On Thursday, fourteen local students, from high school seniors to Cuesta College and Cal Poly students, were awarded San Luis Obispo County Cattlewomen’s (SLOCCW) scholarships totaling about $20,000. These students, all pursuing degrees in agricultural-related fields, convinced SLOCCW board members of their exceptional leadership, community service, and sportsmanship through their applications. They also distinguished themselves in cattle rearing and competition at the Paso Robles Mid-State Fair, according to a press release.
The awards were presented at the SLOCCW Scholarship Dinner, held in the Venetian Room of the Madonna Inn. The event, attended by over 500 people, including the recipients, their parents, and SLOCCW club members, was a celebration of the students’ achievements and the organization’s commitment to "education and assistance to further the pursuits of students planning careers in agriculture," per the SLOCCW website.
SLOCCW Scholarship Chairman Pat Abel spoke to KSBY at the Scholarship Dinner about the young recipients and role of agriculture in San Luis Obispo County.
The awardees had a range of agricultural career goals, including veterinary medicine practitioners, teachers, and communication professionals, she explained.
Abel stated that agriculture ranks third in commodities in San Luis Obispo County, generating over $45 million.
According to Abel, encouraging students to pursue agriculture-related degrees is important to the community because "a lot of the open space that our residents appreciate, those nice green hills, is really due to a lot of the cattle operations."
Additionally, she said that the arrival of highly educated professionals in agriculture could significantly improve the efficiency of enhancing the county's agricultural inventory, which, despite technological advancements, still mirrors figures from the 1950s.
Across the United States, data from a Range Cattle Research & Education Center study showed a trend of increased value of the cattle industry from 1949 reversed around 1975, bringing its value in 2016 to less than half of what it was in 1975 despite advances in agricultural technology.
Locally, field crops recently experienced a decline in value despite overall crop values increasing approximately 10% from 2020, per the San Luis Obispo County Crop Report for 2021. This is because the value of field crops decreased 26% due to extremely dry conditions while fruit and nut crops bolstered overall county crop value with a record year. The overall value of the animal industry decreased by 7.3% from 2020 to 2021, partially because of a decrease in cattle sales, which evidences Abel's claim that the inventory of cattle operations within the county has decreased.
Abel expressed the organization's enthusiasm about the recipients, stating they "are going to be the next generation to find those new protocols and a new process so that we can continue to be efficient and have sustainability in our industry."
The scholarship recipients are as follows: Ashley Crabtree (Cal Poly), Karlie Erskine (Mission College Prep Catholic High School), Taylor Hinson (Paso Robles High School), Anahi Lopez (Cal Poly), Morgan Oliveira (Cal Poly), Uriel Ramirez-Baca (Cal Poly), Max Reichmuth (San Luis Obispo High School), Tiffany Santoro (Paso Robles High School), Ivy Scott (San Luis Obispo High School), Leila Shea (Paso Robles High School), Olivia Vieira (Mission College Prep Catholic High School), and Kensington Witt (Atascadero Choices High School).
One of the recipients coined the slogan “Beef Up Your Plate” in an essay for the application process, which asked for a successor to the 1992 slogan “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.”
Over the past twenty-five years, SLOCCW has granted over $250,000 in scholarships to local students interested in pursuing a career in beef or agriculture. Many of these individuals have remained in or returned to San Luis Obispo County, contributing to the local industries. The scholarships are funded through various fundraisers held throughout the year, such as the Cattlewomen’s Play Day, annual Polenta and Stew Feed, and a fashion show. Additional funds were provided by the Hearst Foundation and private donors in memory of Cattlewomen who have passed away.
"It's a wonderful feeling to be able to help them," Abel said. "It's a struggle for some families. Some of our participants are first generation going to college. Others have been in the industry and have been raised on a ranch... to be able to help them to achieve their goal is really exciting for our organization."
