Students for Eco-Education & Agriculture

What Students for Eco-Education & Agriculture does

Students for Eco-Education & Agriculture (SEEAG) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2008 and headquartered in Ventura, California, that provides cost-free agricultural education programs to K-12 students and broader communities across Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. Its core programmatic portfolio includes Farm-to-Food Lab, a three-part hands-on program for 3rd graders combining in-class agricultural science, farm field trips, and classroom nutrition presentations; STEM Career Pathways in Agriculture, a multi-part workforce development program for middle and high school students featuring classroom STEM labs (soil health, hydroponics, NFT systems, fungi, insect studies), career guidance workshops, and industry field trips to local farms and agribusinesses; the Youth Wellness Initiative, which operates Produce Pop-Up events that distribute fresh produce to schools and families in partnership with Food Share and Food Forward; and Farm Day Every Day, a year-round rotating free farm tour program that supplements the annual one-day Ventura County and Santa Barbara County Farm Day events. Supporting programs include Bus Bucks (transportation funding), the Fields of Innovation in Agriculture Research Competition, Plantopia (annual seedling distribution at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival), the Whole Harvest Campaign (farmland revitalization), and a workforce development Internship Program.

SEEAG's underlying technology is fundamentally experiential and inquiry-based rather than digital: curriculum is delivered through in-person farm-based field trips at Petty Ranch (Saticoy) and Allan Hancock College (Santa Maria), school-based in-class sessions, and community farm tours across a network of more than 20 partner farms including Petty Ranch, Allan Hancock College, Brokaw Nursery, Plantel Nurseries, McGrath Family Farms, Driscoll's, Bonipak Produce, Rincon Farms, Rancho Olivos, and Otto & Sons Nursery. The organization maintains offices in Ventura (1891 Goodyear Avenue) and Orcutt (145 S. Gray Street, opened February 2025), and is developing a third site, the three-acre Southbank Learning Farm in Oxnard on County-owned land behind the Ventura County Juvenile Justice Facilities.

SEEAG's business model is that of a grant- and donation-funded nonprofit. All programs are provided free of charge to students, teachers, and schools; there is no fee-based pricing. Revenue is generated from individual donations, corporate sponsorships and matching gifts (e.g., Gills Onions matched up to $15,000 in the May Double Your Impact Challenge), foundation grants (Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation, Edwin and Jeanne Woods Family Foundation, The Gene Haas Foundation, Uplift Central Coast), and targeted fundraising campaigns including Bus Bucks, Double Your Impact Challenge, Giving Tuesday, and the inaugural Summer Celebration (which raised over $124,000 in August 2025). The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on school district and teacher outreach, word-of-mouth, donor referrals, and direct community engagement through Farm Day events and volunteer days. In 2025, SEEAG served over 6,000 students across 72 schools (51 in Ventura County, 21 in Santa Barbara County) and continues to scale geographically with the Northern Santa Barbara County expansion.

Name

Students for Eco-Education & Agriculture

Legal name

Students for Eco-Education & Agriculture

Website

https://seeag.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Students for Eco-Education & Agriculture (SEEAG) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing cost-free agricultural education programs to K-12 students, teachers, and communities across California's Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, including farm-based field trips, STEM career exploration, food access pop-ups, and community farm tours.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation) (EDAMABAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA)

Keywords

• Agricultural education programs
• Farm-based learning services
• Nonprofit education services
• STEM career exploration
• Community food access

