http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/Press_Releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=12-001

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is announcing a vacancy on the Pierce’s Disease/Glassy-winged Sharpshooter Board. The board includes representatives from each of the major grape growing regions in the state; the current vacancy must be filled by a winegrape producer from the North Valley area who is not also a winegrape processor.

The North Valley region includes the counties of Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, and Yuba.

The board was established in July 2001 to support scientific research to find a cure for Pierce’s disease, which affects grape vines and other plants. An annual assessment paid by winegrape growers supports its research efforts. The board advises the CDFA secretary on a variety of issues pertaining to Pierce’s disease and the glassy-winged sharpshooter. Board members receive no compensation, but are entitled to payment of necessary traveling expenses in accordance with the rules of the Department of Personnel Administration.

Individuals interested in being considered for an appointment to the committee should send a brief resume by Friday, January 20, 2012 to the CDFA Pierce’s Disease Control Program, Attention:  Kapua Kahumoku, 2800 Gateway Oaks, Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95833.

http://www.gov.ca.gov/news.php?id=17366

Governor Brown Announces Appointments

12-29-2011

SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments.

Angel Barajas, 29, of Woodland, has been appointed to the 40th District Agricultural Association, Yolo County Fair Board. Barajas has served as a labor representative at the Service Employees International Union Local 1000 since 2007. He was an assistant deputy supervisor for Yolo County Supervisor Frank Siefman from 2006 to 2007. Barajas is currently president of the Woodland Joint Unified School District, where he has been a member since 2010. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Barajas is a Democrat.

Glenna Blake, 70, of Ukiah, has been appointed to the 12th District Agricultural Association, Redwood Empire Fair Board. She has been the marketing and planning manager at the Mendocino Transit Authority since 1994. Blake was co-manager of Willits Fitness World from 1986 to 1994. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Blake is a Democrat.

Ashley Boren, 50, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the California State Board of Food and Agriculture, where she has been a member since 2008. Boren has served as executive director at Sustainable Conservation since 1997. She worked at Smith and Hawken from 1989 to 1997, serving in multiple positions, including director of retail merchandising. She earned a Master of Business Administration from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Boren is a Democrat.

Casey Burris, 36, of Ukiah, has been appointed to the 12th District Agricultural Association, Redwood Empire Fair Board. He has been vice president of operations for J.A. Sutherland, Inc. since 2000. He worked at Savings Bank of Mendocino County from 1991 to 2000, serving in multiple positions, including information technology specialist. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Burris is registered decline-to-state.

Grace Calderon, 65, of Tulare, has been appointed to the 24th District Agricultural Association, Tulare County Fair Board. She was a family service worker at the Tulare County Office of Education from 1970 to 2006. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Calderon is a Democrat.

Charles Coleman, 55, of Redwood Valley, has been appointed to the 12th District Agricultural Association, Redwood Empire Fair Board. He is a retired fire captain at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, where he served from 1973 to 2006. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Coleman is a Democrat.

Pablo Contreras, 63, of Dinuba, has been appointed to the 24th District Agricultural Association, Tulare County Fair Board. He has been an enrolled agent and owner of PM Contreras since 1976. Contreras has been chair of the Dinuba Police Commission since 2000. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Contreras is a Democrat.

Eric Crawford, 43, of Ukiah, has been appointed to the 12th District Agricultural Association, Redwood Empire Fair Board. He has been an agriculture science instructor with the Mendocino County Office of Education since 1997. Crawford was an agriculture science instructor with the Santa Cruz County Office of Education from 1995 to 1997. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Crawford is registered decline-to-state.

Samuel Fant, 23, of Stockton, has been appointed to the 2nd District Agricultural Association, San Joaquin County Fair Board. Fant has been director of Sierra Vista Community Center since 2010. He held multiple positions at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Stockton from 2007 to 2010, including director of the Gary and Janice Podesto Impact Team Center. He is currently chair of the Stockton City Planning Commission, where he has been a member since 2009. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Fant is a Democrat.

Christopher Flaherty, 43, of Stockton, has been appointed to the 2nd District Agricultural Association, San Joaquin County Fair Board. Flaherty has been the president and chief executive officer of Trinity Development and Construction, Inc. since 2003. He was managing officer at the Vineyard Development and Management Company from 1999 to 2003. Flaherty was the owner of Flaherty Farms and Livestock from 1994 to 2000. He has been a founding member of the Stockton Olive Oil Project Charitable Organization since 2003. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Flaherty is a Republican.

Don Huffman, 48, of Napa, has been appointed to the 25th District Agricultural Association, Napa Town and Country Fair. He has been a consultant for Huffman Communications and owner of Mediabend since 1999. Huffman currently serves as vice president for the Napa County Office of Education, where he has been a trustee since 2009. He was vice president of client services for Elliott Dickens from 1996 to 1998. Huffman was an account director at Kraigie Newell from 1990 to 1996. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Huffman is a Democrat.

Roberto Muniz, 41, of Redwood Valley, has been appointed to the 12th District Agricultural Association, Redwood Empire Fair Board, where he has been a member since 2003. He has been a claims representative at the U.S. Social Security Administration since 2003. Muniz held multiple positions at the Mendocino County Welfare Office from 1993 to 2004, including employment representative. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Muniz is a Democrat.

Darren Parker, 51, of Lancaster, has been appointed to the 50th District Agricultural Association, Antelope Valley Fair Board. He has been a partner at the Parker Group since 2009. Parker worked at AT&T from 1979 to 2009, serving in multiple positions, including network operations manager. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Parker is a Democrat.

