SRJC Shone Farm gets grant of up to $500,000 to support ag programs

Before he died in 2011, longtime Petaluma dairy farmer Alvin James Hansen set in place a legacy to support agricultural education programs.

This week, the trustees of the Alvin James Hansen Foundation announced a $500,000 grant establishing the SRJC Shone Farm Agricultural Education Fund in collaboration with the Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation Ag Trust and the SRJC Ag and Natural Resources Department.

The ag and natural resources department, founded in 1969, has become one of the largest community college agriculture programs in California, with more than 3,000 students annually in nine programs offering a variety of certificates, associate degrees and transfer majors.

SRJC’s Shone Farm, a 365-acre outdoor learning laboratory with farmland, pasture, vineyards and riparian forest, has been undergoing a shift to an instructional and experiential student-centered campus.

The three-year grant will provide funding to help the farm support student enterprise projects, internships, outreach to potential students, instructional equipment and supplies and other special projects, according to SRJC.

The grant requires a $500,000 match, which the SRJC Foundation Ag Trust is pursuing, the school said in an announcement. The Hansen Trust awarded an initial gift of $175,000 and will match the remaining amount over time.

“We are beyond grateful for the vision and confidence of the Hansen Foundation,” said Benjamin Goldstein, SRJC dean of agriculture, natural resources and culinary. “This partnership and funding will honor Mr. Hansen’s legacy with support for agricultural education in our community for many years to come.”

You can reach Staff Writer Lori A. Carter at 707-521-5470 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @loriacarter.