Monthly Archives: August 2021

By Kathleen Merrigan, former USDA deputy secretary and current director of the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems at Arizona State University Organic food once was viewed as a niche category for health nuts and hippies, but today it’s a routine choice for millions of Americans. For years following passage of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, which established national …

By Dana Yount When liquid manure sits in storage lagoons on dairies or other livestock operations for too long, methane can form and contribute to climate change. To address concerns about methane emissions, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) developed the Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP), which supports farmers in reducing their methane emissions with both financial and …

From a USDA News Release California agricultural operations have been significantly impacted by the wildfires and ongoing, severe drought. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has technical and financial assistance available to help farmers and livestock producers recover. Impacted producers should contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in …

Note — The 6th annual meeting of the Soil Health Institute was held last week. Story by Lee Allen Organizers called it “Enriching Soil, Enhancing Life,” because soil is a living, life-giving natural resource — one that needs to be respected in order for it to keep working properly. “As world population and food production demands rise, keeping soil healthy …

By Spencer Chase The nation’s largest beef industry group says it wants to demonstrate the sector’s ability to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas production in less than 20 years. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association rolled out sustainability goals Thursday at the Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, where the group’s leaders underscored the importance of producer involvement in achieving the goals. “We’ve got …

Congratulations to CDFA Undersecretary Jenny Lester Moffitt, who has been confirmed as USDA’s new Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs! We are all so proud of our friend and colleague, Jenny Lester Moffit, who has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as Undersecretary for USDA’s Marketing and Regulatory Programs! Jenny joined the CDFA team seven years ago as …