Author Archives: Office of Public Affairs

By Nick Wilson The state’s top agriculture leader urged about 250 people — mostly Cal Poly students — Thursday to lead change in the agriculture industry by taking innovative steps to conserve water and encouraging new and efficient ways to … Continue reading →

The USDA’s agency of Food Safety and Inspection Services is joining the Ad Council and Alvin and the Chipmunks (new movie: The Road Chip) to promote food safety with a video PSA targeted for children. The PSA discusses the importance … Continue reading →

By Whitney Forman-Cook The House Agriculture Committee heard from the private sector Wednesday on how it plans to safely use the “big data” American producers collect with farm equipment during their day-to-day operations. “Big data has what seems like a … Continue reading →

From Sustainable Conservation: After a harrowing string of dry years, California pines for wet weather. With summer in the rearview mirror, our farms, communities, and wildlife sure could use a hydrating boost this winter. The Golden State’s record-breaking drought has … Continue reading →

By Geoffrey Mohan Bob Lombardi, 70, went ahead and planted two acres of baby bear pumpkins in a corner of his shut-down ranch this year, just to say he had farmed for 50 years. He hoed them every day by … Continue reading →

When autumn temperatures begin to cool, many people like to warm themselves with a cozy fire. When choosing firewood, natural resources experts ask that people use local firewood to avoid moving harmful insects and plant diseases into and around California. … Continue reading →

By Ken Christensen Honeybees need a healthy diet of pollen, nectar and water. But at a bee laboratory in eastern Washington state, Steve Sheppard fills their feeding tubes with murky brown liquid from the forest. His bees are getting a … Continue reading →

By Bob Johnson Hundreds of farmers around the state are upgrading their irrigation systems with the financial support of a California Department of Food and Agriculture grant program for projects that improve water and energy efficiency, and reduce greenhouse gas … Continue reading →

The next segment in the Growing California video series, a partnership with California Grown, is “Growing Together,” a profile of closely-knit farmers flourishing in the Central Valley.