Like other Fresno State Plant Science Club members, senior Julian Torres (Salinas) grew up watching the hard work and dedication of family members as they managed crops.
Torres, a senior agricultural business major and club president, shares a personal connection with its principles. As a teenager, he raised berries in fields near Watsonville that were managed by his father, Carlos, for Reiter Affiliated Companies and sold to Driscoll’s, a global leader in the industry.
“I did it all, from harvesting, weeding, fertigating and other ranch work,” Torres said, “and it gave me the foundation to understand the industry in a special way. Once I started looking at ag colleges, I had several options, but I was reminded of how great the program and opportunities were here by my father (a Fresno State plant science alumnus).”
Those same concepts were central to Torres’ recent presentation about the club’s community and industry outreach at the President’s Trophy contest recently held at the Students of Agronomy, Soil and Environmental Sciences annual conference in St. Louis.
Judges evaluated the club’s activities the past year tied to agronomy, crops, soils and environmental sciences. Other criteria included the club’s fundraising, problem-solving skills, teamwork, creativity, effectiveness and delivery.
The five-minute speech and slideshow showcased the Fresno State vegetable plot that students use to apply principles from their classes. Students have donated over 200 pounds of produce the past year to the Amendola Family Student Cupboard on campus and other area food assistance organizations like the Poverello House and a Reedley church.
In the past month, club members have also held a pumpkin carving contest for kids and shared sandwiches, water, deodorant, toothpaste and other items with the homeless. Students have also hosted presentations and demonstrations for youth at Fairmont Elementary and the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology open house.
Club activities are organized by student officers with guidance and support from plant science faculty Dr. Ranjit Riar and Dr. Jacob Wenger and department administrative assistant Marlene Miyasaki.
In the final contest standings, Fresno State finished ahead of Texas A&M University and West Texas A&M University in the top three. Other nationally-respected agricultural programs that competed included Auburn, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Purdue and Wisconsin-River Falls.
The effort continued Fresno State’s recent success in the event that included wins in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021. The club placed second two other years in that span and did not travel to the Texas-hosted event in 2019 due to travel restrictions.
During the four-day conference, Torres and several other Fresno State students competed in a quiz bowl, soil and crop judging contests, and attended professional presentations and networking activities.
Seven plant science students and club officers attended as delegates – seniors Carlos Flores (Salinas) and Alexis Santiago (Fresno), and juniors Juana Bernabe Hernandez (Dinuba), Alonso Bustos (Porterville), Hannah Chamberlin (Fresno), Jimena Quezada (Fresno) and Gabriela Rios (Sanger).
Another plant science graduate student, Maurico Soriano (Santa Maria), made a research presentation about his project using satellite imagery to determine the effectiveness of using reclaimed high-saline water as an irrigation source for Jose Tall Wheatgrass, a possible feed crop for livestock, in the western part of the Central Valley.
The American Society of Agronomy also funded three Fresno State students to attend the conference, including seniors Jose Ortiz (Mendota) and Oswaldo Escobar (Mendota) and junior Gagan Gade (Mumbai, India). These honors recognize students aspiring to be the next generation of leaders in the profession based on their accomplishments, research, community and industry ties. Recipients also received special mentorship from American Society of Agronomy members and professionals.
Those award criteria reflect the ambitions of Fresno State’s club, which is finding new ways to connect its students to industry in the nation’s leading agricultural area. The relationships help students directly learn about careers, network professionally and secure resources for their club projects.
One supporter, Blue White Robotics, has its own tie to this award. Operations manager and alumnus Tyler Armbrister made the winning presentation for the Fresno State Plant Science Club at the same event in 2020.
Student Julian Torres’ father, Carlos, had met Armbrister, who was working as a Reiter Berry Farms intern, and suggested Julian join the club.
In the past year, Torres has worked directly with Armbrister and the company to become a club sponsor and provide professional polo shirts for students to wear at the conference.
The company supported Torres and another club member, Alonso Bustos, to attend the FIRA ag robotics convention in Salinas in September to see the latest agricultural technology and network with its CEO Ben Alfi and vice presidents Dana Ben Ezra and Ohad Boaz.
Torres, who aspires to be a CEO of a major company, has also strengthened its relationship with Mazzei Nursery and Taylor Farms, which have donated plant transplants. The club also helped Nutrien plan its Aspire to Grow conference last spring on campus that offered students agricultural career and industry insight from professionals.
Other major club donors that supported their trip and other activities throughout the year include Fresno State ASI, the Estrada Foundation and the Gar and Esther Tootelian Charitable Foundation.
“Growing strawberries or any crop isn’t easy,” Torres said, “and, just like in life, the more you do anything, the better you get. I love adversity, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. Farming has truly made me fall in love with the journey and not the destination. There’s a special joy when you see the fruit ripen and harvested, and watch the difference it can make in others’ lives.”
