Author Archives: Office of Public Affairs

Water-efficient cactus farm fits California’s hotter, drier climate

September 28, 2022   Office of Public Affairs

As drought and climate change continue to pose challenges for farmers and ranchers in the Central Valley and all of California, a family farm in Oakdale, Stanislaus County, may offer a window to the future with a water-efficient cactus farm. Meet Darlene Ruiz and her father, Salvador Ruiz, a former farmworker. Video in Spanish CDFA’s Healthy Refrigeration Grant Program–referenced in …

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USDA commits $500 million for increase in American fertilizer production — webinars next week with more information

September 27, 2022   Office of Public Affairs

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the Biden-Harris Administration is making $500 million in grants available to increase American-made fertilizer production to spur competition and combat price hikes on U.S. farmers caused by the war in Ukraine. “Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, USDA is creating a resilient, secure and sustainable …

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CDFA at Native American Day at State Capitol

September 23, 2022   Office of Public Affairs

CDFA was joined today by CalFire and the University of California division of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the 55th Annual California Native American Day on the West Steps of the State Capitol. CDFA provided information about integrated pest control practices to protect California’s agriculture, including citrus pest and disease prevention, in addition information about department grant programs, and the …

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Spanish-language sessions expand outreach to organic growers about Produce Safety Rule

September 23, 2022   Office of Public Affairs

CDFA’s Produce Safety Program works to ensure that California farmers understand how to implement all food safety practices required by the federal Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule. As part of PSP’s Educate, Implement and Regulate strategy to accomplish this, three PSP inspectors recently gave a Produce Safety Rule presentation in Spanish to more than 50 organic growers at …

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Climate Week 2022 – Meet CDFA Senior Environmental Scientist Elizabeth Hessom and learn about her work on the Healthy Soils Program

September 22, 2022   Office of Public Affairs

Elizabeth Hessom, a senior environmental scientist at CDFA, has been with the agency for a year and a half and currently works on the Healthy Soils Program, which helps producers to improve soil health, sequester carbon, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. How did you get interested in this kind of work? I’ve been working with CDFA for about a year-and-a-half …

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Farmers on Drought — Roberto Le-Fort, San Luis Obispo County

September 21, 2022   Office of Public Affairs

Roberto Le-Fort and Dolores Howard farm a diverse number of crops just north of San Luis Obispo in the town of Creston, California, including apples, peaches, four varieties of basil, carrots, tomatoes, a multitude of herbs and spices, as well as summer and winter squashes and gourds, just to name a few. Le-Fort is a grant recipient from CDFA’s State …

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Climate Week 2022 – meet CDFA senior environmental scientist Alyssa Louie and learn about her work on methane emissions reduction programs

September 20, 2022   Office of Public Affairs

Alyssa Louie, a senior environmental scientist at CDFA, has been with the agency for seven-and-a-half years and currently works on the Dairy Digester Development and Research Program (DDRDP) and the Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP), both of which reduce greenhouse gas emissions in California, with the digester program also generating renewable energy. ——— How did you get interested in working …

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More than $100 million for California dairy greenhouse gas reduction projects in recent USDA investment in Climate Smart Agriculture

September 19, 2022   Office of Public Affairs
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Climate Week 2022 — Secretary Ross discusses CDFA’s commitment to climate adaptation

September 19, 2022   Office of Public Affairs

This is Climate Week 2022! This week, CDFA will highlight the many ways the agency is addressing the climate crisis and finding solutions together with California’s farmers and ranchers. In the video below, Secretary Karen Ross discusses CDFA programs available to Reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including potent methane Increase carbon sequestration to improve soil health Support water and irrigation energy …

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Sacramento schools are giving kids farm-fresh meals – and California is following the lead – from the Sacramento Bee

September 16, 2022   Office of Public Affairs

By Benjy Egel Alfred Melbourne tromped through Three Sisters Gardens’ half-acre urban farm on a recent Friday morning dressed in black Ray-Ban sunglasses, cut-off shorts and a black tank top showing off his lean build and many tribal tattoos. Hummingbirds flitted through bean plants in West Sacramento’s Broderick neighborhood, next to rows of tomatoes and eggplants poking out from tangled …

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