Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA
  1. CDFA Home
  2. Planting Seeds Blog
  3. Category Archives: AG Vision

Category Archives: AG Vision

State Board of Food and Ag to focus on water at Sept. 11 meeting in Mendota

September 4, 2012   Office of Public Affairs

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/Press_Releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=12-032 The California State Board of Food and Agriculture will discuss a variety of water issues at its upcoming meeting on September 11, 2012. The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Spreckels Sugar Company facility, 29400 West Whitesbridge Road, Mendota, CA 93460. “California farmers are at the forefront in developing on-farm solutions to improve …

Read More
Posted in AG Vision, Environment | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Award-Winning European Grapevine Moth Eradication Program

August 28, 2012   Dr. Robert Leavitt, Director, CDFA Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services

Several years ago, CDFA detected a new pest in California – the European grapevine moth, an invasive species that targets a number of plants, notably grapes. Because California is the leading grape producer in the country and one of the largest in the world, we understood immediately that the stakes were enormous for the wine, raisin and table grape industries, …

Read More
Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Invasive Species | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Fairs and Farmers are Key Partners with Local Food Banks

August 16, 2012   Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

The success of food banks is based on relationships in local communities with individuals, faith-based organizations, retailers and food service businesses -just to name a few.  Additional partnerships with food producers and processors assist with sourcing local, fresh foods that can be provided to needy families. Some of these relationships have innovative roots,  and fairs are an example of that. Each year, the California State …

Read More
Posted in AG Vision, Food Access | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Steam shown to kill sudden oak death pathogen- From SF Chronicle

August 15, 2012   Office of Public Affairs

http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Steam-shown-to-kill-Calif-plant-disease-3788696.php Scientists say they have discovered a new way to kill California’s most virulent forest- and plant-depleting disease, and it turns out the technique is as old as steam cleaning. Steam, in fact, is what researchers at Dominican University in San Rafael have been using to combat Phytophthora ramorum, a pathogen that causes sudden oak death. Scientists from a variety …

Read More
Posted in AG Vision, Environment, Invasive Species | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Hollywood is Buzzing with Food … But Where are the Farmers? From the Food Dialogues

August 9, 2012   Office of Public Affairs

http://www.fooddialogues.com/posts/2012/08/06/hollywood-is-buzzing-with-food-but-where-are-the-farmers By George Motz Unlike stars in Hollywood, “food” may not have an agent, but it has definitely reached celebrity status across America. From documentary films to reality culinary challenges to stand-‘n-stir TV shows, the entertainment industry has created a giant stage that brings attention to how and where our food is grown, raised and processed, ultimately making its way …

Read More
Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Climate change is another reason to protect farmland – From the Sacramento Bee’s “Viewpoints” section

August 6, 2012   Office of Public Affairs

One of the co-authors of this story, Richard Rominger, is a former CDFA director (now secretary) and USDA deputy secretary. The other co-author, Renata Brillinger, is executive director of the Climate and Agriculture Network.   http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/02/4684014/climate-change-is-another-reason.html By Rich Rominger and Renata Brillinger Special to The Bee Food and farming are a big part of California’s identity. After all, the state produces 400 …

Read More
Posted in AG Vision, Climate Change | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

What happens to school gardens in summer?

August 6, 2012   Office of Public Affairs

http://grist.org/food/no-more-trowels-no-more-roots-what-happens-to-school-gardens-in-summer/ The biggest irony of the school garden is that it often goes untended during summer, the peak season. This is no coincidence; what we now call “summer vacation” used to be the time when most parents needed their children at home in the fields, planting and harvesting. Now that the majority of Americans are no longer farmers, however, schools …

Read More
Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Community-based Food System, Food Access, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

News Release – CDFA to establish climate change consortium to help specialty crop growers plan for future impacts

August 2, 2012   Office of Public Affairs

California’s specialty crops account for more than half of the nation’s fruits, vegetables, and nuts as well as nearly $7 billion dollars of exports worldwide. California’s production of diverse specialty crops is threatened by potential climate-related phenomena, including reduced water supplies, increased plant heat stress, decreased chill hours, shifts in pollinator lifecycles and increased influx of invasive species. Addressing these …

Read More
Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Climate Change, Environment, Specialty Crops, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Solar panels and onion power show the way to Ag energy self-sufficiency

July 25, 2012   Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

One of the strategic objectives of Ag Vision: Strategies for Sustainability is to achieve the maximum usage of renewable energy by agriculture, thereby increasing economic productivity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality.  Governor Brown has demonstrated important leadership with policy and legislative initiatives to help the state expand renewable energy opportunities, especially from forest biomass and byproducts from farms and processors. Innovative farmers and …

Read More
Posted in AG Vision, Alternative Fuels, Climate Change, Environment, Specialty Crops, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Antelope Valley Fair leads the way with commitment to help develop future farmers and ranchers

July 18, 2012   Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

One of the most serious challenges facing farming is a world food demand that is expected to double by 2050. And while it’s true that there are opportunities within any challenge, this particular one is made more complex by the fact that the average age of farmers in California is about 60. This is a national issue, as well. My former …

Read More
Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Succession Planning | Tagged , | 1 Comment