Gina Nucci and Candi Depauw Discuss Opportunities and Initiatives Behind Farm Day
MONTEREY, CA - Your future Director of Sales, responsible for carrying on the brand legacy, may have recently spent a memorable day learning how agribusiness works, followed by a juice box. On November 3, third-graders from around Monterey county attended Farm Day, an event with the aim of encouraging enthusiasm in what the world of agriculture has to offer.
“Farm Day is a wonderful opportunity for third-graders to get to know the local farmers and producers that are right here in Monterey County,” said Gina Nucci, Director of Corporate Marketing at Mann Packing and one of the Farm Day volunteer guides. “We wouldn’t miss the opportunity to see all the smiling faces learning about the agriculture industry. We love supporting this great event and the chance to introduce people of the fantastic farmers who are at the heart of this vibrant valley.”
The produce industry abounds with initiatives for igniting interest in promising agricultural careers; but Monterey County Agricultural Education, Inc. stands out for striving to cultivate curiosity in the industry through Farm Day over the past 25 years. If you do the math over the lifetime of the event, it has turned out a staggering 165,000 students and 33,000 adult chaperones and teachers exposed to the magic of farming.
Farm Day occurs three times each year and draws together industry sects spanning areas from R&D, seeds, production, packaging, pallets, equipment, computers, and specialty fields. Millions of dollars worth of equipment captivate kids in between presentations given by participating companies. It takes nearly 700 people each year to execute the three events. And some people, such as Candi Depauw, Farm Day Coordinator, have been volunteering since 1991.
“The goal is to establish an appreciation for the agricultural industry, and show people where the rubber meets the road, so to speak,” commented Depauw. “We demonstrate to kids, teachers, and parents that if children are interested, there is a world of possibility within agriculture. Until they see it, many people think it is just growing lettuce or some other commodity, but there are multiple industries behind the person with the knife cutting lettuce in the field.”
The nationally recognized program has remained totally free to schools, despite the $100 cost per student, covered by the non-profit.
