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Beneficial Bugs: USDA releasing hundreds of thousands of sterile LBAM in Long Beach

Posted on July 20, 2011 by CDFA Staff

Light brown apple mothsThe United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has begun a five-month pilot project in Long Beach, California to determine whether sterile insect technology (SIT) can be an effective tool in agricultural officials’ ongoing effort to control the invasive light brown apple moth (LBAM) in California.

SIT is a proven and environmentally friendly method of controlling a pest infestation by introducing steriles that mate with the wild moths.  These pairings produce no offspring, and the high numbers of steriles released in the infested area make it much harder for wild moths to detect each other, so subsequent generations of the pest are substantially reduced.  Details are available online at www.aphis.usda.gov/anfs/july_2011.pdf.

Posted in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Light Brown Apple Moth, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

National Ag Association Surveys States’ Raw Milk Regs

Posted on July 19, 2011 by CDFA Staff

Three cows in a fieldThe National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) has released its latest iteration of a recurring survey of state laws governing raw milk. Five states have strengthened standards for how much bacteria is permitted in government sampling of raw milk, including New Hampshire, Pennsulvania, Idaho, Vermont and South Dakota. No states have relaxed their standards since 2008.

The survey reports that California is among eight states where the coliform standard is set at no more than 10 coliform bacteria per milliliter, which is equivalent to the national standard for pasteurized milk. Elevated levels of coliform bacteria in milk samples indicate that the raw milk may have encountered unsanitary conditions during the process from production to bottling.

The survey was conducted in April, May and June of 2011. A press release and summary of the survey’s findings is available at www.nasda.org.  Food Safety News has also published an article about the survey.

Posted in Food Safety | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Toward a Community-based Food System

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Karen Ross, California Agriculture Secretary, and Linda

Lessons from an inspiring morning in Sacramento

California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross (right) and California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Diana Dooley hosted a June 24 gathering of community-based food system organizations.

California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross (right) and California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Diana Dooley hosted a June 24 gathering of community-based food system organizations.

Representatives of 17 of California’s 22 community-based food system organizations gathered at CDFA headquarters in Sacramento last week to spend a few hours with me and Secretary Diana Dooley from the California Health and Human Services Agency.  Diana and I were glad to host the session and we feel the group gained a good deal of useful information by sharing their goals and methods with us and with each other.

The group was loosely formed around the shared principles of promoting a food supply that is local/regional, safe and wholesome.  Other shared issues for many of the organizations include ecologically sound farming practices, water policy considerations, and the economic sustainability of farming.

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Posted in Community-based Food System | 1 Comment