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Author Archives: Office of Public Affairs

California Celebrates National Blueberry Day with a Sweet 2025 Harvest

Posted on July 8, 2026 by Office of Public Affairs

July 8 is National Blueberry Day, and California has a lot to celebrate. In 2025, the Golden State harvested 81.47 million pounds of blueberries, which is a remarkable milestone that reflects the hard work, care, and dedication of growers, harvesters, … Continue reading →

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CDFA invites stakeholders to give input for next round of Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

Posted on July 7, 2026 by Office of Public Affairs

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) invites you to participate in listening sessions for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). These sessions are designed for specialty crop stakeholders to provide feedback to the SCBGP team ahead of … Continue reading →

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Celebrating America’s 250th birthday and agriculture’s foundational place in it this Independence Day

Posted on July 3, 2026 by Office of Public Affairs

From CDFA Secretary Karen Ross Happy 250th birthday America! As we celebrate our Nation’s founding, the California Department of Food and Agriculture offers a message of gratitude for the farmers, ranchers, farmworkers and all who work so hard to produce … Continue reading →

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Secretary Ross recognizes Jay Van Rein for 25 years of service to CDFA

Posted on July 3, 2026 by Office of Public Affairs

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross celebrated Jay Van Rein’s 30 years of state service during a recent ceremony for his retirement as acting director of the CDFA Office of Public Affairs. He worked 25 years for CDFA. “Jay’s thoughtful and artistic … Continue reading →

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Protecting California Agriculture During Fourth of July Travel

Posted on July 2, 2026 by Office of Public Affairs

As California moves into the Fourth of July travel period and into the summer — thousands of vehicles will be crossing into and through the state. That seasonal surge in travel makes one thing especially important: keeping invasive pests and … Continue reading →

Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Biodiversity, Border stations, Environment | Tagged | Leave a comment

Montna Farms: A Multi-Generational Rice Farm Advancing Sustainability in California Agriculture

Posted on June 29, 2026 by Office of Public Affairs

This video was developed by CDFA in collaboration with the California Rice Commission, highlighting the shared commitment to sustainable rice farming and agricultural stewardship in California. At Montna Farms in Sutter County, California rice farmer Nicole Montna Van Vleck shares … Continue reading →

Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Animal Welfare, Biodiversity, Conservation, Drought, Environment, Farm Labor, Trade, Water | Tagged | Leave a comment

California celebrates nearly 3.5 billion universal school meals served

Posted on June 26, 2026 by Office of Public Affairs

From the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom California’s Farm to School program, championed by First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, works in tandem with universal school meals to ensure more California students have access to two free school meals that are … Continue reading →

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Secretary Ross celebrates biological alternatives in agriculture at 2026 Salinas Biological Summit

Posted on June 26, 2026 by Office of Public Affairs

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross and CDFA staff attended the 2026 Salinas Biological Summit in Salinas June 23-24, joining attendees from around the world to discuss the transition of agriculture from traditional chemicals to biological alternatives, such as for pest management … Continue reading →

Posted in CDFA Inspection Services, Climate Change, Climate Smart Agriculture, Environment, Fertilizer, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), State Board of Food and Agriculture | Tagged , | Leave a comment

What’s in Season at U-Pick Farms Across the State? 

Posted on June 24, 2026 by Office of Public Affairs

California is a beautiful patchwork of mountains, beaches, valleys, and deserts. This remarkable diversity not only draws visitors from around the world but also makes California the most productive agricultural state in the nation. It’s the reason there’s always something … Continue reading →

Posted in Agricultural Education, Agricultural Marketing, Food Access, Growing California, Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

June is Dairy Month! From Cow to Cup: The Food Safety Journey of Your Glass of Milk

Posted on June 23, 2026 by Office of Public Affairs

Whether you’re pouring it over cereal, stirring it into coffee, or enjoying a slice of California cheese, the journey your milk and dairy food took was carefully monitored from the farm all the way to your table. For CDFA’s Milk … Continue reading →

Posted in Animal health, Biosecurity, Dairy, Food Safety | Tagged , , | Leave a comment