Imperial County school nutrition professionals and Chef Ann Foundation chefs attend a recent Farm to School Network regional gathering at the Imperial Valley Food Bank in Imperial.
A recent Farm to School regional workshop in Imperial County was a well-attended opportunity for school nutrition professionals to see how local produce could be utilized in creative and fun ways for healthy school meals.
“We’re showing how you can dress up vegetables, making some really commonplace vegetables the stars,” Chef Ann Foundation Chef Zach Thomas told the Imperial Valley Press in an article about the event. “[We’re] giving inspiration to school food professionals on how they can make their veggies a little bit more interesting for kids and a little more approachable.”
CDFA Farm to School Engagement Specialist Jennifer Huang coordinated the event at the Imperial Valley Food Bank, along with the Chef Ann Foundation and the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Desert Research and Extension Center. Part of Huang’s role is to help school nutrition professionals source meal ingredients from local food producers. The produce featured in the workshop was grown in Coachella Valley.
“The blueberries and the strawberries you see today, and also all the produce you see for the morning culinary workshop, are from Aziz Farms,” Huang told the Imperial Valley Press.
Another purpose of the workshop was to remind attendees that the next round of CDFA’s California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program is expected to begin accepting applications in 2026. She encouraged attendees to network and build potential partnerships that would make grant applications stronger.
Today is National Poinsettia Day! As shown in the accompanying graphic, California leads the nation in poinsettia production.
There’s a grower in the Central Valley that supplies tens of thousands of poinsettias each year. CDFA visited Duarte Nursery in Hughson, Stanislaus County to learn more about the operation.
A joint initiative between California and Ohio focusing on sustainable livestock health and responsible antibiotic use has earned international recognition from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Developed in partnership with UC Davis and Ohio State University, the Early and Accurate Disease Detection in Dairy Cattle training program was honored with Technical Recognition by the FAO in the areas of Sustainable Transformation, One Health, Animal Health, and Reference Centres, as part of FAO’s 80th anniversary celebration.
The program was supported by a team of research partners, led by University of California, Davis Associate Professor of Clinical Livestock Herd Health, Dr. Richard V. Pereira, and Ohio State University Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Dr. Greg G. Habing. CDFA’s Antimicrobial Usage and Stewardship (AUS) program provided funding to facilitate the translation of this project into Spanish and its adaption to the current web platform, making it accessible to a much wider audience.
The recognition highlights the program’s leadership, collaboration, and innovation in upgrading agrifood systems, affirming international advances in the detection of infectious disease detection, and strengthening stewardship and dairy producer capacity.
The goal is simple yet critical: Identify animal illness early to prevent the condition becoming so severe that it requires antibiotic treatment, or more than would be otherwise necessary. By equipping farm staff with the knowledge to act fast, we can optimize treatment and reduce the overall need for antibiotics across the industry.
Bilingual Training
The free online training is an interactive, bilingual course (available in English and Spanish) that empowers dairy farm workers with essential skills. Comprised of six engaging modules, the course can also be paused and started at any time, providing flexibility to workers.
The course teaches participants how to:
Recognize and define signs of illness in different body systems of dairy cows.
Follow established protocols for checking symptoms.
Identify common dairy cattle diseases in California and the US.
The program provides workers with a formal certificate upon completion. This certification not only validates their expertise but also offers tangible value for their professional advancement, reflecting the high standard of care expected in California agriculture.
Partnership in Health
This global recognition from the FAO underscores the importance of these partnerships. By working with veterinarians, producers, educators, and, most importantly, dairy workers themselves, we are promoting the optimization of antimicrobial use and providing tangible value across the entire supply chain.
Initiatives like this demonstrate how high-level, holistic consideration for animal health and agricultural quality drives sustainable transformation for the industry.
As we gather with friends, family, and neighbors this Thanksgiving, California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross shares a heartfelt message of gratitude for everyone who helps bring food to our tables. In this video, Secretary Ross reflects on the beauty of fall, the bounty of California agriculture, and the many hands, from farmers, ranchers, farmworkers, and supply-chain partners, who make our meals possible.
COP30, the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, brought together global leaders, scientists, advocates, and innovators to accelerate climate action. This year’s COP placed the Amazon, multilateral cooperation, and the urgent need for a just and resilient transition at the center of global climate discussions.
California’s participation came at a moment when the world is looking for real examples of climate solutions in action, and the importance of resilient agriculture and food production was a key piece of the discussion.
