Author Archives: CDFA Staff

New West Nile Virus detections in horses

August 23, 2017   CDFA Staff

A dangerous disease, west Nile virus, has returned to California this summer.  A total of eight horses have been confirmed positive for the disease,  in Glenn, Contra Costa, Fresno, Kern (2), Riverside, Plumas, and San Joaquin counties. Six horses were unvaccinated and two horses had unknown vaccination status. Five horses died or were euthanized and three horses are recovering. Once again, we …

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Soil as food, and a cake

March 9, 2015   CDFA Staff

The UN has declared 2015 as the International Year of Soils. What is soil? Well, it’s simple – minerals derived from weathered rocks; and organic materials derived from living and dead organisms. Soil is also complex – it’s the “skin of the earth” that supports all forms of terrestrial life, including our homes, our food and our oxygen-giving plants. Indeed, …

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California food banks to benefit from California Grown promotion

April 21, 2014   CDFA Staff

California’s agricultural community has long been a champion of our state’s food banks. The folks over at California Grown have taken a thoroughly modern approach to supporting California food banks: snap a “selfie” and they’ll donate a pound of food. Participants must take a photograph of the CA Grown logo or anything grown or produced in California (think flowers, wine, …

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Highlights from Ag Day at the State Capitol

March 19, 2014   CDFA Staff

California’s agricultural community gathered on the west steps of our State Capitol today to show, see and sample the wonderful crops and products that come from our farms and ranches. Despite challenges such as the current drought, the Golden State’s farmers and ranchers have always come through for us. This day was an opportunity for Legislators, staff and the public, …

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Growing California video series: “Delta Delicacy”

May 14, 2013   CDFA Staff

The next segment in the Growing California video series, a partnership with California Grown, is “Delta Delicacy,” a story of California asparagus that starts with the Stockton Asparagus Festival and shows the people and process that bring this wonderful crop to harvest.

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Looking Back at the China Trade and Investment Mission

April 19, 2013   CDFA Staff

As CDFA Secretary Karen Ross and the entire California delegation return from the China Trade and Investment Mission, we thought we’d take a look back at the stops they made along the way to promote trade and forge new relationships. California’s agricultural exports to China are on the increase – up 25 percent last year alone – and this trip has …

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Ag Day at the Capitol: A Beautiful Day to be a Farmer!

March 20, 2013   CDFA Staff

Farmers love rain – so when Ag Day at the Capitol started out a little soggy, nobody really minded. Our aggies shared what they do with legislators, staffers and the public – including several hundred local school kids who enjoyed lunch courtesy of the “World’s Largest School Lunch Tray.” Special thanks to the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s partners in organizing Ag Day, …

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CDFA’s Bureau of Livestock ID Works to Prevent Cattle Rustling

December 13, 2012   CDFA Staff

Cattle rustling may seem like a crime of yesteryear, but it is still a part of the agricultural landscape today. That’s why the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Bureau of Livestock Identification keeps careful track of the sale, transport and slaughter of cattle. The bureau’s inspectors protect livestock and help ensure the safety of California’s food supply by verifing the legal use of …

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CDFA Lab Supports State Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program

November 27, 2012   CDFA Staff

Among the many partnerships CDFA maintains is a long-standing relationship with a sister agency, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). The two agencies cross paths in a number of ways, including a system to test for pesticide residue on produce. DPR’s Residue Monitoring Program is the most extensive of its kind in the nation, ensuring that the fresh produce sold in …

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Department of Justice: Former President of Organic Fertilizer Company Sentenced to Federal Prison for Selling Synthetic Fertilizer to Organic Farms

November 9, 2012   CDFA Staff

http://www.justice.gov/usao/can/news/2012/2012_11_08_townsley.sentenced.press.html (Released 10-8-12) SAN FRANCISCO – Peter Townsley was sentenced yesterday to serve 364 days in prison and ordered to pay a fine of $125,000 for a scheme to defraud his customers in the organic farming industry, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.  Townsley was also ordered to serve six months of community confinement, during which time he must perform …

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