Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

Category Archives: Food Safety


Aligning With New Proposed Federal Produce Safety Rules

Last Friday, January 4th, two years to the day after the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law by President Obama, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued new proposed produce rules. The produce rules will go a … Continue reading

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CDFA’s Bureau of Livestock ID Works to Prevent Cattle Rustling

Cattle rustling may seem like a crime of yesteryear, but it is still a part of the agricultural landscape today. That’s why the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Bureau of Livestock Identification keeps careful track of the sale, transport … Continue reading

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Farm to Food Bank Program featured in San Diego TV report

On December 5, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross appeared with food bank officials in San Diego to emphasize a greater need for food assistance during the holidays, and to discuss the Farm-to-Food Bank Program, a joint effort with the California State Board of … Continue reading

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CDFA Lab Supports State Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program

Among the many partnerships CDFA maintains is a long-standing relationship with a sister agency, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). The two agencies cross paths in a number of ways, including a system to test for pesticide residue on produce. DPR’s … Continue reading

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Food Safety Workshops for California’s Artisan Cheese Makers

Consumers in general and Californians in particular are showing new and enthusiastic interest in their food – where it comes from, who makes it, and how it is made. Farmers have responded with a renewed devotion to agricultural products that … Continue reading

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Hearings underway on egg regulations with food safety focus

Food safety is of paramount importance to California farmers and to us at the Calfiornia Department of Food and Agricutlure (CDFA). We are constantly striving to work with farmers, consumers, scientists and others to make sure outbreaks are mitigated through … Continue reading

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CDFA to Offer Food Safety Training for California’s Small Farms

California’s farmers are as diverse as the crops they grow. The safety of the food their farms produce is paramount. To make sure smaller farmers can take advantage of a comprehensive approach to food safety, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)  has developed resources … Continue reading

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Statement from Secretary Ross on Food Safety Efforts by California Cantaloupe Growers

You may have heard about recent illnesses and two deaths linked to cantaloupe grown in southwestern Indiana. I am very concerned to learn about the severity of this outbreak. My heart goes out to those affected and their loved ones. … Continue reading

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Of Canadian geese, worker training and record-keeping – building a culture of food safety on the farm

Last week, a group of Canadian food writers and bloggers, accompanied by staff of the California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement (LGMA), toured two leafy greens fields and a processing facility in the Salinas area. The group was there … Continue reading

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From USDA: Update from APHIS Regarding a Detection of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in the United States

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/2012/05/bse_update_statement.shtml On  April 24, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed  the nation’s 4th case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in an animal  that was sampled for the disease at a rendering facility in central California.  This animal … Continue reading

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