Author Archives: Office of Public Affairs

Prioritizes funding to get all Californians vaccinated, provides direct relief to Californians facing job loss and eviction, doubles down on supports to small businesses and invests in safety and equity for all students Governor Gavin Newsom today submitted his 2021-22 State Budget proposal to the Legislature – a $227.2 billion fiscal blueprint that provides funding for immediate COVID-19 response and …

USDA News Release The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking members for a new advisory committee on urban agriculture, part of a broader effort to focus on the needs of urban farmers. The 12-person committee will advise the Secretary of Agriculture on the development of policies and outreach relating to urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural production practices as …

By Cirrus Wood EXCERPTED On a Saturday in late October, Carolyn Phinney stands hip-deep in a half acre of vegetables, at the nucleus of what will one day be 15 acres of productive farmland. “You can’t even see the pathways,” she says, surrounded by the literal fruits of her labors. The patch is a wealth of herbs, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, …

The new year will leave some large shoes to fill in CDFA’s Division of Animal Health and Food Safety Services with the retirements of Animal Health Branch Chief Dr. Kent Fowler and animal health specialist Victor Velez. Dr. Fowler steps down after 16 years at CDFA – his second career after more than 25 years in private practice in Monterey, …

Governor Newsom recently announced the creation of a $500 million California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program. The application period for round one begins today and lasts until January 8, 2021. The program is administered by the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. It is designed for small businesses …

By Ryan Cronk A new exhibition at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas highlights a diverse generation of women innovators and their contribution to agriculture by way of technology. “From Farms to Incubators: Women Innovators in California Agtech,” which premiered last month, uses multimedia to tell the stories of these groundbreaking female leaders and entrepreneurs, with the ultimate goal of …

By Nicholas Goeser and Tom Grumbly The new administration of the president elect will break from tradition in many obvious ways—but some of the most important changes will take place under the radar. One that no one is talking about yet is the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. This relatively obscure appointee holds the power to …

A term we like to use around CDFA is ‘evidence-based science.’  While its meaning is self-explanatory, we see it as something that checks the boxes of the scientific method and provides advancements to agriculture. Scientists are a linchpin of our agency, working in a number of capacities across our many programs, including our excellent laboratories.  Scientists have the ability to …

California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones has granted a 24-hour permit clearing all brand inspection and health requirements for nine reindeer scheduled to visit California on the evening of December 24 and in the early morning hours of December 25. The permit application was filed via email and followed by a Zoom meeting with Animal Health Branch staff and a …

An essential job at CDFA is the position of inspector. They serve in numerous capacities throughout our agency, including the inspection of the yellow sticky traps we discussed earlier this week and so much more in our division of Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services. We have an entire division named for inspections. It’s called Inspection Services, and the excellent …