Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

Monthly Archives: February 2016

San Diego schools feature California-grown lunches – from KGTV

(External video from KGTV is no longer available) This year, all San Diego Unified School District schools are taking part in a program where the entire lunch meal is grown in the state. Jonathan Lashchuk looks forward to harvesting vegetables … Continue reading

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Five questions on Ag tech for Secretary Ross – from Ag Funder News

By Louisa Burwood Taylor Secretary Ross is speaking at next month’s World Agri-Tech Investment Summit in San Francisco and shares some of her thoughts about the agtech market. Why are you attending the World Agri-Tech Investment Forum in San Francisco … Continue reading

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National FFA Week – Inspiration from our future farmers

Congratulations to the Future Farmers of America, FFA! This is National FFA Week, a tradition that began in 1947 when the National FFA Board of Directors adopted the week of George Washington’s birthday in recognition of his legacy as an agriculturist … Continue reading

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#CAonMyPlate Day!

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‘Nigiri Project’ mixing salmon and rice fields now in fifth year – from UC Davis

An annual experiment to “plant” salmon in Yolo County rice fields aims to better explain how floodplains support strong salmon populations. Dubbed the “Nigiri Project” for its sushi-like marriage of fish and rice, the research is a collaborative project among … Continue reading

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Secretary Ross editorial on Climate Smart Agriculture – from the UC’s “California Agriculture”

California is the nation’s leading agricultural state, with 76,400 farms producing more than 400 commodities with a farm-gate value of $54 billion. The mission of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is to promote and protect agriculture. It’s … Continue reading

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Florida citrus production off more than 70 percent; HLB to blame – from Southeast Farm Press

Note – Florida has lost approximately $7.8 billion in revenue, 162,200 citrus acres and 7,513 jobs since 2007 The USDA’s forecast Feb. 10 of 69 million boxes of oranges, weighing 90 pounds each, represents a decline of more than 71 … Continue reading

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Secretary Ross discusses FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act with Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement

Late last year the FDA published the final Produce Rule, which is a key component of new federal food safety laws under the Food Safety Modernization Act, or FSMA. Video courtesy of the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement. Link to … Continue reading

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Trucker charged with recycling fraud after detection at CDFA Border Protection Station – from the Los Angeles Times

By Hailey Branson-Potts State officials have announced the arrest of a Baldwin Park trucker who they said hauled more than $13,000 worth of out-of-state bottles and cans into California in a case of recycling fraud. On Jan. 15, agents with … Continue reading

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US Chamber of Commerce joins USDA in push to enlist veterans in agriculture

The USDA has announced a joint agreement with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to increase employment opportunities in the agricultural sector for military veterans and their spouses. The agreement establishes a new partnership between USDA and Hiring Our Heroes, a … Continue reading

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