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Board of Directors

The Central Coast Home Grown Meat Alliance (CCHGMA)

Representative: Rex Swan

CCHGMA was formed in 2002 by ranchers from San Luis Obispo and Monterey Counties who were awarded a $138,000 federal grant to fund construction of a mobile USDA-inspected livestock processing unit. That grant was secured with the help of Congressman Sam Farr, and in cooperation with the Monterey County Agricultural and Historic Land Conservancy. Once it is certified by USDA, the unit will provide Central Coast ranchers the ability to tap into emerging niche meat markets by providing them a local and cost-effective processing alternative. The unit is the first of its kind in California, and it is modeled after one that has been operated for three years by the Lopez Island Land Trust in Washington State. Ranchers throughout the Central Coast and from around the state are interested in the CCHGMA project and whether it can be replicated in other areas of the state because the increasing consumer demand for grass-fed, natural and organic meat products can provide increased profitability. This project has potential benefits beyond those it will provide to ranchers. It will also benefit the local economy through the sale of value-added products while helping to sustain the local ranching industry and preserve the rural character of the Central Coast. Rex Swan is a founding member of the CCHGMA who has worked with dairy and cattle ranchers throughout California for close to forty years. He has been a registered Angus breeder and member of the Cattlemen’s Association in San Luis Obispo County for 30 years. His business, California Cattle Services, provides reproductive services to 45 ranchers throughout the Central Coast. He lives in Templeton with his wife KC and their three children.

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The Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo County (ECOSLO)

Representative: Morgan Rafferty

The Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo County (ECOSLO) is a non-profit, membership organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the natural environment and human well-being through education, advocacy and community building. Recognizing the interdependence of humanity and nature, ECOSLO serves as a catalyst for community environmental stewardship, nurturing a sustainable human habitat in harmony with natural systems, now and for future generations. Morgan Rafferty is the Executive Director of the Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo (ECOSLO). She comes to ECOSLO after several years of advocacy work for the San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace. She has a MS degree in Accounting and many years of experience as a corporate controller in addition to her years of experience as an environmental activist. Morgan is originally from Texas and has lived in California for twenty years.

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San Luis Obispo County Cattlemen’s Association

Representative: Cliff Garrison

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San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau

Representative: Steven Knudsen

The San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau is a non-governmental, non-profit, voluntary membership corporation with the purpose to protect and promote agricultural interests throughout San Luis Obispo County and to find solutions to the problems of the farm, the farm home and the rural community. San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau is one of 53 county Farm Bureaus currently representing a combined membership of 2,000 family members in San Luis Obispo County. Collectively, Farm Bureau is California's largest farm organization with memberships from 88,000 farm families and individual members in 56 California counties. Steven Knudsen is the Legislative Assistant and Outreach Coordinator for the San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau. Steven graduated from Cal Poly, SLO in 2006 with his B.S. in Food Science and M.S. in Agriculture Marketing and Communication. He is an active member of the Central Coast Rare Fruit Growers Association.

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SLO Grown Kids

Representative: Emelia Miguel

The mission of SLO Grown Kids is to improve the health of the entire community by teaching students and family's life-long healthful eating habits. This shall be accomplished through providing local produce in school lunches, pleasant and respectful eating experiences, nutrition education integrated into core academic curricula, and garden and farm experiences. Our goals include giving students the opportunity to plant, harvest, prepare, cook, and eat food they have grown; use fresh, tasty local produce that reflects SLO County’s cultural diversity; encourage and support the spread of organic, sustainable agriculture in the county; and, arrange for students to visit farms and farmers to visit classrooms. Emelia Miguel was born and raised digging in the rich, black soil of Iowa. Becoming a mother in the 21st century made her realize just how far removed most kids are from gardening, farming, and seasonality, the things she took for granted as a child. When her daughter entered the public school system, she saw an opportunity to teach children where their food comes from and how to get their hands dirty. For the past year, she has worked with dozens of children planting, tending, harvesting, and eating their bounty. She is currently working with Food Services and San Luis Coastal School District on student wellness issues and food policies.

