Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

Monthly Archives: November 2015

President grants reprieve to turkeys “Honest” and “Abe” from Modesto – from the Modesto Bee

BY KEVIN FREKING The Associated Press / Modesto Bee WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama spared two turkeys named for one of the nation’s most admired presidents, continuing a White House tradition that provides a refreshing sense of amusement and bipartisan … Continue reading

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Community Food Bank embodies the spirit of giving

By Andy Souza, CEO, Community Food Bank This is a time when so many of us are thankful for good food, great friends, and our families as we celebrate the holiday season.  But for families having a difficult time making … Continue reading

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Firebaugh farmer honored by White House for soil health techniques: from the Fresno Bee

By Megan Ginise, The Fresno Bee On the outskirts of the western San Joaquin Valley, amid one of the worst droughts in California history, Jesse Sanchez is making waves with his agricultural techniques. Sanchez, 63, is the farm manager at … Continue reading

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Water solution lies underground – from Don Curlee at the Porterville Recorder

By Don Curlee, Ag At Large / Porterville Recorder While the current drought-influenced thinking causes most of us to consider how water can be better stored, conserved and conveyed, one recent report emphasizes the importance of protecting, enhancing and using … Continue reading

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Food brings us together all year – but Thanksgiving is special

Thanksgiving is built around a most basic blessing: food. What stands out as the highlight of this day for me, though isn’t the food itself so much as the sharing of it. The people around our tables – friends and … Continue reading

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Secretary Ross joins other water leaders to discuss drought at Central Valley symposium – from the Fresno Bee

By Andrea Castillo Some of the state’s top water officials, along with local farmers and activists, convened in Clovis on (November 18) to talk about agriculture and the impact of the drought. Los Angeles Times reporters hosted the conversation, called … Continue reading

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Cost of traditional Thanksgiving dinner up slightly in 2015 – from the American Farm Bureau Federation

The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 30th annual informal price survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $50.11, a 70-cent increase from last year’s average of … Continue reading

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California nets nearly $700,000 in USDA farm-to-school grants

The USDA has announced $4.8 million in grants for 74 projects spanning 39 states that support the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) efforts to connect child nutrition programs with local farmers and ranchers through its Farm to School Program. Grant … Continue reading

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Fresh produce donations kick-off 2015 State Employees Food Drive

 

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What does organic actually mean? from Grist.org

By Nathanael Johnson   What does organic actually mean? It’s tricky, because the word “organic” has at least two distinct meanings. It arose as the name for a movement with a particular belief system. Later, it also became a formal … Continue reading

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