Headquarters

HQ city

Ojai

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: General donations from individuals supporting agricultural education. SEEAG maintains a donate page and regularly promotes giving campaigns.
2. Corporate Sponsorships & Matching Gifts: Corporate partners sponsor programs, match donations (e.g., Gills Onions matching up to $15,000 in May Double Your Impact Challenge), or donate products/services. The 2025 Summer Celebration fundraiser raised over $124,000.
3. Foundation Grants: Grants from foundations such as Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation and Edwin and Jeanne Woods Family Foundation that funded the Orcutt office expansion.
4. Targeted Fundraising Campaigns: Annual campaigns such as Bus Bucks (transportation reimbursements for schools), Double Your Impact Challenge, Giving Tuesday, and the Summer Celebration fundraiser.
5. Programs at No Cost to Schools: All programs (Farm-to-Food Lab, STEM Career Pathways, Farm Day, Youth Wellness) are provided free of charge to students, teachers, and schools, eliminating financial barriers to participation. Funded entirely through external donations and grants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

SEEAG (Students for Eco-Education & Agriculture) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides cost-free, hands-on agricultural education programs to K-12 students and community members across Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties in California. Its core offerings include the Farm-to-Food Lab program for third graders, STEM Career Pathways in Agriculture for middle and high school students, the Youth Wellness Initiative distributing fresh produce to families, and annual Farm Day / Farm Day Every Day community farm tour events. Programs are delivered at partner farms, schools, and college sites and are funded entirely through donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and fundraising campaigns.

Product overview

SEEAG (Students for Eco-Education & Agriculture) operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of cost-free agricultural education programs. The core offerings include Farm-to-Food Lab (hands-on field trips for 3rd graders), STEM Career Pathways in Agriculture (workforce development for middle/high school students), Youth Wellness Initiative (food access through Produce Pop-Ups), and Farm Day/Farm Day Every Day (community farm tours). Supporting programs include Bus Bucks (transportation funding), the Fields of Innovation Research Competition, Plantopia (seedling distribution), the Whole Harvest Campaign (farmland revitalization), and an Internship Program. Programs are delivered primarily in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, California, with operations expanding to Northern Santa Barbara County via an Orcutt office.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Farm-to-Food Lab: Hands-on agricultural education program for 3rd graders featuring farm-based field trips and nutrition education
• STEM Career Pathways in Agriculture
• Youth Wellness Initiative
• Farm Day Every Day
• Plantopia
• Bus Bucks
• Fields of Innovation in Agriculture Research Competition

Products and services

• Farm-to-Food Lab A hands-on, three-part agricultural education program for third-grade students consisting of an in-class session, a farm field trip (to Petty Ranch in Ventura County or Allan Hancock College in Santa Barbara County), and a classroom nutrition presentation. Students explore the food supply chain from soil to table and back to soil, with hands-on activities in vermicomposting, seed dispersal, irrigation, and seasonal cooking. Provided at no cost to students, teachers, and schools.
• STEM Career Pathways in Agriculture A multi-part workforce development program for middle and high school students introducing STEM careers across the Central Coast's agricultural economy. Includes classroom STEM in Ag Lab (hydroponics, soil health, fungi, insect studies), a Career Guidance Workshop with Holland Code personality assessments, and industry field trips to farms and agribusinesses such as Driscoll's, Brokaw Nursery, and Santa Barbara Blueberries. Provided at no cost to students and schools.
• Youth Wellness Initiative A community program connecting young people and families to fresh produce and food access resources, including Produce Pop-Up events that distribute fresh fruits and vegetables directly to schools and underserved communities. Partners with Food Share of Ventura County and Food Forward to bridge regional agricultural abundance with community need.
• Farm Day Every Day A year-round initiative providing limited-ticket, free community farm tour events at rotating host farms across Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. Each tour offers immersive behind-the-scenes agricultural experiences for the general public, including visits to Brokaw Nursery, McGrath Family Farms, Otto & Sons Nursery, Rancho Olivos, Plantel Nurseries, and Rincon Farms.
• Farm Day (Annual) Annual one-day Farm Day events held separately in Ventura County and Santa Barbara County, where 20+ farms open their doors for free public tours, hands-on activities, and educational experiences celebrating local agriculture. The 7th Annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day drew over 5,000 visitors with 9,179 check-ins across 21 farm locations and over 20,000 pounds of fresh produce sampled and taken home.
• Bus Bucks A transportation funding program that covers bus reimbursements for schools attending Farm-to-Food Lab programs, removing financial barriers to ensure every student can participate in hands-on agricultural education field trips. Funded through the annual Bus Bucks campaign.
• Fields of Innovation in Agriculture Research Competition A six-week, fully online research challenge for 10th-12th grade students exploring agricultural topics, culminating in an in-person poster showcase at CSU Channel Islands with potential scholarship awards and internship opportunities.
• Plantopia An annual community event at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival where SEEAG distributes edible seedlings to local families, promoting home gardening and agricultural awareness. SEEAG distributed nearly 10,000 edible seedlings at Plantopia 2025.
• Internship Program Part-time internship positions providing hands-on experience in agricultural education and nonprofit operations, with interns supporting various programs including Farm-to-Food Lab, STEM Career Pathways, and Farm Day events over 8-12 weeks. Includes 7 interns for Spring 2026 across both Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 6,000 students served in 2025 across both counties
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

