Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

Monthly Archives: September 2017

How To Cool Your Cow: Researchers Test New Methods To Protect Cows From Heat – from Capital Public Radio

By Sally Schilling During California heat waves, dairy farms use a lot water and energy to keep their cows cool. UC Davis researchers are trying out new techniques that use less resources. Over in the UC Davis dairy barn, scientists … Continue reading

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CDFA teams-up with California Conservation Corps on Mediterranean fruit fly project in LA

An ongoing Mediterranean fruit fly quarantine in the Sun Valley section of Los Angeles is requiring fruit removal in the central zone of infestation, an area with more than 1,200 properties. CDFA has turned to the California Conservation Corps (CCC) … Continue reading

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Potential La Niña conditions may signal dry California winter – from Discover Magazine

This animation shows how temperatures at the surface and subsurface of the tropical Pacific ocean departed from average over five-day periods starting in early August 2017. The vertical axis shows the depth below the surface in meters. The cross-section is … Continue reading

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Parcel inspection dog “Cosmo” sniffs out Citrus Canker, keeps it out of California

Learn more about the California Dog Teams.

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Secretary Ross welcomes delegation from Mexico, stresses importance of ag in achieving climate change goals

California Department of Food And Agriculture (CDFA) Secretary Karen Ross addressed a delegation of Cochran fellows from the United Mexican States this morning at CDFA headquarters in Sacramento. Ross spoke on the importance of bolstering the relationship between Mexico and California … Continue reading

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Arrrrr – Pirates may be responsible for U.S. rejection of the metric system – from the New York Post

By Lauren Tousignant The United States could be using the metric system — the universal system of measurement that every industrialized nation uses except the U.S. — if it wasn’t for a bunch of pirates 224 years ago. French philosophers … Continue reading

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Secretary Ross kicks-off annual State Employees Food Drive

CDFA secretary Karen Ross today visited Sacramento’s Capitol Mall Farmers’ Market to kickoff the annual State Employees Food Drive. Consumers were welcome to purchase fruits and vegetables and donate them to the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. Secretary Ross is chair … Continue reading

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California continues to lead in certified organic farms, acres, sales

California, with $2.9 billion in certified organic sales, continued to lead the nation in certified sales, accounting for 38 percent of the U.S. total in 2016. It also had the largest share of certified organic acres and farms. Three states … Continue reading

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Kern County lands top spot in Ag Production for first time – from the Fresno Bee

By Robert Rodriguez Lousy milk prices spoiled Tulare County’s chances of holding on to its title as the state’s No.1 agriculture county. Marilyn Kinoshita, Tulare County agricultural commissioner, delivered the bad news to the Board of Supervisors Tuesday. The county’s total … Continue reading

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A reminder to leave invasive species behind

CDFA joins the USDA in reminding all travelers this fall to make sure they’re not carrying invasive species with them. Destructive pests may tag along for the ride and, undetected, begin to infest regions where natural defenses don’t exist. US … Continue reading

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