[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 163 (Friday, October 14, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1043-E1044]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING THE CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 14, 2022

  Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the California 
Agricultural Leadership Foundation (CALF) for over 50 years of service 
to their community.
  In 1970, the California Agricultural Leadership Program seated its 
first class with the mission to enhance the long-term viability of 
California cultivation through developing leaders who can positively 
impact the communities and people that agriculture serves. Since its 
establishment, the program has seen over 1,300 graduates go on to 
become influential leaders across the industry, which is why it is 
revered today as a premier leadership development program. Although 
there were many dedicated individuals and groups involved in the 
formation of the program, much of its success is credited to founders 
Dean Brown and J.G. Boswell II who always stood out as visionary 
leaders and were consistently committed to the success of the program.
  In effort to accomplish their mission of growing leaders who made a 
difference, CALF developed a 17-month fellowship program that provides 
individuals with a formative leadership experience through executive 
coaching and a comprehensive curriculum delivered by its esteemed 
partner universities: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis 
Obispo; California Polytechnic University, Pomona; California State 
University, Fresno; and the University of California, Davis. By 
maximizing classroom and experiential learning, the California 
Agricultural Leadership Program provides potential leaders with the 
skills and tools necessary to expand their impact, increase their 
leadership capacity and ultimately overcome the complex challenges 
surrounding agriculture. A blueprint for success, program graduates 
have gone on to become distinct leaders in their families, businesses, 
communities, and throughout the industry.
  In addition to this, CALF also offers several educational exchange 
programs that aim to raise awareness through education, as well as 
foster better communication and understanding across sectors. 
Established in 1982, the Washington, DC Educational Exchange Program 
promotes dialogue between government and agriculture and allows 
participants to gain a greater understanding of priority topics and 
related policies surrounding farming such as water quantity and 
quality, food safety and security, trade imports and exports, and much 
more. Similarly, the California Educational Exchange Program takes a 
more local approach to addressing these matters by connecting 
participant with California regulatory organizations, nonprofits, and 
local agriculturalists all while deepening their understanding of food 
production and ecosystems throughout the Golden State. 2023 will also 
introduce the California County Educational Exchange Program which will 
aim to facilitate effective communication, relationship development, 
and leadership skills amongst those who specialize in community 
engagement on the county and regional level.
  All this, in addition to their Lifelong Leadership Learning Program, 
exemplifies the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation's 
commitment to education and leadership development, which has been 
essential to the continued success of California agriculture.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring over 50 
years of California's Agricultural Leadership Foundation. May we 
continue to be inspired by their vital work.

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