31 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Petty Ranch (Chris Sayer)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChris Sayer, farmer and owner of Petty Ranch in Saticoy, provides the Farm Lab field trip site for SEEAG's third-grade programs. His ranch serves as the primary hands-on learning environment for Ventura County Farm-to-Food Lab, with SEEAG maintaining an education site on his property. The partnership has been ongoing for multiple years and is central to SEEAG's core programming.
• Allan Hancock CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAllan Hancock College in Santa Maria hosts SEEAG's Farm Lab site and Demonstration Orchard for Santa Barbara County programs. The partnership includes field trips for third-grade Farm-to-Food Lab students, STEM Career Pathways tours, and Farm Day Every Day events. SEEAG also connects students to Allan Hancock College's Agricultural CTE programs and career pathways.
• Brokaw NurserycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrokaw Nursery in Ventura hosts STEM Career Pathways field trips and Farm Day Every Day tours. Known for expertise in avocado and kiwi cultivation, the nursery provides students with hands-on learning about grafting, propagation, etiolation, and trial field research. Brokaw donates avocado trees for SEEAG's event raffles and provides seedlings for educational programming.
• Plantel NurseriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlantel Nurseries in Santa Maria produces over one billion vegetable seedlings annually and hosts SEEAG's Farm Day Every Day tours and STEM Career Day events. The company donated thousands of seedlings for Plantopia at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival and provides free seedlings to Farm Day Every Day tour attendees.
• McGrath Family FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMcGrath Family Farms in Camarillo, part of a farmer collective, hosts Farm Day Every Day tours showcasing organic and regenerative farming practices. The farm partners with SEEAG to give community members immersive experiences with sustainable agriculture, including tours of their fields and connections to the Rodale Institute and Carranza Family Farms.
• Driscoll'scoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDriscoll's hosts STEM Career Pathways field trips for multiple high schools (Fillmore High School, Oxnard High School) in Ventura County. Students explore irrigation systems, berry breeding, forecasting, and flavor testing, gaining exposure to careers in berry production, plant science, and agricultural technology.
• Bonipak ProducecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBonipak Produce hosts STEM Career Pathways field trips and participated in the 7th Annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day. The company provides access to its cooling and packing facility for educational tours and supports SEEAG's agricultural career exploration programs.
• Bank of AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBank of America employees volunteer at Petty Ranch during monthly volunteer days, contributing to site maintenance, gardening, construction of shade structures, and general farm work. These corporate volunteer events help maintain SEEAG's education sites while building employee engagement.
• Food Share of Ventura CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood Share provides pre-packaged produce boxes for SEEAG's Produce Pop-Up events, enabling the Youth Wellness Initiative to distribute fresh food to underserved families at school sites. Food Share's partnership allows SEEAG to bridge regional agricultural abundance with community food access needs.
• Food ForwardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood Forward gleans surplus produce from farms and donates it to SEEAG's Produce Pop-Up events. Their gleaned oranges and other produce have been distributed to thousands of families, reducing food waste while addressing food insecurity in Ventura County communities.
• Rodale InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRodale Institute partnered with McGrath Family Farms and Carranza Family Farms during SEEAG's Farm Day Every Day tour at McGrath Family Farms, presenting on organic and regenerative farming practices and the intersection of science and agriculture.
• Ventura County K16 Education CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ventura County K16 Education Collaborative partnered with SEEAG to provide workforce development internships in 2026. The partnership enables SEEAG to bring talented interns onto its team while supporting the next generation of agricultural education professionals.
