Paul Betancourt
Partner, VF Farms
Born in New York City and raised in San Diego Paul Betancourt lives on the farm with his wife Sheryl. Sheryl is the music director at their church and choir accompanist for the Kerman High School. Their daughter, Heidi, is an administrator and has taught school in Sanger. Their son, Jonathan, served five and a half years in the US Army. He is currently working at Colonial Williamsburg.
Betancourt is Managing Partner of VF Farms, his family’s farm based in Kerman, CA. Recent crops grown on include cotton, Pima cotton, almonds, tomatoes, barley, sugar beets, cantaloupes, and wheat.
Paul has also written a monthly column on agriculture and urban issues for the Fresno Business Journal. Paul’s community involvement includes: Kerman Unified School Board (1993-2014); Fresno County Farm Bureau (President, 2000-2002); Kerman Covenant Church; Kerman Community Food Bank (Co-Founder); Valley Clean Air Now Board ; San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District-Community Advisory Committee; National Cotton Council delegate; Fresno County Trustees Association; California School Board Association; and Central Valley Regional Water Board (2005-2008).
Paul received a BA in Religious Studies from Westmont College, a second major in Agricultural Business from Fresno State University. He also earned an MA in International Relations at Fresno State University. He is also a graduate of the California Agriculture Leadership Program (Class XXV). His book on the Swiss Model of Confederation was published in 2010. His book, Ten Reasons: Finding Balance on Environmental Issues, was published in 2012. This Week on the Farm was published in 2014.
In addition to farming, Paul teaches at Fresno State, political science at Madera Center Community College. He also teaches business ethics, US Constitution, critical thinking, personal finance and world religions at the University of Phoenix in Fresno. His blog, This Week on the Farm, can be found at http://betancourtunlimited.blogspot.com/
Paul enjoys reading, photography, travel and cooking.