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NEWS RELEASE – AUTHOR, CHEF, AND ACTIVIST ALICE WATERS TO JOIN STATE BOARD DISCUSSION ON SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAMS

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Office of Public Affairs

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/Press_Releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=12-010

The California State Board of Food and Agriculture will address farm to school programs at its upcoming meeting on April 3rd in Sacramento. The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, 1220 ‘N’ Street – Main Auditorium, Sacramento, CA 95814.

Farm to school programs are a continuing trend in California and provide marketing opportunities for a wide array of farmers and ranchers within the state. However, a variety of challenges are involved in incorporating local farm products within school lunch programs. The state board meeting will focus on these issues, with presentations and discussion by a variety of leaders in the farm to school movement, including Alice Waters, chef, author and proprietor of Chez Panisse in Berkeley. Ms. Waters is an American pioneer of culinary philosophy that maintains cooking should be based on the finest and freshest seasonal ingredients, and she is founder of the Edible Schoolyard Project, which focuses on creating an “edible education” as part of core curriculum in schools.

“Alice Waters is passionate about improving access for all children to healthy school lunches,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “Her vision and experience with the Edible Schoolyard Project, combined with the great work school districts are achieving in developing farm to school programs, is a positive step in connecting farmers to local communities.”

Additional speakers at the meeting will include: David Binkle, Los Angeles Unified School District; Rodney Taylor, Riverside Unified School District; Barbara Grimm, Grimmway Academy/The Edible Schoolyard at Buena Vista School; John Young; Yolo County Department of Agriculture; Sean Leer, Gold Star Foods; Robert Knight, Old Grove Orange; and Delaine Eastin, former California Superintendent of Public Instruction.

“School lunch programs are an opportunity for farmers and school children alike,” said President Craig McNamara, California State Board of Food and Agriculture. “However, challenges exist in allowing local farm products to be included within school lunch programs and we need to identify opportunities and solutions to this 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

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Merced County youth wins ag story writing contest (MercedSunStar.com)

Posted on March 23, 2012 by CDFA Staff

Friday, Mar. 23, 2012
Sun-Star staff

http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2012/03/23/2280526/merced-county-youth-wins-ag-story.html

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross congratulates Grace Reyes at the annual Ag Day event on the Capitol steps in Sacramento.

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross congratulates Grace Reyes at the annual Ag Day event on the Capitol steps in Sacramento.

Grace Reyes, a Merced County student, was recognized March 21 by the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom’s “Imagine this … Story Writing Contest.”

Reyes, her teacher and parents were recognized at a ceremony at the California State Capitol in the Governor’s Council Room. California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross, along with legislative members representing various districts throughout the state, attended the ceremony to recognize students for their academic achievements.

The state-winning author received a medal, a savings bond, a book, framed pictures and resources for her teacher from the foundation.

From more than 8,000 essays written by third-through-eighth- grade students in California, Reyes was selected for her creativity, writing skills and positive interpretation of California agriculture, the foundation said in a news release.

Her story, “Honeybee Worker Day,” depicts the life cycle of a honeybee and their role in pollination. She’s a fifth-grader from St. Anthony School in Atwater.

Hundreds of California teachers participate in this annual contest by assigning their students the task of researching an aspect of the agriculture industry.

The contest’s purpose is to promote reading, writing and the arts and to further the public’s understanding of agriculture.

Stories are posted online at www.LearnAboutAg.org/imaginethis. For more information, contact Stephanie Etcheverria, program coordinator, at (800) 700-AITC.

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Ag Day – A Celebration of the Future

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda
Children visiting CDFA on Ag Day raise their hands when asked if they like broccoli.

Children visiting CDFA on Ag Day raise their hands when asked if they like broccoli.

I am blessed to be in my 15th month as California’s secretary of agriculture. In my travels around the state, I have gained a new appreciation for the miracles that farmers and ranchers create every day, against considerable odds. As we look to the future and its anticipated demand that world food production double over the next 40 years, we will be relying on agriculture more than ever before. It’s a thought I can’t get out of my mind as we celebrate California Ag Day in Sacramento.

