California has submitted recommendations to Congress on the upcoming Farm Bill – to inform discussions of the Joint
Committee on Deficit Reduction, known as the Committee of 12 and tasked with making recommendations to reduce the federal deficit.  California’s recommendations focus on job creation, protecting the environment and natural resources, revitalizing rural economies, making investments in education, promoting renewable energy, and improving public health and nutrition.

The recommendations represent the collective input of more than 70 diverse stakeholder organizations, five public listening sessions across the state attended by hundreds of people, and contributions from state government agencies – California Environmental Protection Agency, California Health and Human Services Agency, California Natural Resources Agency and the California Department of Food and Agriculture.  The recommendations reflect the scope of California’s agricultural diversity and themes shared by the organizations and individuals that participated in the process.

“The importance of the Farm Bill cannot be underestimated,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “This legislation supports a wide array of programs and initiatives that the public relies on every day – from the abundance and safety of our food, to public health and nutrition, economic development and the protection of our natural resources.”

For more information, please see:  http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/farm_bill/pdfs/FarmBillCof12.pdf

Nearly 150 farm-to-consumer marketing projects across the country have received funding under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), including 19 projects in California drawing total funding of more than $1 million. CDFA Secretary Karen Ross is applauding the diversity of this year’s awardees and a rise in urban projects.

“The diversity of funded programs is critical for the benefit of as many Californians as possible,” said Secretary Ross. “This ensures that funding coming into our state is money well spent and helps us achieve access to healthy, safe California-grown food for all Californians. That’s a goal of Ag Vision, our  broad stakeholder partnership to plan for the future of agriculture.”

Nationally, over 40 percent of projects funded by FMPP this year serve one or more food deserts, denoted by a lack of access to healthy foods in low-income area, and another 20 percent will be implemented in communities with a poverty rate of 20 percent or higher. Additionally, the funding includes an emphasis on Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) projects, and improvements in transportation and delivery methods, purchase of refrigeration equipment and improvements to packaging and storage that facilitate food access.

Among the California projects selected this year are:
• Round Valley Indian Health Inc., which will develop a program to provide locally-raised products to schools in Covelo, Calif., through a CSA.

• The Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association, Concord, CA, to start new and existing EBT projects at two new farmers markets in East San Jose, CA.

• Thai Community Development Center, Los Angeles, CA, to establish the East Hollywood Farmers Market, which will promote healthy diets, create jobs, and expand access to fruits and vegetables for low-income individuals.

• The Boys Republic, Chino Hills, CA, to: 1) help urban consumers and low-income families gain access to healthy food by accepting EBT benefits, 2) train youth, 3) create new farmer/vendor jobs, and 4) promote consumption of locally grown fruit and vegetables at Chino Hills Farmers Market and a  farm/school roadside stand.

• The Ecological Farming Association, Soquel, CA, to: 1) organize and
facilitate 10 direct marketing workshops at the 2012 EcoFarm Conference, to include starting CSA’s and marketing to low-income families; 2) provide 50 scholarships for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers to participate in the conference; and 3) conduct outreach and consumer training to school groups on farming, nutrition, and healthy eating.

California leads the nation with more than 750 certified farmers markets – sales venues for certified agricultural producers selling healthy and high-quality produce directly to consumers. These markets are now part of the fabric of many communities throughout the state.  Furthermore, farmers markets are an important source of fresh produce to many seniors and low-income families who can purchase fruits and vegetables through the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program; the Women, Infants and Children’s (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program; and the CalFresh program.
Since its inception in 2006, the Farmers Market Promotion Program has awarded more than $23 million across the country to support direct producer-to-consumer  marketing and local food projects. Projects are expected to be completed within 24 months of initiation. The full list of awards granted for fiscal year 2011 is available at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/FMPP.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) and the Western Plant Health Association (WPHA) have teamed up to present their annual conference on fertilizing techniques on November 16-17 in Tulare, CA.

The agenda is geared toward a wide range of agriculturalists, including agricultural supply and service consultants, growers, university extension specialists, crop advisers and local, state and national governmental agency representatives. Speakers from academia and industry will present ground-breaking research, practical implementation and regulation of subjects like nutrient management planning, implementation of effective nutrient
management strategies, and the basics of nitrogen, phosphate and potash management.

Certified Crop Adviser and Pest Control Adviser continuing education units (CEU) have been requested and should be available at the conference on both November 16 and November 17.  The approved units will be posted at http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/ffldrs/frep.html

Early conference registration postmarked by October 24, 2011 is $75 per day or $140 for both days.  The fee for currently enrolled students is $35 per day or $70 for both days.  After October 24, the registration fee is $100 per day or $175 for both days and the student fee is $40 per day or $80 for both days.

Conference registration is being handled through the WPHA. Please contact WPHA at:

Western Plant Health Association
4460 Duckhorn Drive, Suite A
Sacramento, CA 95834
Tel: (916) 574-9744, Fax (916) 574-9484
Email:
corrie@healthyplants.org
www.healthyplants.org

The CDFA FREP coordinates and funds research projects that advance the environmentally safe and agronomically sound use of fertilizer materials.  FREP serves growers, agricultural supply and service consultants, university extension personnel, and local, state and national governmental agencies and organizations.  For additional information on the FREP, please visit:  http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/ffldrs/frep.html

California farmers and ranchers, as well as fertilizer manufactures and handlers, may be impacted by new federal regulations that will require registration with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

In August, DHS announced a proposed rule, via the Federal Register, which will create an Ammonium Nitrate Security Program. This program would require that persons engaged in the use, transfer or distribution of ammonium nitrate to register with DHS and uphold specific documentation standards depending on use and handling of the substance. While California has similar standards for ammonium nitrate in place, the new federal program could increase record keeping requirements and registration rules for California firms.

