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Category Archives: AG Vision

California Food in China – A Reputation for Safety and Quality

June 14, 2012   Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

In the many meetings I’ve attended in Shanghai this week, one theme resonates over and over again – the excellent quality and food safety provided by California farmers and ranchers. California products have a strong reputation, which has helped generate more than 350 meetings with members of our trade delegation in the short time we have been here. A couple of companies …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Marketing, Specialty Crops, Trade, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Of Canadian geese, worker training and record-keeping – building a culture of food safety on the farm

June 13, 2012   Scott Horsfall, CEO, Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement

Last week, a group of Canadian food writers and bloggers, accompanied by staff of the California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement (LGMA), toured two leafy greens fields and a processing facility in the Salinas area. The group was there as part of an innovative block grant program – a partnership between the LGMA and CDFA designed to raise awareness …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Food Safety, Specialty Crops, Trade, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Bloomberg Businessweek – The Global Obesity Bomb

June 4, 2012   Office of Public Affairs

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-06-04/the-global-obesity-bomb?r=most%20popular New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg was in the headlines last week for his proposal to ban soft drink servings over 16 ounces. It’s the latest front of his war against obesity, which kills 5,000 residents in the city each year. (The mayor is the founder of Bloomberg LP, which owns Bloomberg Businessweek.) The U.S. is a heavyweight champion in …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Community-based Food System, Food Access, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Truckee Border Inspection Station on Reno TV

June 1, 2012   Office of Public Affairs

CDFA’s border inspection station at Truckee was recently featured as the lead story on a Reno TV newscast. Many northern Nevada residents regularly drive through the station, which is one of many safeguards in California to protect natural resources and a food supply that helps feed Nevadans:  http://www.foxreno.com/s/news/11at11-archived-newscasts/  

Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Asian Citrus Psyllid, Community-based Food System, Environment, Food Access, Invasive Species, Specialty Crops, Trade | 1 Comment

Sacramento Bee – Two organic certifying agencies plan merger to become nation’s largest

May 30, 2012   Office of Public Affairs

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/05/29/4521806/two-organic-certifying-agencies.html California Certified Organic Farmers and Oregon Tilth, two of the nation’s largest third-party organic certification agencies, are joining forces in hopes of raising the visibility and consolidating the clout of West Coast organic farming. A merger was approved by the boards of directors of both groups. Members of both organizations will be asked to ratify the merger before Oct. …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Agricultural Marketing, Food Access, Specialty Crops, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

From the Packer – California cantaloupe growers back mandatory food safety

May 17, 2012   Office of Public Affairs

http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-news/California-growers-back-mandatory-cantaloupe-food-safety-151781935.html In the wake of a listeria outbreak linked to cantaloupes from another state, the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board is establishing the state’s first mandatory food safety program implemented by a commodity board. The group is also expanding its territory statewide. “Imperial Valley growers have not been part of the board before,” John Gilstrap, California Cantaloupe Advisory Board manager, said …

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Still the People’s Agency 150 Years Later – Happy Birthday, USDA!

May 15, 2012   Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

For producers and consumers of food, this is a sesquicentennial like no other. Two weeks ago, we celebrated the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Morrill Act, the single piece of legislation that laid the foundation for the modern agricultural marvel we enjoy today. And now, it’s the 150th birthday of the USDA – as Abraham Lincoln called it, …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Agricultural Marketing, Alternative Fuels, Asian Citrus Psyllid, Climate Change, Community-based Food System, Dairy, Environment, Farm Bill, Farmers' Markets, Food Access, Food Safety, Glassy-winged Sharpshooter, HLB, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Invasive Species, Pierce's Disease, Specialty Crops, Trade, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Thank you, Mr. Lincoln

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

I had an opportunity this week to acknowledge and help commemorate a genuinely transformative event in American history. The action itself was simple – the stroke of a pen. And, as it turned out, the man wielding the pen has been immortalized for very different achievements. But this one, in its own way, changed the world. It was 1862, and …

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

Information on 2012 Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards Program

May 2, 2012   Office of Public Affairs

The Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award Program is California’s highest environmental honor. The program recognizes individuals, organizations, and businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made notable, voluntary contributions in conserving California’s precious resources, protecting and enhancing our environment, building public-private partnerships and strengthening the State’s economy. The annual Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award Program is administered by …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Alternative Fuels, Cannella Panel, Climate Change, Environment, Hydrogen, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Singapore farmers inspire with innovation and commitment to community

April 23, 2012   Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

In California, I have the opportunity to meet with farmers almost everyday, and it’s a point of pride that they are widely admired for their innovation and support of local communities. What was inspiring about my trip to Singapore, a nation with less than two percent of land dedicated to farming, is that the “California spirit” of farming is strongly …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Agricultural Marketing, Community-based Food System, Trade, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment