Author Archives: CDFA Staff

Modesto Bee: Woodlake kids pick gardens over gangs

December 19, 2011   CDFA Staff

Read the original story from Modesto Bee When Manuel Jimenez first set eyes on the land below a levee, thick with brush and weeds, the one-time field worker envisioned a place where youngsters could escape the temptations of gang life and learn about the San Joaquin Valley’s most vital industry. But, like many places in California’s farming belt, this Tulare …

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Holiday Spirit: Frozen Turkeys, Warm Hearts at CDFA

November 16, 2011   CDFA Staff

The back alley at CDFA headquarters hosted a parade of cars and trucks this morning, as drivers filed through to take part in the holiday “Turkey Drop.”  Chilly temperatures couldn’t keep folks away as the California Foodlink refrigerated truck steadily filled up with crate after crate of frozen turkeys – 447 turkeys in all, well past last year’s total of 351.  …

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Posted in Food Access | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

TV Report: Pesticide Residue Testing at Farmers’ Markets

September 16, 2011   CDFA Staff

Bay Area NBC station KNTV aired a report this week that followed several fruit and vegetable samples from a local farmers’ market to CDFA’s lab, where analysts check for pesticide residues.  See the report online at http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/business/Farmers_Market_Inspections_Bay_Area-129888613.html

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Pollination Preservation: Grants Help Assess, Improve Health of Bee Colonies

August 24, 2011   CDFA Staff

California’s farmers and beekeepers are harvesting the benefits of two Specialty Crop Block Grant (SBCG) projects awarded by the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Federal Funds Management Office (FFMO).  The grantee, Project Apis m (PAm) reports that the loss of bees during the crucial overwintering period, when they are most vulnerable, is hovering at an unsustainable 30% level. …

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Beneficial Bugs: USDA releasing hundreds of thousands of sterile LBAM in Long Beach

July 20, 2011   CDFA Staff

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has begun a five-month pilot project in Long Beach, California to determine whether sterile insect technology (SIT) can be an effective tool in agricultural officials’ ongoing effort to control the invasive light brown apple moth (LBAM) in California. SIT is a proven and environmentally friendly method of controlling a pest infestation by introducing …

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Posted in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Light Brown Apple Moth, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

National Ag Association Surveys States’ Raw Milk Regs

July 19, 2011   CDFA Staff

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) has released its latest iteration of a recurring survey of state laws governing raw milk. Five states have strengthened standards for how much bacteria is permitted in government sampling of raw milk, including New Hampshire, Pennsulvania, Idaho, Vermont and South Dakota. No states have relaxed their standards since 2008. The survey …

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