Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

Monthly Archives: December 2018

Research develops rice plants that reproduce as clones from seed – from UC Davis

By Andy Fell 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 … Continue reading

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World Ag Expo announces top new products for 2019

From Morning Ag Clips The results are in for World Ag Expo’s® Top-10 New Products Competition. The winners will be showcased February 12-14, 2019, during the World Ag Expo® in Tulare, California. A large and impressive field of cutting-edge, cost-saving, … Continue reading

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Holidays and the importance of family

By CDFA Secretary Karen Ross Wherever you will be this week and next, my wish for all of you is that you’ll be with family.  While my husband, Barry, and I won’t be with family in the Midwest, we will … Continue reading

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CDFA joins State Employees Food Drive team assisting with donations at food bank

As part of the 2018 State Employees Food Drive and the continued spirit of giving, a team from CDFA’s Division of Inspection Services volunteered at the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services on December 20. The group helped with bagging … Continue reading

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Santa’s reindeer cleared for entry into California by State Veterinarian

California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones has granted a 24-hour permit clearing all brand inspection and health requirements for nine reindeer scheduled to visit California on the evening of December 24 and in the early morning hours of December 25. … Continue reading

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Reconsidering the history of corn – from Smithsonian.com

Corn is one of the world’s most important crops. We don’t just pop it and munch it on the cob; corn can be turned into flour and syrup, it is fed to livestock, it is transformed into ethanol and it can even … Continue reading

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Don’t pack a pest – new website lists what can safely be brought into US for the holidays

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has a new web site to provide people with important information about which agricultural items are safe to enter the United States – and which ones are best left behind this holiday … Continue reading

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Follow sound food safety practices during holidays

From Morning Ag Clips   If you’re cooking for friends and family this holiday season, it’s important to make sure you’re not spreading bacteria that can cause harmful foodborne illnesses. A recent study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety … Continue reading

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Farm to Family program meets year-round need for food

With the holiday season bringing reminders of the food insecurity faced by an alarming number of needy Californians, CDFA offers an encore presentation of a video from the award-winning Growing California series: “Farm to Family,” spotlighting efforts to feed the … Continue reading

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Video – A focus on fire recovery and the power of working together

A new video PSA from Visit California features Governor Brown, Governor-elect Newsom, and a number of celebrities expressing their concern for victims of the recent wildfires in northern and southern California and encouraging viewers to donate what they can to … Continue reading

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