Karen Ross of Sacramento has been reappointed Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the state cabinet-level department established in 1919 to promote and protect a safe, healthy food supply, local and global agricultural trade, and environmental stewardship.
Ross successfully served as CDFA Secretary under Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. for 8 years. She has unmatched leadership experience in agricultural issues nationally, internationally, and here in California.
Prior to joining CDFA, Ross was chief of staff to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a position she accepted in 2009. Prior to that appointment, she served as President of the California Association of Winegrape Growers from 1996 to 2009,and as Vice-President of the Agricultural Council of California from 1989 to 1996.
Before moving to California, Secretary Ross served as Director of Government Relations for the Nebraska Rural Electric Association and as Field Representative for U.S.Senator Edward Zorinsky. Ross grew up as a 4-H kid on a farm in Western Nebraska. She and her husband, Barry, own 800 acres of the family farm where her younger brother, a fourth-generation farmer, grows dryland wheat, feed grains, and cattle. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is a graduate of the Nebraska Ag Leadership Program. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $209,943. Ross is a Democrat.
Secretary Ross: “I am humbled and honored to be able to serve our new governor, Gavin Newsom, and work with the great team he is putting together. And I am thrilled to be able to continue to serve California agriculture and work with the outstanding employees at the California Department of Food and Agriculture.”
Pollination Network, a mobile app that helps local farmers and growers find bees and beekeepers, launched this week in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The app helps beekeepers to find jobs with nearby growers, and it allows growers to post public listings and hire beekeepers within the app.
“It’s become more and more difficult for growers to find bees over the years,” said Brandon Bouye, owner and founder of the app. “But it’s been just as hard for beekeepers to keep their hives growing and their businesses afloat. We wanted to change that.”
When beekeepers download the app, they will have access to a map featuring job listings from growers across the country who need bees. They can filter by location, expected price rate, and quality of bees, and apply for jobs straight from the app.
Growers will be able to post listings from their smartphones, customizing each job listing to their specific needs. Then, employees at the Pollination Network headquarters will manage the listings and notify growers when a suitable beekeeper is found.
“Strengthening the grower-beekeeper relationship doesn’t just improve a tiny corner of the economy,” Bouye said. “It protects the environment, and it puts food on the table for people across the country.”
The Pollination Network app can be downloaded for free in the Apple App Store and Google Play. For more detailed information, visit https://www.pollinationnetwork.com/.
Former Paradise resident Steve Edwards at a FEMA trailer at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds. Picture from the Appeal-Democrat
Steve Edwards hadn’t been back to Paradise since the Camp Fire destroyed much of the town and surrounding areas in November, including his home. When he returned to see the aftermath earlier this week, he couldn’t believe his eyes.
“I was devastated. Once I saw everything I just broke down into tears,” Edwards said.
Immediately after the fire, Edwards said, he had no plans to move back to the area effected by the wildfire that killed 86 people and claimed more than 153,000 acres of land. But that changed after he had returned for the first time recently.
“I wasn’t planning on moving back, but now that I’ve seen it, I’ve realized it’s my home,” said Edwards, who grew up in a military family before joining the service himself. “That was my first real home having moved around so much in my younger years. Even if I don’t end up rebuilding, I’ll still be up there helping others rebuild.”
For the time being, Edwards is living in a trailer at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds. His temporary residence is located at the tip of an eastern lot at the site, amongst 39 other trailers either occupied by displaced Camp Fire victims or soon to be occupied.
Edwards signed up to live in the trailer on Nov. 21 through a program offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that supplies temporary housing to victims of a natural disaster. Wednesday was his move-in day.
“I cannot believe the support I’ve received since everything happened. I would’ve never dreamed of people being this supportive. Every step of the way, people have been there and willing to step up and help,” Edwards said.
Dave Dillabo, CEO of the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds, said FEMA has been setting up the brand-new trailers for move in for the past couple weeks and they are beginning to house Camp Fire victims at the site. As more and more trailers become available for move in, he said, the location will slowly begin to fill up.
FEMA reached out to Dillabo and staff to see if the Yuba City facility would be willing to house temporary mobile units. They also set up similar sites in Chico and Glenn County, Dillabo said.
“While fairs are typically a four-day event, this is an example of the importance of having a fairgrounds in a community. It allows us to provide these types of services after a disaster,” Dillabo said.
The current contract allows for the trailers to remain at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds for up to six months, Dillabo said.
Throughout the entire region, FEMA has more than 350 units set up at various locations to help Camp Fire victims with temporary living quarters, said Michael Hart, a FEMA spokesperson. FEMA has 40 trailers at the fairgrounds in Yuba City and another 23 mobile housing units in Yuba County.
