http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/10/california-cantaloupes-listeria-safe.html

Federal regulators’ pinpointing of a deadly listeria food poisoning to a single packing shed in Colorado provides evidence that the outbreak was an isolated case of poor sanitation practices, according to California’s biggest trade group for fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables.

On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration linked the bad cantaloupes to Jensen Farms in Holly, Colo. Water had been allowed to accumulate, providing an ideal environment for the bacteria to grow and spread, the FDA said.

“The recent, tragic outbreak of listeria associated exclusively with a single cataloupe packing facility in Colorado should not have happened,” said Tom Nassif, chief executive of the Western Growers Assn. in Irvine. “We are confident that California and Arizona cantaloupe producers have the controls and preventive pactices in place to ensure the safety of over 45 million cases of canaloupes, 85% of the total U.S. volume, grown in this region.”

Nassif said that Western Grower farmers in the two states follow stringent food-safety rules in all phases of production, harvest and packing.

The FDA investigation revealed that the Colorado packing shed was difficult to clean. Workers there did not “pre-cool” the fruit to remove field heat before it went to cold storage. Bacteria could have grown in the condensation that formed on the melons.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the contaminated cantaloupes made 123 people sick in 26 states, killed 25 people and caused a miscarriage in one pregnant woman.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture is preparing for a quarantine
and treatment program to eradicate an Oriental fruit fly (OFF) infestation in
the Anaheim area of Orange County. The quarantine will also affect an adjacent
portion of southern Los Angeles County.

“Our system to detect invasive species like the Oriental fruit fly is working
well and according to design,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “The key is to
respond quickly and take action before the pests can cause widespread
damage.”

Twelve Oriental fruit flies have been detected in the Anaheim area since
October 12. The treatment program will be carried out over approximately 10
square miles surrounding the sites where the insects were trapped. A map of the
treatment area is available at: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/PDEP/treatment/treatment_maps.html

Treatment of the Oriental fruit fly primarily relies upon a process known as
“male attractant” in which workers squirt a small patch of fly attractant mixed
with a very small dose of pesticide approximately 8-10 feet off the ground to
street trees and similar surfaces.   Male flies are attracted to the mixture and
die after consuming it.  On and near the properties where the flies were found,
crews will also remove and dispose of host fruits and vegetables from yards and
gardens and apply treatments to plants using the organic-approved substance
spinosad.

Agricultural officials have increased the number of insect traps in the
region to help determine the extent of the infestation.  Once that work has been
completed, a quarantine boundary will be set and a map posted online.

With the infestation in Anaheim, California now has seven active OFF
eradication projects underway.  The others include two in Los Angeles County
(the San Gabriel/Alhambra area and the Baldwin Park area); two in Orange County
(the Anaheim/Yorba Linda area and the Santa Ana/Westminster area); one in San
Joaquin County in the Stockton area, where a quarantine was declared on
September 21; and one in the Pleasanton area of Alameda County, where two OFF
adults were recently detected in traps.

To prevent the spread of fruit flies through homegrown fruits and vegetables,
residents of fruit fly quarantine areas are urged not to move any fruits or
vegetables from their property.  Fruits and vegetables may be consumed or
processed (i.e. juiced, frozen, cooked, or ground in the garbage disposal) at
the property where they are picked.

To help prevent infestations, officials ask that residents do not bring or
mail fresh fruit, vegetables, plants or soil into California unless agricultural
inspectors have cleared the shipment beforehand, as fruit flies and other pests
can hide in a variety of produce. It is important to cooperate with any
quarantine restrictions and to allow authorized agricultural workers access to
your property to inspect fruit and Oriental fruit fly traps for signs of an
infestation.

The Oriental fruit fly is known to target over 230 different fruit, vegetable
and plant commodities.  Damage occurs when the female lays eggs inside the
fruit. The eggs hatch into maggots that tunnel through the flesh of the fruit,
making it unfit for consumption.

While fruit flies and other pests threaten California’s crops, the vast
majority of them are detected in urban and suburban areas.  The most common
pathway for these pests to enter the state is by “hitchhiking” in fruits and
vegetables brought back illegally by travelers as they return from infested
regions around the world. The Oriental fruit fly is widespread throughout much
of the mainland of Southern Asia and neighboring islands including Sri Lanka and
Taiwan.  It is also found in Hawaii.

The California State Board of Food and Agriculture will discuss policies for
agricultural water transfers at its regularly scheduled meeting on October 26th
in Sacramento. The meeting will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the
California Department of Food and Agriculture, 1220 ‘N’ Street – Main
Auditorium, Sacramento, CA 95814.

“As policy discussions continue about California’s water future we cannot
forget about the need to facilitate water transfers for agricultural purposes,”
said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “An adequate supply of affordable water for
agriculture that accommodates reasonable urban needs and improves environmental
quality is a goal we all strive for.”

