Surrounded by her family on the south steps of the California Capitol this morning, Christine Birdsong was sworn in as Undersecretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture by Secretary Karen Ross. Birdsong has been Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Director of People and Culture for the Sun Valley Rice Company since 2016. She was General Counsel for the National Cotton Council of America from 2011 to 2016, Counsel for the Committee on Agriculture for the United States House of Representatives from 2005 to 2010, and Federal Government Affairs Leader for CropLife America from 2004 to 2005. Birdsong earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.