Ag Day was originally intended as a way for farmers and ranchers to meet their state lawmakers, and that remains a primary focus. But it has grown to be so much more. It’s an annual carnival of food and fun, an educational opportunity and, most importantly, Ag Day has become an invaluable event to connect with the future – children.

My schedule today was full – a breakfast speech, a California Grown news conference, and the Ag Day festivities, themselves. Those are all critically important activities on a day like this. I also met children in CDFA’s auditorium and had the profound honor of reading them two stories, The Carrot Seed and Small Pig. And, I met some talented student-authors who won awards in the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom’s annual Imagine This writing contest. In many ways, these last two activities were the most important of all.

We need our children to grow up and share in agriculture’s future. We need them on the farm and in the hundreds of related jobs that await them. Ag Day helps them see the possibilities. It truly is a celebration of the future.

Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Community-based Food System, Food Access, Specialty Crops, Trade, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Ag Day Today!

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Office of Public Affairs

Ag Day at the Capitol
A reminder – please join us for Ag Day today! The grounds on the west lawn of the State Capitol will open to the public at 11:30.

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News Advisory – Ag Day on March 21

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Office of Public Affairs

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/Press_Releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=12-007

WHAT: Ag Day 2012 is the California agricultural community’s annual opportunity to give legislators, Capitol staffers and the public a chance to see what’s new down on the farm. California’s farmers and ranchers provide food, fiber, flowers and more for all of the Golden State’s citizens and many more around the world. Award-winning farmers will be honored, as will several young “prospective farmers” who have penned agriculture-themed stories for a writing contest. Attendees will collect free samples, meet California Rodeo queens, view presentations on the latest in farming sustainability and agricultural education, and get an up-close look at a variety of farm animals. The next generation of farmers gets in on the act, too, with Kings County Junior Fair Board members volunteering to greet attendees and assist with the event.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) partners with California Women for Agriculture and the California Foundation for Agriculture in The Classroom to host this annual celebration. This year’s theme, Know Your California Farmer, highlights the contributions of farmers, ranchers from many of California’s diverse counties and growing regions.

During a stage presentation at noon, the agricultural community will honor the 2011 Leopold Conservation Award winner Tim Koopmann, a Bay Area rancher. Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the Leopold Conservation Award, which consists of $10,000 and a Leopold crystal, recognizes extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. In his influential book, A Sand County Almanac (1949), Leopold called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage, which he deemed to be “an evolutionary possibility and an ecological necessity.” Applications for the 2012 award are being accepted until July 15, 2012. For more information, please visit: www.leopoldconservationaward.org

WHEN: Wednesday, March 21, 2012, rain or shine
Open to Legislators and staff 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Open to the public 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

PRESS CONFERENCE: “Eat Local, Buy California Grown”
Begins at 11:30 a.m., featuring:
CDFA Secretary Karen Ross
Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Fiona Ma (San Francisco and San Mateo Counties)
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Anthony Cannella (Ceres)
Assembly Member Cathleen Galgiani (Stockton)

AG DAY STAGE PRESENTATION
Begins at noon, featuring emcee Michael Marks “Your Produce Man”and:
CDFA Secretary Karen Ross
California Women for Agriculture President Karri Hammerstrom
California Foundation for Agriculture In The Classroom Executive Director Judy Culbertson
2011 Leopold Conservation Award Winner Tim Koopman, Bay Area rancher
Miss Rodeo California Mackenzie Cayford and Miss California Rodeo Salinas Kendra Brennan
Student winners of the 2012 “Imagine This” Story Writing Contest, conducted by the California
Foundation for Agriculture In the Classroom

WHERE: California State Capitol grounds, west steps

WHY: Ag Day is an annual event designed to recognize California’s agricultural community by showcasing the numerous commodities that are produced in our state—and the farmers and ranchers who bring them to our tables. It is also a day for the agricultural community to show its appreciation of Californians by bringing together state legislators, government leaders and the public for a half day of agricultural education and treats.

