Student Veterans Invited to Explore Agricultural Careers

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Student veterans, military dependents, transitioning service members, farmers, ranchers, and entrepreneurs are invited to attend a Nov. 2 workshop at Cal Poly Pomona highlighting opportunities in the field of agriculture.

Cal Poly Pomona Veterans Resource Center, the Don Huntley College of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are sponsoring a Veteran Farmer Outreach Day workshop. The event, which is open to the public, will consist of agricultural, veteran, business, and educational resources.

“Veterans are among the most successful entrepreneurs and have an important role to play in the next generation of farmers and ranchers,” said Carlos Suarez, state conservationist for the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in California.

Veterans returning from active duty overseas to the United States face many challenges, including finding employment. Since nearly half come from rural areas, the agricultural industry is a logical place for them to look for careers. The USDA has developed a number of resources to help veteran farmers and ag professionals get started in the industry, including internships, volunteer opportunities, and microloan programs. 

Cal Poly Pomona alumni who are now ag professionals will participate in the workshop.

San Gabriel Valley native Daniel Delgado (’10, horticulture, agronomy) served two years in the U.S. Coast Guard. After leaving the service, he worked in the banking industry before discovering a love for plants.

Although he had initially planned to transfer from Mt. San Antonio College to Cal Poly Pomona in political science, a chance encounter with Dan Hostetler, the then-chairman of Cal Poly Pomona’s plant science department led him to focus on horticulture and agronomy instead.

“I wanted to learn to grow plants,” said Delgado, who will be a keynote speaker at the Outreach Day workshop. “I realized I not only wanted to see and smell beautiful plants and flowers, but utilize and taste what they had to offer.”

A USDA scholarship gave him the opportunity to work for the U.S. Forest Service in New Mexico.

“It afforded me the opportunity to gain experience in field work and working for a government agency,” he said. “It solidified my interest in working for the government.”

Today, Delgado works as a supervising agricultural standards investigator for the Riverside County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office. He hopes to move up into management and work on budgeting and writing regulations.

For those who are on their way to college or are already enrolled, the agricultural industry offers many possibilities. The USDA estimates that there will be 57,900 high-skilled job openings annually in the industry through 2020, but only 35,400 college graduates to fill those openings.

“There are many opportunities for those interested in a science-based or business-related career,” said Lisa Kessler, interim dean of the Huntley College of Agriculture.

In addition to the panel discussion, veterans’ organizations, agricultural and business resource exhibitors will host booths at the event, creating opportunities for one-on-one engagement and networking.

The workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the AGRIscapes Center at Cal Poly Pomona, 4102 S. University Drive, Pomona, CA, 91768. For more information, contact the Cal Poly Pomona Veterans Resource Center at (909) 869-6994 or vetquestions@cpp.edu.

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