For those displaced by the Camp Fire and in need of temporary housing, Hart said there are three ways to register. He said they can either call the FEMA helpline at 1(800)-621-3362, visit www.disasterassistance.gov, or by going into one of FEMA’s Disaster Recovery Centers – one is located at the Chico Mall inside the former Sears store and another is located at 2140 Feather River Blvd., Oroville.
Pasta fundraiser planned to assist Camp Fire victims
While many have already donated to assist Camp Fire victims recover from the devastation that occurred in Butte County late last year, Yuba-Sutter residents will have another opportunity to help in February.
Pasta for a Purpose, a fundraiser for Camp Fire victims, is planned for Feb. 7 at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds. The event is being put on by the fairgrounds, Recology Yuba-Sutter, Stephens Farmhouse and 4G Foundation.
“It’s been amazing to see the outpouring of support and donations from this community since the fire,” said fairgrounds CEO Dave Dillabo. “This event is a great opportunity for the community to get involved and help.”
The fundraiser will be held at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds Main Hall from 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. The event will include a spaghetti feed and dessert.
Community members can donate either through gift cards or cash. Donations will be collected at the door and attendees are asked to give what they can, according to the Facebook event.
The California Agricultural Statistics Review for crop year 2017 has been released. It reports that California’s farms and ranches received more than $50 billion in cash receipts for their output. This represents an increase of almost 6 percent compared to 2016.
California’s agricultural abundance includes more than 400 commodities. Over a third of the country’s vegetables and two-thirds of the country’s fruits and nuts are grown in California. California is the leading US state for cash farm receipts, accounting for over 13 percent of the nation’s total agricultural value. The top producing commodities for 2017 include:
Dairy Products, Milk — $6.56 billion
Grapes— $5.79 billion
Almonds— $5.60 billion
Strawberries— $3.10 billion
Cattle and Calves — $2.53 billion
Lettuce— $2.41 billion
Walnuts— $1.59 billion
Tomatoes— $1.05 billion
Pistachios— $1.01 billion
Broilers— $939 million
California agricultural exports totaled $20.56 billion for 2017. Top commodities for export in 2017 included almonds, dairy and dairy products, pistachios, wine and walnuts. Export statistics are produced by the University of California, Davis, Agricultural Issues Center.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture has reached a milestone: 2019 is our centennial year, the 100th anniversary of the Legislature’s decision to establish the protection and promotion of agriculture as necessary and important for our state’s success.
The generations of farmers who have worked the land over the past century have achieved remarkable success. CDFA’s challenge has often been to keep pace with – and in many cases to encourage – the progress driven by these innovators. We protect farms and the larger California environment from pests and diseases that would pose a risk to the food supply, to our plants and pets and livestock, and to our citizens. We help maintain a fair and efficient marketplace, both for consumers and for our farmers and ranchers and the many businesses that serve and support this great industry. We invest in research, demonstration projects and the development and deployment of key on-farm innovations that keep our growers on the cutting edge of agriculture.
CDFA’s centennial provides an excellent opportunity to take stock of these achievements as well as the goals and aspirations that lead our focus ever forward. Keep watching this blog for examples. This is a fitting time to honor the innovative nature of our California farmers and ranchers, who show the nation and the world what is possible – and it’s also a chance to acknowledge the value of steady leadership, collaborative progress, and a bright future.
The California Natural Resources Agency, the California Environmental Protection Agency and the California Department of Food and Agriculture today released a California Water Action Plan implementation report outlining five years of progress toward sustainable management of California’s water resources.
Issued at the direction of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. in January 2014 and updated in 2016, the California Water Action Plan set forth 10 priority actions that guide the state’s effort to create more resilient, reliable water systems and to restore critical ecosystems. The actions are:
Make conservation a
California way of life;
Increase regional
self-reliance and integrated water management across all levels of
government;
Achieve the co-equal goals
for the Delta;
Protect and restore
important ecosystems;
Manage and prepare for
dry periods;
Expand water storage
capacity and improve groundwater management;
Provide safe water for
all communities;
Increase flood
protection;
Increase operational and
regulatory efficiency;
Identify sustainable and
integrated financing opportunities.
“California has embraced an all-of-the-above portfolio of actions to combat our most urgent water supply challenges while building a more resilient future,” California Natural Resources Secretary John Laird said.“Using the Water Action Plan as a blueprint, we have coordinated efforts and made strategic investments to move the needle on sustainable water management.”
