Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

Category Archives: Trade


Secretary Ross welcomes delegation from Mexico, stresses importance of ag in achieving climate change goals

California Department of Food And Agriculture (CDFA) Secretary Karen Ross addressed a delegation of Cochran fellows from the United Mexican States this morning at CDFA headquarters in Sacramento. Ross spoke on the importance of bolstering the relationship between Mexico and California … Continue reading

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CDFA and agricultural stakeholders invite federal trade officials to California

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross and number of California agricultural organizations submitted the following invitation letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lightizer inviting them to visit California for trade discussions. As the nation’s largest agricultural producer and … Continue reading

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CDFA welcomes foreign buyers to Fresno Food Expo

CDFA had the pleasure this week of welcoming 19 buyers from Central America, Mexico and Southeast Asia to the seventh annual Fresno Food Expo. The buyers were part of trade delegation facilitated by the Western United States Agricultural Trade Association … Continue reading

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CDFA to host FundMatch webinar on April 25th for California food businesses – learn, connect and compete in export markets

The California Department of Food and Agriculture, in coordination with the Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA) will be holding a webinar on federal market development programs designed to assist California companies in expanding export sales. The webinar will … Continue reading

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Climate Smart Agriculture Online Webinar: Israel & California to Discuss Recycled Water Use on November 9

California and Israel share similar climates and challenges as it relates to food and farming. As California potentially enters a sixth consecutive drought year – how we manage and use agriculture water will be all the more important. Join the conversation … Continue reading

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California Wine Shows Strength in Challenging Economy – from Wine Institute & CAWG

2015 Annual Economic Impact Grows to $57.6 Billion in California, $114.1 Billion in U.S. The California wine and winegrape sector and allied businesses deliver a total economic contribution of $57.6 billion annually to the state’s economy and $114.1 billion annually … Continue reading

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Secretary Ross discusses trade and climate change in Vietnam

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross is in Vietnam this week as part of a delegation of the Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA), a non-profit formed in 1980 by the 13 western state departments of agriculture as well as the … Continue reading

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National Manufacturing Month – Recognizing where the harvest leads

For a lot of our farmers here in California, this is about the time of year when we stand back with pride and a little relief that the harvest is done. There is always plenty more work to be done, … Continue reading

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California agriculture: it’s worth the water – Op-ed co-authored by Secretary Ross in the LA Times

By Karen Ross and Daniel Sumner Pundits here in drought-stricken California have become fond of proclaiming that farms consume 80% of the state’s water and generate only about 2% of its gross domestic product. “Why devote so much of our … Continue reading

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Export Training Course Comes to CDFA

This April, CDFA will be jointly hosting CALAGX 2015 – the only comprehensive export training program available to California’s specialty crop growers.  The program provides intensive training to help companies move their products into foreign markets, led by instructors who … Continue reading

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