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As we gather with loved ones over the winter holidays, so many of us are fortunate not only to have family around us but also to have so much good food to share. As Californians, we are blessed by the variety and quality of fresh, nutritious food that our farmers and ranchers provide. They do it year in and year out, …
I am pleased that Kings County dairy farmer Dino Giacomazzi has been named the 2012 recipient of the Leopold Conservation Award in California. The award is presented annually in eight states to land owners for achievements in land stewardship and management and is a fine representation of the great work our farmers and ranchers do as envirionmental stewards. Dino Giacomazzi is a fourth-generation dairyman from …
On December 5, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross appeared with food bank officials in San Diego to emphasize a greater need for food assistance during the holidays, and to discuss the Farm-to-Food Bank Program, a joint effort with the California State Board of Food and Agriculture to double farm contributions to food banks – to 200 million pounds by 2015. (External video – link no longer …
This Sunday, America will pause to say “thank you” to its service members. The words seem small, but the sincerity we give them on this occasion is big enough to cover an entire nation – including the more than six million veterans who live in rural America. The notion of “giving something back” is inherent in the nature of farming, …
The return of Food Day, with its second annual observance scheduled for today, is a timely reminder of the important road ahead for our food supply. The world’s population is growing at such a rapid clip – from the current seven billion to an estimated nine billion by 2050 – that its projected food production needs to double using less …
The USDA has released its first-ever survey of organic farmers to determine that organic sales across the country in 2011 totaled more than $3.5 billion, with nearly 40 percent of that –almost $1.4 billion–coming from California. The development is discussed further in the latest installment of the USDA blog’s Science Tuesday feature. ———————————————————————————————– Posted by Hubert Hamer, Agricultural Statistics Board Chairman …
California’s farmers are as diverse as the crops they grow. The safety of the food their farms produce is paramount. To make sure smaller farmers can take advantage of a comprehensive approach to food safety, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has developed resources and training with the particular needs of smaller operations in mind. The program, called the Small Farm Food Safety Project, is …
Findings from a joint study announced recently by Jeffries, a global investment bank, and AlixPartners, a global business advisory firm, suggest that demographic shifts between now and 2020 will drive significant changes in the food industry. The study, called Trouble in Aisle 5, tracks the buying habits of Millennials, defined as those born between 1982 and 2001. By the start of the …
http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/Press_Releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=12-035 The United States Department of Agriculture announced funding today for the 2012 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). California received more than $18 million out of the total $55 million awarded nationwide. The SCBGP provides grants to states to enhance the competitiveness of Specialty Crops, which are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops …
I love visiting schools. When I see all those young faces I see the future – bright-eyed children who will be leading us in 20, 30 or 40 years. Those of us in positions of responsibility have an obligation to provide our children with every opportunity to succeed in school and in life. We know a big part of that …
