Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

Monthly Archives: May 2016

Start-up connects local farmers with city dwellers – from the University of California

By Anne Brice Although demand for local food in the Bay Area is on the rise, most small farms struggle to stay afloat. But a new student startup called Farmcation, which grew from a UC Berkeley innovation course called “Eat.Think.Design,” … Continue reading

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Secretary Ross visits dynamic school Ag programs in Calaveras County

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross visited several flourishing school Ag programs in Calaveras County today, getting an opportunity to speak directly with young people who could be part of the next generation of farmers and ranchers in California. Secretary Ross visited … Continue reading

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Romingers to receive UC Davis’ highest individual honor – from the Davis Enterprise

UC Davis alumni Richard and Evelyne Rominger, who for decades have played prominent roles in the community and in statewide and national agriculture, have been selected to receive the UC Davis Medal, the highest honor the university presents to an … Continue reading

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USDA resumes biomass incentives

The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has announced that incentives resume this month for farmers and foresters who grow and harvest biomass for renewable energy and biobased products. The funds come through the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), which was … Continue reading

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Cow Power at California dairy – from Capital Public Radio

By Amy Quinton The 700 cows on Cace Van Steyn’s dairy farm in Elk Grove excrete about 98,000 pounds of manure and urine every day. All that waste produces methane. The dairy is now using a flush system to collect … Continue reading

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CDFA announces adjustment to milk-for-cheese pricing formula

CDFA has released a letter to dairy processors and producers announcing a permanent adjustment in the price for milk sold for cheese production. Producers will receive an increase in payments from processors, estimated at an average of 96 cents per … Continue reading

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Carbon farming a boon for soil and the environment – from the New York Times

By Beth Gardiner When Gabe Brown and his wife bought their farm near Bismarck, North Dakota, from her parents in 1991, testing found the soil badly depleted, its carbon down to just a quarter of levels once considered natural in … Continue reading

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Recruiting the next generation of state employees – CDFA hosts first annual Career Fair

With an estimated 40 percent of all California state employees eligible to retire in the next five years, and nearly 50 percent here at CDFA, the agency recognizes a substantial need to recruit new employees and this week held its … Continue reading

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Video – CDFA at State Scientist Day 2016

More about State Scientist Day here.

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Children of farm workers becoming tech professionals – from NPR

By Krista Almanza An unlikely class of college graduates will walk the stage on Saturday. They’re the product of intensive three-year bachelor’s degree program in computer science called CSin3. We first told you about it when it launched three years ago. … Continue reading

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