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Category Archives: AG Vision

Ag Alert – Agriculture must engage in conversations about change

January 26, 2012   Office of Public Affairs

http://www.agalert.com/story/?id=3761 By Tom Nassif and Paul Wenger Increasingly, people want a say in how we produce and distribute food in the United States. We’ve long heard from environmental and animal rights groups. Now, the voices of celebrity chefs, authors and filmmakers are becoming much more prominent. Even hospitals, public health and medical groups are weighing in to encourage changes in the …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Community-based Food System, Farmers' Markets, Food Access, Food Safety, Trade, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

USDA Blog – First Lady Michelle Obama introduces new nutrition standards for school lunches

January 25, 2012   Office of Public Affairs

http://blogs.usda.gov/2012/01/25/healthy-meals-and-healthy-kids/ Healthy Meals and Healthy Kids Posted by Rebecca [USDA Moderator], on January 25, 2012 at 11:38 AM Today we celebrate an historic achievement on behalf of kids across America. We have accomplished a critical step on the road to deliver healthier, more nutritious food to our nation’s schoolchildren.  Today the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the final rule that …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Food Access, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

California State Board of Food and Agriculture President Craig Mc Namara on KQED Radio – The changing face of farming

January 18, 2012   Office of Public Affairs

http://www.kqed.org/a/forum/R201201131000 California State Board of Food and Agriculture President Craig Mc Namara was among the guests recently on KQED’s “Forum” program.  The discussion centered on the fact that the average farmer in California is nearly 60 years old – and nearly 20 percent are older than 70.  An influx of new farmers is a necessity.

Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Community-based Food System, Food Access, State Board of Food and Agriculture, Trade, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

California Grown at the Rose Parade

January 3, 2012   Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

The Rose Parade in Pasadena is a unique California experience. I was thrilled to be part of pre-parade festivities on Sunday, January 1st, when I made presentations to the first two floats to be certified California Grown for using all California-grown products.  Over the years, floats have featured more imported flowers. But this year the California Department of Food and …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

My Holiday Wish – Healthy Food for Everybody

December 22, 2011   Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

The winter holidays are a special time. I find myself reflecting in astonishment about the abundance of food in California and the resilient and innovative nature of our farmers and ranchers who produce it.  Food is key to the celebrations many of us will enjoy over the next couple of weeks. We are fortunate to have so many choices to share …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Food Access | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Fresno Bee – Farmers boost donations to valley’s hungry

December 14, 2011   Office of Public Affairs

http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/12/13/2648491/farmers-give-to-valleys-hungry.html When Andy Souza, president of the Community Food Bank in Fresno, asked valley farmers for help to feed the needy, they donated by the truckload. The result, Souza said Tuesday, was 40% more produce than last year for a total of 10 million pounds. In all, the food bank has distributed about 24 million pounds of food this year …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Food Access, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

A New Beginning – 21st Century Invasive Pest Management Symposium

November 30, 2011   Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

On this day, about 200 people who care about farming, the environment and pest management issues are gathered at CSU Sacramento to begin a promising endeavor:a series of symposia designed to improve our shared understanding and approach to CDFA’s pest management efforts. This is a new beginning on one of the most urgent of matters. Resources are tighter than ever, …

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Posted in AG Vision, Environment, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) | Tagged , | 1 Comment

CDFA and California Association of Food Banks promote farm-to-food bank donations

November 28, 2011   Office of Public Affairs

Agriculture is not just about farming, it’s about community. California’s farmers and ranchers contribute significantly to the health of our citizens and are vital partners in expanding food access to rural and urban communities. One in eight Americans – 37 million people – receives emergency food annually, and it is estimated that five million of those individuals are Californians. The California Department …

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Posted in AG Vision, Community-based Food System, Food Access, State Board of Food and Agriculture | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

A time to give thanks; a time for giving

November 22, 2011   Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

Thanksgiving is a time for celebration – kicking off the holiday season with a comforting mix of family, food and sharing. As much as I look forward to and appreciate the festivities, I have long greeted the holiday with thoughts running to a literal meaning: we are thankful; we give. As California’s secretary of agriculture, there is much to be …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Community-based Food System, Food Access, State Board of Food and Agriculture | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Veterans Wanted Down on the Farm

November 10, 2011   Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

Tom Vilsack, the U.S. secretary of agriculture, said recently our country will need 100,000 new farmers over the next several years to maintain agriculture at its current level. Factor in the average age of existing farmers–they’re pushing 60–and a rapidly growing world population that must be fed, and it’s clear there will be many, many opportunities for young and new farmers in the years ahead. …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Food Access, Food Safety, Specialty Crops, Succession Planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 3 Comments