CDFA Secretary Karen Ross is in Rome, Italy this week and spoke at the United Nations FAO Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation.

In her remarks, Secretary Ross emphasized California’s leadership in agricultural climate solutions, especially methane reduction, while highlighting the state’s agricultural diversity and commitment to sustainability.

California is the leading agricultural state in the United States, producing more dairy products than any other state. Dairy is California’s top agricultural commodity. This makes methane reduction especially significant, and the state’s journey in reducing methane emissions includes an investment of nearly $370 million in dairy digesters. A total of 353 digesters have been built, resulting in 27.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas reductions. Additionally, CDFA’s Alternative Manure Management Program funds methane reduction solutions for organic and smaller dairies. The state’s objective for livestock emission reduction is 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.

Secretary Ross underscored that dairy families are leaning in on sustainability—taking pride not only in what they produce, but also contributing to improved air and water quality as well as climate change solutions.

Other tools supporting this progress include:

• A Low Carbon Fuel Standard implemented by the California Air Resources Board, which has provided revenue streams for renewable fuel production from dairy digesters.
• Cap-and-Trade Program, extended this year, which continues to fund agricultural climate initiatives.
• More than $600 million total invested in transitioning agriculture toward carbon neutrality.

Beyond methane reduction, Secretary Ross highlighted California’s continued investment in farmland and rangeland conservation, working with partners like the California Rangeland Trust. These efforts protect working lands, restore ecosystems, create wildlife corridors, and encourage practices like hedgerow planting. She also pointed to the role of animal grazing in wildfire prevention, noting its importance for resilience in the face of California’s fire challenges.

CDFA joins the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in recognizing today, September 29, as the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste.

FAO is calling for the expansion and strengthening of stakeholder efforts to reduce food loss and waste as a critical element of securing a sustainable food future across the globe, where an estimated 13 percent of food is lost after harvest prior to reaching retail shelves; an estimated 19 percent of food is wasted in households, food service and retail; and approximately 29 percent of the global population – 2.3 billion people – are moderately or severely food insecure.

Ways to reduce food loss and waste include consuming smaller portions, buying “ugly” fruits and vegetables, setting your refrigerator to the correct temperature, and making “not wasting” a way of life!

Reducing food loss and waste helps protect natural resources and biodiversity, helps reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and maximizes the use of food produce. Visit the FAO International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste webpage for more information and resources.

CDFA’s commitment to helping Californians reduce food loss and waste includes the CDFA Commercial Feed Regulatory Program, which promotes human food byproduct diversion to create animal feed; the CDFA Rendering Program, which promotes the process of breaking down animal byproducts for industrial uses; the CDFA Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability, which promotes composting; and the CDFA Office of Farm to Fork, which is committed to increasing food access.

The all-new Terra Madre Americas food and culture festival is ready to begin its weekend-long run in Downtown Sacramento tomorrow, and the festivities are being kick-started today with an introductory session called, “Food for Thought; Nourishing Nature, Culture & Community.”

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross was featured in an opening panel discussion this afternoon along with California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot and Sacramento restaurateur Patrick Mulvaney.

Secretary Ross pointed out how California farming aligns with our state’s robust food culture and the essential nature of sustainability, citing healthy soils practices as an example: “We understand that those practices are drawing down carbon and holding it in our soils and our trees as part of a unique opportunity to be part of the solution for climate change.”

This event combines Sacramento’s beloved Farm-to-Fork Festival with Terra Madre Americas, the U.S. edition of Slow Food International’s renowned Terra Madre Salone del Gusto, which is held every other year in Turin, Italy.

CDFA will participate in activities throughout the weekend, including an onsite State Board of Food and Agriculture meeting tomorrow (Sept 26) at the Safe Credit Union Convention Center to discuss food trends. In addition, the agency will participate in events to promote Farm to Fork and Farm to School programs.

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross and CDFA Inspection Services Director Natalie Krout-Greenberg partnered with Salinas Valley agriculture leaders earlier this week to host a team of federal food safety officials, led by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Kyle Diamantas.

It was an opportunity to spotlight National Food Safety Education Month with a focus on the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule. which establishes science-based federal minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of fresh produce for human consumption. CDFA enforces the rule in California via its Produce Safety Program.

The group took a tour that included farms and processing facilities, including Grimmway Farms, D’Arrigo California, Naturipe Farms, and Taylor Farms; as well as a roundtable discussion at the Monterey County Farm Bureau. CDFA offers a special thank you to the tour’s partners and sponsors, including Western Growers, the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement, and the Monterey County Farm Bureau.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is proud to partner with California Grown during Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15) to highlight the stories of Latino and Hispanic farmers who help feed our state and nation. Through this collaboration, we’re celebrating the resilience, innovation, and deep agricultural traditions that shape California’s farming communities.

