Monthly Archives: November 2017

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross and a delegation from the agricultural, academic and policy sectors is in Chile this week for an exchange on climate change adaptation. In this video, delegation member Dorene (Dee Dee) D’Adamo, a member of the State Water Resources Control Board, shares what is being learned about specialty crop production, Ag education, and other elements of Chilean agriculture.  …

Excerpted from  executive summary Farmers over the age of 65 now outnumber farmers under 35 by a margin of six to one, and U.S. farmland is overwhelmingly concentrated in the hands of older farmers. Nearly two-thirds of farmland is currently managed by someone over 55. The National Agricultural Statistics Service estimates that over the next five years—the lifespan of the …

Chile is a perfect climate analogue to California with its own central valley and an abundance of specialty crops. Like California, it relies on snow melt to irrigate crops, it produces world-famous wines, and it supports vibrant cities like Santiago, the capital. Chile has been identified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as having seven of nine characteristics that are …

A nationwide economic impact study has found that more than one-fifth (or 20.4%) of the nation’s economy is linked, either directly or indirectly, to the food and agriculture sectors and that more than one-fourth of all American jobs (28%) are similarly connected. Twenty-two food and agriculture organizations commissioned this research, available at www.FeedingTheEconomy.com. Among the most important findings: Total Jobs: 43,311,057 Total Wages: …

Healthy Soils equal Healthy Lives. In California our soils help feed the world, save water, clean the air, and fight climate change. In recognition of these contributions, and in celebration of the annual World Soil Day, CDFA, alongside its state, federal and private sector partners, will be hosting California Healthy Soils Week, from December 4 to December 7, 2017. This multi-day celebration—which will include …

The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 32nd annual price survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $49.12, a 75-cent decrease from last year’s average of $49.87. The big ticket item – a 16-pound turkey – came in at a total of $22.38 this year. That’s roughly …

California’s three state cannabis licensing authorities announced today that proposed emergency licensing regulations for commercial medicinal and adult-use cannabis have been posted online and are available to the public for review. The Department of Consumer Affairs’ Bureau of Cannabis Control, Department of Public Health’s Manufactured Cannabis Safety Branch, and Department of Food and Agriculture’s CalCannabis Cultivation Licensing Division each developed the new …