Author Archives: Office of Public Affairs

How 30 Years of Prevention Cut California Medfly Infestations by Over 90%

August 5, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

Celebrating Three Decades of CDFA’s Medfly Preventive Release Program This year marks the 30th anniversary of California’s Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) Preventive Release Program (PRP), a landmark pest prevention effort that helps protect agriculture, natural resources and urban food production in the Los Angeles Basin and across the state from devastating environmental and economic losses. Established in 1996, the Medfly …

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Posted in Border stations, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Invasive Species, Sustainable Pest Management, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

CDFA Welcomes Devon Keeler as Deputy Secretary of Communications and External Affairs

August 4, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

Devon Keeler has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Communications and External Affairs at the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Keeler joins the department from the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement, bringing with her a breadth of experience in stakeholder engagement and communications strategy.   She served as Assistant Executive Director at the Office of Community Partnerships and …

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Secretary Ross celebrates Davis Farmers’ Market 50th anniversary

August 4, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

Happy National Farmers’ Market Week! CDFA Secretary Karen Ross joined local officials in celebrating the Davis Farmers’ Market 50th Celebration on Saturday. “This incredible milestone is not just cause for celebration in this community, but for farmers’ markets across the state,” Secretary Ross said. “The Davis Farmers Market has set a standard for generations for how community and local food …

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Celebrating National Watermelon Day and California’s Watermelon Growers

August 3, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

Today, we celebrate National Watermelon Day and recognize the California farmers, farmworkers, and agricultural communities whose hard work helps bring one of summer’s most refreshing fruits to our tables. California continues to be a major producer of watermelons, harvesting 514 million pounds in 2025. From planting and irrigating fields to harvesting, packing, and transporting fruit, producing a watermelon takes the …

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CDFA celebrates a nutritional super fruit this National Avocado Day!

July 31, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

Happy National Avocado Day! California is the nation’s leader in avocado production, harvesting 170,000 tons in 2025! According to the 2023-24 California Agricultural Statistics Review, California producers represent 96% of the U.S. market, with 47,600 acres dedicated to growing these nutritional super fruits, generating $239 million. Leading counties for avocado production include Ventura, San Diego, Riverside, Santa Barbara and San …

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California explores how farm byproducts, forest materials and food waste can be repurposed

July 27, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

A new academic study explores how California’s emerging bioeconomy could create new value from the state’s biological resources while strengthening rural economics and preparing the workforce for new industries. This study is in a special issue of the Agricultural and Resource Economics (ARE) Update from the University of California Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics. It highlights Californians discovering how agricultural …

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Executive Fellow Sarah Ansell Leaves Lasting Impact at CDFA

July 24, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

CDFA is proud to recognize Executive Fellow Sarah Ansell as she concludes a year of public service marked by leadership and a commitment to advancing California agriculture. From supporting the department’s climate initiatives and preparing Secretary Karen Ross for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) to helping manage complex legislative issues during a transition and playing a key role …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Smart Agriculture, Environment | Leave a comment

CDFA intern inspired by agriculture’s potential to be part of solution to climate crisis 

July 20, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

By Alanna Laverty, CDFA Intern As I prepare for my final year of undergraduate education, I am spending the summer interning for the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). I am a Global Studies major at UC Santa Barbara and I am interested in global climate change, environment, and sustainability. I chose to intern at CDFA because of the …

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Posted in Agricultural Education, Climate Change, Climate Smart Agriculture, Conservation, Environment | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Celebrating National Ice Cream Day: A Sweet Salute to California Dairy

July 19, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

National Ice Cream Day – July 19 California is the nation’s leading ice cream producer, producing approximately 75 million gallons of regular ice cream and 31 million gallons of low-fat ice cream each year. Behind every scoop is the hard work and dedication of California’s dairy community and the dairy families whose commitment to producing high-quality milk helps make these …

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California Maintains Vigilant Food Safety Monitoring as Federal Investigation Continues Focus on States with Outbreaks

July 17, 2026   Office of Public Affairs

State officials report no cyclosporiasis outbreak in California, with cases remaining below last year’s levels while CDPH and CDFA continue coordinating with federal partners. California continues to maintain one of the safest food supplies in the world, with no cyclosporiasis outbreak in the state and reported cases remaining lower than they were at this time last year. The California Department …

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