Monthly Archives: February 2015

Rural ag producers encouraged to apply for USDA’s Rural Energy for America (REAP) program

February 19, 2015   Office of Public Affairs

From USDA: USDA Announces Funding for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects WASHINGTON – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that rural agricultural producers and small business owners can now apply for resources to purchase and install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. These efforts help farmers, ranchers and other small business owners save money on their energy …

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West Coast Governors Call for an End to Port Labor Impasse

February 18, 2015   Office of Public Affairs

California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. and his colleagues in Washington and Oregon have issued the following joint statement: 2-18-2015 SACRAMENTO – As U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez helps mediate discussions between dockworkers and port operators, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., Washington Governor Jay Inslee and Oregon Governor Kate Brown today called for a quick resolution to the harmful …

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Video: Measurement standards protect consumers and businesses in commercial transactions

February 18, 2015   Office of Public Affairs

This video by the California Department of Food and Agriculture features Kristin Macey, director of the department’s Division of Measurement Standards, explaining the importance of preserving and enforcing uniform standards of measurement to protect both consumers and businesses in commercial transactions.

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Video: Secretary Ross offers updates on drought, dairy pricing in interview at World Ag Expo

February 17, 2015   Office of Public Affairs

At the World Ag Expo February 10-12 in Tulare, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross was interviewed by WAE-TV, a partnership with the Expo and Dairy Business Communications. She provided updates on California’s ongoing drought and recent activity on the dairy pricing front – as well as her highlights from the annual show.  

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Video: Taking Advantage of Storm Flows

February 13, 2015   Office of Public Affairs

DWR Director Mark Cowin and USBR Mid-Pacific Regional Director David Murillo respond to storm flow questions at a recent California State Board of Food and Agriculture meeting. The California Department of Water Resources, which operates the State Water Project, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates the Central Valley Project, do not act by themselves. They coordinate closely with partner …

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World Ag Expo – a world-class showcase for Ag

February 12, 2015   Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

Tulare County is the number-one Ag county in the nation and the perfect place to host the annual World Ag Expo. I was honored to be able to visit this week. The Expo wouldn’t happen without extraordinary organizational leadership and the force of 1,200 volunteers of all ages who help shine the spotlight on agriculture, especially in the San Joaquin …

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Measurement Standards: It All Started Down on the Farm…

February 11, 2015   Kristin Macey, Director, CDFA Division of Measurement Standards

When you go to the supermarket and you buy a gallon of milk or a pound of oranges, how do you know you’re getting your money’s worth? How about a quart of oil, or an acre of land, or a truckload of building materials? Well, it all started down on the farm… As our ancestors made the transition from their …

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USDA announces $30 million to fight citrus disease

February 10, 2015   Office of Public Affairs

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced $30 million in funding for 22 projects to help citrus producers combat Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening, a devastating citrus disease that threatens U.S. citrus production. The money will fund promising projects that could offer near-term solutions as well as research funding that may develop long-terms solutions. The promising near-term tools and …

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Changing times at Tulare’s World Ag Expo – from the Hanford Sentinel

February 9, 2015   Office of Public Affairs

By Seth Nidever Sure, you can still see the huge tractors and the weird-looking equipment. You can still test-drive a four-wheel-drive truck. You can still eat sandwiches stuffed with fresh barbecue. As has been the case for several years, there will be tens of thousands of visitors, roughly 1,500 exhibitors and 2.6 million square feet of exhibition space at the …

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USDA announces more than $9 million to help farmers and ranchers who are veterans and/or socially disadvantaged

February 9, 2015   Office of Public Affairs

Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden has announced over $9 million in grant funds will soon be available for outreach and technical assistance to minority and veteran farmers and ranchers. This funding will enable community-based organizations, eligible higher education institutions and tribal organizations to work directly with these groups to successfully acquire, own and operate farms and ranches and to access all …

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