“The California Water Action Plan has guided our water conservation efforts for five years, including during the worst drought in modern California history,” said Matthew Rodriquez, California Secretary for Environmental Protection. “The plan continues to be relevant today and provides necessary direction and policy guidance as we strive to improve our water storage alternatives in the face of climate change, while also working collaboratively to balance the needs of water users and the environment in areas like the fragile Bay-Delta ecosystem.”
“California’s farmers and ranchers have been strong partners in the push for water sustainability,” said California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross. “From participating in water-saving programs through California Climate Investments to embracing the essential nature of groundwater management, agriculture is once again showing its commitment to collaboration and innovation.”
The implementation report released today shows significant progress toward reaching the broad objectives of the Water Action Plan, including taking major steps to bolster water supply resiliency and prepare the state for a changing climate. Even as the state careened from five years of severe drought to record-breaking rainfall and flood emergencies, advances were made on all 10 priority actions.
Highlights include:
Investing in more than 1,100 projects through voter-approved Proposition 1 of 2014, including conditionally awarding nearly $2.7 billion in water storage projects that would boost California’s water storage capacity by 4.3 million acre-feet. In total, $6.6 billion in Proposition 1 funding has been appropriated and committed to various projects as of December 2018.
Weathering the deepest drought in modern history while providing emergency drinking water supplies in critical areas and funding water recycling, safe drinking water and other projects to create resiliency needed for future droughts and climate change.
Working with stakeholders to create a framework for eliminating water waste, improving water use efficiency and drought-proofing local and regional water supply portfolios.
Advancing a critical upgrade to the state’s water infrastructure through California Water Fix, which marked several key implementation milestones.
Accelerating habitat restoration and enhancement in the Delta by breaking ground on numerous projects on the way to restoring at least 30,000 acres by 2020 through the California EcoRestore initiative.
Implementing the landmark Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 and meeting key milestones in helping local agencies strengthen groundwater management and meet new sustainability goals.
Investing $1.5 billion in urban flood risk reduction projects, enhancing flood protection for 1.2 million people, more than $100 billion in assets and more than 560,00 acres of property.
The January 2019 Draft California 2030 Natural and Working Lands Climate Change Implementation Plan is now available and can be accessed through the Natural and Working Lands webpage.
The plan is a multi-agency joint collaboration by the California Natural Resources Agency, California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Environmental Protection Agency, California Air Resources Board (CARB), and Strategic Growth Council. This plan aims to integrate management objectives wherever possible,coordinating all natural and working lands programs under a united approach that will move us toward our combined goal of maintaining a resilient carbon sink and improved air and water quality, water quantity, wildlife habitat, recreation, and other benefits. By moving toward an integrated multi-benefit approach that considers carbon, other critical ecosystem services, biodiversity, public health, and the economy, we can leverage efforts for maximum and sustained benefit.
The objectives of this plan are to:
Expand the
use of natural and working lands for climate mitigation and adaptation by
integrating climate goals into State-funded natural and working land
conservation, restoration, and management programs;
Significantly
increase and improve conservation, restoration, and management of
California’s natural and working lands through State programs and other
means, to enhance their resilience to worsening climate change impacts,
sequester carbon, and reduce GHGs;
Identify
next steps for taking a more comprehensive approach to addressing the
policy challenges facing our natural and working lands, including their
contributions to achieving carbon-neutrality and meeting our long-term
climate objectives.
In addition to tracking progress and estimating the benefits and impacts of the activities implemented to meet the 2030 goal, implementation will rely on programs and structures in place to monitor progress toward the long-term objective of achieving resilient net zero or negative emissions. Accordingly,this Plan coincides with the release of the CARB’s Natural and Working Lands Inventory (NWL Inventory), a quantitative estimate of the existing state of ecosystem carbon stored in the State’s land base. The NWL Inventory provides a retrospective estimate of carbon stocks, stock-change, and resulting greenhouse gas flux associated with stock change in California’s landscape, and attributes stock changes to disturbances. The NWL Inventory will serve as the inventory of record for this sector, tracking sector-wide progress toward the long-term objectives.
As we publish this report, CDFA has just begun its centennial year. The story of California agriculture over the past century is a tale of growth and success.
The engine of all of that productivity is, in a word, innovation. CDFA’s challenge has been to keep pace with – and in many cases to encourage – that progress. We provide an important framework that protects consumers; maintains a safe and efficient food supply; ensures fairness in the marketplace and in the avenues of commerce; and helps growers continue to innovate, modernize, and deliver the fruits of their productivity.
My eight years with CDFA have shown me the breadth and depth of this agency’s service to consumers, farmers and ranchers; and also in terms of fostering an agricultural industry that embraces its role as a global leader on everything from the most technical aspects of farming to the broadest environmental imperatives.
