AgVenture begins its 2026 program this Friday. Each year, Lake County’s California Women for Agriculture chapter invites participants from various sectors of the community to experience an in-depth study of the county’s agriculture industry. The class meets once per month for a full day, August through November, and learns about the pear, wine grape, walnut, olive, and livestock enterprises around the county. Seminar days are filled with site visits to farms and ranches as well as talks by local ag leaders on labor issues, pest management, water rights, and more.
This year’s class includes:
Brian Fisher, Lake County Tourism Improvement; Mary Claybon, Community Development Department; Serena Onate, Lake County Farm Bureau; Danielle Mathews, Calpine; Jennie Lane, Lake and Mendocino Livestock Advisor; Dalynn Dykstra, Lake County Resource Conservation District; Matthew Rothstein,
Chief Deputy County Administrative Officer; Lisa Wittke Schaffner, North Coast Builder’s Exchange; Jessica Johns, Lake County Board of Realtors; Luis Santana, Robinson Rancheria Fish and Wildlife Director; Elizabeth Lincoln, Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians Economic Development Director; and Jill
Jensen, co-owner Far West Leavitt Insurance Services.
Launched in 2010, AgVenture is an innovative educational program presented by the Lake County Chapter of California Women for Agriculture. It is for non-farming community members and others who wish to understand the vital contributions of agriculture to Lake County’s quality of life and economy.
The program’s steering committee includes Katy Evans, Rebecca Harper, Stephanie Holdenried, Colleen Rentsch, Toni Scully, Bonnie Sears, Katherine VanDerWall, and Sharron Zoller. AgVenture is made possible with funding from individual donors and program sponsors.
About California Women for Agriculture (CWA)
CWA is the most active, all-volunteer agricultural organization in the state. The state’s 1,300 members represent farmers, ranchers, bankers, lawyers, accountants, marketing professionals, support services, consumers, and the vast stakeholders of the agriculture industry in an increasingly urbanized California. Local chapters advocate for the economic sustainability of the diverse California agriculture community so future generations can continue to produce a safe and healthy food supply. The 20 chapters range from Butte County to California’s southern border.
Lake County’s CWA chapter promotes leadership within its local community, advocacy on key local, state, and federal issues, public service and outreach, agriculture literacy in schools, and promotional initiatives to preserve and educate those living in Lake County.
