The state budget signed by Governor Newsom for 2025-2026 includes $600 million for CDFA programs, between baseline funding for core programs and new funding for the following projects:
Animal and Human Health Emergency Infrastructure: The budget includes $6.1 million and 29 positions to allow CDFA to effectively respond to the current and continued threats to animal and human health due to outbreaks of various animal health diseases, including strains of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in California.
Advancing Farm to School: The Budget includes $24.9 million to advance the California Farm to School Network and California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program; and to further the recommendations of the Farm to School Roadmap for Success. The CDFA Farm to School Program will create equitable access to locally grown, climate-smart foods and hands-on educational opportunities through the Farm to School Incubator Grant Program, Farm to School Network regional events, conferences, and training opportunities; and through climate smart technical assistance for producers within the network.
Security and Infrastructure Remediation: The budget includes $2.5 million and 5 positions to manage, implement, and maintain remediation efforts to address real-time and critical information technology security vulnerabilities, and to provide urgent and ongoing management and monitoring of new critical security services. This is in response to a cybersecurity incident and privacy data breach that the department experienced. These resources will enhance CDFA’s information technology security framework to safeguard CDFA’s critical assets and sensitive data.
Turlock North Valley Animal Health Laboratory Operational Support: The budget includes $1.6 million to fund the increased costs associated with the new Turlock laboratory, which is scheduled to be competed in December 2025. This new laboratory will enhance CDFA’s ability to detect, prevent, and respond to animal health disease outbreaks, enhance food safety, and protect public health.
Meadowview Biological Control Office Repairs and Laboratory Replacement: The budget includes $353,000 for the preliminary plans phase for the repair and replacement of the Meadowview Biological Control Program office and laboratory facilities. The Biological Control Program’s mission is to minimize the economic and environmental impact of noxious invasive weeds and exotic insect pests by facilitating the importation and establishment of their co-evolved natural enemies. The current facilities are in a state of disrepair and lack the capacity to meet the Program’s operational needs. The anticipated completion date of this project is October 2028.
Office of Pesticide Consultation and Analysis – Consultative Workload and Grants: The Budget includes $1.5 million to address increased research costs to implement activities identified in the Sustainable Pest Management Roadmap, and to provide increased consultative support to the Department of Pesticide Regulation on pesticide review. These resources will allow CDFA to fund additional research grants to develop pesticide alternatives to mitigate delisting and new restrictions on existing pesticides.