Sorting Strawberries to be frozen, Oxnard

Strawberry Economics and Role of Agricultural Commissioner

January 01, 2014
Santa Paula News

The economics of growing Ventura County’s top crop and the role of the Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner are topics of the second Strawberry Symposium to be held at the Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula, on Saturday, January 25, 2014, beginning at 3:00 p.m. The presentation, held to increase public agricultural awareness in conjunction with the museum’s current exhibition, “Strawberry Fields Forever?” follows a well-received November symposium focused on local water issues, challenges and solutions. The Strawberry Symposia and the strawberry exhibition are made possible in part by a grant from the Thelma Hansen Trust and a sponsorship from the California Strawberry Commission.  

At 3:00 p.m., Edgar Terry, fourth-generation Ventura County farmer and Senior Lecturer in the MBA program at Cal Lutheran University, explains how local and global economics affect the crops that are grown in Ventura County fields. Mr. Terry serves as President of Terry Farms, Inc., a family-run company that grows strawberries, celery and bell peppers on over 1,400 county acres.

At 3:45 p.m., Henry S. Gonzales, Ventura County’s Agricultural Commissioner, explains how his organization protects crops, the public and the environment. The son of migrant farm workers, Gonzales worked for twenty-four years for the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, as an Inspector/Biologist and a Deputy Agricultural Commissioner. As Ventura County’s Agricultural Commissioner, he oversees programs including: Pesticide Use Enforcement; Pest Detection; Pest Exclusion; Pest Eradication; Nursery and Seed Inspection; and Crop Statistics. Recently, he initiated training of Mixteco farm workers about pesticide safety.  Time for questions and answers will follow the presentations.

Admission to the Strawberry Symposium is included with admission to the Agriculture Museum. All Museum galleries will be open and visitors can see the newest temporary exhibitions at the Museum including:  “Strawberry Fields Forever?” and “6th Annual Art About Agriculture.” 

The Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum is located in historic downtown Santa Paula at 926 Railroad Avenue. Hours are 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. General admission is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children ages 6-17. Free for Museum of Ventura County members and children ages 5 and younger. Paid events include free admission to the galleries, and the Second Thursday Gallery Talks are followed by an additional gallery talk at the Santa Paula Art Museum. For more information, go to www.venturamuseum.org or call (805) 525-3100.





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