Save The FFA

 

Governor Jerry Brown released his 2017-18 budget which proposes the complete elimination of funding for Career Technical Education (CTE) programs, including the complete defunding of organizations like FFA.

 

The budget proposal will go before a key vote on Tuesday, May 23.

Your legislators need to hear from you NOW!

 

http://www.cfbf.com/farmteam?vvsrc=%2fcampaigns%2f52540%2frespond

 

The proposal would allocate $48 million dollars in available CTE funds ENTIRELY to the California Community College Chancellor's Office to supplement other workforce development funds already in existence.  Specifically, this cuts the $15 million that used to flow to California Department of Education, which will lead to the ELIMINATION of funding to the following:

 

Career Technical Student Organizations, such as FFA.

 

Professional Development Activities for CTE Instructors, including agriculture teachers.

 

Partnership Academy Programs, which have proven to be highly effective models for engaging students in focused learning groups centered on themes and majors of interest.

 

The University of California Curriculum Institute, which assists CTE courses and programs in gaining UC/CSU recognition for admission purposes in meeting A-G course requirements.

 

These cuts would ultimately lead to the decimation of CTE programs. Contact your legislator immediately to express your concern regarding this proposal! Click on the link below and be sure to personalize the pre-drafted letter with your experiences with CTE.

 

http://www.cfbf.com/farmteam?vvsrc=%2fcampaigns%2f52540%2frespond

 

 

The Agriculture business in California is HUGE and something to be proud of. An ENORMOUS amount of California’s success in the Agricultural business stems from programs such as FFA, those High School kids for generations have gone on to careers in Agriculture, it’s mind boggling to me that this is even being considered as a program to cut.  Here are just some fun facts for you…How do you think we get stats like this?? From people like kids in FFA who go on and have careers in Agriculture, they make this happen. You don’t just wake up one day and know how to run a farm or ranch, or just all of a sudden know how to have a dairy operation or cattle operation. This is a TREMONDOUS skill and career that keeps YOU fed. Keeps America and the world fed.

 

California is the Nation's Leading Agricultural Producer

 

California is the leading state in the nation in cash receipts generated from agriculture, totaling more than $47 billion. The next largest farm states are:  Iowa, Texas, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas, Indiana, North Carolina, and Wisconsin

 

California produces nearly 99% of all the commercial grown almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, raisins, kiwifruit, olives, clingstone peaches, persimmons, pistachios, dried plums (prunes) and walnuts consumed in the world.

 

California accounts for more than ninety percent of all U.S. wine production and vineyard acreage.

 

California is in first place when it comes to U.S. agricultural exports.  More than $21.5 billion of the state's food and agricultural commodities are shipped around the world every year.

 

California has about 4 percent of the nation's farming operations (79,700 farms), and generates 13 percent of nation's gross cash receipts.  The average farm size in California is 347 acres.

 

California's agricultural abundance includes more than 400 commodities. Over a third of the country's vegetables and two-thirds of the country's fruits and nuts are grown in California. California's top-10 valued commodities for 2015 are:  https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/statistics/

 

Milk and Cream— $6.29 billion

Almonds — $5.33 billion

Grapes — $4.95 billion

Cattle and Calves — $3.40 billion

Lettuce — $2.26 billion

Strawberries — $1.86 billion

Tomatoes — $1.71 billion

Flowers and Foliage — $1.08 billion

Walnuts — $977 million

Hay — $945 million