State Scientist Day was yesterday, May 10, at the State Capitol, an annual event that includes a science fair for students from local schools. Scientists from CDFA’s Center for Analytical Chemistry participated with several fascinating demonstrations.
Students learned about sugar content in some of their favorite soft drinks
Many of CDFA’s participating scientists wore this T-shirt.
Students pressed a hammer on a slab of dry ice to watch it steam and feel vibrations transmitted as the heat of the hammer changed the ice to gas.
The tent staffed by scientists at CDFA’s Center for Analytic Chemistry
CDFA’s Center for Analytic Chemistry has been providing chemical analysis for the people of California since the mid 1920’s. It uses state of the art equipment and processes to test fruits, vegetables, nuts, animal feed, and milk to ensure that pesticide and chemical levels are within national and international standards.
And the cream and that carton of full-fat yogurt and a big glass of non-skimmed milk.
And, yes, eat it to your heart’s content.
That’s the finding of an international team that analyzed 29 studies and found that dairy products — even high-fat ones — does not increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
One of the researchers, Ian Givens, a professor of nutrition at England’s Reading University, told the paper that “there’s quite a widespread but mistaken belief among the public that dairy products in general can be bad for you, but that’s a misconception. While it is a widely held belief, our research shows that that’s wrong.”
“There’s been a lot of publicity over the last five to 10 years about how saturated fats increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and a belief has grown up that they must increase the risk, but they don’t.”
Givens and others from Reading, Copenhagen University in Denmark and Wageningen University in the Netherlands looked at studies involving 938,465 people from around the world undertaken over the last 35 years, the Guardian reported.
That’s right, we’re all in this together. The dedicated public servants of CDFA work tirelessly to fulfill an essential function – assisting farmers and ranchers in producing quality agricultural products, including a food supply that benefits Californians and helps feed the world.
It is driven by experts in the many areas covered by CDFA, including activities that might not fit traditional assumptions about Ag. For example, specialists and technicians in our Division of Measurement Standards are renowned for their expertise in the field of motor vehicle fuels, from the petroleum-based variety to hydrogen, electricity, bio-fuels, and whatever is next in the pipeline. When you go to the gas station, the confidence you have in the quality of that fuel is a direct result of this work. This division makes sure next-generation companies like Uber and Lyft are operating with apps and systems that are fair and safe for consumers. There is also oversight of the scanners at the supermarket, the scales in the produce aisle, and stated-volume in cereal boxes and other packaged items.
Elsewhere, we’re in good hands with veterinarians and other specialists in our Division of Animal Health and Food Safety Services. They check the health of cattle and chickens and the safety of eggs and milk. More than a few of our veterinarians wear cowboy boots on a daily basis (and get them dirty), because their job isn’t in an office – it’s in the field, on the farm or in the barn – or at the bottling plant, the auction yard, or the butcher shop.
Much of the work we do at CDFA deals with invasive species, challenges like the Mediterranean fruit fly and the Asian citrus psyllid. We have programs to eradicate them or control them. We have an extensive detection network in partnership with California’s counties. And we’re so committed to preventing their arrival in the first place that we have 16 Border Protection Stations throughout the state that reject thousands of invasives each year. This work continues in our laboratories, with scientists peering through microscopes at weeds and seeds and feeds, not to mention a long list of bugs and much smaller crawlers.
We have a wealth of experience working for us in our inspection and marketing offices, including inspectors who check fruits, vegetables and nuts for everything from ripeness to size, weight, and accuracy of labeling. We uphold the regulations of the National Organic Program to preserve organic integrity in the largest Ag state in the land – that’s right here in California. We go to farmers’ markets to make sure vendors are growing what they sell. We are also working very closely with school districts in their efforts to provide nutritious, locally-produced meals for children. And we have economic experts who regulate milk pricing at the farm level.
Did you know we also help dairy farmers fund, design and install digesters that turn methane emissions from their cows into energy that they can use and even sell back to the power grid? Or that we responded to the recent drought by helping farmers install highly efficient irrigation systems, soil moisture monitors, and related solar-powered systems that ratchet up our water use efficiency and even improve the health of our soils? In addition, our Fertilizer Research and Education Program works to assist farmers with information to improve the efficiency of nitrogen fertilizers in the soil. These are examples of science at work for all of us, and the scientists are right here at CDFA.
We also want to mention the highly-valued support teams that help make all this possible – information technology and our departments of administration and finance. They make sure the bills are paid and that the rest of us have what we need to do our jobs. And in recent years we have added a grants administration unit that not only oversees the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program but other programs for ag literacy.
Agriculture makes California a better place to live because of the diversity of what we grow and how we grow it. At CDFA we have fairs specialists to support the California Network of Fairs as it showcases all that agriculture has meant to our state in its past as well as the technology that will help it continue its robust contribution to the health and well-being of our state in the future. Our core mission is to protect and promote agriculture. And people – scientists, specialists, technicians, trappers and everyone else who works for you here at CDFA – will always be the heart of this organization. Like all of us, their lives extend beyond their jobs – but being public servants is part of who they are, and that distinction is worthy of our appreciation.
