Author Archives: Office of Public Affairs

By CDFA Secretary Karen Ross As we celebrate International Women’s Day today I’d like to recognize and thank the women in food and agriculture who work diligently and heroically to produce nutritious food, fiber and flora throughout the value chain. … Continue reading →

Did you know the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) State Organic Program (SOP) collaborates with CDFA’s Border Protection Stations to inspect organic products coming into California? SOP and border station staff recently inspected organic blueberries and organic seeds … Continue reading →

By Miriam Jordan The sun-baked desert valley tucked behind the San Jacinto Mountains is best known for an annual music festival that draws 100,000 fans a day and a series of lush, oasis resort towns where well-heeled snowbirds go to … Continue reading →

In 2019 California’s farms and ranches received more than $50 billion in cash receipts for their output. This represents a slight increase over reported cash receipts compared to the previous year. California agricultural exports totaled $21.7 billion, an increase of … Continue reading →

By Kristin Macey. CDFA Director of Measurement Standards The year 2020 began on a hopeful note – as all new years do. Very soon, however, it transformed into the year that introduced a “new normal” to the world as we … Continue reading →

By John Cox U.S. shoppers expect them and so grocery stores do, too — but how do you deliver a summer fruit like grapes all 52 weeks of the year? It’s not as easy as shipping them from as far … Continue reading →

U.S. food waste is estimated to be 30-40 percent of the food supply and Californians throw away approximately 6 million tons of food waste annually. To help reduce food waste and increase food recovery, the California Department of Food and … Continue reading →

From Morning Ag Clips Farmers and ranchers still have time to respond to their 2020 Local Food Marketing Practices Survey, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). NASS will continue to accept responses through … Continue reading →

The 33rd annual California Small Farm Conference will feature CDFA secretary Karen Ross and agency staff during its series of educational webinars, videos and online forums February 22-28. Hosted by the Community Alliance for Family Farmers (CAFF), this year’s virtual … Continue reading →

From UC Davis via Morning Ag Clips A new book shows why California has led the nation in farm sales since 1948 and explores future challenges. California Agriculture: Dimensions and Issues , by the Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics, details the … Continue reading →