By CDFA Secretary Karen Ross
Whenever I’m asked to describe or summarize California agriculture, especially for an audience that isn’t Californian, it’s an opportunity to start a conversation and learn what our more global audience thinks and knows about what we do here. The scale of farming and ranching here is fairly well known – but what often isn’t so universally appreciated is the “how”or the “why” of what we do, both as an industry and as the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). And my description of what we do here begins with the updated mission statement that is the basis for this updated Strategic Plan 2025-2030 document: “To safeguard a resilient food system and promote an equitable marketplace, cultivating a California grown food supply that is globally recognized for innovation, quality, and sustainability.”
Leaders in our agricultural community are familiar with “Ag Vision,” a long-term plan for farmers and ranchers as well as workers and communities. It’s led by our State Board of Food and Agriculture, and it also serves to guide areas of focus for CDFA. It’s not a static plan; it’s a catalyst for action, both for producers and for us.
My vision for this document, our CDFA Strategic Plan update through 2030, aligns with Ag Vision. I want this to be the rubric for everything we do, whether that’s our core work protecting crops and responding to animal disease outbreaks, or all of the other work we do to help producers be better stewards of land and resources, or to help ag researchers and other partners continue to innovate, or to help consumers learn more about where and who their food comes from and how it is grown.
This plan is as much about the “how” and the “why” of what we do as it is about the importance of the tasks themselves. It’s about building equitable and resilient food systems and communities; it’s about collaboration and innovation; it’s about agricultural literacy. It’s about courtesy and compassion, expertise and empathy, diversity and accessibility. It’s about making sure each action and interaction includes and embraces and enacts these goals and ideals.
This document is about CDFA, but if you are a Californian, it is for you – the consumer, the stakeholder, the agricultural community member.