Thank you to all CDFA employees on the occasion of Public Service Recognition Week. Every healthy meal – and a whole lot of other important things that happen just the way they should – is proof of their value to us all and reinforcement that we are, indeed, all in this together.
Watch this video for new employees describing the activities of CDFA.
On Friday, April 7, 2017, Governor Brown issued an executive order ending the drought emergency in all but a few California counties. This came about 27 months after he declared a state of drought emergency for California on January 17, 2014. At that point, the state was headed into its fourth straight year of drought. Private wells were drying up, trees were dying, and groundwater was severely diminished. It was going to take the combined efforts of all Californians to save water and make sure we had enough for the future. It was also going to take an unprecedented level of cooperation and leadership from all levels of government and their partners to respond effectively to the mounting problems resulting from the drought.
This documentary prepared by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) documents those challenges.
After more than four years of devastating drought, 2017 saw California receive the wettest winter in more than 100 years.
According to research done by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, between October 2016 and February 2017 California averaged its highest amount of precipitation since 1895.
Local farmers are definitely feeling the effects.
Dick Peixoto of Watsonville’s Lakeside Organic Gardens explained how the continuing storms have been both a blessing and a curse.
“Rain is obviously a good thing after a drought, but this is the worst winter we’ve had in 40 years,” Peixoto said. “Usually in a normal wet season, we have at least a few breaks between storms. But there weren’t any dry weeks.”
The Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County estimates that agriculture in Santa Cruz County brings in on average $500 million to the economy each year.
That might change this year.
Peixoto explained that unlike in some regions, local farmers plant all year round. Because they haven’t been able to plant, certain products are limited.
“We’re at about 25 percent of normal,” he said, “and we’ve had to raise prices.”
Statewide, agriculture leaders and scientists are working to solve California’s problems that have arisen this winter season.
In a report for the Union of Concerned Scientists earlier this year, Andrea Basche of the USC Food & Environment program explained:
“It can be hard to understand how the challenges can move so quickly from one extreme to the other,” Basche said, “but droughts and floods are actually both symptoms of the same water problem: too much water when it is not needed and not enough when it is.”
However, despite this year’s torrential rains, effects of the drought still linger.
According to the National Weather Service, it usally takes more than one rainy season to make up for droughts, especially one as extensive as 2012-2016.
In 2014, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was passed by the California Legislature to help manage groundwater resources which have been threatened due to lack of precipitation.
The California Water Science Center describes groundwater as water found below the earth’s surface. Groundwater is used quite extensively for agricultural irrigation systems, and it can be dangerous when its levels are depleted faster than they can be replenished.
Locally, in an effort to ensure the Salinas Valley regulates its use of groundwater in the Salinas Valley basin, a coalition of stakeholders formed the Groundwater Sustainability Agency. The group is heavily represented by the agriculture community.
Other groups have sprung up throughout Santa Cruz and Monterey counties as well. Farmers, winegrowers and others within the agriculture community are thinking ahead and planning for whatever the next season has in store. Most are positive about the future.
Norm Groot, executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau, said that while he’s seen isolated problems this year, in general, things are progressing as normal.
“There have been so many media calls from all over the country asking if we will have lettuce this spring,” he said. “Yes, there will be lettuce. And all the other crops we grow.”
Generally, local farmers are ready for a break in the storms. But they also seem eager to use this season’s rainfall to kickstart the next growing season.
“We as farmers have to work with whatever Mother Nature gives us,” Peixoto said. “We are the ones who have to adapt. And we will.”
If you’ve ever driven into California, you’ve slowed or maybe even stopped at the agricultural inspection station before Truckee.
Many of my family and friends live near Sacramento, and I love to snowboard in the Tahoe area, so I drive through it often and have always wondered; what’s the point?
CDFA believes its stations are the “first line of defense” against invasive species that, if introduced to crops in the Golden State, could wreak havoc on the massive agriculture industry.
Inspectors perform brief visual inspections about 70 percent of the time, verbal inspections about 20 percent of the time and physical inspections about 10 percent of the time, according to Truckee station manager Adriaan Gilis.
But why does it seem like drivers coming from Northern Nevada almost never get stopped?
Much of the produce in Nevada grocery stores is grown in California already. Produce coming from the Midwest or the East Coast is far more likely to be carrying invasive species.
Roughly four out of every 1,000 cars checked has contraband. There were over 1,800 interceptions at the Truckee station alone in 2016, according to data provided by CDFA.
The pest that poses the biggest threat right now is the Asian citrus psyllid, which carries a bacterial disease called Huanglongbing. Other pests they search for include Japanese beetles, Emerald ash borers, gypsy moths and Mexican fruit flies.
Gilis said that occasionally his inspectors protect the public from dangers you might not be aware of.
