Cultivating Better Uses for ‘the Farm’

In letters to the editor Jan. 2, there were two criticisms of my reaction to the Pierce College agriculture faculty plan for “the Farm.” Jodi Darling defended the Animal Health Technology program and Ruth Loring raved about preposterous uses she thinks should be made of the farm.

Darling uses her experience as anecdotal evidence of the value of the Animal Health Technician program.

My information came from a study, conducted about nine years ago, of the graduates of the AHT program. Then, there were about 25 young women graduating each year and all but a few worked as veterinarian assistants. Considering they had put in two or more years studying, their salaries were low, about $4 to $6 an hour.

Let’s grant Darling’s premise that there may be better jobs out there. Does she understand that her training is being paid for from tax money? Does she have any idea how much it cost the taxpayers for her to get that $9-an-hour job? Most cleaning ladies, with no training, make $10.

Does she understand that the Los Angeles Community College District is so desperately short of funds that many sections of English, math and other academic subjects have been eliminated at all nine colleges in the district? That most veterinarian assistants are hired and given on-the-job training only and paid the same as those with an associate degree in AHT?

I want more for my tax money.

It is difficult to respond to Loring because her letter states things contrary to fact and postulates bizarre uses for the farmland. I’ll try, but I don’t think I can convince her.

She says I “want to get rid of Pierce College farm.” I have never advocated that. I do not countenance selling or leasing the farmland.

The community support for the farm mentioned by Loring is provided by residents who fear lower property values and don’t mind spending tax monies frivolously.

She suggests the development of an outdoor wedding chapel. If Warner Ridge is any criterion, the land may be worth about $1 million an acre. How many acres does Loring suggest be used for this chapel for Pierce College to show a profit?

She suggests a “mail-order branch from the student store.” What products would be mail-ordered from what student store? And wouldn’t merchants who compete with the store have a legitimate gripe that a tax-free educational institution was cutting into their business?

She suggests “selling clothes made from wool of campus-grown sheep?” Who will process the wool? Spin it? Dye it? Make the clothes? Market the clothes?

There are many potentially worthwhile uses for the farmland. The college could maintain a small demonstration farm for the hundreds of school tours that visit each year. Charging a minimal fee for tours and selling the products of such a working farm could make it self-supporting.

Some of the land could be used for reasonable, air-conditioned classroom buildings after the present financial crisis passes. Some of the land could be turned into a city recreational center and a park.

But why throw good money after bad with the almost worthless agricultural programs? The only reason is to keep jobs for the agriculture faculty, who are little more than farmers and cowboys masquerading as college professors.

M. STEPHEN SHELDON, Studio City