The California Agricultural Leadership Foundation was incorporated in 1969 to administer and set overall policy direction for the California Agricultural Leadership Program, an innovative two-year fellowship designed to prepare and equip men and women in agriculture for more effective leadership. The first Class was selected in 1970.

Inspiration for the California Agricultural Leadership Program occurred in the late 1960s when a group of California growers hosted 30 young farmers from Michigan who were involved in that state's formal agricultural leadership development program sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The California growers enlisted the assistance of the California agricultural community to provide the resources for creating an agricultural leadership program appropriate for the Golden State.

Major start-up funding for the Program was provided by The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation and The J.G. Boswell Foundation. Michigan State University and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo partnered to create the Program curriculum. Three additional universities were then enlisted to assist Cal Poly SLO in providing educational guidance and logistical support: University of California, Davis; California State University, Fresno; and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. These four leading California institutions continue to anchor the Program by hosting the seminars on their campuses, teaching and assisting with curriculum administration.

The Program is sponsored by the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation, a not-for-profit tax-exempt 501(C)3 organization. The Foundation is purely a privately funded entity and relies completely upon businesses, foundations, organizations and individuals for operations support. Except for a modest participant fee, the Program's budget is entirely underwritten by and accountable to California's agricultural stakeholders, including Program alumni. The Foundation invests over $10,000 in each Program participant each year.

Since its inception, the Program has graduated 36 classes and has approximately 1,100 alumni who will be found exactly where we expected them to be - in our communities, government and industry building and leading solid families, vibrant enterprises, and effective voluntary organizations. A quick survey of any California locale or endeavor will confirm that fact many times over.