FRC grants tenure to ag studies instructor J.P. Tanner
Voting 4-0, the Feather River College Board of Trustees approved tenure Feb. 14 for Agriculture Studies Instructor J.P. Tanner who recently led students from the Equine and Ranch Management program to Klamath Falls, Oregon, for a successful, first-ever experience selling bulls they had bred and raised on campus.
The votes were cast by FRC Board President Dr. Dana Ware and Trustees Bill Elliott, Guy McNett and Trent Saxton. Trustee John Sheehan was unavailable for the meeting, which was held on the Quincy campus.
“J.P. is a real asset to our program,” said FRC President/ Superintendent Kevin Trutna, Ph.D. as he introduced the agriculture studies instructor to the board. “He has a good connection with the University of Nevada, Reno’s beef science education program and his specialty in helping ag businesses get a start fits perfectly with our farm and ranch bachelor’s degree program. J.P. is doing a great job.”
Tanner came to FRC four years ago after extensive experience with agriculture extension studies and 11 years with Montana State University. He teaches both associate of arts subjects and bachelor’s degree-level classes for FRC.
“I’m trying to grow our A.A. and B.S. degree programs,” Tanner told the trustees. “One unique thing at FRC is that the purchase of the agriculture land allows us to have an excellent outdoor learning lab that contributed to our success at the bull sale.”
The sale of the bulls in Oregon was a successful, hands-on venture and the first time the college had participated in an event of that kind.
With no previous history in this activity, the FRC livestock sold for $3,200 each and buyers asked if the college will bring more bulls to future auctions. Seven students participated in the auction event as part of FRC’s beef science and production classes.
“It was very good for our first opportunity,” Tanner commented. “Students got to rub shoulders with the producers and see how the business side (of raising beef livestock) works.”
Tanner also said two of his top goals include getting more students interested in agriculture studies, and for FRC’s equine, farm and ranch students to graduate into good, high-paying agriculture jobs.
He’s happy to let people know about FRC and said, “More and more people are learning about us, but there are still plenty of people who don’t even know where we ARE, let alone what we’re accomplishing and that our students can get a good, quality education at a decent price.”
