Annual Modesto ag luncheon serves up food, cash

Menu at Harvest Luncheon includes scholarships and talk of water storage

By EVE HIGHTOWER
ehightower@modbee.com

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The Northern San Joaquin Valley's agribusiness leaders celebrated the region's bounty Friday afternoon at the annual Harvest Luncheon in Modesto's Graceada Park.

They were also urged to support efforts to get funding to create more water storage to keep Stanislaus County's critical $2.41 billion industry flourishing for the next generation of bright minds.

In addition to serving up food from the region -- from juicy slabs of beef to crisp honeydew -- the luncheon also honored 43 Modesto Junior College students with Voss-Berryhill Scholarships that average about $500 each.

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AT A GLANCE

Diners at the Harvest Luncheon enjoyed some of the products that helped Stanislaus County farmers set a record last year by grossing $2.41 billion. A look at Stanislaus County's top farm products:
- Milk $745.4 million
- Almonds $465.8 million
- Chickens $222.4 million
- Cattle $164.2 million
- Walnuts $119.1 million
- Silage $77.9 million
- Fruit and nut trees and vines $74.9 million
- Tomatoes $60 million
- Turkeys $54.5 million
- Peaches $52.7 million
Source: Stanislaus County's crop report for 2007, the most recently released report

The luncheon, sponsored by Del Monte Foods and put on by the Modesto Chamber of Commerce, raises money

for the scholarships, awarded each year.

Scholarship recipient Krista Anderson, 20, of Escalon said the $1,000 she received will put her closer to reaching her ultimate goal.

"I want to be the director of communications for the National Swine Registry," the 4-foot-11 student said with a bounce in her high-heel shoes. "I had pigs in 4-H and owned 40 sows. I didn't have the stature for cows, and sheep looked me straight in the eye. Pigs I could raise. I was always taller than them."

A $20 ticket to the 47th annual lunch bought about 800 people plates piled high with fresh fruits and vegetables, meats and cheeses, bowls of chili beans and a chance to hear Assemblyman Tom Berryhill, R-Ceres, rally support for increasing water storage in the state.

The state has failed to act as its water infrastructure has become inadequate, Berryhill said. California's agricultural and economic security depends on renovating the system to include more storage.

To get the job done, voters will have to support a $13 billion bond that Berryhill hopes to see on a ballot next year. The bond would fund new surface water storage projects and improve the groundwater levels, among other efforts.

"Liberals don't understand what kind of damage they cause when they jump on these things," said Berryhill, a fourth-generation farmer.

Scholarship recipient Cody Penfold, 21, agreed. The California State University, Stanislaus, student aims to be an agriculture advocate in Sacramento when he graduates.

"A lack of water is already hurting our industry," he said, referring to fields that went fallow this year in some parts of the state after an especially dry winter. "Regardless of whether you live in Southern California or the valley, we need to increase water storage. It would help both of us."

Farmers would get the water they need and Southern Californians would continue getting the affordable food they have come to enjoy, he added.

Bee staff writer Eve Hightower can be reached at ehightower@modbee.com or 578-2382.