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NEWS & UPDATES
Welcome to the F3 Initiative News page, your source for the latest updates and stories about our work transforming agriculture in California's Central Valley. Explore articles across our three gears—F3 Innovate, F3 Local, and AgTEC Workforce—to learn how we’re driving innovation, empowering local farmers, and upskilling workers for a sustainable future. Whether you’re interested in groundbreaking ag-tech research, community-based food systems, or workforce development, there’s something here for everyone.
Agave Events hosted by UC Merced (March 17-18, 2026)
Join us for two agave events this week, hosted by UC Merced. First, on March 17th, join researchers for "From Monterrey to Merced - Agave Research & Academic Collaboration with Tecnológico de Monterrey", then on March 18th, join a public 21+ only event at UC Merced on Main: "Beyond Spirits: Agave as a Source of Knowledge and Benefits"
Mar 9
Ag Bag Events are Back this Semester at UC Merced
Ag Bag gatherings are back at UC Merced this semester, creating space for faculty, staff, graduate students, and post-docs to come together and strengthen the agricultural research community on campus. Join the next Ag Bag on Thursday, March 5, with a focus on “Environmental Stressors & Resilience in Agricultural Systems.”
Feb 27
F3 Local at Eco-Farm: Value-Added Food Production
Eco-Farm’s 46th annual conference was held from January 21st to 24th. This year brought together over 1,500 organic and regenerative farmers, educators, and researchers from throughout California. F3 Local made its first appearance this year, with Food Innovation and Small Business Coordinator, Yonatan Weinberg, facilitating a discussion on value-added production and processing.
Feb 26
Merced College Wins Bellwether Award for Leadership in Workforce Innovation
Merced College has been named a 2026 Bellwether Award winner in the Workforce Development category, a national honor recognizing innovative and replicable programs that address critical workforce challenges. The award recognizes the college’s AgTEC Workforce Initiative, a comprehensive agricultural innovation ecosystem designed to prepare farmworkers and future agricultural professionals for a rapidly evolving industry shaped by automation, robotics and data-driven systems.
Feb 25
Ag-Tech Takes Center Stage at World Ag Expo
F3 and F3i were featured in an Agri-Pulse West article on February 18, 2026. At the World Ag Expo, leaders showcased new technologies, workforce initiatives and statewide efforts to turn ag-tech into a cornerstone of California ag’s future.
Feb 18
Video Spotlight: Sherman Produce Market
Meet Donald Sherman, founder of Sherman Produce Market located in Fresno's westside community. Watch and learn about his business, his vision for growth, and his eagerness to expand and serve more farmers here in the Central Valley.
Feb 16
Fresno State’s Robotic Citrus Harvester Featured on ABC30
Fresno State’s technically advanced robotic citrus harvester was recently featured on ABC30 News, highlighting how this cutting-edge technology is being tested in real-world conditions.
Feb 12
TerraTech Returns in 2026
TerraTech applications are officially open for the 2026 cohort of businesses and interns, building on the successes of last year. TerraTech boasts a diverse slate of businesses, organizations, and projects, spanning multiple agricultural sectors and disciplines. TerraTech26 runs from June 1 to Aug. 7, 2026. The application deadline is May 1, 2026.
Feb 4
Video Spotlight: Fresno BIPOC Produce
Meet Keng Vang, owner of Fresno BIPOC Produce and a rising force in local ag. Thanks to a connection from the F3 Initiative, Keng secured funding from Waverley Street Foundation to purchase land and is planning to build a cold storage facility and community food hub in Fresno.
Feb 3
Creative, Problem-Solving Projects Win at UC Merced's I2G (Innovate to Grow)
A semi-automated washing system for bins at a tomato-processing facility and a mobile app for hikers earned big wins at the Fall 2025 I2G, or Innovate to Grow, event at UC Merced.
I2G is a unique "experiential learning" program that engages external partner organizations with teams of students who design systems to solve real-world engineering and computer science problems.
Jan 30
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