California is a global agricultural powerhouse, producing more than 400 commodities and supporting a $61 billion farm economy. For decades, the state has demonstrated that environmental stewardship and agricultural productivity can go hand in hand. With more than $690 million invested in climate-smart agriculture, California has proven that farmers and ranchers are essential partners in climate resilience, water conservation, soil health, and methane reduction.
This year’s COP dedicated two full days to food and agriculture. As CDFA Secretary Karen Ross noted, “Of the four COPs I’ve attended, this was the strongest focus yet on the essential role of farmers and sustainable food systems – not only in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but also in delivering solutions through healthy soils, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. It was powerful to see programming that integrated climate, agriculture, water, and biodiversity holistically.”
California’s role at COP30 was threefold:
Share what’s working: methane reduction, healthy soils, water efficiency, biodiversity, and resilient working lands.
Learn from international partners: gaining new approaches in science, policy, technology, and on-farm innovation.
Represent California’s farmers and ranchers: ensuring their challenges, innovations, and perspectives are included in global climate conversations.
Many attendees expressed how impressed and encouraged they were to see California show up early and stay engaged at COP30. Having Governor Newsom and other state leaders on the ground sent a powerful signal to the world that America’s climate work won’t pause or slow, even amid political shifts, and it underscored the essential role that subnational and local governments play in driving real, sustained climate action.
Together on behalf of CDFA, Secretary Ross and Deputy Secretary for Climate and Working Lands Virginia Jameson participated in panels, bilateral meetings, and strategy sessions focused on nature-based climate solutions, climate-smart agriculture, and resilient food systems. Secretary Ross spoke on ten separate panels and emphasized how much she learned from fellow panelists. She and Deputy Secretary Jameson also met with agricultural organizations, representatives from six countries, and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization—opening the door to new collaborations in climate-smart agriculture and research.
By showing up at COP30, California gave voice to the realities of farming with climate strategies, and underscored that producers benefit from the science, partnerships, and opportunities emerging on the global stage. As Secretary Ross reflected, there are not enough farmers and ranchers present at COP due to time, cost, and responsibility at home. California’s participation helps elevate their voices and keeps agriculture centered in global climate decision-making.
The delegation left Brazil inspired, energized, and ready to bring home new ideas that support farmers, ranchers, and rural communities while strengthening the resilience of California agriculture.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the opening of Stage 2 of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP), beginning November 24, 2025, expanding federal assistance to producers who suffered crop, tree, bush, or vine losses during the 2023–24 natural disasters. This phase provides support for losses not covered under Stage 1, including uninsured (shallow-loss) impacts and quality losses — a significant development for California’s specialty crop sector.
Enrollment for SDRP (both stages) Stage 1 and Stage 2 will be available November 24, 2025 through April 30, 2026.
USDA has also opened additional programs for producers with other disaster-related losses:
Both programs share a shorter enrollment window: November 24, 2025 through January 23, 2026.
“California’s specialty crop producers have faced repeated and devastating climate-driven impacts in recent years. USDA’s decision to include uninsured and quality losses in Stage 2 of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program is an important step in ensuring these growers are not left behind. I want to thank Under Secretary Richard Fordyce for his leadership and for recognizing the unique challenges faced by specialty crop farmers. His commitment helps ensure that California’s diverse crops, from orchards and vineyards to our many specialty crops—are appropriately supported in this round of federal assistance.”
Karen Ross, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture
CDFA encourages growers to review the USDA fact sheets and reach out to their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office for guidance on eligibility and application requirements.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Information Technology Services Division (ITSD) gathered this morning at CDFA’s headquarters for an in-person all-staff meeting. The morning was filled with appreciation, updates, and well-deserved recognition for some of CDFA’s longest-serving IT professionals.
Honoring 25+ Years of Service
A key highlight of the meeting was the 25+ Year Service Recognition, honoring ITSD employees (pictured above) whose long-standing commitment has strengthened CDFA over the course of decades. The following team members were celebrated for their extraordinary service:
Victoria Nguyen – 25 years, 2 months
Alex Ma – 25 years, 2 months
Quyen Huynh – 25 years, 3 months
Eric Wan – 26 years, 8 months
Tony Woo – 27 years, 5 months
Ru Ma – 28 years, 1 month
Ed Lee – 30 years, 8 months
Richard Howard – 31 years
Scott McArdle – 31 years, 1 month
Henry Ira – 33 years, 5 months
Heather Majesko – 36 years, 1 month
Together, these eleven employees represent more than 320 years of cumulative service — an extraordinary testament to their dedication, institutional knowledge, and unwavering commitment to CDFA’s mission.
