Monthly Archives: June 2015

Video: Why does half of America’s food go to waste? from NPR and PBS

June 30, 2015   Office of Public Affairs
Posted in Food Access, Food Safety, Nutrition | Leave a comment

USDA Seeks Partner Proposals to Protect and Restore Critical Wetlands

June 29, 2015   Office of Public Affairs

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the availability of $17.5 million in financial and technical assistance to help eligible conservation partners voluntarily protect, restore and enhance critical wetlands on private and tribal agricultural lands. “USDA has leveraged partnerships to accomplish a great deal on America’s wetlands over the past two decades, Vilsack said. “This year’s funding will help strengthen these …

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CDFA farmers market coupons aim to promote healthy senior eating – from the Turlock Journal

June 26, 2015   Office of Public Affairs

By Alysson Aredas To the Stanislaus County Area Agency on Aging, a coupon is more than just a piece of paper. Rather, the Seniors Farmers Market coupon booklet the organization has distributed to local seniors for over a decade helps promote healthy eating amongst older adults and provides an economic boost to local farmers. “I think it’s a win-win for …

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Drought response efforts making a difference in hardest-hit rural communities

June 25, 2015   Jenny Lester Moffitt, CDFA Deputy Secretary

When you type “East Porterville” into your trusty search engine, it offers a few suggested phrases before you even get to the “-ville” part: “water crisis” and “drought.” It’s no secret that this part of California is feeling the brunt of our drought, now well into its fourth consecutive summer. But nothing can replace witnessing firsthand the impacts of the drought …

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From USDA: Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces $150 Million, New Partnership to Support Water Quality and Quantity in Drought-Stricken California

June 24, 2015   Office of Public Affairs

Resilient Lands and Waters partnership will focus public and private resources towards conserving and restoring the Sierra-Cascade California Headwaters Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today joined Interior Deputy Secretary Mike Connor and California Secretary for Natural Resources John Laird to announce a new partnership focused on conserving and restoring the Sierra-Cascade California Headwaters, as part of President Obama’s Resilient Lands and …

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Avian Influenza Update for Backyard Bird Owners, Commercial Poultry Farmers

June 23, 2015   Office of Public Affairs

New Requirements for Bringing Poultry, Eggs, and Related Products into California Parts of the Midwest are dealing with a serious and ongoing outbreak of avian influenza, so California is taking extra steps to protect birds here. Poultry farmers, veterinarians and the larger commercial community in general are aware of the additional requirements, which focus on inspecting and testing farms and …

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Southern California remains robust food producer, maintains strong commitment to feed the hungry

June 22, 2015   Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

You have to go back more than 70 years to get a view of a very different Southern California. Long before urban and suburban post-war development blossomed around Los Angeles, the region was a major agricultural producer. Citrus was the leading crop, and that heritage is all too apparent in the place names that remain today. An example of that …

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Modesto Bee editorial: Pope, farmers have more in common than they know

June 19, 2015   Office of Public Affairs

From the Modesto Bee editorial board: Two stories caught our interest this week that centered on folks who might not seem to have much in common – Pope Francis and some Central Valley farmers. The first story was a look at the document first leaked, then released, by the Vatican containing Pope Francis’ plea for all of mankind to take …

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‘Small Potatoes’ – from the Growing California video series

June 18, 2015   Office of Public Affairs

The latest installment in the Growing California video series, a partnership with California Grown, is “Small Potatoes.”  

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Sacramento Bee editorial on Japanese Beetle eradication program

June 18, 2015   Office of Public Affairs

By the Sacramento Bee Editorial Board Like so many other living things, Japanese beetles find California’s climate to be ideal, and they absolutely love the food, a little too much. These guests are unwanted, and worse, a threat. Fearing that the voracious pests will spread from backyards to valuable farm crops, the California Department of Food and Agriculture has embarked on …

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