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CDFA encourages summer school meals programs to participate in “F2Summer Week” June 20-24

Posted on June 22, 2022 by Office of Public Affairs

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) encourages summer school meal programs to “Get to Know Your Local Farms” during Farm to Summer Week June 20-24.

The Teach, Taste and Connect elements of F2Summer Week include celebrating local foods on the summer menu, offering a taste-test in student meals and providing opportunities for children to experience agricultural-based education activities. California Department of Education (CDE) ideas for celebrating F2Summer Week include providing an agricultural or nutrition education lesson, watching a virtual farm tour or an activity led by community partners such as a farmer, master gardener, parent volunteer or local health department staff.

Summer school meal programs receiving U.S. Department of Agriculture funding are further encouraged to participate in F2Summer Celebration Week. The theme for F2Summer Week 2022 is “Get to Know Your Local Farms.” Click here for more information.

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Farmers On Drought: Nick Boldt – Stone Fruit, Reedley, CA

Posted on June 21, 2022 by Office of Public Affairs

This summer, CDFA is asking farmers what this drought means for their farms, their families, and their ongoing efforts to reduce water use and improve efficiency.

What does this drought mean for your farm?

“In a normal year my farm uses a mixture of surface water and groundwater in order to maintain healthy trees. The drought has resulted in severe decrease in availability of surface water which has forced me to rely entirely on groundwater. Being able to irrigate my farm with micro-sprinklers has significantly reduced the water required to irrigate my stone fruit orchard. Funding for my micro-sprinkler system was provided from a grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s SWEEP program and has undoubtedly helped conserve water, a precious resource here in the valley.”

What are you doing to reduce water use and improve efficiency?

“I was fortunate to receive a SWEEP grant that helped pay for some needed irrigation improvements on my farm. The use of micro-sprinklers has helped me improve my distribution uniformity, which results in water savings. Additionally, the use of soil moisture sensors, a flow meter, and the ability to reference evapotranspiration has helped provide valuable information so I can make informed irrigation decisions. I am able to irrigate at night to reducing evaporative losses and have set up an irrigation automation system to help with irrigation scheduling.”

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California Pollinator Coalition Reports Increasing Cooperation Among Ag, Conservation Groups

Posted on June 20, 2022 by Office of Public Affairs

Members note successful projects in celebration of National Pollinator Week June 20-26

A year after coming together to help make the agricultural landscape more friendly to pollinators, members of the California Pollinator Coalition say they’re gaining momentum, building stronger relationships between agriculture and conservation groups that are already increasing habitat on the ground. 

The coalition – created in April 2021 and including more than 20 agriculture, conservation and government organizations – says it’s building a stronger network among these groups that has already led to new projects to expand on the success of the efforts of its individual member organizations.

“Thanks to the individual and collective efforts of our coalition members, we’ve seen a lot of positive developments over the past year,” said Laurie Davies Adams of Pollinator Partnership, one of the coalition’s founding members. “The State has also provided $30 million in new funding for pollinator projects, and we’ve seen more and more projects like cover crops and hedgerows installed among the state’s orchards, vineyards, rangelands and croplands.”

As the Coalition celebrates National Pollinator Week, June 20-26, it is assessing the progress its members have helped spur, which includes:

  • More than 65,000 acres of pollinator forage added throughout the state on over 400 farms in the past 18 months. 
  • Approximately 340 acres of new and enhanced habitat installed in California for monarch butterflies, with another 40,000 milkweed plants planned this year.
  • $30 million over two years earmarked by Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature for sharing costs and providing incentives for farmers, ranchers and vineyard managers to create pollinator habitat on working lands.
  • Working with researchers to advance guidance of habitat placement on farms and working lands.
  • New partnerships built that launched current projects, including creating more California-specific guidance for growers and finding new funding.

“Pollinators are small, but they’re mighty,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “If you want to know how much California agriculture relies on pollinators, look no further than the broad coalition of agricultural organizations that we’ve already built, and the diverse acreage they represent. These partnerships are bearing fruit, with hundreds of farmers and thousands of acres adding forage and habitat to support both managed and native pollinators.”

One example of those partnerships is the diverse group of Coalition members – including Pollinator Partnership, the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, the Wine Institute, the Almond Board of California, Blue Diamond, California Dairy, Inc., the California Cattleman’s Assoc., California Farm Bureau Federation, and Project Apis m. – that worked together to apply for a partnership agreement through the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for regional farmer-to-farmer collaboration in 10 California counties on habitat installation and adoption of integrated pest management. 

“We are determined to be part of the solution,” said Almond Board of California Chief Scientific Officer Josette Lewis. “Pollinators are crucial for our food production and for our entire ecosystem. All of us in agriculture understand that the most productive path we can take is to work together toward a common solution of protecting pollinators and the working lands of California.”

Lewis briefed Congress in 2021 about the Coalition’s brand of collaborative conservation. She detailed the ways it can be used as a model for protecting pollinators and for a range of other of effective environmental alliances among independent groups, including those who have not always been aligned.

“We need all hands on deck for monarchs and pollinators,” said Monarch Joint Venture Executive Director Wendy Caldwell. “That, of course, includes the agricultural community. I grew up on a farm and know firsthand the hard work, dedication and care farmers put into their land. At MJV, we recognize agricultural stakeholders as instrumental partners in reaching monarch habitat goals.” 

Another achievement of the Coalition has been to send the strong reminder that everyone in California agriculture is a stakeholder in protecting pollinators.

“As part of the efforts of California winegrape growers and vintners to increase the sustainability of their vineyards and wineries, they have planted cover crops and hedgerows on thousands of acres,” said Allison Jordan, Executive Director of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. “Those acres provide habitat to vital pollinators while building soil health. Even though winegrapes are self-pollinating, all of us in California wine recognize the importance of pollinators to the state’s agriculture and food systems. That is why we’re partnering with likeminded organizations in the Coalition to increase resources to benefit even more pollinators.” 

Entering Pollinator Week, the Coalition continues working to get the word out to more and more farmers about pollinator protection, funding, benefits and programs, including:

The Coalition continues to recruit partners who understand the urgency and share the common goal of supporting the health of both pollinators and agriculture. Current California Pollinator Coalition membership includes:

  • Agricultural Council of California
  • Almond Alliance of California
  • Almond Board of California
  • California Alfalfa and Forage Association
  • California Association of Pest Control Advisers
  • California Association of Resource Conservation Districts
  • California Cattlemen’s Association
  • California Citrus Mutual
  • California Department of Food and Agriculture
  • California Farm Bureau Federation
  • California State Beekeepers Association
  • California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance
  • Environmental Defense Fund
  • Monarch Joint Venture
  • Monarch Watch
  • Pollinator Partnership
  • Project Apis m.
  • University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
  • Western Growers
  • Dr. Neal Williams, University of California, Davis

About the California Pollinator Coalition

The California Pollinator Coalition, convened by Pollinator Partnership, the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Almond Board of California, is made up of a diverse group of agricultural and conservation organizations with the shared goal of providing enhanced habitat for pollinators. The Coalition and its members work to increase habitat for pollinators on working lands. Additionally, the group promotes research and tracks its progress toward healthy and abundant habitats. 

See the original post on the Almond Board site here.

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CDFA Celebrates Juneteenth

Posted on June 19, 2022 by Jay Van Rein, CDFA Office of Public Affairs

On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the end of the Civil War and the end of slavery. This day in history has been recognized as Juneteenth (“June” + “nineteenth”) and celebrates this turning point toward the end of slavery in the United States.

CDFA acknowledges the significance of this holiday in the African American community. More broadly, CDFA acknowledges the need for our staff and our stakeholders to know, to understand, and to contextualize this history as we work toward the end of the marginalization and the mistreatment that black citizens are still experiencing today. 

The day is also known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Juneteenth Independence Day, and Black Independence Day. Although the Emancipation Proclamation came two and a half years earlier on January 1, 1863, many enslavers continued to hold people captive after the announcement. Juneteenth became a symbolic date representing African American freedom. 

On June 17th, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, and on June 18, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation declaring June, 19, 2021 as “Juneteenth National Freedom Day: A Day of Observance” in the State of California. This year, Juneteenth is celebrated on Sunday, June 19th, 2022.

We encourage you to spend some time gaining a better understanding of Juneteenth by reading through “What is Juneteenth?” by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and by experiencing Juneteenth celebrations in your community to learn about its relevance today.

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CDFA joins Aemetis in celebrating the commissioning of Biogas to RNG upgrade

Posted on June 16, 2022 by Office of Public Affairs
CDFA Deputy Secretary Virginia Jameson (third from left) participates in the ribbon-cutting ceremony with partners of the Aemetis Biogas Central Dairy Digester Project, along with Eric McAfee, Chairman and Chief Executive Office of Aemetis, Inc. (center with scissors), and PG&E’s Senior Vice President of Gas Engineering Janisse Quiñone (fourth from the right).

On Friday the 10th of June, CDFA’s Deputy Secretary for Climate and Working Lands Virginia Jameson was on-hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony commissioning the Aemetis Biogas Central Dairy Digester Project’s dairy renewable natural gas (RNG) cleanup and compression unit and interconnection with PG&E’s gas pipeline in Keyes, California.

This project involves a cluster that, when complete, will include 60 dairy farms. It currently counts 8 dairy operations, funded partly by CDFA’s Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP) with more than $11 million in 2018 and 2020. In addition to the CDFA funding, award recipients provided another $14 million in matching funds for the total cost of over $25 million in funding.

The projects generate RNG which is sent to the newly inaugurated centralized conditioning facility for processing and injection into the utility common carrier natural gas pipeline.

The methane greenhouse gas reductions achieved through these projects are estimated to be equivalent to removing 18,000 passenger vehicles from the roads each year for 10 years, or providing electricity to 17,000 homes each year for 10 years. The event was organized by the developer of the Aemetis Biogas Central Dairy Digester Project, Aemetis Inc.

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Middle school garden incorporates agricultural tips for water conservation

Posted on June 15, 2022 by Office of Public Affairs

Part of Mt. Diablo School District’s Farm to School Incubator Grant Program grant to enhance the existing 2.25-acre school garden at Riverview Middle School is to spread the news about agricultural practices of utilizing swales and berms to conserve water.

As described on the school garden sign (pictured), swales are level trenches dug on contour with the land intended to slow the spread of water so that the water may sink into the ground. Berms are mounds of soil on the down-hill side of the swale that further slow the spread of water, with growth planted in the berms to utilize some of the captured water. A sign illustration shows how swale and berm utilization can grow groundwater plumes for the benefit of neighboring gardens.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture Office of Farm to Fork (CDFA-F2F) is accepting applications through July 6 for the 2022 California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program. Click here for more information.

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Pride Month and CDFA’s commitment to equality

Posted on June 13, 2022 by Office of Public Affairs
CDFA Secretary Karen Ross, Undersecretary Christine Birdsong, and Special Assistant Arima Kozina joined members and family of CDFA staff for Sacramento’s Pride March on Sunday, June 12.

By CDFA Secretary Karen Ross

I was honored yesterday to participate in Sacramento’s Pride March along with CDFA employees who are members of the LGBTQ+ community, and supporters of that community. I am proud to stand among them.

Our LGBTQ+ employees perform essential work on behalf of agriculture and the people of California, and our agency’s unwavering commitment to equality means that we embrace all employees and stakeholders in a similar, supportive fashion.

I am pleased to note that CDFA is one of the first state agencies to establish a partnership with the Sacramento LGBT Community Center, which has been active in the region for more than 40 years. The partnership will include participation in career fairs, Pride events, awareness campaigns, and cultural trainings.

We look forward working alongside and supporting the LGBTQ+ community for many years to come.

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State enlists commercial, industrial sectors in water conservation efforts

Posted on June 7, 2022 by Office of Public Affairs

New Regulations Will Drive Down Commercial Water Use as Urban Residents and Farmers Cut Back Amid Historic Drought, Changing Climate

From a California Natural Resources Agency news release

As Californians continue efforts to reduce water use at homes and on farms, the Newsom Administration is enlisting the state’s commercial and industrial sector as a partner in immediate and long-term efforts to lessen demand for limited water supplies amid historic drought and a changing climate.

A regulation set to take effect this month will drive a reduction in water use by halting irrigation of decorative or non-functional grass with potable water in commercial, industrial and institutional settings. The regulation applies to turf (mowed grass) that is ornamental and not otherwise used for recreation. It does not apply to residential lawns, school fields, sports fields, or areas regularly used for civic or community events. Ending irrigation of non-functional grass will save the equivalent of water used by as many as 780,000 households every year. The regulation does not restrict the watering of non-turf plantings or trees, which are important for shade and cooling as the state experiences more extreme heat events.

“Drought is one of many concerns that are top of mind for Californians today,” Governor Gavin Newsom said. “Reducing water use should not be on the back of any one sector. It’s a shared responsibility – we all must take immediate action to reduce water demands while we make lasting changes and investments to improve water-use efficiency and water resilience for the long term.”

Last month, Governor Newsom convened leaders from some of the state’s largest urban water suppliers and called on them to take more aggressive actions to combat drought and better engage their customers to ensure all Californians are doing their part to save water.

In the coming weeks, as part of the Save Our Water campaign, the Administration will convene business and corporate leaders to enlist their support to reduce water use and better engage the commercial and institutional sector in long-term efforts toward sustainable water use, particularly in outdoor spaces where thirsty grass consumes water but does not serve a recreational or public health purpose. Replacing turf with native plants and other low-water-use landscaping in these spaces can yield significant and permanent reductions in water use.

The state’s agricultural sector is experiencing severe cuts in surface water deliveries. More than 300,000 acres of farmland are being fallowed this year in the Sacramento Valley alone.

Governor Newsom has taken action to combat drought conditions, including extending the drought emergency statewide last October and in March, issuing an executive order designed to drive additional conservation across all sectors.

In response to the Governor’s direction, many local water agencies, including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), have taken aggressive action to combat the drought. However, others have been slower to trigger drought and conservation measures, and in some cases, have even increased their water usage.

On May 24, the State Water Board adopted regulations that will require local water suppliers to implement Level 2 of their Water Shortage Contingency Plans and compel those that have not developed their own plan to limit outdoor water use to two days per week, ban watering during the hottest parts of the day, and ban irrigating ornamental grass at business and commercial sites.

The state is calling on Californians to take immediate action by limiting outdoor water use. On average, each time you water your yard equals about 240 flushes or 13 full laundry loads (for a washer that uses 30 gallons per load). In addition to following local restrictions, some best practices include:

  • Outdoor watering only one or two days a week (if two days spaced apart during the week).
  • Water before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m. and not during the hottest parts of the day.
  • Water for eight minutes or less at a time.
  • Turn off sprinklers when it rains.

Other things Californians can do include:

  • Taking shorter showers. Reducing showers to five minutes saves up to 12.5 gallons per shower when using a water-efficient shower head.
  • Taking showers instead of baths – a bath uses up to 2.5 times the amount of water as a shower.
  • Using a broom instead of a hose to clean outdoor areas to save 6 gallons of water every minute.
  • Washing full loads of clothes to save 15-45 gallons of water per load.

The Governor’s California Blueprint proposed this year would invest an additional $2 billion for drought response, which includes $100 million in addition to a previous investment of $16 million this fiscal year for a statewide education and communications effort on drought. These investments build on the previous $5.2 billion three-year investment in the state’s drought response and water resilience through the California Comeback Plan (2021).

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Secretary Ross joined by former CDFA and USDA secretary Ann Veneman for grand opening of Central Valley Ag innovation center

Posted on June 6, 2022 by Office of Public Affairs

CDFA secretary Karen Ross and former CDFA and USDA secretary Ann Veneman recently participated in the grand opening of the Sun World International Center for Innovation in the Kern County community of Wasco. The center is developing fruit varietals with a commitment to improve productivity and resiliency while using fewer inputs and providing consumers with outstanding flavor and optimal nutrition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7psQJ6etpCc
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Statement by CDFA Secretary Karen Ross on USDA’s announcement of a new framework for resilience and competitiveness in our food systems

Posted on June 1, 2022 by Karen Ross, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture

This morning, the USDA announced a framework designed to create “new, more and better markets for small and midsized producers” across our nation and here in California. Recognizing the supply-chain interruptions and disruptions brought on by both the pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine, our federal partners are taking concrete steps to strengthen our food systems. This framework builds toward a future in which food systems are more distributed, more local, and more resilient. It also aims to put market power back in the hands of farmers and ranchers, while improving access for all consumers to affordable, nutritious food. This is also about equity – not just for underserved consumers across the spectrum, but also for smaller-scale growers and producers who share some of those same perspectives – rural, underserved, excluded from many of these systems and opportunities.

This is more than a framework. It includes real investments to move us toward these goals: $300 million to aid growers as they transition to organic production; $75 million to support urban ag; loan guarantees and up to $375 million in to support independent food processing and meat/poultry processing plants, along with working with lenders who have been reticent to invest in these sectors. The long list of investments includes $400 million to create regional food business centers to help small and midsized producers navigate the challenges of processing and market access, investments in farm-to-school commodity purchases, nutrition access for seniors, food safety certification for specialty crops, supply chain infrastructure, and a pipeline of well-trained workers and safe workplaces, among several others.

This is a comprehensive and well-though-out framework, supported by meaningful and aggressive investments in rural America. I’m energized by these new and strengthened opportunities to support our California farmers, ranchers and consumers.

For more information, please see USDA’s full announcement, including funding details.

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