Scheduled speakers include: Deputy Regional Director Pablo Arroyave, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region; Director Mark Cowin, California Department of Water Resources; Dante John Nomellino, Sr., Central Delta Water Agency; Ed Smith, Palo Verde Irrigation District; Roger Patterson, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California;
Lewis Bair, Reclamation District 108; Spreck Rosekrans, Environmental Defense Fund; and Carol Perkins, Butte Environmental Council. Additional invited speakers include representatives from water districts and environmental organizations.

“Every year California’s farmers and ranchers struggle with a process to
transfer water within this state,” said Craig McNamara, president of the
California State Board of Food and Agriculture. “By bringing these various
stakeholders together, we are highlighting this important topic as well as
furthering public discussion on the issue.”

The California State Board of Food and Agriculture advises the governor and
the CDFA secretary on agricultural issues and consumer needs.  The state board
conducts forums that bring together local, state and federal government
officials, agricultural representative and citizens to discuss current issues of
concern to California agriculture.

Follow the board on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/Cafood_agboard

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has prepared a Scoping Report for its Statewide Plant Pest Prevention and Management Program Environmental Impact Report (EIR).  This Scoping Report summarizes the comments and questions raised during the public scoping period for the preparation of the EIR.

Scoping is the process conducted to determine the coverage, focus and content of the EIR as prescribed by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Scoping helps to identify the range of actions, alternatives, environmental effects and mitigation measures for in depth analysis in the EIR.  This process also helps to select methods of assessment, and to eliminate from detailed study those issues that are not relevant to the project or required under CEQA.  In addition, scoping is an effective way to identify and consolidate the concerns of any interested parties, which may include project proponents and opponents, and interested federal, state, and local agencies, among others.

To read the report: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/peir/

Apple Hill just finished its busiest weekend of the year,  said Ann Wofford, director of the Apple Hill Growers Association, a collection  of 55 orchards and other agricultural businesses in El Dorado County.

Liz Applegate, a Ph.D. nutritionist at the University of California, Davis, is promoting the apple as  vigorously as she does all year.

“It does more than keep a doctor away,” she said, alluding to its  weight-control benefits.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/10/19/3988237/apple-hill-growers-ring-up-sales.html#ixzz1bF5oS8jH

CDFA's director of measurement standards, Kristin Macey, tours the AC Transit bus yard in Emeryville with Jaimie Levin, AC Transit's director of alternative fuels policy.

When the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) in Emeryville recently introduced twelve new hydrogen fuel cell buses and a fueling system, CDFA’s Division of Measurement Standards (DMS) was alongside to make sure the dispensing equipment was accurate.  All new retail hydrogen dispensers must first be evaluated by DMS to ensure accuracy and repeatable performance, just like dispensers for gasoline and diesel. As hydrogen-powered vehicles become more prevalent, DMS will oversee routine hydrogen station testing, including dispenser accuracy, advertising and labeling.

There will be differences between the fuel we purchase today and hydrogen. Unlike conventional fuels, retail gaseous hydrogen will be sold by weight, in kilograms. Retail sales of hydrogen will be in dollars and whole cents, not fractions of a cent.  As for purity, any hydrogen put in vehicles today must meet California’s fuel quality standards, which requires 99.97% purity in order to maintain the health of modern fuel cell systems.

 
CDFA and AC Transit are both Associate Members of the California Fuel Cell Partnership, a public-private partnership to promote hydrogen vehicles (including cars and buses) in California.   In addition, CDFA DMS has been given a $3.5 million grant by the California Energy Commission to research standards for hydrogen fueling accuracy and fuel quality.

For more information about this effort please visit: http://cdfa.ca.gov/dms

California has submitted recommendations to Congress on the upcoming Farm Bill – to inform discussions of the Joint
Committee on Deficit Reduction, known as the Committee of 12 and tasked with making recommendations to reduce the federal deficit.  California’s recommendations focus on job creation, protecting the environment and natural resources, revitalizing rural economies, making investments in education, promoting renewable energy, and improving public health and nutrition.

The recommendations represent the collective input of more than 70 diverse stakeholder organizations, five public listening sessions across the state attended by hundreds of people, and contributions from state government agencies – California Environmental Protection Agency, California Health and Human Services Agency, California Natural Resources Agency and the California Department of Food and Agriculture.  The recommendations reflect the scope of California’s agricultural diversity and themes shared by the organizations and individuals that participated in the process.

“The importance of the Farm Bill cannot be underestimated,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “This legislation supports a wide array of programs and initiatives that the public relies on every day – from the abundance and safety of our food, to public health and nutrition, economic development and the protection of our natural resources.”

For more information, please see:  http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/farm_bill/pdfs/FarmBillCof12.pdf

Nearly 150 farm-to-consumer marketing projects across the country have received funding under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), including 19 projects in California drawing total funding of more than $1 million. CDFA Secretary Karen Ross is applauding the diversity of this year’s awardees and a rise in urban projects.