Leadership Appreciation
On behalf of CDFA’s executive leadership, the audience was thanked for their exceptional volume of work, adaptability, and professionalism—especially during a time of rapid technological change and evolving statewide initiatives. Leadership emphasized the high number of complex projects moving through CDFA and acknowledged the reliability and expertise with which ITSD consistently meets those demands. Their message underscored how vital the division is to the agency’s success and how deeply valued ITSD’s contributions are across the organization.
ITSD Director Fred Gomez welcomes IT employees to the meeting this morning.
Secretary Ross at COP30 in Brazil, meeting with a Mexican delegation to discuss deforestation and regenerative agriculture.
CDFA Secretary Karen Ross and Virginia Jameson, Deputy Secretary for Climate and Working Lands, are in Belém, Brazil this week for COP30, the United Nations’ annual climate summit.
California is a global leader in climate-smart agriculture and remains a steadfast partner in confronting the climate crisis.
Throughout the week, Secretary Ross will be highlighting California’s leadership and strengthening international cooperation to support farmers, ranchers, and communities worldwide.
It’s been a productive start to the week:
Secretary Ross met with Mexico’s delegation to discuss shared strategies for addressing deforestation and expanding incentives for regenerative agriculture, and:
Participated in a panel moderated by The Nature Conservancy, alongside Brazilian leaders, highlighting nature-based solutions, including healthy soils and regenerative grazing, and emphasizing the essential role of indigenous communities in climate action both in the Amazon and around the world.
Convened with colleagues from Australia to discuss common challenges related to livestock methane, incentivizing soil health practices, and drought.
Emphasized the importance of robust monitoring, reporting, and verification for global methane emission reduction in the livestock sector on the Clean Air Task Force’s panel on Methane in Action
Met with CIGAR, a global research partnership, to discuss opportunities for collaboration in climate-smart agriculture.
California is proud to collaborate globally to advance sustainable agriculture and build climate resilience from the ground up.
Pictured: Secretary Karen Ross (third from left), along with California State Assemblymember Chris Rogers (fourth from left), Assemblymember Damon Connolly (fifth from right); Andy Berliner (founder and CEO of Amy’s Kitchen, center); also included, Amy’s Kitchen staff and California Energy Commission staff members.
CDFA Karen Ross visited Amy’s Kitchen in Santa Rosa to see firsthand the results of a California Energy Commission–funded project driving innovation in food processing.
In the video below, Secretary Ross highlights how this project supports the state’s Cap-and-Invest strategy, helping California transition to a carbon-neutral economy while protecting local communities, sustainable jobs, and the future of California-grown food.
At CDFA we take great pride when we discover practices and standards utilized here in California are sources of inspiration beyond our borders. Recently, India’s Ministry of Fisheries Animal Husbandry & Dairying Government released its draft “Guidelines/SOP for Blood Transfusion and Blood Bank for Animals in India,” citing CDFA’s guidance in its references. This recognition underscores the influence of the agency’s work through the California Animal Blood Banks program (CABB).
The guidance provides clear information on best practices and the requirements for starting and operating an animal blood bank. Its development, mandated by California statute, involved collaboration with the California Veterinary Medical Board, technical experts, and other stakeholders. The resource is regularly updated to reflect evolving industry standards.
The CABB team works to forge new ground, developing comprehensive guidelines that not only ensure safety and efficacy but also prioritize the welfare of donor animals. To see this work serve as a model for a nation as large as India – with its vast and diverse animal populations – is a testament to the quality and foresight of our program.
While there has been no formal collaboration with India’s government, we are proud that the guidance and standards we’ve helped pioneer are a source of inspiration, helping to establish safe, ethical, and effective standards for animal healthcare on a global scale. This is a clear indicator that our efforts are aligning with international best practices and contributing to a more structured approach to veterinary medicine worldwide.
We look forward to seeing how these new guidelines are adopted and implemented in India and are thrilled to know that CDFA is playing a part in this important global step forward.
For more information on the CDFA Animal Blood Banking Program, please visit our website at www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/cabb.
