California FFA student Brendy Puckett earns inaugural $10,000 scholarship from Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA)

Livestock exhibitions are a hallmark of local and state fairs, and teaching our student exhibitors how to care for their animals in preparation for the fair season is an important opportunity to pass on these important skills and values.

Livestock exhibitors participating in a fair in the Network of California Fairs are required to participate in Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA), a national, multi-species quality assurance program for youth ages 8 to 21. In 2025, YQCA begins its inaugural scholarship program, with a total of $30,000 going to seven students chosen from among the approximately 76,000 annual users throughout the US – including more than 15,000 in California this year.

The top scholarship award of $10,000 goes to Brendy Puckett, a senior at Peter Johansen High School in Modesto, who participates in FFA. In the award announcement, YQCA noted, “Brendy stood out as an exceptional candidate due to her deep-rooted passion for agriculture, her experience raising multiple species of livestock, her commitment to learning and growth, and her aspiration to become an agriculture teacher — a path through which she hopes to inspire future generations of agricultural leaders.”

The YQCA Board has two California representatives: Tara Beach with the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and JessaLee Goehring with the California FFA Association, California Department of Education. 

The YQCA program focuses on three pillars: Food Safety, Animal Well-Being, and Character Development. All livestock exhibitors who show animals during the annual fairs in California must take this age-based training annually. YQCA was developed back in 2017, and CDFA’s Fairs & Expositions Branch began requiring the training the following year. YQCA is available as an online program for youth everywhere in the US, and certification is also available through instructor-led training and a test-out program. YQCA collects fees for providing the curriculum and training, funding both the program’s operations and the scholarships.

CDFA’s Office of Farm to Fork is pleased to announce that 12 projects across the state and the people they serve are now benefiting from more than $30 million in California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP) Grant funding.

The projects will endeavor to increase the purchase of California-grown fresh fruit and vegetables by CalFresh shoppers at 303 Certified Farmers’ Markets, Community Supported Agriculture programs, mobile markets, and small retailers statewide.

2025 CNIP Grant funding is being distributed in two phases over 2.5 years. Phase I this year is comprised solely of state funding. Phase II next year is state funding that may be augmented by federal funding. Grantees are eligible to receive funding in both phases.  

CNIP has been shown to support CalFresh shoppers by empowering them to increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables. For every benefit dollar they spend, shoppers receive an additional dollar that can be spent on fruits and vegetables at the market or retail outlet, within set parameters.

“I’m eating better because I can afford to get fresh food, fresh vegetables and fruit that I wouldn’t get otherwise,” a CalFresh shopper said about the program in a study by the Nutrition Policy Institute (UC Agriculture and Natural Resources). “It gives me a chance to taste and to eat foods that I might not otherwise be exposed to.”

CNIP supports local farmers by increasing demand for their California-grown fresh fruits and vegetables. CNIP has been shown to have a positive effect on the local economy, with every $1 in CNIP incentives generating $3 in local economic activity.

A detailed list of grantees and project descriptions is available on the CNIP webpage. 
 
CNIP is administered by CDFA’s Office of Farm to Fork, which leads CDFA’s food access work.

CDFA’s report “Progress for California” highlights a variety of ways that agency programs benefit the state. The Farm to School initiative is a great example — a vital approach to improve the health and well-being of California schoolchildren through food-based education and healthy food access. California schools serve hundreds of millions of meals each year, and expanding opportunities for local food procurement tied to education is essential for establishing healthy eating habits that children can carry into adulthood.

The Farm to School Incubator Grant Program has invested $86 million in 375 projects, reaching 49 percent of all California students – that’s 2,850,196 students served by 269 California school districts!

Ten CDFA staff members graduated last week from the agency’s Coaching for Personal and Professional Effectiveness Program, a course that provides improved communication skills for work and life and prepares employees to take on leadership positions.

With 24 percent of agency employees at retirement age, and another 12 percent within five years of retirement eligibility, CDFA is prioritizing succession planning programs like this.

The course curriculum included group and individual learning, various personality and behavioral assessment tools, and customized one-on-one professional coaching sessions. Graduates commented the course provided practical skills for talking through difficult conversations, learning the power of saying less through thinking before responding, public speaking, and setting up the framework for leading staff.

Congratulations to this year’s graduates!

Deborah Ayala, Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division

Andrea Cano, State Organic Program

Sarah Cardoni, Inspections Services Division

Carmen Carrasco, Farm Equity Office

Lizzy Elliott, Farm to School Program

Leslie Fernandez, State Organic program

Jennifer Harmon, Fertilizer Research and Education Program

David Ko, Division of Marketing Services

Pamela Lee, Farm to School Program

Samantha Moran-Defty, Feed, Fertilizer and Livestock Drugs Branch

You’re invited to watch a special message from California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross as she honors the dedication and impact of our public service employees. To our CDFA employees, our stakeholders, and the public—this message is for you. Let’s take a moment to celebrate the commitment that drives our mission every day.

By CDFA Secretary Karen Ross

I was pleased to visit the Central Valley for two days last week and honored to be asked to attend a ribbon cutting for a new milk processing plant, appear at a farewell for a friend and widely respected leader in agriculture, and participate in a roundtable discussion on immigration with stakeholders and representatives of Congressional and State legislative offices.

My first stop was in Bakersfield, where California Dairies Inc (CDI) was celebrating a new facility for ultra-pasteurized shelf-stable milk. CDI is the largest farmer-owned cooperative in California–comprised of 200 dairy families–and the second largest in the US. It processes and markets milk from its member dairies, producing a variety of products, including butter, milk powder, and fluid milk.

