Jim Hicks

When I was first introduced to California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom in the mid-1990s, it was "love at first sight" for me. I started years ago as a small donor, and as our resources have permitted, have become a larger donor and I feel that every dollar has been well spent. My commitment and belief in the strength of this program has most recently prompted me to accept a position as a member of the board of directors for CFAITC, for which I am deeply honored.

I was raised on small, poor farm in Central Indiana. My parents were always supportive of me and instilled in me the need to get a good education. Working full time in summers and part-time during the school year, I graduated from Purdue University in 1961 with a B.S. degree in agricultural economics. My first job out of college was selling agricultural chemicals in Kentucky, working with tobacco and corn growers. My first employer was the California Spray Chemical Company, later the company name was changed to Chevron Chemical Company. After several jobs in sales and management in the Midwest, I was transferred to California as District Manager - Fertilizer, in December 1968. Coming to California was an amazing experience to me with our crop diversification, irrigated agriculture and year round farming—also our wonderful weather and traffic jams!

In 1982, we started Jim Hicks and Company with only one employee, no customers, and very little money. It was a big step for me but it has worked out well. Our business has grown since inception, and I have two sons who work in our business.

Today, I frequently travel between my office in Orange County, and my home in Los Angeles County. Between these two locations, there are approximately 12 million people within a 50-mile radius. In this area of urban sprawl, we have a second and in some cases, a third generation of kids with no ties to agriculture or the farm. These kids think their food comes from the supermarket, and that there's always plenty of it. That's where the Agriculture in the Classroom program shines. As teachers learn, they impart the knowledge to their students, and the students visit actual farms, work in gardens, etc. Each year, teachers have new students, and the students spread the word to their friends that learning about agriculture is a fun and exciting experience.

All of the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom programs, such as the Imagine this... story writing contest and Literacy for Life teaching awards, are well designed, effective programs which will pay good dividends for years to come and will support the future of agriculture in California and the United States.

I had the sincere pleasure of visiting the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in 2008, being held in Orange County. Here, I was able to see the enthusiasm of the teachers first-hand. It was amazing!

This program is a gift that keeps on giving. A wise man once said "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime." That's how I feel about our program. Many of the students will go on to become community leaders, and both the teachers and their students become enthusiastic supporters of the benefits of agriculture for the rest of their lives.

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