Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

Monthly Archives: October 2018

Girl Scouts meet bugs

Brownie Girl Scout Troop 2367 from Dixon, CA had a special guest at a recent troop meeting.  Dr. Marc Epstein, a Senior Insect Biosystematist and Lepidopterist at CDFA’s Plant Pest Diagnostics Lab in Sacramento, made a special visit to help … Continue reading

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Californian heads FFA officer team elected at 91st National FFA Convention & Expo

Luke O’Leary, a Californian and agricultural leadership and development major at Texas A&M University, has been elected FFA national president at the organization’s 91st annual national event. He receives the gavel from 2017-18 National President Breanna Holbert, also a Californian. … Continue reading

Posted in Agricultural Education | 1 Comment

Turning waste into energy and other benefits: Secretary Ross addresses National Renderers Association

If it were up to her, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross would rather we all stopped using the word “waste.” That’s what she told the National Renderers Association last week at their conference in Orange County. When more than 62 billion pounds of animal by-products … Continue reading

Posted in Environment | Tagged | 1 Comment

California launches first dairy digester pipeline cluster

California is proud to announce the state’s first dairy digester pipeline cluster. CDFA Undersecretary Jenny Lester Moffitt was on-hand this week for the launch of Calgren Renewable Fuels’ new facility, which partners with local dairies in the Pixley, California area. Eleven digesters, 22 … Continue reading

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New Partnership with UC advances Climate Smart Agriculture in California

California Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross and University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Vice President Glenda Humiston signed a memorandum of understanding this morning at Sacramento’s Stanford Mansion to initiate a new partnership to advance Climate Smart Agriculture in California. This … Continue reading

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CDFA’s “Pest Prevention University” a chance for counties to learn more about pest programs

 

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New study shows mushrooms could help bees – from Mother Jones

By Jackie Flynn Mogensen Over the past decade, the honeybee story has been the stuff of science fiction. Back in 2006, beekeepers first noticed their honeybees were mysteriously dying off in huge numbers, with no clear cause. For some, a … Continue reading

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CDFA’s work to regulate antibiotics in livestock

  A report issued last week by a consortium of environmental groups on antibiotics in the meat supply chain highlights the importance of work being undertaken by California Department of Food and Agriculture as the first state in the nation … Continue reading

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Tractor crushing in Fresno highlights state program for cleaner-burning farm machinery

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First robotic farm in country in SF Bay Area – from the SF Chronicle

By Jonathan Kauffman Angus doesn’t look like your normal farmer. He’s more of a giant, docile rectangle, built to lift 800-pound containers filled with water and seedlings and wheel them over to his partner robot, which looks like a giant … Continue reading

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