Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

CDFA and the Netherlands renew commitment to cooperate on climate smart agriculture

CDFA secretary Karen Ross and Guido Landheer, assistant vice minister for agriculture in the Netherlands, met today in Fresno to renew a letter of intent for collaboration and cooperation on climate change adaptation strategies.

CDFA and the Netherlands have reaffirmed their commitment to work together on climate smart agriculture in addition to water management, ag-tech, food waste, antimicrobial resistance, and dairy farming. CDFA secretary Karen Ross and the Netherlands assistant vice minister for agriculture, Guido Landheer, met today in Fresno to sign a letter of intent renewing an international collaboration that began in 2015. The parties agreed to exchange knowledge and expertise to work towards climate smart agriculture by fostering innovation and sharing ag technology solutions.

“The ongoing collaboration that exists between the Netherlands and California speaks to our innovative spirit and shared understanding of the importance of this work,” said Secretary Ross. “In connecting from different parts of the world, we share not only what we have learned, but collectively aim for global solutions to address climate change, and ensure resiliency and agricultural sustainability worldwide.”

The signing was part of a visit from a Dutch government delegation to California’s Central Valley. The goal of this visit is to further develop ideas for a Dutch ag tech presence in California. California and Dutch stakeholders — including the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) and FME, the entrepreneurial organization for the Dutch technology industry — also met as part of a roundtable meeting to discuss opportunities for digitalization and automation.

In addition to Secretary Ross, the CDFA contingent included science adviser Dr. Amrith Gunasekara (far right) and deputy secretary Arturo Barajas (third from right). Collaboration between CDFA and the Netherlands, so far, has included a joint webinar and the Netherlands signing on to the Global Soil Health Challenge.

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