Kathy Topete and her husband Justino were working for a grape and tree fruit farmer, Roy Smeds, in Reedley CA when they were given the opportunity to purchase a ten acre parcel of land in 1974. Roy encouraged the young couple to buy the land and served as a mentor, loaning equipment and valued advice in the early days. Kathy and Justino initially planted cherry tomatoes and squash as a cash crop, but they always intended to plant a vineyard. Two years later, they set out to fulfill their dream, planting one grapevine cutting at a time by hand. While their vineyard and family matured, Justino continued his job in the fields in addition to tending to their family’s land. In 1978, they purchased an additional 15 acres, and Justino fulfilled his dream of becoming a full-time farmer. 

During the early years, Topete Farms sold their grapes commercially, but struggled to get by as the margin on table grapes was relatively thin. When Kathy and her then 13 year old son worked their first farmer’s market in 2002, they quickly fell in love with the environment. She enjoys the positive personal interactions with her customers, noting that, “at farmer’s markets, people will thank my husband for what he does and it makes our day”. Topete Farms attends around 6 markets a week, primarily in the Bay Area, relying on family members to man the booths. “At farmer’s markets, customers want to meet someone who has a personal connection to the grapes. That’s part of the appeal.” 

While you might assume that Covid would have put a damper on sales, Kathy feels that the markets have been just as good throughout the pandemic. She notes that a lot of people feel safer buying at Farmer’s Markets than at grocery stores, because they feel produce has been handled by fewer people and most farmers markets are held outside. Additional precautions, such as social distancing, enforced mask wearing and hand washing stations help customers to feel comfortable while still allowing them to support their local farms. 

Kathy was kind enough to answer a few more questions and give us a glimpse of what life looks like for the Topete Family in a typical day. 

What are you doing today?

All of our grapes are on drip, so Justino has been busy with maintenance and preparation for irrigation, flushing out lines and making sure rabbits didn’t chew them up. He’s also weeding and trimming pomegranate trees. We’re done with pruning grapes. It’s a little bit of a calm season, but there’s always something to do!

What is your favorite thing about farming?

The satisfaction of seeing things grow. We have some new vines now and I love training them and seeing them develop and grow a crop. For me personally, I love doing farmers markets and seeing that people appreciate our product and the work we do.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to get into farming?

Oh boy! We lucked into really cheap land. I’m sure there are still some farms where if you live on the farm, you can afford to buy it. Try leasing, or buy small. If you’re doing really small scale farming, farmer’s markets are the only way to survive. We’ve always lived very modestly and we’ve only taken on what we can handle. We’ve built everything from ground up and reused materials when we can. Love what you do and be willing to work hard. If you’re not involved day to day you aren’t going to make any money.

What are a few things you do on the farm to be sustainable?

Everything’s on drip, conserving water as much as we can. We don’t push our grapes for extra size and that perfect look, that so minimizes the use of chemicals. Most years we do plant cover crops. We’re pretty tolerant of weeds, they always get the better of us. Recently, we’ve started looking into solar to see if it would be feasible. 

What are your hobbies or pastimes when you are not farming?

We love to travel!  We go camping up at Sequoia Kings Canyon a couple times a year. I love to read and to visit family.

How do you give back to your community? 

We’re very proud to have given countless nieces and nephews their first job.  They learn what it’s like to work and develop skills that help them later in life. In the last five years, we’ve dabbled with giving small scholarships to local youth. That’s something I’d like to continue. 

Topete Farms grows six varieties of grapes, selected for their superior flavor. They also sell raisins (including chocolate and yogurt covered!), small quantities of pomegranate juice, lemons and persimmons. Want to get your hands on some? Head to topetefamilyfarm.com to purchase raisins and to see their Farmer’s Market Schedule.

Article by Hilary Rance.  Photography courtesy of James Collier and Daniel Topete

Story featured on California Grown

Related: CDFA Recognizes Hispanic Heritage Month 2025 | September 15 – October 15.

Resources: Farm Equity Office, Farmer Resource Portal

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently reported a travel-associated human case of New World Screwworm (NWS),  the first of its kind in the US, following an infected person recently returning from an outbreak-affected country. According to the USDA, human risk is low, and the agency adds that there have been no detections in American livestock. 

While there is no evidence to suggest that the fly that produces screwworm larvae has made it to the U.S., the northward spread of NWS through Central America and deep into Mexico over the past year, and the potential threat it poses to California’s animal agriculture, has mobilized CDFA to take proactive measures.  

What animal health concern does NWS pose? 

Screwworm larvae consume the living flesh of warm-blooded animals. A female fly can lay 200 to 300 eggs at a time on an open wound or a body orifice, and in its 10- to 30-day lifespan can lay up to 3,000 eggs. Once hatched, the larvae burrow into the flesh, causing a painful infestation known as myiasis. If left untreated, the infestation can be fatal to the host due to secondary infections or toxicity. 

