The 2023 Salinas Biological Summit is showcasing international solutions for improving soil and plant health, offering growers an overview of opportunities biologicals have to improve crop yield and protect against plant pests and diseases.

With international representation from nine countries, the Summit is fostering discussions on the global regulatory environment, grower opportunities for biologicals, and perspectives from innovators.  

The Summit is bringing agricultural stakeholders together to discuss new approaches to sustainable pest management and crop protection. 

The Summit aligns with California’s Ag Vision to further the next generation of talent and tools – making California a better place to live because of what our farmers and ranchers grow and how they grow it.

Thank you to Western Growers and Wharf 42 for bringing biologicals to the forefront of California sustainable pest management discussions.

CDFA encourages all Californians to shop at Certified Farmers’ Markets to experience the healthy benefits of purchasing local produce and developing relationships with area farmers.

This video is of a recent Saturday morning at the Davis Farmers Market in Davis, CA, with participating farmers describing its rewarding sense of community.

We also encourage you to click here to vote for your favorite farmers’ market in the 2023 America’s Farmers Market Celebration, which is awarding more than $15,000 to winning farmers’ markets, in a contest sponsored by American Farmland Trust and the Farmers Market Coalition.

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 for the end of the marginalization and the mistreatment that black citizens are still experiencing today.

(Learn about a new documentary spotlighting land ownership challenges for black farmers)

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 17, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation declaring “Juneteenth National Freedom Day: A Day of Observance” in the State of California, while noting that Juneteenth is being celebrated as a state holiday for the first time this year.

The California Agricultural Heritage Club recognizes the impact of pioneering farms, farm bureaus and agribusinesses that have built California into a proud leader in agriculture and food production, celebrating milestones of 100, 125, 150, and 175 years of agribusiness.

The Heritage Club convenes and welcomes new members each year during the run of the California State Fair, and nominations for this year are open until June 30. For more information on nominations, applications, or attending this event, please visit the Heritage Club web site.

Photos — Previous California Agricultural Heritage Club honoree Dudley Ranch, Tulare County, in operation since 1871.

CDFA Deputy Secretary for Fairs Michael Flores (at podium) was at the kickoff event today for the Kings County Fair as it begins its four-day run in Hanford through June 18. Deputy Secretary Flores highlighted an $89 million slate of projects at Hanford and eleven other fairgrounds sites around the state. The projects include new and expanded safe-shelter space, kitchen and sanitation facilities, showers, and various other upgrades. The grants are part of the state’s Fairgrounds Resilience Centers Program.

In recognition of National Dairy Month (June), the Dairy Council of California has partnered with the San Francisco 49ers football club for an informative video about dairy’s important contributions to supporting nutrition security and healthy communities.

California is the leading dairy-producing state in the country, and dairy is its highest-valued commodity at more than $7.5 billion.

CDFA environmental scientist Sarah Standiford–of the agency’s Produce Safety Program–recently appeared on a podcast for MyAgLife about Produce Safety Rule inspections and what farmers can expect. Topics included why CDFA conducts food safety inspections, the steps of an inspection, how a grower can prepare, and how CDFA inspectors take an educate-then-regulate approach.

California farms with more than $25,000 in average annual sales of produce (averaged over the previous three years) are now subject to Produce Safety Program inspections to verify compliance with the Produce Safety Rule.

Click here to listen to the podcast.

Click here for information and resources about CDFA’s Produce Safety Program.