Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

Monthly Archives: September 2016

UCLA researchers warn that centuries of drought could return to California – from the San Francisco Chronicle

By Bill Disbrow We may someday have to stop calling our drought a temporary phenomenon and just label it the new normal. Climate change could lock the state into a dry pattern lasting centuries or even a millennia if history … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

#Farm2Fan video series – Kingsburg Family-Farmed Blueberries

California Grown and Visit California are teaming up to produce the #Farm2Fan video series, profiling farms throughout California and fans of those farms who stop by for a visit.

Posted in Agricultural Marketing | Leave a comment

CDFA collaborates on draft ‘Vibrant Communities and Landscapes’ plan to help meet climate change goals

Note – CDFA is a collaborative partner in an effort to meet a mid-term greenhouse gas reduction reduction target for California of 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. CDFA is joining with the following agencies: Business, Consumer Services and Housing … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Change | Leave a comment

Wine Month in California – two videos

Governor Brown has proclained September as ‘Wine Month’ in California. In connection with that CDFA offers two encore presentations from the Growing California video series: “Wine Connections,” an overview of wine tasting; and “Love on the Vine,” the story of … Continue reading

Posted in Agricultural Marketing | Leave a comment

USDA Offers $5 million in Farm to School Grants to Increase Local Foods in Schools

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that up to $5 million in grant funds is available to help schools create or strengthen farm to school programs this school year. Administered by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, these … Continue reading

Posted in Food Access, Nutrition, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

State Releases Vision for Healthy Soils Initiative

Note – Governor Brown today signed  AB 1613, which directs $900 million in cap-and-trade investments, including $7.5 million for CDFA’s State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) and $7.5 million for CDFA’s Healthy Soils Incentive Program, which is one of … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Informing California’s Climate Scoping Plan – from UC Davis’ World Food Center

Introduction: In February, the World Food Center hosted the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the Air Resources Board and the Department of Conservation. The goal of the workshop was to inform strategies in the agriculture and working lands sector … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

CDFA Through History – Your Choice of Starting Points

Note – The California Department of Food and Agriculture will celebrate its 100th anniversary as a state agency in 2019. In the time leading up to that we’ll be running an occasional series of stories, “CDFA Through History,” chronicling the … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Farming on the roof at Levi’s Stadium – from the Sacramento Bee

By Debbie Arrington Levi’s Stadium took farm-to-fork to new heights. The $1.2 billion Santa Clara home of the 49ers has unveiled a rooftop farm that will help supply fresh produce and herbs to the facility’s club level food service. Dubbed … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

California slated to receive nearly $6 million in USDA grant program for Ag innovation

The USDA has announced the investment of $26.6 million into 45 projects that will spur innovative conservation initiatives on both rural and urban farms across the country, including nearly $6 million for projects benefiting California. Public and private grantees will provide … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment