Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

CDFA’s Director of Measurement Standards recognized for contributions to weights and measures

Kristin Macey, Director of Measurement Standards at CDFA.

Kristin Macey, Director of Measurement Standards at CDFA.

Kristin Macey, CDFA’s Director of Measurement Standards, was recently honored by the Western Weights and Measures Association with the Ray Rebuffo Award, which is presented to individuals for demonstrating outstanding leadership in advancing weights and measures principles.

Macey, who was appointed Director of Measurement Standards in 2010, is known for her commitment to developing standards for alternative fuels, such as hydrogen, and for her work to protect consumers through accuracy in product measurement and labeling.

“All of us at CDFA send our congratulations to Kristin for this award, which is richly deserved,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “Kristin’s enthusiasm for her work and fascination with all facets of weights and measures are a great benefit for the people of California. We are very fortunate to have her.”

The Division of Measurement Standards works closely with county sealers of weights and measures, who carry out the vast majority of weights and measures enforcement activities at the local level, ensuring fair competition in commerce and accurate value comparison for consumers.

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Hearings underway on egg regulations with food safety focus


Food safety is of paramount importance to California farmers and to us at the Calfiornia Department of Food and Agricutlure (CDFA). We are constantly striving to work with farmers, consumers, scientists and others to make sure outbreaks are mitigated through effective communication, and that investment is made in research that can prevent outbreaks in the first place. As part of our enduring mission to continually improve food safety practices, CDFA has proposed regulatory changes that would improve the safety of eggs produced here in California and those imported from other states. Specifically, these regulations will implement practices that can reduce the risk of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) contamination.

If adopted, the proposed regulations would require a mandatory SE prevention plan for shell egg producers with a flock size of 3,000 or more layers. The rules would satisfy the requirements of recent regulatory changes at the federal level, and would add key testing and vaccination requirements designed to take advantage of the latest scientific knowledge about detecting SE and preventing its entrance into the human food supply. The proposed regulation would also define confinement areas for flock size, and would include a labeling requirement for shell eggs sold in California so that consumers would know the farmers had complied with the new rules.

CDFA’s Meat, Poultry and Egg Safety Branch (MPES) held the first of two public hearings regarding the proposed changes earlier this month, with the second scheduled for October 15 in Sacramento. Click here for details.

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CDFA to Offer Food Safety Training for California’s Small Farms

Photo montage of fieldsCalifornia’s farmers are as diverse as the crops they grow. The safety of the food their farms produce is paramount. To make sure smaller farmers can take advantage of a comprehensive approach to food safety, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)  has developed resources and training with the particular needs of smaller operations in mind.

The program, called the Small Farm Food Safety Project, is funded through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and will include a series of workshops throughout the state designed to help small, specialty crop farmers establish comprehensive food safety programs. The workshops will be offered in multiple languages (English, Spanish, Hmong and Chinese) and will help farmers apply practices to improve the safety and quality of food, enhance marketability, and promote sustainable agriculture.

Food safety is important to farmers regardless of the size of their farms. For smaller operations, though, the costs and the paperwork and simply navigating the regulatory process can be significant barriers. CDFA is providing this training to help farmers minimize the complexity and expense by focusing on the key areas where improvements can and should be made on these smaller farms.

The scheduled workshops will occur from October 23-November 8. Training will include a checklist of key food safety topics, including recordkeeping, harvest activities, storage, transportation, hygiene, water testing and handling of manure. The grant includes a cost share program for eligible farmers.

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USDA reaching out to Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers with discrimination claims

 

I want to make sure Californians know that the USDA has opened a discrimination claims process for Hispanic and women farmers that extends through March 25, 2013.   In California, the USDA’s Farm Service Agency has announced a series of 13 meetings from October 10 through January 23, 2013 to provide more information about the process.

Civil rights are a top priority for us all. Government agencies are committed to being model employers and premier services providers, and the USDA’s discrimination claims process is a fundamental example of that.

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Baby Boomers passing baton to Millennials, with changes expected for food industry.

 

Findings from a joint study announced recently by Jeffries, a global investment bank, and AlixPartners, a global business advisory firm, suggest that demographic shifts between now and 2020 will drive significant changes in the food industry.

The study, called Trouble in Aisle 5, tracks the buying habits of Millennials, defined as those born between 1982 and 2001. By the start of the next decade, the authors believe the contrasts between this group and elderly Baby Boomers will require food producers and retailers to be to be more nimble, with more innovative product development, leaner supply chains and more effective use of marketing initiatives.

Key findings in the study are:

  • While Millennials are more price sensitive than Baby Boomers, a majority of them are willing to pay more for natural/organic products. 
  • Millennials expect convenience, have less brand loyalty than Baby Boomers,  and are more receptive to shopping for food at locations other than the traditional grocery store.

By 2020, it’s expected that Baby Boomers will be less than 20 percent of the U.S. population, while Millennials older than 25 will comprise 19 percent. As a result, the study asserts that food companies will be under greater pressure to deliver more for less –  a fresher, higher-quality product, with more choices and more convenience in a shopping environment where consumers are becoming less brand-loyal and more inclined to shop across channels.

 

 

Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Agricultural Marketing, Community-based Food System, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Four former US Ag secretaries address future opportunities and the roles of land-grant universities

On September 28, four former U.S. secretaries of agriculture discussed meeting the world’s growing food needs and the role of land-grant universities at an event at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act, which brought land-grant universities into being.

The former secretaries were Mike Johanns (2005-2007),  Clayton Yeutter (1989-1991), John Block (1981-1985),  and Dan Glickman (1995-2001).

They focused on the demands on the world food supply by 2050 and the prospect of a dramatic increase in production using fewer resources, mentioning that much of the future research may be led by land-grant universities. 

Click here to view the discussion.

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California agriculture leads the nation in funding for specialty crops

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/Press_Releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=12-035

The United States Department of Agriculture announced funding today for the 2012 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). California received more than $18 million out of the total $55 million awarded nationwide.

The SCBGP provides grants to states to enhance the competitiveness of Specialty Crops, which are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture).

Research, marketing and nutrition proposals were solicited and selected through a competitive process. The 68 projects funded under the 2012 SCBGP reflect the diversity of California’s specialty crops across the state. This year they include, but are not limited to: the development of a quick drying method that reduces energy usage for almonds and pistachios while improving product quality and safety; customized training and counseling on trade and export needs to assist industry stakeholders; offering low-income families access to fruits and vegetables at Certified Farmers’ Markets through weight management and diabetes clinics; researching strategies for efficient nitrogen management; and researching management strategies to mitigate diseases affecting the citrus industry.

In addition, CDFA partnered with the Center for Produce Safety in the evaluation and recommendation of food safety-related projects. These projects represent an ongoing effort to minimize outbreaks by proactive research.

“California agriculture is known for its innovators,” said California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross. “We have identified projects that will take advantage of this tremendous opportunity for our researchers, educators and others in our agricultural community to improve the prospects of California’s specialty crop farmers. This block grant program is a wise investment in making our crops safer, more competitive and more accessible.”

Project abstracts are available online at www.cdfa.ca.gov/grants.

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Don’t forget to water the … bees!

Photo of bee boxes in Colusa County
Beehives in Colusa County.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) operates 16 agricultural inspection stations along our state’s borders (interactive map here), and every year our vehicle inspectors stop thousands of plants, fruit, insects, pathogens and other suspicious critters from making it across that line. There are some things that we want to welcome in, though – and bees are right at the top of that list (at least as far as farmers are concerned).  Every year, more than a million beehives are trucked into the golden state to help pollinate almonds, fruit trees and dozens of other crops. Any farmer will tell you: we couldn’t do it without them.

Like most any creature, bees need water – especially after a lengthy and windblown drive across the desert. That’s why the apiary industry (that’s beekeepers for the rest of us) is coming up with funding and working with CDFA to help us upgrade or install relatively simple but important watering systems at a few of our border stations, where the bulk of the beehives come into California. The system is already in place in Blythe along I-10, and we’re working on upgrading Vidal (CA Hwy 62), Needles (I-40), Yermo (I-15), Benton, (US Hwy 6), and Truckee (I-80).

It’s mostly a matter of assessing the current systems and expanding them to include additional hose bibs at intervals (except for Vidal, which would require a portable system), allowing truck drivers to hook up and provide water to the bees. The water keeps the colonies cool and help keep the bees within the hives so they can make the next leg of their trip. It’s a relatively simple step that will help keep our beehives healthy as they prepare for their annual visit to California. Kudos to the folks at the California State Beekeepers Association (CSBA), Project Apis m (PAM), the Almond Board of California and the California State Apiary Board for finding the funds and working with CDFA to make this happen.

 

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Wasp holds promise for control of Asian citrus psyllid – From the Riverside Press-Enterprise

http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/riverside/riverside-headlines-index/20120925-region-psyllid-killing-wasp-taking-hold.ece

 BY MARK MUCKENFUSS

mmuckenfuss@pe.com

A tiny insect from Pakistan is finding a foothold in the Inland Empire — good news for anyone with an orange tree in their yard or a citrus grove to maintain.

Tamarixia radiata is a wasp about half the size of a chocolate sprinkle. Innocuous to humans, it is a lethal threat to the Asian citrus psyllid. The psyllid is a feared pest in California because it can carry Huanglongbing, a disease that kills citrus and has devastated crops elsewhere in the United States and the world. California citrus is a $2 billion-per-year industry.

A Huanglongbing-infected tree was discovered recently in Hacienda Heights, four years after the psyllid was first found in Southern California. The pest already is widespread in the region, and scientists believe more damaged trees will be identified. The disease blocks nutrient movement in the trees, leading to yellow leaves and fruit that remains green. No treatment has been found.

UC Riverside researchers began releasing the parasitic Tamarixia wasp, one of the psyllid’s few natural enemies, late last year. They have found three sites — two in Fontana, one in San Bernardino — where the wasp has attacked psyllid larvae, killing them.

