Ag/NR Advisories

Shone Farm Foundation

In 2008, the Shone Farm Foundation was formed as a 501c3 to establish the Shone Farm Winery as a bonded winery. Dennis Verity is the current Chair of the Foundation and Nick Frey is Vice-Chair. The Shone Farm Foundation Board of Directors includes local business executives from the agricultural community.

The mission of the Foundation is “to promote and advance agricultural education and the development of the SRJC Shone Farm Agricultural Center by acquiring and maintaining state and federal licenses and bonds for a self-sustaining bonded winery thereby enhancing the educational and career opportunities for enrolled students in the Agriculture/Natural Resources Department.”

A Foundation Marketing Committee was formed to promote Shone Farm wine and develop a brand for Shone Farm. The committee worked with students in the SRJC Graphic Design Program to design a logo for the Shone Farm that will be used on the wine label and other Shone Farm products. A Sales Committee was also established to assist in wine distribution.

To ensure that the Shone Farm Winery produces high quality wines, each wine is tasted against other notable Sonoma wines by a panel of noted wine industry experts and professional winemakers.

Ag Alliance (Previously Ag Trust)

In 1998, Bob Salisbury, a local viticulturist in Sonoma County and member of the Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation Board of Directors, and Linda Frank, former Executive Director of the SRJC Foundation, came to a staff meeting of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department with an idea for the department to form a committee to raise funds for the department.

Initially, there was some concern from the department because there were many student fundraisers held during the year that could be impacted by the new organization. Bob Salisbury explained that the new Ag Trust could consolidate all fundraisers for the department and guarantee funds annually to the student organizations and activities. This would allow more time for faculty and students to concentrate on their leadership and educational activities without having to spend countless hours fundraising throughout the year. After numerous meetings and discussions in the department, the department voted to proceed with the organization of the Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation Ag Trust. On May 20, 1999, the SRJC Foundation Board of Directors passed a motion to establish the Ag Trust Committee to encourage and generate support and assist in promoting the agriculture/natural resources programs.

Warren G. Dutton became the founding chair and spearheaded a major fundraiser in 2000 that netted over $50,000 for student activities and departmental supplies for the year. The following year, in 2001, the Ag Trust held a second fundraiser honoring longtime viticulture instructor Richard L. Thomas. The funds that were raised produced the Richard L. Thomas classroom at Shone Farm. After the tragic passing of Warren G. Dutton, the Ag Trust held a successful Warren G. Dutton Tribute in 2003, netting over $500,000 for machinery and equipment for the Warren G. Dutton Agriculture Pavilion. In 2008, the Ag Trust hosted a fundraiser in honor of Steve Olson, retiring Dean of Career and Technical Education and Economic Development. In this capacity, Steve also served as Dean for the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department, in addition to being a long-term faculty member in the department.

In 2023, Ag Trust was renamed to Ag Alliance.

Access more information about the Ag Alliance on the SRJC Foundation’s Ag Alliance homepage.