Author Archives: Office of Public Affairs

This week, CDFA is celebrating and highlighting the importance of pollinators in our state’s agriculture. National Pollinator Week (June 17-23) promotes the valuable services provided by pollinators such as bees, birds, butterflies, bats, beetles, moths, wasps, and flies. Pollinators are critical to California’s agriculture. The overwhelming majority of food crops rely at least partially on some type of insect pollination. …

CDFA encourages Californians to vote for their favorite farmers’ market in the 2024 America’s Farmers’ Market Celebration (AMFC)! This summer, American Farmland Trust is giving away $15,000 in prizes to the markets that receive the most votes. This is an annual ranking of the top farmers’ markets in the United States, as voted on by the public. Since 2008, AFMC …

From a USDA news release USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced awards of $50 million to 141 awardees in 40 states and Puerto Rico, through the Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program (FLSP Program), reaching 177 unique agricultural operations and over 11,000 workers. California will receive $4.4 million from the program, for 10 different recipients. The awards will help …

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is accepting nominations for its annual Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Achievement Awards. Nominations will be accepted through June 30, 2024.  The DPR IPM Achievement Awards honor the innovations and achievements of individuals and organizations leading in the adoption of safe, effective, and sustainable IPM practices in agricultural, urban, and wildland settings throughout California. …

Two special investigators in CDFA’s Division of Measurement Standards (DMS), Jamie Quiroz and Dirk Rudolph, were recently honored by the US Attorney’s Office at an “Excellence in the Pursuit of Justice” awards ceremony hosted by the federal agency. The investigative work of Quiroz and Rudolph gathered crucial evidence of suspects, locations, vehicles and equipment used in criminal activity; evidence that …

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross recently joined colleagues in the Newsom Administration for tours of three important farmworker housing sites in Salinas and Gilroy. The tours emphasized the efforts of key agencies and partners collaborating to improve living conditions for farmworkers.

June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month and yesterday CDFA showed its support for the LGBTQ+ community with more than forty five employees marching in the Sacramento Pride Parade! With CDFA Secretary Karen Ross and several members of the agency’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee leading the way, our team gathered at Southside Park and made its way to the State …

CDFA’s California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP) supports shoppers using nutrition benefits such as CalFresh by empowering them to increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables at participating Certified Farmers’ Markets and retail outlets. For every benefit dollar spent, shoppers receive an additional CNIP dollar – via programs like CNIP grantee Ecology Center’s “Market Match” coupons discussed in this video – that can …

CDFA is proud to celebrate and honor Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. In this video, State Board of Food and Ag member Rachelle Arizmendi shares her inspiring pathway to leadership in politics and public service with CDFA Secretary Karen Ross.