Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

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Younger adults the main drivers in fresh food consumption – from The Produce News

It turns out that Americans are eating their fruits and vegetables, and younger adults, including the Millennial generation, are the main drivers of the shift toward fresh foods and beverages, according to The NPD Group, a leading global information company. … Continue reading

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Video showing drought-depleted reservoirs – from the California Department of Water Resources

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) recently released a silent video showing the depletion level of several Northern California reservoirs. DWR’s Daily Reservoir Storage Summary lists Folsom Lake at 31 percent of capacity, Lake Oroville at 34 percent, and … Continue reading

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A threat to residential citrus: Huanglongbing in Southern California – from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune

By Kurt Floren If you enjoy fresh, homegrown citrus fruit from your yard or California-grown citrus from the market, now is the time to pay attention: a deadly plant disease has been found again in our midst. Huanglongbing, also known … Continue reading

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USDA broadens crop insurance options for fruit and nut producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the expansion of crop insurance to provide additional options for fruit and nut producers. The Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) and the Actual Production History (APH) Yield Exclusion are now available to cover … Continue reading

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USDA announces conservation incentives for working grass, range and pasture lands

The USDA has announced that beginning Sept. 1, farmers and ranchers can apply for financial assistance to help conserve working grasslands, rangeland and pastureland while maintaining the areas as livestock grazing lands. The initiative is part of the voluntary Conservation … Continue reading

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CDFA teams up with UC Davis in new program for graduate students

  What does the top-rated agricultural university in the world and CDFA have in common? In addition to working on key issues involving food and agriculture, they each make their home in the same region of California; and they offer … Continue reading

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California agriculture embracing the ‘Internet of Things’

A familiar refrain in agriculture these days is that we must achieve and sustain the capacity to feed a growing global population that is expected to reach nine billion people by 2050.  How will we do that? The answers are … Continue reading

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El Nino likely coming, but will it make a difference? From the Sacramento Bee

By Phillip Reese The El Niño weather pattern often brings deluges to California, quickly dropping inches of rain in what climatologists liken to turning on a fire hose. Except when it doesn’t. Except when it brings no extra rain. El … Continue reading

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Water-saving tips offered at California State Fair – from Capital Press

By Tim Hearden SACRAMENTO — Water-saving tips to weather the drought are key features at this year’s California State Fair, which runs through July 26. The state Department of Water Resources’ award-winning “Californians Don’t Waste — Save Water in Your … Continue reading

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Summer Harvest postage stamps introduced at California State Fair

CDFA secretary Karen Ross joined California State Fair CEO Rick Pickering and US Postal Service officials to introduce a new series of postage stamps,  “Summer Harvest,” during the fair’s current run at Cal Expo. The stamps depict watermelon, corn, cantaloupe … Continue reading

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