Valent U.S.A. Sponsors Students from UC Davis MANRRS Chapter to Attend National Conference

SAN RAMON, Calif., March 23, 2022 – Valent U.S.A announced today that it has sponsored six student members of the University of California, Davis, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) chapter to attend the national society’s 36th Annual Training Conference and Career Expo, the largest conference for minorities in agriculture, food natural resources, and related sciences.

This year’s conference, scheduled for March 23-26 in Jacksonville, Fla., offers many benefits and services to help members increase their knowledge and develop skills in partnerships for student success.

Attendees will be able to experience workshops, research presentations, student competitions and keynote addresses by prominent leaders. The Career Expo provides opportunities for students and young professionals to meet with employers and discuss internships, graduate research positions and career opportunities.

"We are committed to the future of the agriculture industry and to us that means cultivating a diverse and inclusive team,” said Kevin Flagg, senior finance manager, Valent U.S.A. and program lead of Valent’s partnership with MANRRS. “The MANRRS organization, and the students we are sponsoring to attend this year’s conference are great examples of the caliber of talent and leadership skills needed to drive the industry forward and sustainably feed a growing population."

Valent U.S.A. has partnered with MANRRS since 2020 to promote the professional development of minorities in agriculture-related areas through programming, training and scholarships.

The Valent-sponsored students are:

• Sada Ahmed – a senior studying global disease biology, is also the outreach coordinator for the UC Davis MANRRS chapter.
• Elise Elizondo – a graduate student studying international agriculture development.
• Lucero Macias Torres – a junior studying international agriculture development
• Nicole Ng – a Junior studying Animal Science Pre-Vet, is also the vice president for the UC Davis MANRRS chapter.
• Abenezer Shankute – a junior studying environmental science and management, is also the president for the UC Davis MANRRS chapter.
• Ethan Wynacht – a senior studying environmental policy analysis and planning, is also the publicity coordinator for the UC Davis MANRRS chapter.

"We are honored to be a MANRRS partner and excited to be in-person at the conference to help students further their development and network with our team and other members of the industry," said Leslie Garcia, Valent U.S.A. sustainability and stewardship manager and 2022 MANRRS conference staff representative. "But the students aren’t the only ones that benefit from this event. We learn just as much from them as they can from us."

MANRRS will welcome over 950 students from across the nation for the 2022 MANRRS National Conference. For more information about the conference and MANRRS, visit https://www.manrrs.org.

As an organization, MANRRS strives to continue making long-lasting connections with companies such as Valent to support initiatives surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion. MANRRS also promotes and implements initiatives which foster inclusion and the advancement of members of ethnic/cultural groups underrepresented in agricultural, natural resource sciences, and related fields; and stimulates interest in and provide exposure to Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Mathematical fields for youth from underserved communities.

About Valent U.S.A.
Valent U.S.A. LLC, headquartered in San Ramon, Calif., develops and markets products in the United States, Canada and Mexico that advance sustainable agriculture, protect crops, enhance crop yields, improve food quality, beautify the environment and safeguard public health. Valent products include a well-known line of quality herbicide, insecticide, fungicide and plant growth regulator products for agricultural, seed protection and professional use. Valent is a leader in marketing and sales of both traditional chemical products and biorational products developed by its affiliate, Valent BioSciences LLC. For more information about Valent or our full product line, please call 800-6-VALENT (682-5368) or visit valent.com.

For more information, contact:
Steve Tatum
(925) 951-3164
steve.tatum@valent.com