Mark Hoddle is a biological control specialist at UCR and is in charge of the field work with the wasp. He and his wife, Christina, traveled to Pakistan several times over a two-year period to track down and identify the wasp, bring it back to Riverside and, after extensive quarantine studies, breed it for release. The wasp’s sole prey is the psyllid.

“We’re trying to understand how big an impact this wasp is having on the Asian citrus psyllid,” Hoddle said. “It’s too early to make estimates, but (the finds are) encouraging.”

John Gardner, agricultural commissioner for San Bernardino County, said he was pleased to hear about the finds.

“I didn’t know they’d done the releases in my county,” Gardner said. “It’s a nice surprise. Anytime you can get a parasite like this established and it shows signs of it being able to reproduce, that’s a real good sign.”

Gardner said the finds would not affect the quarantine restrictions, which currently include all of Los Angeles, Orange and Imperial counties and portions of San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties.

But a growing population of Tamarixia “will go a long way towards preventing any disease transmission, which is where the real threat lies,” he said.

Hoddle and his team found the hollowed-out remains of Asian citrus psyllid larvae on the leaves of residential citrus trees — the wasp larvae eat the psyllid larvae from inside and leave the shell. In addition to the Fontana and San Bernardino sites, the team has found similar evidence in Pomona, Azusa and Pico Rivera.

“At our Pico Rivera site,” Hoddle said, “not only did we find it at the release site, but 0.2 miles away.”

It’s a short distance for humans, but a huge expanse for the tiny wasp.

“For it to have spread that far on its own suggests two possibilities,” Hoddle said. “The first is that the wind blew it down that far, or that it’s leapfrogging through backyards, which is what we’d like to see.”

Hoddle has two worries about the wasps. The first is whether the insect can endure the Southern California winter and pick up its work again in the spring, as Hoddle believes they will. The second is the ants.

Argentine ants, themselves an invasive species, have been discovered farming the sugary waste the larval psyllid nymphs produce. They’ve also been seen going after the Tamarixia wasps when they show up and try to lay their eggs on the nymphs.

Hoddle said he observed an ant actually snatch a wasp out of the air.

“I saw one catch one just as it was taking off,” he said. “They could be quite a problem for us.”

It also shows just how deep the invasive species problem goes in Southern California.

“This is one invasive species facilitating the establishment of another invasive species,” he said. “We call this an invasive meltdown.”

Now, Hoddle and his team are looking for ways to control the ants. It’s another step in what he knows will be a long process. And right now that process is focused on treating infested residential areas. Commercial groves are being treated with pesticide, which kills the psyllid as well as the wasps.

Hitting residential areas with the wasp, Hoddle said, “will reduce the number of psyllids flying into the commercial zones.”

Eventually, he said, that could reduce or eliminated the need to spray pesticides.

Even if the program turns out to be a success, he said, it will be a long journey.

“This is something that just doesn’t happen overnight.”

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News Release – California State Board of Food and Agriculture to Discuss Specialty Crop Block Grant Program at October 2 Meeting

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/Press_Releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=12-034

 The California State Board of Food and Agriculture will discuss the department’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program at its upcoming meeting on October 2, 2012. The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, 1220 N Street – Main Auditorium, Sacramento, CA 95814.

“The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program helps to support food safety research, marketing and innovation for a large percentage of California grown products,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “But unless congressional action is taken to pass a Farm Bill, this and other federal farm programs will be eliminated. This includes programs that support our dairy farmers, pest and disease prevention, and nutritional assistance to low-income individuals. In not passing a Farm Bill, Congress is negatively impacting job growth, reducing resources to local communities, and prolonging much needed disaster assistance.”

In 2011 California received approximately $17 million to support more than 70 grants programs focusing on: agriculture education/outreach; environmental concerns and conservation; marketing enhancement/international trade; food security/healthy eating; plant health/pest challenges; and food safety. An additional $17 million in federal funding is anticipated to be awarded this year.

The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill, is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops nationwide. Specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops. California is the largest recipient of specialty crop funds.

Scheduled speakers include: Kari Hamerschlag, Environmental Working Group; Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli, Center for Produce Safety; Stephen Patricio, Westside Produce; Gail Feenstra, University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program; Jane Machado Dyk, Ag Venture; Larry Godfrey, University of California, Davis; Rhonda Motil, Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association; Dr. Linda Harris, University of California, Davis; Dr. Trevor V. Suslow, University of California, Davis; Joel Kimmelshue, Newfields; and Kathy Alameda, California Department of Food and Agriculture.

“The Specialty Block Grant Program is one of the great tools that the department uses to help enhance the sustainability of California agriculture,” said Craig McNamara, President of the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. “This discussion provides the State Board the opportunity to review current programs and make recommendations, as appropriate, related to implementation.”

The California State Board of Food and Agriculture advises the governor and the CDFA secretary on agricultural issues and consumer needs. The state board conducts forums that bring together local, state and federal government officials, agricultural representative and citizens to discuss current issues of concern to California agriculture.

Follow the board on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/Cafood_agboard

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