We offer this report to take stock of how CDFA fulfills its mission, and also to honor the innovative nature of California farmers and ranchers and all who support them. They show the nation and the world what is possible.
CDFA Secretary Karen Ross (second from left) participating in California Grown Certification proceedings this week at the Rose Parade.
As part of this year’s Rose Parade festivities, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross once again joined the Buy California Marketing Agreement (California Grown) and the California Cut Flower Commission to bestow a certification of “California Grown” on qualifying parade floats, including entries from Cal Poly, Blue Diamond Almonds, Wells Fargo Stagecoaches, the California Highway Patrol Mounted Patrol Unit, the Blue Shadows Drill Team, Mini Therapy Horses, and the Pasadena Police Department’s motorcycle unit. Additionally, all FTD-sponsored vehicles for parade officials were certified, as was the University of Washington football team’s float, which was sponsored by the Tournament of Roses.
The California Grown Certification recognizes parade floats and VIP vehicles built with a minimum of 85 percent of cut flowers and greens from the Golden State.
The Cal Poly float, “Far Out Frequencies.”
The float from Cal Poly, called Far Out Frequencies, won the Tournament of Roses “Extraordinaire” award for most extraordinary float in the parade. Cal Poly has been invited to participate for 71 consecutive years. Students from San Luis Obispo and Pomona campuses team-up for the effort.
Blue Diamond’s “Almond Breeze” float.
Secretary Ross with Kasey Cronquist of the California Cut Flower Commission in front of the FTD-sponsored Grand Marshal vehicle.
Secretary Ross with her husband, Barry, alongside the Cal Poly float.
Secretary Ross with flower ambassadors working at the event and Tina Cao of Blue Diamond Almonds.
Plant biologists at the University of California, Davis, have discovered a way to make crop plants replicate through seeds as clones. The discovery, long sought by plant breeders and geneticists, could make it easier to propagate high-yielding, disease-resistant or climate-tolerant crops and make them available to the world’s farmers.
The researchers published their findings Dec. 12 in the journal Nature.
Since the 1920s, many crops have been grown from hybrid seeds created by crossing two varieties. These hybrids can have superior qualities in areas such as yield or pest resistance. But the seeds of hybrid crops do not produce plants with the same qualities.
The ability to produce a clone, an exact replica, of a plant from its seeds would be a major breakthrough for world agriculture. Instead of purchasing expensive hybrid seeds each year, which is often beyond the means of farmers in developing countries, farmers could replant seeds from their own hybrid plants and derive the benefits of high yields year after year.
About 400 species of wild plants can produce viable seeds without fertilization. Called apomixis, this process seems to have evolved many times in plants — but not in commercial crop species.
The discovery by postdoctoral researcher Imtiyaz Khanday and Venkatesan Sundaresan, professor of plant biology and plant sciences at UC Davis, and colleagues at UC Davis, the Iowa State University and INRA, France, is a major step forward.
“It’s a very desirable goal that could change agriculture,” Sundaresan said.
‘Baby boom’ gene is key
Khanday and Sundaresan discovered that the rice gene BBM1, belonging to a family of plant genes called “Baby Boom” or BBM, is expressed in sperm cells but not in eggs. After fertilization, BBM1 is expressed in the fertilized cell but — at least initially — this expression comes from the male contribution to the genome.
BBM1, they reasoned, switches on the ability of a fertilized egg to form an embryo.
The researchers first used gene editing to prevent the plants from going through meiosis, a type of cell division that results in four daughter cells each with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell. Instead, the egg cells form by mitosis, inheriting a full set of chromosomes from the mother.
Then they caused these egg cells to express BBM1, which they would not normally do without fertilization.
“So we have a diploid egg cell with the ability to make an embryo, and that grows into a clonal seed,” Sundaresan said.
So far, the process has an efficiency of about 30 percent, but the researchers hope that can be increased with more research. The approach should work in other cereal crops, which have equivalent BBM1 genes, and in other crop plants as well, Sundaresan said.
“The beauty of this work is that it addresses fundamental questions in plant biology about how a fertilized egg begins to develop into a new plant,” said Anne Sylvester, a program director at the National Science Foundation, which supported the research. “This basic understanding, combined with new asexual breeding technologies, opens the door for breakthroughs in plant agriculture by avoiding the loss of beneficial traits that can occur through sexual reproduction.”
Other authors on the paper are Debra Skinner at UC Davis, Bing Yang at Iowa State University, and Raphael Mercier, INRA, Versailles, France.
The work has been funded by the Innovative Genome Institute, a joint venture between UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco that focuses on applying genome editing to solve global problems, and by the National Science Foundation.
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