• County of Ventura Workforce Development BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe County of Ventura Workforce Development Board partnered with SEEAG to provide workforce development internship opportunities, supporting professional development for young people while strengthening SEEAG's programmatic capacity.
• Otto & Sons NurseryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOtto & Sons Nursery in Fillmore hosts Farm Day Every Day tours in June 2026. As a family-owned nursery specializing in roses, fruit trees, and perennials grown with sustainable practices, it provides educational tours of its 1.3-acre display garden and propagation facilities.
• Rancho OlivosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRancho Olivos in Santa Ynez hosts Farm Day Every Day tours, offering olive orchard tours, olive oil tasting experiences, and insights into olive growing and harvesting. Their farm stand products (olive oils) are featured during tours.
• Las Cumbres RanchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLas Cumbres Ranch in Los Alamos hosts Farm Day Every Day tours showcasing regenerative ranching practices, Bonsmara cattle operations, and native plant ecosystems. Participated in Santa Barbara County Farm Day and hosts STEM field trips exploring sustainable land management.
• Tutti Frutti FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTutti Frutti Farms in Lompoc hosts Farm Day Every Day tours, providing tours of heirloom tomato fields, walnut trees, and cattle operations. Participated in the 7th Annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day.
• Rincon FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRincon Farms in Carpinteria hosts Farm Day Every Day tours and Farm Day events, providing behind-the-scenes tours of avocado orchards and a state-of-the-art packing facility. Tours include avocado sorting, packing, and fresh guacamole tasting.
• Reiter Affiliated CompaniesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReiter Affiliated Companies (RAC) hosts STEM Career Pathways field trips (e.g., Hueneme High School) and participated in the 7th Annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day, showcasing berry production and farmworker labor rights.
• Santa Barbara Blueberries (Restoration Oaks Ranch)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSanta Barbara Blueberries at Restoration Oaks Ranch hosts STEM Career Pathways field trips, providing students with hands-on learning about regenerative farming, drip irrigation, vermicomposting, and cover crops at an 18-acre naturally grown U-Pick farm.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Ventura CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoys & Girls Clubs members assist with Produce Pop-Up event logistics and will attend summer programs at Petty Ranch in 2026, providing youth engagement and volunteer support for SEEAG's community food access initiatives.
• Fun in the Sun (United Way of Santa Barbara County)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFun in the Sun (FITS), a summer learning program organized by United Way of Santa Barbara County, partners with SEEAG to bring students to Petty Ranch and Allan Hancock College for farm-based education as part of FITS programming to prevent summer learning loss.
• Gills OnionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGills Onions hosts STEM Career Pathways field trips, providing students with hands-on learning about onion production, agricultural technology, and careers in large-scale vegetable operations. Also provides financial matching for SEEAG fundraisers.
• Rancho Laguna FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRancho Laguna Farms in Santa Maria hosts STEM Career Day tours for Santa Barbara County students, showcasing strawberry production and connecting students with careers in agronomy, field operations, and research and development.
• AgWest Farm CreditminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAgWest Farm Credit participated in SEEAG's Santa Barbara County STEM Career Day as an industry representative, sharing information about careers in agricultural banking and finance with students.
• Engel & GrayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngel & Gray (compost company) participated in SEEAG's Santa Barbara County STEM Career Day and provided free compost giveaways at Farm Day Every Day tours at Plantel Nurseries.
• Babe FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBabe Farms participated in the 7th Annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day, giving away thousands of pounds of produce to over 1,000 attendees and hosting community partners including Veggie Rescue and Mexiforno Pizzas.