A DHS public meeting on the issue is scheduled for Tuesday, October 18, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at:

DoubleTree Hotel Sacramento
2001 Point West Way – (Capitol Ballroom Salon B/C)
Sacramento, CA 95815

Click here for further information on the federal Ammonium Nitrate Security Program

California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross is encouraging companies to participate in agricultural export development and training programs. These export assistance programs aid companies in entering foreign markets and financing overseas promotional activities, as well as expanding commercial export markets for U.S. agricultural products.

“California has a significant role in the world economy – providing a wide variety of food and agricultural products to foreign markets which helps to meet global food demands,” said Secretary Ross. “I encourage companies to access these important programs to assist in developing export markets for their products.”

Opportunities for California agriculture exporters include:

2012 Branded Program
The Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA) has announced the availability of applications for the 2012 Branded Program. This cost-share program provides eligible companies up to 50 percent reimbursement on international marketing costs – supporting small businesses in creating, expanding and maintaining foreign markets for U.S. agricultural products. This program is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Market Access Program and companies are encouraged to apply before November 1, 2011. An online application and further information regarding the program is available at www.wusata.org.

California Agricultural Export Training Certificate
The Fresno Center for International Trade Development is providing a California Agricultural Export Training Certificate Program for California specialty crop companies. The program is a series of six classes over three months that focus on several aspects of exporting food and agricultural products. This training program is designed to meet the educational needs of agricultural companies seeking to export their products worldwide. Classes are scheduled to begin in March 2012 and companies can register for the program at www.fresnocitd.org/calagx.

In 2009, California exported $12.4 billion in agricultural products to more than 150 countries. Leading export products included almonds, rice, wine, pistachios and walnuts. The top destinations for California agricultural products included Canada, the European Union, Japan, China/Hong Kong and Mexico. On average, California farmers and ranchers export 22 percent of the products that they produce.

California has the largest beekeeping industry in the nation, and continues to be one of the top honey-producing states, but how much do you know about honey and the bees that produce it?

Three bee scientists from the Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis, will be among the speakers at the first-ever “Honey!” event on the UC Davis campus. Set from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21 in the UC Davis Conference Center, the public celebration of bees and honey is sponsored by the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science. The Department of Entomology is a co-sponsor.

The conference center is located across from the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts. (For reservations and the schedule, see the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science website.)

Extension apiculturist Eric Mussen, a member of the UC Davis Department of Entomology since 1976, will discuss “The Wonder of Honey Bees.” He was recently featured in a two-part series in the American Bee Journal. Assistant professor/bee biologist Brian Johnson, who specializes in the behavior, genetics and evolution of honey bees, as well as apiculture, will speak on “How Bees Cooperate to Make Honey and What they Do With It When We Don’t.” Johnson, former a UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Berkeley, joined the faculty of the UC Davis Department of Entomology in July. Emeritus professor/bee scientist Norman Gary, an author and professional bee wrangler, will cover “Hobby Beekeeping in Urban Environments.” Gary retired from the UC Davis Department of Entomology in 1994 from UC Davis after a 32-year academic career.
All three will speak during the morning session.

Afternoon speakers are Louis Grivetti, professor emeritus, UC Davis Department of Nutrition, discussing “Historical Uses of Honey as Food” and Liz Applegate, professor, UC Davis Department of Nutrition and director of Sports Nutrition Program, “Sweet Success—Honey for Better Health and Performance.”

The event also will include a honey-focused lunch, displays and music. Honey tasting, coordinated by Mussen, takes place from 3 to 3:45 p.m. The Honeybee Trio, a trio of teenagers from Vacaville, will perform at an evening reception.

Reservations may be made online at http://robertmondaviinstitute.ucdavis.edu/honey or with Kim Bannister at bannister@ucdavis.edu or (530) 752-5171.

The California Agriculture Detector Dog Team Program was developed to serve as an additional line of defense in preventing the introduction of harmful plant pests into the State of California via privately-shipped parcels (FedEx, US Postal Service, UPS, etc.).

Statewide pest detection efforts by human inspectors are enhanced by using detector dogs at parcel facilities. Dogs are able to efficiently and effectively detect parcels containing agricultural material which are then subject to inspection for pests. Without the use of detector dogs, significant agricultural pests could go undetected in parcels and could subsequently become established in California.

Each dog in the program has been rescued through animal shelters, breed rescue groups, newspaper/internet ads, etc. The dogs have been screened for high food drive, sociability, intelligence, physical soundness, and low anxiety levels.

Without supplemental inspection of incoming parcels by detector dogs, California businesses could experience significant revenue losses due to direct damage to, and decreased sales of, agricultural commodities affected by harmful plant pests such as citrus, grapes, and nursery stock.

The program currently consists of 13 dog teams in nine counties; Alameda (one team), Contra Costa County (two teams), Fresno (one team), Los Angeles (two teams), Sacramento (one team), San Bernardino (two teams), San Diego (two teams), San Joaquin (one team) and Santa Clara County (one team). The teams travel to neighboring counties to cover additional areas.

The program is a cooperative effort between the United States Department of Agriculture, the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the County Agricultural Commissioner’s and Sealers Association. For more information, please visit the program’s web page.

CDFA has lifted quarantines for equine herpes virus in Tuolumne and San Joaquin counties. There are current no active cases of the disease in California. For more information, please visit: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/animal_health/equine_herpes_virus.html