Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association

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The Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association, or ALBA is an organization that offers first hand educational opportunities for current or aspiring farmers. ALBAs mission is to "advance economic viability, social equity and ecological land management among limited-resource and aspiring farmers. We work to create opportunities for family farms while providing education and demonstration on conservation, habitat restoration, marketing and whole farm planning.[1]" By aiding small farms with limited resources, ALBA hope to increase economic opportunities for independent farms, and promote sustainable farming practices that increase biodiversity, and employ land management practices that mirror the local ecology. Alba was formed in 2001 from the original frame work of the Rural Development Center (RDC), founded by the Association for Community-Based Education (ACBE).

History of Rural Development Center

In 1972 the 110-acre property owned by Geraldine Bardin was sold to the federal government as part of an attempt to reduce poverty. The Central Coast Counties Cooperative Development Center immediately founded a work based program for Latino farmers to create a co-op, and give an advantage to small farmers in the marketplace. The program was cut in the early 80's due to budget cuts. Then in 1985 yhe Rural Development Center (RDC) was founded by the Association for Community-Based Education (ACBE) of Washington, DC. From 1985 to 2000 the RDC initiated numerous farm programs, in produced capital that aided in the construction of valuable infrastructure key to the success of ALBA to this day. Since the formation of ALBA in 2001, they have maintained previous strategies used by RDC and have expanded on many of the original ideas used in the development of RDC.

Properties

ALBA owns two properties in Monterey County for hands on training and research.

The Rural Development Center

The RDC is ALBAs headquarters, and is located on a 110-acre organic farm in the Salinas Valley. From the Salinas farm ALBA provides the Small Farm Education Program, a program that teaches beginning farmers about organic farming, and marketing. The RDC includes a resource center and classroom, distribution facility and produce cooler, and an on-site maintenance workshop.

The Farm Training and Research Center (Triple M Ranch)

Triple M Ranch Site


References

  1. ALBA website: http://www.albafarmers.org/index.html