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Category Archives: Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Marking the Eradication of the European Grapevine Moth

October 24, 2016   Office of Public Affairs

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross gathered with grape growers, winemakers, stakeholders and colleagues from federal and county agencies on Friday, Oct. 21 to mark a mutual achievement: eradication of the European grapevine moth (EGVM). “The growers and their communities where this pest carved out its foothold deserve the lion’s share of the credit for eradicating the European grapevine moth,” Secretary Ross …

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Posted in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Invasive Species, Pierce's Disease, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Video: Earth Day @ CDFA

April 22, 2016   Jay Van Rein, CDFA Office of Public Affairs

Happy Earth Day from CDFA! This video provides a brief look at just a few of the programs and projects at the California Department of Food and Agriculture that help farmers protect the environment. From healthy soils and dairy digesters to alternative fuels and beneficial bugs, we are working toward a future when every day is Earth Day.

Posted in Climate Change, Environment, Fertilizer, Healthy soils, Hydrogen, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Invasive Species, Measurement Standards | Tagged | 1 Comment

Wasps used to protect citrus trees from fatal disease – from the Los Angeles Times

August 19, 2015   Office of Public Affairs

By Geoffrey Mohan They look like grains of black sand inside a prescription vial. But each speck is a wasp that is lethal to the offspring of the Asian citrus psyllid, an aphid-size bug that spreads the bacteria that cause Huanglongbing, or citrus greening disease. If California’s $1.8-billion citrus industry is to buy enough time to stave off the disease, …

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Posted in Asian Citrus Psyllid, HLB, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Invasive Species, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Protecting the Promise of California Agriculture – a report

August 15, 2013   Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

View the report here. In turbulent economic times, assessing a government agency’s effectiveness can be a trying task. Our nation’s and indeed the world’s recent financial history did more than force government to cut budgets; it forced many great industries to reinvent themselves. Fortunately for CDFA, the foundation was strong. Before the Great Recession and the ensuing fiscal turmoil that …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Invasive Species | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Famous Flickr Lacewing

September 18, 2012   Jay Van Rein, CDFA Office of Public Affairs

Meet the “Flickr Lacewing.” That’s what some folks online are calling a newly discovered insect species, more formally known as “Semachrysa Jade Winterton, Guek and Brooks.” It was given this name by Dr. Shaun Winterton, a senior insect biosystematist (that’s “bug doctor” to the rest of us) for the California Department of Food and Agriculture. He specializes in lacewings, which are beneficial insects …

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Posted in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Invasive Species | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Pest and Disease Prevention Projects Get a Boost from USDA

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

California’s approach to pests and diseases is as complex as the problem itself, but perhaps the most important element of our efforts is prevention.  Prevention projects in California and throughout the nation have been given a much needed boost from USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, who has just announced his agency will support 321 projects with $50 million in funding from …

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Posted in Farm Bill, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Invasive Species | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

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

Secretary Ross – We must work together to help prevent invasive species

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

The USDA has announced that it’s dedicating the month of April to sharing information about the threat that invasive plant pests, diseases and harmful weeds pose to America’s fruits, vegetables, trees, and other plants—and how the public can help prevent their spread. It’s great that we’re spending a month focusing on this enormously critical issue. I hope we ultimately reach …

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Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Asian Citrus Psyllid, Community-based Food System, Farmers' Markets, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Invasive Species, Specialty Crops, Trade | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Research is the Key: Pierce’s Disease Research Symposium

December 15, 2011   Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

I had the pleasure this week of welcoming a gathering of research scientists, grape growers, winemakers and officials to Sacramento for the 2011 Pierce’s Disease Research Symposium.  This event gives researchers from California universities and their colleagues from across the nation and around the world an opportunity to accelerate and fine-tune their work by sharing insights, discoveries and technical information. …

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Posted in Glassy-winged Sharpshooter, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Pierce's Disease, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a 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