Photo Courtesy of Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG).
VENTURA — Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) has received a $40,000 grant from AgWest Farm Credit to help prepare and develop the organization’s new Southbank Learning Farm, a 3.63-acre agricultural education and workforce development site located behind the Ventura County Juvenile Facilities in Oxnard.
The grant will support the development of a unique community resource where agriculture serves as a catalyst for education, career exploration, food security, environmental stewardship, and new opportunities for local youth.
The Southbank Learning Farm is made possible through a 20-year social benefit lease with the County of Ventura and a partnership with the Ventura County Probation Agency (VCPA). Located on the former Senior Nutrition Farm, the site is being reimagined as a living classroom where justice system-involved youth receive hands-on agricultural education and develop career skills, while students, volunteers, and community partners work side by side to cultivate food and strengthen connections to agriculture.
“We are incredibly grateful to AgWest Farm Credit for believing in this vision,” said Caitlin Paulus Case, executive director of SEEAG. “This investment allows us to transform an underutilized public asset into a place where agriculture creates opportunity. The Southbank Learning Farm will provide youth with meaningful workforce experiences, strengthen our local food system, and create lasting benefits for Ventura County for decades to come.”
Over the next 20 years, hundreds of justice system-involved youth will participate in free pre-apprenticeship and paid apprenticeship opportunities that build technical agricultural skills and pathways to employment. Participants will gain hands-on farming experience while contributing to a project that benefits the broader community.
Once fully operational, the Southbank Learning Farm is expected to produce more than 30,000 pounds of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs annually. All produce will be donated to support justice system-involved youth, seniors, families experiencing food insecurity, and nonprofit organizations throughout Ventura County. Over the life of the lease, the farm is projected to provide approximately 600,000 pounds of fresh produce to the community.
AgWest Farm Credit has been a longtime supporter of SEEAG’s agricultural education programs.
“We’re proud to continue supporting SEEAG,” said Kevin Ralph, AgWest’s California President. “This project reflects the power of agriculture to create opportunity. By helping local youth build skills and explore career pathways, the Southbank Learning Farm closely aligns with AgWest’s commitment to investing in the next generation and strengthening communities for years to come.”
During the 2025–2026 school year, SEEAG reached more than 5,000 students across 79 schools in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties through free hands-on STEM education, classroom programs, and farm field trips. SEEAG’s annual Ventura and Santa Barbara County Farm Day events also welcomed more than 12,000 community members to experience local agriculture through free farm tours and educational activities.
“The Southbank Learning Farm reflects SEEAG’s continued commitment to expanding educational opportunities, strengthening the region’s agricultural workforce, and improving access to fresh, locally grown food,” says Case.
To learn more about SEEAG and view the organization’s 2025–2026 Annual Report, visit https://www.seeag.org/about
About SEEAG
Founded in 2008, Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping students and community members understand and connect with the farm origins of their food. SEEAG provides free, hands-on agricultural education through classroom lessons, farm field trips, STEM career exploration, and community outreach programs. During the 2025–2026 school year, SEEAG provided more than 750 hours of free agricultural education, serving more than 5,000 students across 79 schools in 30 school districts throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles counties. For more information, visithttps://www.seeag.org.
About AgWest Farm Credit
AgWest Farm Credit is a financial cooperative serving agriculture and rural communities throughout the western United States. With approximately $37.4 billion in assets, AgWest provides financing and related services to farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, commercial fishermen, timber producers, rural homeowners, and crop insurance customers. AgWest is part of the nationwide Farm Credit System, the nation’s leading provider of agricultural credit. Please visit their website to learn more:?https://www.agwestfc.com