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Looking Ahead – Ag Day on March 21

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Office of Public Affairs

Ag Day "Save the Date" graphicCalifornia’s annual celebration of farming, Ag Day, is right around the corner. Next Wednesday, March 21, will see thousands of people on the west lawn of the State Capitol, viewing exhibits staffed by Ag groups. It’s a great opportunity for farmers and ranchers to meet the Capitol community.

CDFA's Corinne Madison delivers a tree and an Ag Day sign to Rebecca Wood in Assemblyman Bill Berryhill's office.

CDFA's Corinne Madison delivers a tree and an Ag Day sign to Rebecca Wood in Assemblyman Bill Berryhill's office.

The origin of Ag Day was to connect farmers to state lawmakers, and that mission is still at the heart of the event. Each year, CDFA reaches out ahead of time by delivering a plant to the offices of each lawmaker, along with an invitation to attend. This week, we traversed the hallways of the Capitol yet again, providing young peach trees donated by Duarte Nursery in Hughson, Stanislaus County. We are enormously grateful for the ongoing commitment and generosity of the agriculture industry in making Ag Day a success. We couldn’t do it without them.

CDFA staff and Duarte Nursery representatives make the rounds in the Capitol.

CDFA staff and Duarte Nursery representatives make the rounds in the Capitol.

So if you’re in the area next Wednesday, stop by. We’d love to see you.

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CDFA Launches Biosecurity Toolkit For Equine Events

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Dr. Kent Fowler, Chief of Animal Health Branch

Three riders on horsebackSix different outbreaks of Equine Herpes Virus-1 among show horses in California over the past year have increased awareness of the need for stronger biosecurity measures at equine events. In response, CDFA’s Animal Health Branch developed the Biosecurity Toolkit for Equine Events, which recommends enhanced biosecurity in an attempt to minimize future disease outbreaks.

The keys to implementing this plan are horse show managers and horse owners, who will be counted on to make sure that preventative health care of horses is addressed. The toolkit will serve as a resource in providing recommendations that address the specific risks of an event and venue.

California hosts more than 1,600 horse shows annually. At these events, infectious disease pathogens may be spread by humans, vehicles, birds, insects, and other domesticated and undomesticated animals. We’re hoping that will occur much less frequently, thanks to the Biosecurity Toolkit for Equine Events.

Posted in Agricultural Education, Animal Welfare, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Governor Brown appoints three new members to California State Board of Food and Agriculture

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Office of Public Affairs

http://www.gov.ca.gov/news.php?id=17451

Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments.

Gregory Ahern, 54, of Livermore, has been appointed to the California Lottery Commission. Ahern has been sheriff coroner for Alameda County since 2007, and has served in the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office since 1980. He served as assistant sheriff from 2006 to 2007, commander from 2005 to 2006, captain from 2003 to 2005, lieutenant from 2000 to 2003, sergeant from 1986 to 2000 and deputy sheriff from 1980 to 1986. Ahern is second vice president of the California State Sheriff’s Association. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Ahern is a Republican.

Teveia Barnes, 58, of Tiburon, has been appointed commissioner of the California Department of Financial Institutions. Barnes has been a partner at Foley and Lardner LLP since 2005 and has been president and executive director at Lawyers For One America since 1999. She was executive director and general counsel at the Bar Association of San Francisco from 2001 to 2003. Barnes worked at the Bank of America National Trust and Savings Association from 1986 to 1999 in multiple positions, including associate general counsel and senior vice president. She serves on the boards of directors for the U.S. Bank Advisory Board of Northern California and On Lok, Inc. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from New York University School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $142,965. Barnes is a Democrat.

Charles Boyer, 62, of Fresno, has been appointed to the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. Boyer has been dean at California State University, Fresno since 2006. He was department head and associate dean at Oregon State University from 1993 to 2006, and a professor at Pennsylvania State University from 1981 to 1993. Boyer is a member of the American Society for Horticultural Sciences and the American Association of State Colleges of Agriculture and Renewable Resources. Boyer earned a doctorate in genetics at Pennsylvania State University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Boyer is a Republican.

