CDFA Secretary Karen Ross recently joined colleagues in the Newsom Administration for tours of three important farmworker housing sites in Salinas and Gilroy. The tours emphasized the efforts of key agencies and partners collaborating to improve living conditions for farmworkers.

June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month and yesterday CDFA showed its support for the LGBTQ+ community with more than forty five employees marching in the Sacramento Pride Parade!

With CDFA Secretary Karen Ross and several members of the agency’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee leading the way, our team gathered at Southside Park and made its way to the State Capitol, celebrating diversity, equity, and inclusion every step of the way. 

“Marching in the Sacramento Pride Parade is one tangible moment for our agency to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to supporting the LGBTQ+ community,” said Secretary Ross. “At CDFA, we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected. I’m honored to have joined our agency, our DEI Committee, and all who participated in this event.”

A huge thank you to everyone who marched with us and helped make the event a success

CDFA’s California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP) supports shoppers using nutrition benefits such as CalFresh by empowering them to increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables at participating Certified Farmers’ Markets and retail outlets.

For every benefit dollar spent, shoppers receive an additional CNIP dollar – via programs like CNIP grantee Ecology Center’s “Market Match” coupons discussed in this video – that can be spent on fruits and vegetables at the market, within set parameters.

CDFA is proud to celebrate and honor Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. In this video, State Board of Food and Ag member Rachelle Arizmendi shares her inspiring pathway to leadership in politics and public service with CDFA Secretary Karen Ross.

Join us today in recognizing Learn About Composting Day. Compost reduces waste, builds soil organic matter, and provides rich benefits for growing at any scale. In this video, a CDFA compost specialist shows us preparations for planting trees on a California farm and points out the critical role of compost.

Learn more about compost and CDFA’s Healthy Soils Program.

Congratulations to Central Valley farmer Joe del Bosque for recently being recognized at the California State Capitol with the 2024 Latino Spirit Award. Joe was nominated and presented with the award by Assembly Agriculture Committee Chair Esmeralda Soria.

“Joe Del Bosque is an example of the best in agriculture in the Central Valley. His work and advocacy has benefited our communities and state. Joe has uplifted Latinos in all of the spaces he has been a trailblazer in. I am honored to recognize Joe at the State Capitol for his impact and contributions to California agriculture with the 2024 Latino Spirit Award,” California State Assembly Agriculture Chair Soria said.

“Joe’s well-deserved recognition highlights his exemplary leadership in his local community and his significant role as a leader in California agriculture. He and his family are always welcoming to visitors, whether it’s school children or international visitors. I especially appreciate his passion for improving the health and safety of farmworkers,” California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross said.

The California Latino Legislative Caucus presents the annual Latino Spirit Award honor to prominent Latinos in technology, business, education, public service, and various other fields.

In this CDFA video, Del Bosque talks about his family’s farming operation in Firebaugh, California.

During Mental Health Awareness Month, CDFA emphasizes the agency’s mental health resources webpage tailored to the agricultural community. Available in both English and Spanish, these resources aim to provide crucial support during challenging times.

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross emphasizes the importance of recognizing the stressors that can occur in farming and agriculture, underlining the availability of mental health resources. “Farming and agriculture can be stressful, and we want to remind the farming community of the mental health resources that are available,” she said. “We are grateful to our partners in providing the necessary resources for mental health support in our communities.”

Governor Newsom’s recent announcement of www.MentalHealth.CA.Gov further underscores the commitment to mental health support by the State of California. This comprehensive website serves as a one-stop hub for a diverse array of resources aimed at supporting the mental well-being of all Californians.

Agriculture was one of the key themes for the Punjabi American Working Group at its workshop on Saturday, May 18, at the Madera Gurudwara Sahib. CDFA representatives from the Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation and the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division, were on-hand to provide information about the agency’s programs.

This event brought together farmers, industry experts, and state and federal government representatives to discuss pressing issues and opportunities in agriculture. The workshop covered a wide range of topics including global marketing challenges, the sustainability of family farms, climate change, and drought resilience.

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross delivered a video address, highlighting the vital contributions of Punjabi farmers to California’s agriculture. She expressed excitement about the newly established Punjabi American Growers Group (PAGG) and emphasized the importance of culturally appropriate and multilingual technical assistance for climate-smart agriculture, underscoring the partnership with technical assistance provider Farms-R-Us.

She noted their significant roles in growing crops like rice, walnuts, peaches, almonds, and raisins, and highlighted the remarkable growth in the Central Valley and southern San Joaquin areas. “The role of Punjabi immigrants and the contributions that Punjabi farmers have made in the transformation of California agriculture over the 100 years that we’ve been welcoming people from the Punjabi region of India is invaluable,” said Secretary Ross. “I am especially excited about the partnership that we now have with your organization working with a technical assistance provider called Farms-R-Us on all things climate-smart agriculture.”

The event also included updates on water markets, drought resilience, and the impacts of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) on farming. Participants had the opportunity to engage in roundtable discussions, network during lunch, and visit the vendor expo for additional information. Key partners in the event included USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), CDFA, the Department of Water Resources (DWR), local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs), UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR), the Farm Service Agency (FSA), CSU Water, and several agricultural organizations like the Almond Board and Blue Diamond.

Congratulations to the Punjabi American Growers Group on a successful event and thank you to all who participated and contributed to its success.