Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

Author Archives: Office of Public Affairs

Video: CDFA and Secretary Ross featured in PBS program “Valley’s Gold”

The PBS program “Valley’s Gold” recently welcomed CDFA Secretary Karen Ross to discuss the agency’s many roles in facilitating farming and ranching, as well as its positive impacts on the daily lives of Californians. She is followed in the program … Continue reading

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Cow power – Truck at Northern California dairy utilizes convenient fuel source

   

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Scientists push for a crash program to scrub carbon from air – from the New York Times

By Brad Plumer With time running out to avoid dangerous global warming, the nation’s leading scientific body  urged the federal government to begin a research program focused on developing technologies that can remove vast quantities of carbon dioxide out of … Continue reading

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Girl Scouts meet bugs

Brownie Girl Scout Troop 2367 from Dixon, CA had a special guest at a recent troop meeting.  Dr. Marc Epstein, a Senior Insect Biosystematist and Lepidopterist at CDFA’s Plant Pest Diagnostics Lab in Sacramento, made a special visit to help … Continue reading

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Californian heads FFA officer team elected at 91st National FFA Convention & Expo

Luke O’Leary, a Californian and agricultural leadership and development major at Texas A&M University, has been elected FFA national president at the organization’s 91st annual national event. He receives the gavel from 2017-18 National President Breanna Holbert, also a Californian. … Continue reading

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Turning waste into energy and other benefits: Secretary Ross addresses National Renderers Association

If it were up to her, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross would rather we all stopped using the word “waste.” That’s what she told the National Renderers Association last week at their conference in Orange County. When more than 62 billion pounds of animal by-products … Continue reading

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California launches first dairy digester pipeline cluster

California is proud to announce the state’s first dairy digester pipeline cluster. CDFA Undersecretary Jenny Lester Moffitt was on-hand this week for the launch of Calgren Renewable Fuels’ new facility, which partners with local dairies in the Pixley, California area. Eleven digesters, 22 … Continue reading

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New Partnership with UC advances Climate Smart Agriculture in California

California Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross and University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Vice President Glenda Humiston signed a memorandum of understanding this morning at Sacramento’s Stanford Mansion to initiate a new partnership to advance Climate Smart Agriculture in California. This … Continue reading

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CDFA’s “Pest Prevention University” a chance for counties to learn more about pest programs

 

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New study shows mushrooms could help bees – from Mother Jones

By Jackie Flynn Mogensen Over the past decade, the honeybee story has been the stuff of science fiction. Back in 2006, beekeepers first noticed their honeybees were mysteriously dying off in huge numbers, with no clear cause. For some, a … Continue reading

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