Nancy Casady, 69, of La Jolla, has been appointed to the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. Casady has been the general manager of Ocean Beach People’s Organic Food Co-Op since 1996. She was co-owner of Casady Whole Foods Market from 1988 to 1994. She served as vice president of the National Cooperative Grocers Association from 2006 to 2009 and was a member of the National Cooperative Development Board from 2009 to 2011. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Casady is a Democrat.

Mike Gallo, 61, of Merced, has been appointed to the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. Gallo has been the co-owner of Joseph Gallo Farms since 1965. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Gallo is a Republican.

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Connecting Consumers to Farmers and Farmers to Resources – the New Food Compass

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

Montage: Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food

From my experience at the USDA, I know the great wealth of data the agency has at its fingertips. With the release of the new Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food website tool – the food compass – resources and information about our local food systems become readily available.

Did you know California has more than 435 farmers markets and 1,100 farmers participating in Farmers Market Nutrition Programs for WIC participants? Or that in Pauma Valley, federal funding is supporting the replacement of an old irrigation system on tribal land, providing fresh water to support the growth of fresh fruits and vegetables? The food compass not only highlights local and regional projects but also helps connect farmers and consumers to opportunities within our food system. Here’s USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan with more information about the compass.

Local meat and poultry producers can find local marketing opportunities and projects within their region, those interested in farming can find resources to help get started and the updated KYF website provides greater transparency on our food system through case studies, blogs and information on the variety of programs, grants and loans the USDA has available.

State Board President Craig McNamara in an earlier blog, profiled another great resource for beginning farmers – www.start2farm.gov This website serves to not only help existing farmers but also those thinking about farming.  I’m pleased to find that California has a listing of 15 separate programs on this site ranging from ‘creating farmer opportunities in farm worker communities’ to course work on a ‘creating a profitable ranching operation.’ Farming is a dynamic enterprise and this website is another great resource to assist those interested in farming.

CDFA looks forward to working with these web based tools as resources for the variety of work we do with direct marketing, local harvesting and food access. I encourage our farmers, consumers and stakeholders to also explore the wealth of information available within the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food and Start2Farm tool kits.

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Nitrogen management – a key issue in farming

Posted on March 8, 2012 by State Board of Food and Agriculture President Craig McNamara

A woman shopping for vegetables at a marketNitrogen, an essential plant nutrient for food crops, is a hot topic right now in California agriculture. Next week, a team of university researchers is scheduled to release a report on nitrate in groundwater in the Tulare Basin and Salinas areas. So I thought this was a perfect time to take the issue before the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. Our meeting earlier this week focused on the complexity of nitrogen in the environment and the opportunities for farmers to improve management of it in the future.

The presenters included Dr. Tom Tomich of the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis, who shared a number of important points and preliminary data with us from his ongoing California Nitrogen Assessment (Link to power point). Dr. Tomich reminded us that this is a global issue; that nitrogen is everywhere in the environment – air, water and soil; and, perhaps most significantly, that any large-scale efforts to mitigate nitrogen movement to groundwater should be a dynamic process that fosters innovation and should not include a one-size-fits-all approach.

Agriculture has long recognized the need to manage the journey of nitrogen after it does its job as a plant food. For farmers, this presents challenges, sure, but also opportunities. Scientific data over the last two decades show that growers are using the same rate of nitrogen fertilizer and crop acreage to produce more food. This clearly demonstrates that growers have become more efficient with nitrogen fertilizer use. Dairy farmers have demonstrated their environmental commitment for many years through the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program, which includes important third-party evaluations before certification. Dairies are also adhering to a waste discharge regulation that, since it went into effect in 2007, has provided more direction for environmental stewardship.

Looking ahead, there are some important questions to address. Can nitrates be captured so they are effectively used and stay in a food crop production “box,” which would limit their movement elsewhere in the environment?  Can vegetation be managed to trap nitrates better? Are there devices available that actually filter nitrate out before it can move into the state’s waterways? We know the answers to each of these will require scientific research and resources. I am confident that farmers and the scientific community will continue to work together to lead us into a future with better management of nitrogen in our state’s highly diverse agricultural systems.

Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Cannella Panel, Environment, Uncategorized | Leave a comment