Long-time CDFA employee Tammy Sulli is honored by Secretary Karen Ross (R) and Division of Measurement Standards director Kristin Macey as she prepares for retirement after 34 years at CDFA. Tammy worked in several other divisions during her career, including Animal Health and Food Safety Services, Human Resources, and the Executive Office. Best wishes, Tammy!
The USDA is investing a total of $237 million throughout the US to help farmers, Ag producers and rural businesses lower energy costs. More $7.6 million of that is coming to California for 12 different projects. The funding is provided through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
Recipients can use REAP funding for energy audits and to install
renewable energy systems such as biomass, geothermal, hydropower and solar. The
funding can also be used to increase energy efficiency by making improvements
to heating, ventilation and cooling systems; insulation; and lighting and
refrigeration.
The California recipients are:
RP Napa Solar 1 LLC – $4,500,000 for a solar power generation facility
IP Malbec LLC – $1,900,000 for a solar power generation facility
From a California Department of Fish and Wildlife News Release
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) CalCannabis Cultivation Licensing Division, and the State Water Resources Control Board will be at the Emerald Cup in Sonoma County on Dec. 14 and 15. All three agencies will be participating in two roundtable discussions and hosting an information table with cannabis-permitting materials, wildlife-friendly literature, and a suggestion box.
Roundtable Topics and Times:
Saturday, Dec. 14 from 11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Regulator to Cultivator: Keeping an Open Dialogue State agencies, cultivators and industry stakeholders all have an investment in today’s cannabis market. Keeping the lines of communication open during California’s historic transition to a regulated commercial cannabis market is crucial. While a regulated market offers many new and exciting opportunities for California’s cannabis industry, there are also many challenges to work through by engaging in conversations and receiving feedback from each other.
Saturday, Dec. 14 from 1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Environmentally Friendly Cannabis: What Industry Experts Have to Say With the passage of Proposition 64, thousands of new cultivators are entering the regulated cannabis market. Many are unaware that seemingly harmless farming activities can have big impacts to the environment. Learn more about the state’s role in protecting California’s natural resources and how some traditional cultivators are raising the bar with their wildlife-friendly practices.
Please note, times are subject to change based on conference schedule adjustments.
Cannabis cultivators with questions can always visit the CalCannabis website to learn more about the licensing process.
CDFA secretary Karen Ross (second from left) joined the Rominger Brothers of Yolo County (second and third from right) for the presentation of the 2019 Leopold Conservation Award this morning at the California Farm Bureau’s annual meeting in Monterey. The farming operation of Bruce and Rick Rominger was recognized for measures including water-wise drip irrigation and in-field moisture sensors, habitat-improvement efforts, and managing irrigation water in rice fields to boost declining shorebird populations.
Others in the photo are, from left, Kevin McAleese, president/CEO of the Sand County Foundation, sponsor of the Leopold Award; Ashley Boren, executive director of Sustainable Conservation and member of the California State Board of Food and Agriculture; and Farm Bureau president Jamie Johansson.
Rice fields hosting birds are an example of ecosystem services.
By Jeanette E. Warnert, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources
The ecosystem services of landscapes in California are essential to the state’s future, but many people take them for granted.
In addition to direct economic outputs, working landscapes – farms, rangelands, forests and fisheries, to name a few – sequester carbon, capture water, support wildlife, offer picturesque views and make space for hiking, skiing, boating and other recreational activities.
“We need to put a value to ecosystem services, from an economic standpoint, that incentivizes people who own and manage these landscapes so they can continue to manage them for everyone’s benefit,” said Stephanie Larson, UC Cooperative Extension rangeland advisor in Sonoma County.
When ecosystem services have been monetized, proper compensation can be calculated, ensuring benefits like clean water, fresh air and a livable climate are protected for future generations.
“The value of ecosystem services is probably higher than the $333 billion direct economic contribution of working landscapes outlined in the report,” said Glenda Humiston, University of California vice president for agriculture and natural resources. Humiston is chair of the economic summit’s working landscape task force. “The problem is, when we don’t have that quantified, it’s hard to make investments to make sure those ecosystem services are maintained.”
Humiston said that, in time, systems can be developed for the public to support the ecosystem services they enjoy.
“You might have a small surcharge on binoculars,” she said. “That money could be used to protect bird habitat so birders can go somewhere to see birds. Water districts might assess a surcharge on your water bill to pay for the forested watersheds where they are getting your water. There are many different mechanisms to do this. We’re trying to figure out what would be the best mechanism.”
During the summit, a team of researchers, policymakers and industry professionals launched a new phase of work to calculate with scientific accuracy the value of ecosystem services. Larson is a member of the leadership team, along with executive director of the Central Valley Partnership Dan O’Connell and Sequoia Riverlands Trust director of pubic planning and policy Adam Livingston.
The team is working with partners to secure funding and technical support to integrate data sets already available from the Council of Governments’ Rural-Urban Connections Strategy into an open source, statewide system for mapping ecosystem services.
Once the tool is established, the team will be ready to pilot test it in four areas of California that provide ecosystem services.
“I love this concept,” said Kenny Spain, economic development specialist with the Headwaters Fund in Humboldt County and a member of the task force. “It’s a valuable tool.”
World Soil Day (today, Dec 5) was designated by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) to recognize the importance of soil as a critical component of the natural system, and as a vital contributor to human life through its connection to food, water, and energy security.
The designation was formally endorsed in 2013 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. World Soil Day is an opportunity to raise awareness on the importance of sustaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the increasing challenges in soil management and, raising the profile of healthy soil by encouraging governments, organizations, communities and individuals around the world to engage in proactively improving soil health.
CDFA and its partners inside and outside of government have aligned with this through a series of events this week promoting soil health. Today, the California Compost Coalition, CalCAN, and the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) will facilitate a tour of a local compost facility and farms employing healthy soils practices.
Jorge Reyes Salinas, Communications Director for Assemblymember Monique Limón, receives a lemon today from CalRecycle staffer Alexandra Rosado. The lemon was grown in a composted garden.
The lemons were delivered to legislative offices as part of Healthy Soils Week 2019. Each one carried a message about the importance of soil health and composting.
The lemons were donated through CalEPA’s Crop Swap. A CalRecycle crew of four made the deliveries. From left, Allegra Curiel, Alexandra Rosado, Angel Fong and Elicia Hoffman.
California’s Healthy Soils Week (December 2-6) continued today with a briefing at the Capitol for legislators and staff about the science and value of healthy soils. The briefing began with a demonstration of soil health properties: Farmer Victoria Robles with Robles Farms (left forefront) and CDFA Senior Environmental Scientist Natalie Jacuzzi dropped different soil samples into water-filled cylinders. The demonstration was led by Regional Soil Health Specialist Zahangir Kabir (rear left) and State Soil Scientist Tony Rolfes, both with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, who explained that the healthier soil (left) retained its structure, its ability to sequester carbon, and its ability to absorb and filter water, while the other sample broke apart quickly.
Fresno-area farmer Marvin Meyers, who served on the California State Board of Food and Agriculture during the administrations of governors Gray Davis, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Brown, has passed away at age 85.
CDFA Secretary Karen Ross: “Marvin Meyers was a generous visionary and truly one of a kind. It was a privilege to work with him on the State Board of Food and Agriculture. May he Rest In Peace.”
Healthy soils mean more food, including notable increases in yields for farmers using soil management practices, according to USDA case studies. That’s critical as agriculture looks to feed an expected world population of more than 9 billion by 2050! www.cdfa.ca.gov/healthysoilsweek #HSW2019