The new plant, which has been open now for about four weeks, supplies 90 jobs in the local community.  Construction was completed over an impressive 18-month period thanks to a strong partnership with city and county government. Dairy products are our second-largest export commodity and are sought by key trading partners like Mexico, China, Japan and Canada.

I then traveled to Fresno for a retirement dinner for Kathleen Nave, who spent 38 years at the California Table Grape Commission, the last 26 as CEO. She oversaw remarkable growth through creative and effective marketing programs, substantial expansion in overseas markets, and innovative research to produce new varietals and solutions for growers. While Kathleen will be greatly missed, the future of the Grape Commission is in good hands with Ian LeMay as the incoming CEO.

While in Fresno I participated in an immigration roundtable hosted by the Central Valley Community Foundation. This was a listening session to hear about issues facing the agricultural workforce, their families, employers, and communities.  I appreciated the participation of so many representatives of elected leaders who are working together on this complex issue –- one which is key to the economy of this region.  According to the Central Valley Immigration Integration Collaborative, 27 percent of California’s population is foreign born and 900,000 immigrants reside in the Central Valley, which is also home to a half a million children with at least one foreign-born parent. 

The Central Valley is the hub of California agriculture as well as the nation. I am grateful every time I have an opportunity to spend time in this special place — to learn more about the opportunities and challenges ahead.

Milk and dairy products form a vital part of the daily diet for many Californians. Ensuring these products are safe and wholesome is a top priority, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture plays a central role in upholding those standards every single day. 

Recent news regarding federal proficiency testing programs may have raised questions, but it’s important to understand that California’s commitment to milk and dairy products remains as strong as ever. 

CDFA, through its Milk and Dairy Food Safety Branch (MDFS), is the primary guardian of milk safety in California. MDFS is responsible for ensuring all milk, milk products, and items resembling milk products are safe for consumption and meet the most stringent of microbial and compositional standards. Beyond testing, the branch ensures that all milk and dairy items are accurately labeled, providing consumers with the information they need to make informed purchasing decisions.

This “cow to cup” approach means CDFA monitors every stage from licensing and inspecting dairy farms for hygienic milk collection to permitting and inspecting milk tanker trucks and drivers for safe transportation — and finally, licensing and inspecting processing plants that manufacture a wide variety of nutritious dairy products sold in California, across the nation, and around the world.  

CDFA tests all Grade-A milk products in California at least four times every six months for microbiological standards, which is consistent with the federal Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO). Milk plants undergo inspections quarterly, and pasteurization equipment is checked every 90 days. These proactive practices allow for early detection of any concerns before they impact consumers. 

Milk samples collected by CDFA continue to be tested at the accredited UC Davis/California Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS) Laboratory, so consumers can be assured that milk product sampling and testing in California has not been suspended. 

Like all states, California has always directly handled milk product sampling and testing under the national Grade-A Milk Safety Program, a long-term partnership with the FDA outlined in the PMO and other National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) documents. 

For more information, please visit the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (https://ncims.org/) and FDA’s (https://www.fda.gov/food/guidance-regulation-food-and-dietary-supplements/federal-state-local-tribal-and-territorial-cooperative-human-food-programs) websites. 

April is Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month in the US, and CDFA is aligning by spotlighting its efforts to eradicate Japanese Beetle infestations in California.

CDFA hosted more than 20 buyers from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, South Korea and Taiwan last week to meet with California businesses and expand market opportunities for CA GROWN products.

“With approximately 24 percent, on average, of California’s farm production exported – trade is critical for California farmers and ranchers,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “California’s diversity as an agricultural producer – tree nuts, dairy, wine, fruits and vegetables – provides us a unique opportunity to provide high quality products, produced with the strongest standards to consumers around the world.” 

As the nation’s largest agricultural producer and exporter, California is disproportionally impacted by tariff disruptions. Opportunities to connect foreign buyers with suppliers helps to maintain California’s global engagement with trading partners.

Earlier this month, Governor Newsom directed his Administration to pursue new strategic trade relationships with international partners to strengthen shared economic resilience and protect California businesses. CDFA’s partnership with agricultural organizations to host trade engagements like this buyer delegation, helps to further California opportunities, support farmers and maintain commitments to international partners.

By Dr. Tawny Mata, Director of Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability

In March, the Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability (OARS) unveiled a new name and logo—marking a significant milestone in the evolution of the office. This update is more than a visual refresh; it reflects a broader shift in the approach of the office’s mission.

The new name better aligns with our goals to strengthen California’s agricultural systems while proactively addressing the challenges of a changing future. By introducing a unified logo, we are reinforcing a shared mission and collaborative spirit across all OARS initiatives.

As part of this rebranding effort, we’re excited to launch the OARS newsletter and blog, developed in partnership with CDFA Information Technology Services Division. These tools are designed to amplify the important work happening across OARS programs, promote transparency, and strengthen connections with staff, stakeholders, and partners.

The OARS blog will serve as a growing archive of success stories, funding opportunities, and staff spotlights. It offers a space to share the real-world impact of our efforts and to highlight the people behind the work—bringing greater visibility to the diverse initiatives driving agricultural resilience and sustainability across the state.

This shift reflects our commitment to communicating the work of OARS with clarity, consistency, and collaboration. We’re proud of what we’ve built together—and excited to see this platform continue to grow.

👉 To view our first OARS newsletter, click here.
👉 To view our OARS blog, click here.
✉️ To stay in the know about future updates, sign up here.