• Cal Poly SLO Agribusiness Management ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Cal Poly SLO Agribusiness Management Club hosted a pickleball tournament with all proceeds donated to SEEAG's education programs, demonstrating student-led support for agricultural education.
• Central West ProduceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral West Produce participated in the 7th Annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day, showcasing their hydroponic strawberry system and giving away berries and merchandise while hosting community organization booths.
• Farmivore Food HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFarmivore, a local food hub, partnered with McGrath Family Farms during SEEAG's Farm Day Every Day tour, sharing their impact on the local community and beyond through sustainable food distribution.
• Mark Richardson CTE Center & Ag FarmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Mark Richardson CTE Center & Ag Farm in Santa Maria hosted SEEAG's Santa Barbara County STEM Career Day, providing the venue for student sessions, industry round-robin career fair, and farm tours. Part of the SMJUHSD career technical education pathway.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Center for Land-Based Learning: California-based nonprofit that operates hands-on farm and field-based education programs for students and aspiring farmers, including the SLEWS program and student-run farms. Directly comparable to SEEAG in mission, California geography, and experiential ag-education model.
• California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom: State affiliate of the national Agriculture in the Classroom network, providing curriculum, teacher training, and resources to integrate agricultural literacy into California K-12 classrooms. Comparable in target audience (CA K-12 students and teachers) and agricultural literacy mission.
• FoodCorps: National nonprofit that connects kids to healthy food in schools through service members and garden-based education. Directly comparable to SEEAG's Youth Wellness Initiative and Farm-to-Food Lab in mission (school food education) and target audience, though operating nationally rather than regionally.
• Life Lab: UC Santa Cruz-affiliated nonprofit running garden-based science education programs for K-12 students across California, including the Garden Classroom and educator training. Comparable to SEEAG in experiential school-garden learning model and California focus, with overlapping curriculum domains (soil science, plant biology, nutrition).
• Edible Schoolyard Project: Alice Waters-founded nonprofit supporting school gardens, kitchen classrooms, and food education programs nationwide. Directly comparable to SEEAG's Farm-to-Food Lab in school-based food literacy programming, with broader national reach.
• National Farm to School Network: National information, advocacy, and networking organization supporting farm to school and farm to early care and education programs. Comparable to SEEAG in farm-to-school mission and K-12 audience, with a coordination/networking role rather than direct program delivery.
• EcoFarm Conference (Ecological Farming Association): California-based nonprofit advancing ecological agriculture through education, conferences, and farmer-to-farmer networking, including the annual EcoFarm Conference. Comparable to SEEAG in California agricultural education mission and focus on sustainable/regenerative farming practices.

Broad incumbents

• Agriculture in the Classroom (national): National umbrella organization coordinating state-level agricultural literacy programs across all 50 states, with curriculum, teacher resources, and a national conference. Comparable in K-12 agricultural literacy mission, with broader national scope than SEEAG's regional California focus.

Emerging players

• Captain Planet Foundation: National environmental education nonprofit funding hands-on, project-based learning environments for K-12 youth, including school gardens and outdoor classrooms. Comparable to SEEAG in youth environmental education and outdoor learning, with a broader environmental scope beyond agriculture.

Regional players

• AgScape (Ontario, Canada): Canadian nonprofit delivering agriculture and food education programs to Ontario schools and teachers, including classroom resources, teacher training, and student ambassador programs. Comparable in mission to SEEAG (school-based agricultural literacy), operating in a different geography (Ontario) with similar programmatic structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SantaBarbaraCountyFarmDay
• Instagraminstagram.com/seeag_org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/students-for-eco-education-and-agriculture-seeag-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Students for Eco-Education & Agriculture