About the Program

Focus on Emerging Leaders
For more than 50 years, CALP has provided an advanced leadership development experience for emerging, mid-career agricultural leaders. All of our fellows come to the program with great leadership potential. The program provides tools to increase their self-awareness and set them on a path toward greater influence and leadership impact.

First Step Toward Lifelong Learning
Over the course of an intensive 17-month program, fellows are immersed in numerous topics, including leadership theory, effective communication, motivation, critical thinking, change management, emotional intelligence and other skills and tools that contribute to improved performance. Fellows engage in situations and discussions focused on complex social and cultural issues, providing them with an opportunity to build enhanced critical thinking skills that, combined with a broader perspective, help graduates guide creative solutions throughout their lives.

In addition, individualized executive coaching and personal assessment instruments provide focus on fellows’ strengths and areas for growth through the development of goals and strategies for improvement.

A Life-Changing Experience
Four exceptional partner universities – Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Fresno State and UC Davis – deliver comprehensive, diverse and high-impact curriculum at the seminars. Fellows learn from first-rate educators, subject authorities and individuals from diverse professions and backgrounds. During the 17-month program, ongoing interaction with core faculty and peers shapes the individual experience and intentionally introduces fellows to some unfamiliar, and at times uncomfortable, situations. As a result, fellows develop a close camaraderie, learn to approach issues with an open and critical mind and enhance their ability to listen and learn from others.

National and international seminars provide further opportunities to use critical thinking to work through complex issues, understand interconnected systems and governments, gain confidence in how to engage in various processes, compare and contrast cultural dynamics, immerse oneself in different cultures and dialogue with policy leaders.

Travel seminars

Leadership from the Inside Out
Through a balance of dynamic classroom presentations, case studies, experiential learning opportunities, individualized coaching and selected readings, fellows acquire tools to enhance their leadership skills and contribute to the long-term success of their farms, ranches, nurseries, allied businesses and organizations. Having the confidence to step up and engage diverse groups in discussions about critical issues is one of many outputs of the Ag Leadership Program.

For more information about what to expect as a fellow and our philosophy of teaching leadership from the inside out, take a look at the frequently asked questions under the resources/quicklinks section on this page.

Strengthening California and Sustainably Supplying the World
Program graduates are part of an influential group of agricultural professionals who are effectively tackling challenging issues and opportunities faced by their families, businesses and communities. Many are actively engaged in leadership that is positively impacting California agriculture on a local, statewide, national and global scale.

As one of the over 1,300 alumni – growers, farmers, ranchers and other individuals working in allied businesses – fellows become part of a powerful network that serves to keep agriculture a viable and important part of our state’s economy.