Mary Sanchez wins Excellence in Agriculture award

The long time resident of rural Petaluma worked for the Sonoma Marin Fair, and is active in 4-H, FFA.|

Mary Sanchez is a firm believer in teaching the next generation where our food comes from. She’s done it for decades.

The former livestock exhibit coordinator for the Sonoma-Marin Fair, Sanchez was in charge of the Youth Ag Day events that introduced area school children to life on a farm. She remembers one year displaying a table of dairy products alongside various cow feeds to demonstrate how the food is made. She said one girl asked her if she had to pour the milk onto the cereal so the cows could eat it.

“I thought ‘oh my, we need to educate our youth,’” Sanchez, 66, said. “It’s important to know where your food comes from. Young kids think milk comes from Safeway.”

Sanchez, who has also been involved in 4-H and FFA youth agriculture programs, is the winner of the 2017 Excellence in Agriculture award. She will receive her award at the Community Awards of Excellence, April 20 at the Sheraton Petaluma Hotel.

Raised on a farm in Point Reyes Station, Sanchez moved to the Petaluma area in 1972. She currently lives on 26 acres west of the city on Fallon Road, where she raises 50 head of sheep.

With her husband, she raised four children and was the sheep leader for the Wilson 4-H club. She is currently co-president of the North Bay chapter of California Women for Agriculture, and a member of the Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce Agribusiness Committee.

She said that she was humbled by the community award.

“I am very excited and very honored,” she said.

In nominating her, Ruth McClure, a former Excellence in Agriculture award winner, said Sanchez is an institution in the Petaluma agriculture community.

“Mary Sanchez has been involved in agriculture in the Petaluma area for decades,” she wrote. “Her family supports local 4-H and FFA programs by raising and selling market lambs to local youth for their projects.”

As development often encroaches on agricultural land, Sanchez said it is important to instill agrarian roots in young people to ensure that there is always a place for farmers and ranchers.

“It is important to keep agriculture alive because it’s where we grow our food,” she said. “If you want to take away ag land, that would mean less food.”

(Contact Matt Brown at matt.brown@arguscourier.com.)

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