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SLO Food Convivium

Representative: Cindy Jelinek

Slow Food is an international movement dedicated to Taste, Tradition, and the Honest Pleasures of Food. Founded in 1986 by Carlo Petrini of Bra, Italy, Slow Food now has 75,000 members in more than 80 countries. In North America, Slow Food activities are overseen by Slow Food USA. Based in New York City, Slow Food USA provides support and promotion to local chapters; each called a "convivium," that carry out the Slow Food mission on a local level. Each convivium advocates sustainability and bio-diversity through educational events and public outreach that promote the appreciation and consumption of seasonal and local foods and the support of those who produce them. For more details, see the Slow Food USA Guiding Principles and Manifesto. Kathleen de Chadenèdes has had a long and varied culinary career as a fine wine retailer, caterer, culinary educator and executive chef. She earned a B.S. in Agriculture from the University of Florida and received professional culinary training from The New York Restaurant School and La Varenne in Burgundy. As a member of Chefs Collaborative and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs - and while working for a Chez Panisse alumnus in Santa Fe - Kathleen began to get involved in agricultural issues. She currently co-leads the SLO Slow Food Convivium and serves as a director of the CCAN Founding Board, SARC Advisory Board, and Paso Robles Library Foundation. As her culinary career evolves into sustainable agriculture advocacy, Kathleen remains rooted in the kitchen, sharing her love of food and cooking.

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Sustainable Agriculture Resource Consortium (SARC)

Representative: Anastasia Killham

Anastasia has gleaned knowledge about the art and science of agriculture as a student, volunteer and employee at a number of family owned farms, nonprofit organizations and university related agricultural initiatives. She achieved a degree in Journalism at Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo and has been involved with the Sustainable Agriculture Resource Consortium (SARC) as a volunteer and paid staff member. She is currently employed part-time as the Outreach Coordinator for the Cal Poly Organic Farm and assists her husband in managing Estero Bay Graphics, their family-owned graphics and screen-printing business in Morro Bay, CA. She has a special interest in farm to institution and strives daily to communicate the many benefits associated with choosing food and fibers that are produced locally and grown/raised with sustainability in mind.

SARC is a unique interdisciplinary program within the College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at Cal Poly dedicated to advancing sustainable food and agricultural systems which are environmentally sound, economically viable and social responsible. Drawing from a diversity of movements that have developed innovative practices in agriculture (such as organic agriculture, biologically-integrated farming systems, Integrated Pest Management, Holistic Management, Permaculture and others), SARC offers programs for a diversity of participants (large-scale crop production, livestock management, composting, food processing, marketing and distribution, home and community gardening) and coordinates educational offerings for students and community members including classes, lectures, workshops and seminars. Some SARC activities are coordinated in conjunction with the Cal Poly Organic Farm, and major annual events include the Sustainable Agriculture Pest Control Advisor (PCA) Conference in December, and the June Fundraiser Dinner.

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Ag Adventures of the Central Coast

Representative: Joy Barlogio

The Central Coast Agritourism Council is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting small farmers and ranchers through promoting their homes and farms as tourist destinations.

We are joined by community members who believe in the preservation of our areas rich agricultural heritage for future generations – those who live and farm here and those who wish to reconnect with their own family’s historical agricultural roots by visiting the farms in our region.

Visit our website to print out our map and start your very own Ag Adventure!

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At-Large-Business Rep Debra Garrison Consulting

Representative: Debra Garrison

Debra spent most her life on her family’s farm in Nipomo, California where they grew turkeys, avocados, apricots and lemons. With the assistance of her father Harvey Garrison, she developed Farmers’ Markets in Santa Maria and Lompoc after participating in state level policy development of “California Certified” Farmers’ Markets under the direction of CDFA. After selling the family farm, Debra traveled the US visiting sustainable farms and alternative agriculture enterprises and upon return completed an Agri-Business degree at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo concentrating in marketing and policy.

Debra was one of the founding members of Central Coast Ag Network and works as an independent contractor to help local farms and ranches market their products. She serves on the board for SLO Ag Task Force, is a committee member of the SLO Agriculture Commissioners Direct Marketing/Ag tourism working group, and her primary goal is to see a sustainable community food system in San Luis Obispo County.

 

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At-Large-Individual Rep Kim Pasciuto

Representative: Kim Pasciuto

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At-Large-Producer Clotilde Yves

Representative: Clotilde Yves

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