directly.

Contact Alexis Bradfield abradfie@calpoly.edu 805-756-3269 giving.calpoly.edu

California Polytechnic State University 1 Grand Avenue San Luis Obispo, California 93407-0250

Students Haley Warner, Cody Davis and Mikaela Tosta wait to greet guests visiting the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences booth at the World Ag Expo. In February students and faculty attended the World Ag Expo at the International Agri-Center in Tulare, Calif.