Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

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Best practices to prevent the spread of citrus disease huanglongbing – from the Sun-Gazette

By Kaitlin Washburn The Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Committee (an advisory body to CDFA and citrus growers) has endorsed a set of best practices on how to combat huanglongbing (HLB), a disease that devastates citrus orchards. The recommendations were … Continue reading

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Positive step for feeding expanding world population – UC Riverside scientists decode DNA of black-eyed peas

By Jules Bernstein, UCR UC Riverside scientists have decoded the genome of black-eyed peas, offering hope for feeding Earth’s expanding population, especially as the climate changes.  Understanding the genes responsible for the peas’ drought and heat tolerance eventually could help … Continue reading

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#CDFACentennial – Centennial Reflections video series with Victor Velez

The California Department of Food and Agriculture is celebrating its 100th anniversary as a state agency in 2019. Throughout the year this blog will feature a number of items to commemorate this milestone. Today we continue with the Centennial Reflections video … Continue reading

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CDFA joins with DPR for tour of Asian Citrus Psyllid/Huanglongbing response projects

CDFA undersecretary Jenny Lester Moffitt and Department of Pesticide Regulation acting director Val Dolcini recently traveled to Riverside County to join a tour of several projects being utilized in the Asian citrus psyllid/huanglongbing eradication program, with an emphasis on integrated … Continue reading

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Virulent Newcastle Disease update

Statement from California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones Thanks to cooperation from Southern California residents in very difficult circumstances, and a tremendous commitment from emergency response teams, the joint CDFA/USDA Virulent Newcastle Disease Project has found no new positive detections … Continue reading

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#CDFACentennial – Centennial Reflections video series with Roger Spencer

The California Department of Food and Agriculture is celebrating its 100th anniversary as a state agency in 2019. Throughout the year this blog will feature a number of items to commemorate this milestone. Today we continue with the Centennial Reflections … Continue reading

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A California farmer goes in search of a successor – from the Daily Democrat

By Julia Mitric As a generation of farmers in California enters retirement age, these growers and ranchers face difficult choices about what to do with their farms and how to support themselves as they age. There is no “cookie-cutter formula” … Continue reading

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CDFA leadership: Governor announces appointments

Secretary Karen Ross with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) was very pleased this afternoon with Governor Gavin Newsom’s announcement that he has confirmed the appointments of current CDFA Undersecretary Jenny Lester Moffitt and CDFA Deputy Secretary Rachael O’Brien. Secretary Ross also … Continue reading

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CDFA Secretary Karen Ross honored as “Agriculturalist of the Year” at State Fair Gala

California Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross was formally honored as the 2019 Agriculturalist of the Year last night at the annual State Fair Gala at the Cal Expo fairgrounds in Sacramento. The gala also includes an auction that benefits the youth scholarship … Continue reading

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UC Climate Smart Ag Team (including CDFA) showing results – from CalCan

Note – CalCan is the California Climate and Agriculture Network Technical assistance for farmers and ranchers is a critical tool for scaling up the widespread adoption of climate-beneficial agricultural practices. In the fall of 2018, University of California’s Division of … Continue reading

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