Welcome to FARM SMART, Sam Urie!

Welcome Sam Urie, the new Desert Research and Extension Center (DREC) FARM SMART manager! Sam Urie has a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from Utah State University. He has professional experience with the USDA-ARS Forage and Range Research Lab in Logan, Utah, as well as over three years of experience teaching agriculture in a high school setting. Sam grew up in Utah and has been around farming for as long as he can remember. He was also heavily involved in Future Farmers of America in high school. 

Sam will lead FARM SMART, an educational outreach program based at UC ANR’s DREC in Holtville, CA. The program focuses on agricultural and natural resources literacy and community outreach. FARM SMART invites thousands of K-12 students to the DREC each year for tours of the farm and hands-on education. With program titles such as “My Agrilicious Food Pyramid” and “Alfalfa is Ice Cream in the Making,” FARM SMART offers the community an unparalleled educational resource. Students pick vegetables from the four-acre FARM SMART garden, learn about research being done on the farm, and understand where their food comes from in a fun and educational way. 

FARM SMART also hosts a Winter Visitor program in January and February each year.  Attendees pick produce, are treated to a field tour, and learn about and experience area agriculture. Visitors have lunch on the patio and can ask questions about area farming practices at the “Get Farm Smarter” booth. FARM SMART will recognize its 100,000th visitor in 2014 during the Winter Visitor program. 

Learn more about FARM SMART and DREC here or call the FARM SMART office at 760-356-3067.