Monthly Archives: May 2026

CDFA Celebrates International Day of Biological Diversity 2026

May 22, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

As we recognize the International Day for Biological Diversity, we’d like to highlight how our Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability is supporting monarch butterflies and other pollinators through its Pollinator Habitat Program and its participation in the California Multi-Agency Monarch and Pollinator collaborative, which recently released a new report outlining priority actions to support western monarch butterfly recovery and …

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Center for Analytical Chemistry staff gain better appreciation of lab work through sampling ride-along

May 21, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

CDFA Center for Analytical Chemistry (CAC) Food Safety Laboratories provide analytical services to the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) through analyzing various samples DPR staff take from the field. To observe firsthand the sampling techniques utilized by DPR, Food Safety Laboratory team members recently rode along with the DPR Enforcement Branch while they collected samples for DPR’s Food Residue Monitoring program. Together, …

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Secretary Karen Ross Celebrated as Anti-Hunger Champion at 2026 Food ACCESS Conference

May 18, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross was recognized today by the California Association of Food Banks as a 2026 Anti-Hunger Champion during the organization’s Food ACCESS Conference luncheon in Sacramento. Secretary Ross received the Anti-Hunger Champion Award — Administrator Award at the 2026 Food ACCESS Conference, honoring her leadership and ongoing commitment to improving food access and …

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Artichokes: All About California’s Official State Vegetable

May 15, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

Courtesy of CA GROWN Artichokes have been grown in California since the late 1880s, but they didn’t always have their modern-day it-girl status. Initially, most of America’s artichokes were imported from France, until World War I disrupted that supply line. California growers banded together to form the Artichoke Growers Association (now the California Artichoke Advisory Board), consolidated packing and transportation, and …

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🍓 May is National Strawberry Month!

May 14, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

California leads the nation in strawberry production, harvesting 2.77 billion pounds valued at $3.68 billion. From coastal fields to tables across the United States, California strawberries are delicious and nutritious! Join us in celebrating the growers, farmworkers, and communities behind one of our state’s sweetest crops! Resources: Where are California strawberries grown? (California Strawberry Commission) How Strawberries are Grown at …

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Secretary Ross discusses importance of fruit and vegetable inspections at national conference in San Diego

May 14, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross spoke to attendees of the 2026 Association of Fruits & Vegetables Inspection & Standardization Agencies (AFVISA) Conference on Wednesday, May 13. The association includes inspectors from throughout the country and Secretary Ross thanked them for working to maintain quality standards and specifications in produce brought to market to maintain the integrity consumers expect. Secretary Ross also …

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CA GROWN Offers Budget-Friendly Recipes That Won’t Break the (Food) Bank

May 8, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

Budget-friendly recipes don’t have to be boring. If you’re looking for fresh and delicious cooking ideas, created with affordability in mind, California Grown’s got you covered. Every recipe developed by our friends at California Grown is designed to celebrate California’s agricultural abundance. The goal is simple: to highlight the Golden State’s 400+ specialty crops and inspire Californians (and anyone beyond …

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Climate Resilience Strategy for California Agriculture: Legislative Briefing

May 7, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

California agriculture plays a substantial role in California’s climate adaptation efforts, with producers, researchers, and policymakers working together to build a more sustainable and resilient future. On April 30, California Department of Food and Agriculture Deputy Secretary for Climate and Working Lands Virginia Jameson led a legislative briefing to present the recently published Climate Resilience Strategy for California Agriculture (RSA). …

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Trade Mission to Thailand Represents Opportunities for California Exporters

May 5, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross traveled to Thailand from April 24 to May 1 as part of a National Association of State Department of Agriculture (NASDA) trade mission focused on strengthening agricultural trade relationships and expanding California’s presence in a key Southeast Asian market. Thailand, along with Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia, has emerged as a critical …

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Public Service Recognition Week is May 3-9, 2026: “Thanks for everything you do.”

May 4, 2026   Karen Ross, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture

By Karen Ross, CDFA Secretary “Thanks for everything you do.” I’ve said those words to my CDFA colleagues and coworkers so many times over the past 16 years, in meeting rooms and at Ag Day and at holiday parties, in personal conversations and public venues. And I’ve meant it every single time. Public Service Recognition Week is May 3-9. To …

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