Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

Author Archives: Office of Public Affairs

Eat ugly – from the New York Times

By Caroline Chauvet PARIS — “Let’s eat ugly!” Of the various calls to action at the United Nations climate conference (last) week, that one by Nicolas Chabanne might be among the catchiest catchphrases. Mr. Chabanne, an entrepreneur with ties to … Continue reading

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Secretary Ross joins Farm-to-Food Bank event in Fresno

  From ABC-30 TV External video – no longer available   From the Fresno Bee By Robert Rodriguez California farmers are being encouraged to donate any surplus produce or secondary product as part of a statewide effort to boost the … Continue reading

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“Can Creations” deck the halls at CDFA this holiday season

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross is taking a page out of Santa’s book today, riding her sleigh (Prius) around town to visit her elves (employees) at their various toy factories (labs and offices) and share a warm cup of holiday cheer. … Continue reading

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California leads the nation with $2.88 billion in horticultural sales

SACRAMENTO – California leads the nation with $2.88 billion in horticulture sales, according to the 2014 Census of Horticultural Specialties report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Of the $13.8 billion total horticultural sales … Continue reading

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To defeat the drought look under your feet – from the National Journal

By Ted Hesson If you strolled past a vine­yard on Don Camer­on’s land four win­ters ago, you would have seen something odd: wa­ter, up to a foot-and-a-half of it, drench­ing the grapev­ines and turn­ing a nor­mally pic­tur­esque field in­to an un­sightly … Continue reading

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Public comments flood in as FDA considers what foods are ‘natural’ – from the Sacramento Bee

By Michael Doyle, Sacramento Bee/McClatchy DC WASHINGTON – San Francisco resident Elizabeth Cox bought a bag of All-Natural Mission Tortilla Triangles in August 2012. That simple purchase helped fire up a high-stakes labeling dispute that’s subsequently engaged federal judges, regulators … Continue reading

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Secretary Ross and the Netherlands Minister of Agriculture sign Letter of Intent on Agricultural Cooperation

Letter of Intent The Department of Food and Agriculture of the State of California of the United States and the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands (hereinafter referred to as “the Two Parties”), through friendly consultation, pledge their intent … Continue reading

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2015 California Leopold Conservation Award winner recognized

The 2015 California Leopold Conservation Award was presented this week at the California Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Meeting in Reno, NV. The recipient, honored for private landowner achievement in the voluntary stewardship and management of natural resources, was Prather Ranch, … Continue reading

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Central Valley ag student wins big on “Chopped Junior” – from the Sacramento Bee

By Cathie Anderson The Food Network threw everything from orange push-ups to a vegetable sushi roll at 14-year-old Linden resident Elisabeth Watkins, but she kept her cool and came out a winner on a recent episode of “Chopped Junior.” The … Continue reading

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California Christmas trees suffering due to drought – from SF Gate

By Amy Graf Christmas trees are the latest casualties of California’s devastating drought. Northern California tree farmers are reporting that this year’s crop is suffering due to the water shortage. “Ninety percent of the seedlings we planted last year died,” … Continue reading

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