At the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), protecting the food supply is central to our mission. California’s farmers and ranchers feed millions of people in our state, across the country, and around the world. CDFA’s responsibility is to ensure that the food grown and produced here meets the highest standards of safety, and we hold ourselves fully accountable to those standards.
This September, we recognize National Food Safety Education Month, a time to highlight the people, programs, and partnerships that safeguard California’s food system. At CDFA, this work includes the Product Safety Program, Egg Safety and Quality Management Program, Commercial Feed Regulatory Program, and several others dedicated to prevention and safety.
California is home to one of the most productive agricultural systems in the world. Our state grows nearly half of the nation’s fruits, nuts, and vegetables, and exports more than one‑third of what we produce. We are the nation’s largest dairy state, supplying about 20 percent of the country’s milk. Our beef industry supports thousands of rural families and contributes significantly to California’s economy. With more than 400 commodities grown here, including 19 produced only in California, our agricultural diversity is unmatched.
With an industry this large, complex, and vital, food safety is non‑negotiable. CDFA is committed to ensuring consumers can trust the products that come from California’s farms, ranches, and processing facilities. We take our responsibility to oversee a safe, transparent, and reliable food system incredibly seriously.
Throughout this month, CDFA will be sharing information about the food safety programs we oversee – what they do, why they exist, and how they help keep food safe for everyone. These programs play an important role in making sure the food people buy and eat every day is held to some of the strongest safety standards in the country. Their work helps ensure that families here in California and around the world can rely on California‑grown food to be safe, healthy, and high‑quality.