Author Archives: Karen Ross, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture

When it comes to featuring nutritious California-grown foods, two of the best built-in ambassadors we have are in Anaheim – Disneyland and the California Adventure park. They host millions of visitors from around the world every year, providing an excellent opportunity to showcase our state’s agriculture. Disney embraced that this year with its 2018 Food and Wine Festival, featuring sustainably-grown …

In response to the federal government’s recent decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum, China has ordered retaliatory tariffs on about $2 billion worth of U.S. food and agricultural exports, which could have a significant negative impact on California’s farmers and ranchers. China, the world’s most populous country, is an important and growing market for California’s agricultural exports. In …

On Ag Day last week, the Center for Land Based Learning hosted a screening of a wonderful film, “Farmers for America,” created by Graham Meriwether and narrated by the excellent Mike Rowe. It’s a film I hope more organizations will bring to their local communities because it is such an important topic, and it poses some essential questions. Who will …

Our annual Ag Day is today (March 20) at the State Capitol, and our theme this year, “Climate Smart – California Grown,” is far more than a slogan. It’s actually a key part of the road map for the future of farming and ranching in our state. CDFA and the Brown Administration share a essential priority with agriculture – keep …

The final numbers for 2017 State Employees Food Drive are in and we are very pleased to note an increase in food donations compared to 2016! CDFA and its Office of Farm to Fork coordinated the food drive from late September to early February, along with their partners at the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services and 108 different assistance agencies statewide. …

One person can make a difference and sometimes we don’t have the time to say goodbye. It is with great sadness we say goodbye to our dear colleague and friend from the Netherlands, Mr. Ton Akkerman who passed away suddenly last month. Ton was Dutch Counselor for Agriculture at the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Washington D.C. He was instrumental in …

Each time I drive through California’s Central Valley I am in awe of how much food it produces. The Valley is responsible for almost 10 percent of the country’s agriculture value and is home to many of California’s most productive dairies. In fact, 90 percent of California’s milk is produced in eight counties – all located in the center of our …

The recent holiday season collapsed in flames for thousands of Ventura and Santa Barbara County residents in the path of the catastrophic Thomas Fire. It is considered the largest fire in California history, burning nearly 282,000 acres and destroying more than one-thousand homes and other structures. The fire spread across 440 square miles, more land than any California city except …

Each year Governor Brown sponsors GEELA, the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards, an event to recognize individuals and organizations for exceptional achievements in conservation and environmental stewardship. It is the state’s highest environmental honor. At the annual GEELA awards ceremony last week in Sacramento, it was my pleasure to help honor several great recipients with connections to agriculture: Stone …

Governor Brown’s proposed budget of $488 million for the California Department of Food and Agriculture for 2018-2019 reflects his emphasis on steady growth while maintaining a sufficient rainy day fund. Some key CDFA proposals are as follows: Use of Antimicrobial Drugs on Livestock – The budget proposes $2.668 million to address the full implementation of SB-27, which introduces limits on …