“The diversity of funded programs is critical for the benefit of as many Californians as possible,” said Secretary Ross. “This ensures that funding coming into our state is money well spent and helps us achieve access to healthy, safe California-grown food for all Californians. That’s a goal of Ag Vision, our  broad stakeholder partnership to plan for the future of agriculture.”

Nationally, over 40 percent of projects funded by FMPP this year serve one or more food deserts, denoted by a lack of access to healthy foods in low-income area, and another 20 percent will be implemented in communities with a poverty rate of 20 percent or higher. Additionally, the funding includes an emphasis on Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) projects, and improvements in transportation and delivery methods, purchase of refrigeration equipment and improvements to packaging and storage that facilitate food access.

Among the California projects selected this year are:
• Round Valley Indian Health Inc., which will develop a program to provide locally-raised products to schools in Covelo, Calif., through a CSA.

• The Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association, Concord, CA, to start new and existing EBT projects at two new farmers markets in East San Jose, CA.

• Thai Community Development Center, Los Angeles, CA, to establish the East Hollywood Farmers Market, which will promote healthy diets, create jobs, and expand access to fruits and vegetables for low-income individuals.

• The Boys Republic, Chino Hills, CA, to: 1) help urban consumers and low-income families gain access to healthy food by accepting EBT benefits, 2) train youth, 3) create new farmer/vendor jobs, and 4) promote consumption of locally grown fruit and vegetables at Chino Hills Farmers Market and a  farm/school roadside stand.

• The Ecological Farming Association, Soquel, CA, to: 1) organize and
facilitate 10 direct marketing workshops at the 2012 EcoFarm Conference, to include starting CSA’s and marketing to low-income families; 2) provide 50 scholarships for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers to participate in the conference; and 3) conduct outreach and consumer training to school groups on farming, nutrition, and healthy eating.

California leads the nation with more than 750 certified farmers markets – sales venues for certified agricultural producers selling healthy and high-quality produce directly to consumers. These markets are now part of the fabric of many communities throughout the state.  Furthermore, farmers markets are an important source of fresh produce to many seniors and low-income families who can purchase fruits and vegetables through the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program; the Women, Infants and Children’s (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program; and the CalFresh program.
Since its inception in 2006, the Farmers Market Promotion Program has awarded more than $23 million across the country to support direct producer-to-consumer  marketing and local food projects. Projects are expected to be completed within 24 months of initiation. The full list of awards granted for fiscal year 2011 is available at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/FMPP.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) and the Western Plant Health Association (WPHA) have teamed up to present their annual conference on fertilizing techniques on November 16-17 in Tulare, CA.

The agenda is geared toward a wide range of agriculturalists, including agricultural supply and service consultants, growers, university extension specialists, crop advisers and local, state and national governmental agency representatives. Speakers from academia and industry will present ground-breaking research, practical implementation and regulation of subjects like nutrient management planning, implementation of effective nutrient
management strategies, and the basics of nitrogen, phosphate and potash management.

Certified Crop Adviser and Pest Control Adviser continuing education units (CEU) have been requested and should be available at the conference on both November 16 and November 17.  The approved units will be posted at http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/ffldrs/frep.html

Early conference registration postmarked by October 24, 2011 is $75 per day or $140 for both days.  The fee for currently enrolled students is $35 per day or $70 for both days.  After October 24, the registration fee is $100 per day or $175 for both days and the student fee is $40 per day or $80 for both days.

Conference registration is being handled through the WPHA. Please contact WPHA at:

Western Plant Health Association
4460 Duckhorn Drive, Suite A
Sacramento, CA 95834
Tel: (916) 574-9744, Fax (916) 574-9484
Email:
corrie@healthyplants.org
www.healthyplants.org

The CDFA FREP coordinates and funds research projects that advance the environmentally safe and agronomically sound use of fertilizer materials.  FREP serves growers, agricultural supply and service consultants, university extension personnel, and local, state and national governmental agencies and organizations.  For additional information on the FREP, please visit:  http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/ffldrs/frep.html

California farmers and ranchers, as well as fertilizer manufactures and handlers, may be impacted by new federal regulations that will require registration with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

In August, DHS announced a proposed rule, via the Federal Register, which will create an Ammonium Nitrate Security Program. This program would require that persons engaged in the use, transfer or distribution of ammonium nitrate to register with DHS and uphold specific documentation standards depending on use and handling of the substance. While California has similar standards for ammonium nitrate in place, the new federal program could increase record keeping requirements and registration rules for California firms.

A DHS public meeting on the issue is scheduled for Tuesday, October 18, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at:

DoubleTree Hotel Sacramento
2001 Point West Way – (Capitol Ballroom Salon B/C)
Sacramento, CA 95815

Click here for further information on the federal Ammonium Nitrate Security Program