CDFA’s ‘One Team’ approach 

CDFA is coordinating with partners to address the threat. For several months, the agency has been actively working with other border states, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and private veterinarians to achieve the best prevention, detection, and response practices. We are collaborating with key California agencies like the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Cal EPA, and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to develop NWS protocols for a comprehensive emergency response plans. Just this week, CDFA hosted a planning exercise with federal and state partners to clarify roles in case of a screwworm introduction in the US.  

We are developing protocols for critical response approaches like fly traps, insecticide use, sterile fly production techniques, alternative animal-carcass disposal methods, and animal movement control. This early coordination is designed to ensure that response efforts align and complement each other.  

To minimize the devastating impact of these fly larvae and to ensure animals recover, swift and accurate reporting is a must. CDFA urges private practitioners, producers, and hobbyists to report any suspected NWS findings to a CDFA district office or the sick animal hotline. Suspected or known NWS is considered a foreign animal disease and must be reported to state or federal animal health officials within 24 hours of discovery for further evaluation. Upon diagnosis, CDFA will work with the producer to quarantine the premises and the infested animal, to prevent further spread. The quarantined animal will receive daily care and treatment until the larvae are eliminated. 

CDFA joins the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in recognizing September as National Food Safety Education Month, with a continued commitment to supporting produce safety and education across California.

Produce safety is a high priority in California. The Golden State’s hardworking farmers produce nearly half of the country’s vegetables and over three-quarters of the country’s fruits and nuts.

In 2018, the CDFA Produce Safety Program was created in response to the groundbreaking Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, which established science-based federal minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of fresh produce for human consumption.

The Produce Safety Program has grown from four initial inspectors in 2018 to 12 inspectors and specialists today, resulting in the inspection of 3,045 farms or ranches and more than 300 produce commodities to date.

The Produce Safety Program also provides free food safety education, ranging from Produce Safety Alliance Grower Trainings to On-Farm Readiness Reviews to help producers with compliance. Much-needed technical support offered in multiple languages through the CDFA Technical Assistance Program.

To learn more about CDFA’s Produce Safety Program, please visit the program webpage or contact producesafety@cdfa.ca.gov.

Hispanic and Latino producers are a vital part of California agriculture—bringing generations of knowledge and entrepreneurship to farms large and small and everything in between. This Hispanic Heritage Month we celebrate and honor the farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers, whose knowledge, resilience, and care for the land help feed California and the nation. We recognize their critical contributions to the state’s food supply, rural economies, and agricultural diversity.

By the Numbers: 2022 Census of Agriculture

• 14,791 Hispanic producers in California
• Hispanic producers represent 12.3% of all producers in California; among young producers, the share is 19.4%
• Hispanic-owned agricultural businesses manage 2,753,532 acres and generate $13.8 billion in agricultural products sold

Hispanic and Latino producers contribute to every sector of California agriculture—from dairy and cattle ranching to vineyards, nuts, berries, fruits, and vegetables. Their work sustains California’s top commodities and ensures the state remains a leader in domestic and global food production.

Their contributions include:

• Strengthening top commodities: They help produce California’s leading crops — dairy, grapes, almonds, strawberries, lettuce, pistachios, and more — contributing $13.8 billion in agricultural product sales (farms with Hispanic producers — 2022 data).
• Preserving heritage and specialty crops: Many producers maintain culturally significant foods while also introducing innovative crop practices and specialty varieties that broaden the agricultural portfolio.
• Building resilient communities: Through job creation, land stewardship, and local market activity, Hispanic and Latino producers help sustain rural economies and the social fabric of California’s farming regions.

Looking Ahead

The growing representation of Hispanic and Latino producers among young and beginning farmers is an encouraging sign for the future for California agriculture. Growing numbers of younger Hispanic producers will help provide continued innovation and cultural richness in the years ahead.

How We’re Celebrating

This Hispanic Heritage Month, we are highlighting:

• Infographics and social media posts featuring key production numbers.
• Farmer spotlights—celebrating the stories, families, and innovations of Hispanic and Latino producers.

Resources: Farm Equity Office, Farmer Resource Portal

The USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) has released production data summaries for 2024 in California, with a total value for the year of $61.2 billion, an increase of 3.6 percent from 2023. This is the first time that the state’s production value has exceeded $60 billion.

California remains the leading agricultural state in the nation, leading the country in dairy production and many other commodities, and it provides roughly half of the nation’s fruits, nuts and vegetables.

Here are the Top-10 California commodities for 2024:

1. Dairy products, Milk –- $8.6 billion
2. Almonds — $5.7 billion
3. Grapes –- $5.6 billion
4. Cattle and Calves –- $4.982 billion
5. Lettuce –- $3.67 billion
6. Strawberries — $3.5 billion
7. Pistachios — $2.046 billion
8. Tomatoes — $1.6 billion
9. Carrots — $1.565 billion
10. Broilers — $1.4 billion

Please see CDFA’s agricultural statistics page for more.