Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

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Climate Week highlight — CDFA’s recent trip to Mexico shows benefits of climate collaboration

The annual Climate Week NYC is occurring this week in New York Earlier this month several members of CDFA’s Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation (OEFI) traveled to Mexico City for meetings and informational exchanges on strategies to adapt to … Continue reading

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Climate Week highlight — California electric vehicle chargers installed well ahead of schedule, with CDFA’s help

The annual Climate Week NYC is underway. Each year, climate leaders from all over the world gather to spur progress and champion change that is already occurring. Governor Gavin Newsom and other state officials are in New York City, calling … Continue reading

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Soil health — national study finds cover crops, reduced tillage boost farmers’ bottom lines

From Agri-Pulse By Steve Davies A new study of 30 geographically diverse farms suggests growers who consistently employ soil health management practices such as cover crops and reduced tillage can spend less on inputs and make more money. The numbers … Continue reading

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CDFA celebrates partnerships, advancements in food safety initiatives during Food Safety Education Month

CDFA joins the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other state and federal partners in recognizing September as National Food Safety Education Month. CDFA also celebrates FDA’s recent announcement to form a new, unified Human Foods Program, with James … Continue reading

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Keeping the Supply Chain Flowing — Recommendations to Ensure a Steady Labor Force of Agricultural Truck Drivers

A new report released by the UC Berkeley Labor Center finds that record trucking costs in 2021 were not due to a long-term shortage of truck drivers in California. The report, Ensuring the Supply of Agricultural Truck Drivers: What the State of California … Continue reading

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Secretary Ross joins ag leaders to meet with US Trade Representative in Sacramento

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New United Nations-backed report: invasive species cost hundreds of billions of dollars each year

From the Washington Post Invasive pests are wreaking havoc across the planet, destroying crops, disseminating pathogens, depleting fish people rely on for food and driving native plants and animals toward extinction, according to a major report backed by the United … Continue reading

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California Highlights Climate Action and Trade Promotion in Mexico

CDFA Undersecretary Christine Birdsong, along with staff from the department’s Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation, highlighted California’s climate smart agricultural leadership as well as trade this week in Mexico City. In collaboration with Mexico’s Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural … Continue reading

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In recognition of California Biodiversity Day: farmers hold the earth in their hands

From the Sacramento Bee Opinion Piece by CDFA Secretary Karen Ross “Farmers Have the Earth in Their Hands.” That’s the title of a book written by Paul Luu, a European agronomist and leader in the international push to recognize the … Continue reading

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September 7 — California Biodiversity Day: video with Secretary Ross on the importance of biodiversity in soil

Today, September 7, is California Biodiversity Day. Here at CDFA, we are focused on the biodiversity below ground — in our soils. In this video, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross highlights a new report on soil biodiversity detailing the active, integral … Continue reading

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