Author Archives: Office of Public Affairs

BY CDFA Secretary Karen Ross and California Department of Conservation Director David Shabazian While California is known for its world-famous entertainment industry and ever-transforming tech sector, agriculture is the often-overlooked backbone of our diverse state and one of its earliest economic engines.  Our state’s multigenerational farmers and ranchers not only feed Californians, but also supply one-third of our country’s vegetables and two-thirds of its …

June 21 to June 27, 2021 is Pollinator Week! When we think of pollinators, perhaps many of us first think of the honeybee. Honeybees have a reputation of hard work and are associated with symbolism of industry, community and abundance — images that reflect the agricultural community as well. Because of the astonishing migration of managed honeybee colonies to California …

CARB news release The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is seeking public comment on a Draft Analysis of Progress toward Achieving the 2030 Dairy and Livestock Sector Methane Emissions Target. The draft Analysis is available on CARB’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutants resources webpage, and members of the public may submit comments via the docket linked below until 5:00 p.m. on July 14, …

Amid a major heat wave that is stressing energy grids in states across the western United States, Governor Gavin Newsom has signed an emergency proclamation to free up additional energy capacity. In preparation for the extreme temperatures, California energy agencies are calling on individuals and businesses to “flex their power” by reducing energy use in the evenings, through Friday. The proclamation suspends certain permitting requirements, …

Summer is right around the corner and with it comes the occasional extreme heat streak (like this week). While some of the warmer weather comes with the summer territory, high record temperatures can lead to emergency situations. By following a few important steps, you can keep yourself, your loved ones, neighbors, and pets comfortable and safe during a heat wave. Don’t …

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Office of Pesticide Consultation and Analysis (OPCA) is hosting a two-day conference June 28 and June 29. The virtual conference will provide an overview of the history of OPCA, what OPCA does, summaries of recent regulatory reports, and overviews of OPCA’s grant programs. Conference participants will hear from grant awardees on their …

USDA News Release United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Rural Business-Cooperative Service Administrator Karama Neal today unveiled a new grant program to help rural communities create good-paying jobs and support new business opportunities in high-growth fields. Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) is intended to help rural communities identify and maximize local assets and connect to networks and industry …

Of all the challenges farmers face year after year, the most daunting challenge may be figuring out how to navigate the farm business succession process. If you’re a farmer or rancher planning to retire in the near future, the path toward a successful farm land and business transition may seem insurmountable.  Retiring farmers with identified successor generations, related or not, are invited …

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently released the California Agricultural Organic Report 2019-2020. Publication highlights: California accounts for 40 percent of all organic production in the U.S. Between 2014 and 2019, organic production increased 44% In 2019, sales of organic products in California totaled more than $10.4 billion, an increase of 3.5% from 2018 California land for organic …