Ginger Pohlson, 69, of Willits, has been appointed to the 12th District Agricultural Association, Redwood Empire Fair Board. She was a recreation employee at the Brooktrails Community Services District from 1990 to 2000. Pohlson is a member of the Ukiah Civic Light Opera and secretary of the Willits Police Activities League. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Pohlson is a Democrat.

Miles Reiter, 62, of Aptos, has been appointed to the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. Reiter has been chairman at Driscoll Strawberry Associates, Inc. since 1988, where he has served as chief executive officer since 2000. He was president at Aptos Berry Farms, Inc. from 1977 to 2000. He served on the board of directors for the Produce Marketing Association from 2007 to 2010 and its retail board from 2003 to 2006. Reiter served on the board of directors for the Western Growers Association from 2002 to 2009. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Reiter is a Republican.

Laurie Schuler-Flynn, 49, of Woodland, has been appointed to the 40th District Agricultural Association, Yolo County Fair Board. Schuler-Flynn has been an agricultural and standards specialist for the Yolo County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office since 1988. She has been a co-owner of Hill Stone Olive Oil since 2004. Schuler-Flynn has been a member of the California Olive Oil Council since 2006. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Schuler-Flynn is a Democrat.

Bart Vanucci, 47, of Brooks, has been appointed to the 40th District Agricultural Association, Yolo County Fair Board. He has served as a financial advisor for Primerica Financial Services since 1987. Vanucci has been a volunteer with the Yolo County Future Farmers of America Leadership Council since 1997. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Vanucci is a Republican.

Katie Villegas, 45, of West Sacramento, has been appointed to the 40th District Agricultural Association, Yolo County Fair Board, where she has been a member since 2009. She has served as executive director of the Yolo County Children’s Alliance since 2006. Villegas was an analyst at the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs in 2005 and an analyst at the Department of Public Health from 1991 to 2005. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Villegas is a Democrat.

David Whaley, 55, of Visalia, has been appointed to the 24th District Agricultural Association, Tulare County Fair Board. He is a retired undersheriff with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department, where he served from 1974 to 2009. Whaley has owned and operated a family ranch since 1985. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Whaley is a Republican.

Elaine Yamaguchi, 47, of Woodland, has been appointed to the 40th District Agricultural Association, Yolo County Fair Board. She has served as a legislative analyst at the California Public Employees Retirement System since 2007. Yamaguchi was the director of the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program at the California State Library from 2005 to 2006. She served as special assistant in the Office of the Speaker of the Assembly from 1998 to 2005. Yamaguchi held multiple positions at the Center for Asian American Media from 1993 to 1997, including managing director. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Yamaguchi is a Democrat.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture, on behalf of the Invasive Species Council of California (ISCC), seeks to appoint seven (7) members to the California Invasive Species Advisory Committee (CISAC).

The role of CISAC is to advise the ISCC on a broad array of issues related to preventing the introduction and spread of invasive species and providing for their control and/or eradication, as well as minimizing the economic, ecological, and human health impacts that invasive species cause.

The ISCC  chair is the secretary of the California Department of Food and agriculture and the vice-chair is the secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency. Other members are the secretaries of the following California agencies:

• Environmental Protection Agency
• Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency
• Health and Human Services Agency
• Emergency Management Agency

The ISCC represents the highest level of leadership and authority in state
government regarding invasive species.  Its goal is to promote a consistent
approach to invasive species at the state level.  The purpose of the ISCC is to
help coordinate a comprehensive effort to exclude invasive species from entering California and to eliminate, reduce, or mitigate the impacts of invasive species already established in the state.
CISAC  maintains an intensive and regular dialogue regarding the aforementioned issues and provides advice in cooperation with other takeholders and existing organizations addressing invasive species.

Prospective nominees of the CISAC should be knowledgeable in and represent
one or more of the following communities of interest:

– Biologists

– Global Commerce

– Ranchers

– Economists

– Foresters

– Tribal Government Representatives

– Farmers

– Plant Pathology

– Academics / Researchers

– Entomology

– Public Health Specialists

– Risk Analysts

– Weed Science

– Nematology

– Veterinary Medicine

– Public Member

– Federal, state, county and city Government Representatives

– Non-Governmental Environmental Representatives

No member may serve on the CISAC for more than two (2) consecutive terms. All terms will be limited to three (3) years in length.

Members of the CISAC and its subcommittees will serve without pay.  However, while away from their homes or regular places of business to attend to CISAC  business, members, to the extent funding is available, may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem.  Interested parties and newly appointed CISAC members are encouraged to attend the next meeting of the CISAC,  which will be held on Thursday, January 19, 2012.

Submitting Nominations:

Nominations should be typed and should include the following:
1. A brief summary of no more than two (2) pages explaining the nominee’s suitability to serve on the CISAC.
2. A resume or curriculum vitae.
3. At least two (2) letters of reference.

Nominations should be postmarked no later than Tuesday, January 10, 2012, to
the following address:
Dr. Robert Leavitt
Invasive Species Council of  California
1220 N Street, Suite 221
Sacramento,
California 95814.

For additional information, visit the Invasive Species Council of California’s website at: www.iscc.ca.gov.

The USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) has just released The Changing Organization of U.S. Farming, a report that shows  farmers and ranchers are on their way to accomplishing the greatest challenge of this century – sustainably meeting the food demand of the future.

In a world where the population just passed the seven-billion mark, and projections show a need to double food production by 2050 while using fewer natural resources, the ERS report documents a production increase of nearly 50 percent since 1982, while US farmland decreased by 70 million acres.  The report also shows a reduction in pesticide use and reflects significant technological innovation.

These achievements come from the bedrock of agriculture, the more than 98 percent of American farms that are family-owned. That’s very important as we move further into our future. America’s family farmers take pride in feeding families around the world.