School of Ag announces $1 million in gifts

by Mary Lisa Russell

The School of Agricultural Sciences and Technology has announced two recent gifts, both made anonymously, that add up to nearly $1 million.

The largest of the two, valued at $945,000, was donated by a south Valley farmer and his wife. The donation of two parcels of rangeland and an agricultural processing plant was made through Tom Hungerford, CPA, in Fresno; the parcels will be sold and placed into a trust for 15 years.

Hungerford said the couple, former Fresno State students, have farmed for more than 30 years and wanted their gift earmarked for agriculture. When the trust expires, the assets will be given to the Ag One Foundation to establish an endowment.

"Fifty percent of the yearly net income will be used to award scholarships to students from the San Joaquin Valley who are pursuing degrees in plant science," said Alcidia Freitas Gomes, executive director of Ag One and school development director. "The other 50 percent is earmarked for the dean's discretion, to be used where the need is greatest."

A second gift of $50,000 from another anonymous source is earmarked to purchase a "cooling tunnel" for the Food Processing Research Laboratory (FPRL) pilot plant.

"The cooling tunnel cools down thermally processed products like jams, jellies, and salsa after they are heated and capped," said Dr. Dennis Ferris, assistant professor of enology, food sciences and nutrition. "The students need this experience to learn proper techniques for thermal processing of acid foods."

Ferris said private gifts, like the $50,000, accelerate the use of current technology in the program. "We need the equipment to employ the techniques, and the private funds help us keep up with industry methodology," he said. v