Monthly Archives: February 2019

By Jonathan H. Harsch and Sara Wyant “Adapt or die.” That saying, made famous in the early 1970s by then-Agriculture Secretary Earl Butz as he encouraged farmers to look for ways to be more efficient and responsive to market signals, … Continue reading →

The California Department of Food and Agriculture is celebrating its 100th anniversary as a state agency in 2019. Throughout the year this blog will feature a number of items to commemorate this milestone.   At the 1939 San Francisco World’s … Continue reading →

By Emma Johnson Bruce and Rick Rominger of Rominger Farms (near Winters, Yolo County) had no idea they were even nominated for the national Hugh Hammond Bennett Award for Conservation Excellence. It came as a surprise when, a few weeks … Continue reading →

By Pamela Kan Rice Farmers know they lose crops to pests and plant diseases, but scientists have found that on a global scale, pathogens and pests are reducing crop yields for five major food crops by 10 percent to 40 … Continue reading →

CDFA, the California Association of Food Banks, and Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services teamed-up again in 2018 to sponsor the State Employee Food Drive. The generosity of state employees throughout California, including donations at office bins as well as … Continue reading →

By Gerry Everding Since the beginning of archaeology, researchers have combed the globe searching for evidence of the first domesticated crops. Painstakingly extracting charred bits of barley, wheat, millet and rice from the remains of ancient hearths and campfires, they’ve … Continue reading →

The California Department of Food and Agriculture is celebrating its 100th anniversary as a state agency in 2019. Throughout the year this blog will feature a number of items to commemorate this milestone.   CDFA operates 16 Border Protection Stations … Continue reading →