“It’s nice when we take the cherries from people from Idaho, Montana, Oregon and they’re homegrown and they’re eating away and you grab one and pop it open and show them the larva that they’ve been eating all day long,” Gills said.
Despite checking hundreds of cars each day, the inspectors are still sometimes caught off guard.
“One of our inspectors inspecting the back of a vehicle (saw) a Rubbermaid tub with holes in it and looks in it and there’s baby alligators about a foot long,” Gilis said. “(They are) restricted coming in to California and were refused entry here at the station.”
Find out more about California’s Border Protection Stations.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture works to maintain organic integrity in California by enforcing regulations of the The National Organic Program (NOP). Last year, at the request of the organic industry, CDFA embarked on a pilot project to determine if genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were present in organic products. So far, the pilot project has involved 23 blind laboratory tests of various seeded commodities for the presence of GMO material. Testing will continue into next year.
At a meeting today of the California Organic Products Advisory Committee (COPAC), CDFA staff provided a progress report on the pilot project. Seven of the 23 samples sent to laboratories contained some level of GMOs in animal feed products – alfalfa, soy, corn and cottonseed. Two animal feed samples were 100 percent GMO.
NOP regulations prohibit the use of GMOs in organic production and handling. However, NOP regulations also state, “If all aspects of the organic production or handling process were followed correctly, then the presence of a detectable residue from a genetically modified organism alone does not constitute a violation of this regulation.”
Going forward, CDFA will utilize a sampling process that is no longer blind. In a motion at today’s meeting, COPAC voted in favor of this step and reaffirmed its commitment to identifying and removing GMOs from the organic system. Any further positive GMO test results of certified organic products will result in notification to certifying agents for further investigation and appropriate action. Organic certifiers will be responsible for working with organic producers to identify the source of the GMOs and to implement improvements to avoid contact with GMOs in the future. CDFA will work in collaboration with certifiers and COPAC on identifying steps for future surveillance and enforcement actions to preserve the integrity of organic products.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will co-host a joint forum on shared issues related to water and agriculture. The forum will bring together Israeli and Californian government officials and researchers to address water/agriculture related issues while also exploring opportunities for future innovation.
The forum will be held on May 25, 2017 in Sacramento, registration and agenda are available here.
“Many of the water and agricultural challenges faced by Israel are similar to those of California.” said Secretary Ross. “Israel’s embrace of technological innovation and climate smart technology has helped them go from a country facing severe water shortages to now having a water surplus. This panel of experts creates a space for us to share best practices and further collaborate on creating effective and sustainable water policy that will be beneficial for California.”
Notable speakers include: The Honorable Uri Ariel, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Israel; CDFA Secretary Karen Ross; Ms. Felicia Marcus, Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, Ms. Tami Shor, The Israel Water Authority; Karla Nemeth, California Natural Resources Agency; Dr. Jay Lund, University of California’s Center for Watershed Sciences; Mr. Itzik Ben-David, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; and Consul Gili Ovadia, Israeli Economic Trade Mission to the West Coast.
This forum comes nearly one year after CDFA Secretary Karen Ross led a California delegation to Israel on a California Climate-Smart Agriculture Policy Mission. The goal of the visit was to learn more about Israeli’s successful implementation of climate start strategies related to specialty crops in addressing drought and salinity issues.
CDFA Secretary Karen Ross (left) capped her luncheon address at the May 1 session of the California Association of Food Banks (CAFB) conference in Sacramento by presenting a proclamation to CAFB Executive Director Sue Sigler. Several years ago during a presentation before the California State Board of Food and Agriculture, Sue helped plant the seed that grew into the goal of doubling farmers’ contributions to California food banks, from 100 million pounds of food per year to 200 million. In 2016, the state board’s goal was achieved: 214 million pounds of food donated by California farmers to food banks across the state. The proclamation acknowledges the role of Sue and her organization in facilitating those donations, from identifying communities in need to arranging transport from the farmers’ fields.
The Sand County Foundation, the California Farm Bureau Federation and Sustainable Conservation are accepting applications for the $10,000 California Leopold Conservation Award. The award honors California farmers, ranchers, foresters and other private landowners who demonstrate outstanding stewardship and management of natural resources.
“Receiving the Leopold Conservation Award is an honor and a legacy that we value today and hope inspires our next generation,” said Dina Moore, owner of Lone Star Ranch – the 2016 recipient. “We encourage others to apply for this opportunity to tell their stories of the entwined relationship between working landscapes and conservation.”
Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the Leopold Conservation Award inspires other landowners by example and provides a visible forum where farmers, ranchers and other private landowners are recognized as conservation leaders. In his influential 1949 book, A Sand County Almanac, Leopold called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage, which he called “an evolutionary possibility and an ecological necessity.”
Nominations must be postmarked by July 14, 2017, and mailed to California Leopold Conservation Award c/o Sustainable Conservation, 98 Battery Street, Suite 302, San Francisco, CA 94111. The 2017 California Leopold Conservation Award will be presented in December at the California Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Meeting in Garden Grove, CA.
