State Executive Director Val Dolcini joined FSA program and loan staff from the Fresno County Office and donned the colorful, ornate ethnic garb for the Hmong New Year Celebration. (From l to r): Tou Thao, Nangpay Vang, Val Dolcini, Annie Lee and Phoua Yang.
California State Executive Director Val Dolcini joined USDA staff in Fresno, Calif to help ring in the Hmong New Year on Dec. 27.
The Hmong New Year celebration is a cultural tradition that takes place annually in select areas where large Hmong communities exist, such as California’s Central Valley. During the New Year’s celebration, Hmong dress in traditional clothing and enjoy traditional Hmong foods, dance, music and other forms of entertainment. Historically, the Hmong New Year celebration was created to give thanks to ancestors and spirits as well as welcome in a new year.
Dolcini joined local FSA staffer, Phoua Yang, on aregionalHmong radio program where they discussed FSA programs and encouraged listeners to visit their local USDA offices to plan for the upcoming planting season.
The local FSA office in Fresno has several Hmong speaking staff and serves the Hmong farming community in the San Joaquin Valley. More than 1,300 Hmong farming families operate small-scale farms in the region and are growing vegetables native to southeast Asia. Hmong farmers have developed many successful markets throughout California and sell their produce at local farmers markets and Asian food stores and restaurants throughout North America.
