Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

Monthly Archives: April 2016

Nut industry aims to stop large-scale thefts – from the Modesto Bee

By John Holland First you steal a truck driver’s identity. Then you show up at an almond processing plant and make off with a semi load worth perhaps $100,000. That happens more and more these days in the San Joaquin … Continue reading

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California State Board of Food and Agriculture member Don Cameron on climate change – from the Desert Sun

By Ian James Don Cameron expects farmers will see some of the biggest effects as the climate changes, and he says growers need to take proactive steps to prepare. For 35 years, he has been the vice president and general … Continue reading

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Video – Secretary Ross reflects on visit to Vietnam

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross joined the trade group WUSATA last week for a trip to Vietnam to discuss export opportunities and climate smart agriculture. Here are some of the highlights of the trip.  

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Can agriculture work without bees? From co.exist

By Adele Peters Every February, semi trucks packed with honeybees—a fleet of around a million hives in total—heads to California’s almond orchards, where billions of rented bees fly from flower to flower to pollinate the crop. More than a half … Continue reading

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Coverage of Secretary Ross’ trade visit to Vietnam – from Vietnam Plus

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross visited Vietnam last week as part of a delegation of the Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA), a non-profit formed in 1980 by the 13 western state departments of agriculture as well as the territorial … Continue reading

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Healthy Soils Bill advances in Legislature – from the Woodland Daily Democrat

Legislation by Senator Lois Wolk (D-Davis) to support agricultural practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and store carbon in soil, trees and plants was approved on a 6-0 bipartisan vote of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee this week. “Agriculture is … Continue reading

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Is California’s drought now the rule, not the exception? From Futurity.org

A study from Stanford University: Atmospheric patterns resembling those that appeared during the latter half of California’s ongoing multiyear drought are becoming much more common, a new study finds. “The current record-breaking drought in California has arisen from both extremely … Continue reading

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Video – Concerning the Japanese Beetle

CDFA is scheduled to begin treatments this month for two Japanese beetle infestations in California, in the Carmichael-area of Sacramento County and in the Bay Area community of Sunnyvale. The following interviews are with four people with experience or knowledge … Continue reading

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Citrus Stride raises tons of fresh citrus for California food banks

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Ski town greenhouse takes local produce to another level – from the New York Times

By Claire Martin The Wyoming soil, iced over for eight months of the year, is not particularly hospitable to heirloom tomatoes, baby basil or lettuce plants. Instead, vegetables are trucked in from California, Mexico and other more fecund parts of … Continue reading

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