The Pinal 40, Casa Grande, Ariz., will host the Arizona AG Experience, a three day event to celebrate dairies, farming and agriculture in Pinal County, from March 8th through the 10th. The Pinal 40 is a non-profit organization made up of a fraternity of community members from Pinal County who work to promote and develop youth with an emphasis on farming and agriculture.

Casa Grande, Ariz.-based Franklin Foods, cream cheese manufacturer, has been involved with Pinal 40 for some time. The company will be volunteering at the various AG Experience events, raising money and hosting six Future Farmers of America young adults at the reception dinner.

The AG Experience will include a Charity Golf Tournament at the Crowne Plaza San Marcos Golf Resort, agricultural tours, various informative and interesting meetings, and a welcome dinner, on March 8th, held in the Grand Pavilion on the resort grounds. The dinner will include a cocktail reception outside beforehand, and the guest speaker this year will be Keni Thomas, Army Ranger in the “Blackhawk Down” mission, award-winning Country Music artist, and part of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. For more information on the events, visit www.azagexperience.org.

Last year, the inaugural event raised over $180,000.00, which was given as Ag related scholarships to deserving young students, to The Boys and Girls Clubs, and to various other agricultural and youth oriented organizations, according to Rocco Cardinale, vice president of marketing at Franklin Foods.

Pinal 40 is led by dairyman Dennis Dugan of Triple D Dairy, also located in Casa Grande.

Learn more about Franklin Foods in our June 2015 feature article here.