In recognition of Earth Week, CDFA is spotlighting its Food Recovery webpage, dedicated to reducing food waste.

The USDA reports that 30-40 percent of the U.S. food supply turns to food waste. CalRecycle reports that Californians discards 5-6 million tons of food every year.

The Food Recovery Hierarchy (right) and CDFA programs help consumers as well as farmers and ranchers reduce food waste through recycling and reuse, resulting in more food for people, feed for animals, and a series of additional uses beneficial to the environment.

There are several examples of agency programs that reflect the values of the hierarchy.

The Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability (OARS), through its Healthy Soils Program, offers grants for activities like the mulching of almond shells to help reduce the evaporation of surface water while building highly-coveted organic matter in soil.

CDFA’s Rendering Program oversees the re-use of inedible kitchen grease for an array of products, including biofuel, soaps, cosmetics, shampoos, and feed for the livestock, poultry and pets.

And the agency’s Commercial Feed Regulatory Program offers an incentivized tax rate for commercial feed producers that upcycle human food byproducts to animal feed within California’s livestock feed industry.

The reduction of food waste is a serious worldwide concern, and CDFA is committed to contributing to the effort.

On Earth Day yesterday, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross joined Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom at CSU Chico’s University Farm to celebrate the progress being made across California’s agricultural education system and its importance to sustainability and other vital measures highlighted on Earth Day

In this video, Secretary Ross recaps the energy, vision, and commitment showcased at CSU Chico—including farm-to-school programs, regenerative agriculture, hands-on learning experiences, and climate-smart practices, all of which are shaping the future of farming and ranching.

Earth Day 2025 came alive today at Chico State University, where CDFA Secretary Karen Ross joined Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, along with other state leaders, educators, and local champions, to spotlight the power of farm to school programs, regenerative, and organic agriculture, and climate-smart agriculture.

With over $85 million invested in California’s Farm to School efforts, the impact is already evident — nutrition directors across the state are sourcing locally, building resilient food systems, and feeding the next generation with a focus on nutrition initiatives. As Secretary Ross noted, 49 percent of California schools now participate in farm to school programs.

From regenerative agriculture to experiential learning, speakers today in Chico emphasized the importance of hands-on, values-based education. One panelist, Marissa Stevens, Director of Nutrition Services at Red Bluff Joint Union High School District, proudly shared how their school has gone from serving 350 daily lunches to more than 900—a sign of real, scalable change.

Today’s Earth Day event was more than a celebration — it was a clear signal that this is an area where growth will occur, with schools, farms and communities coming together to steward the land and invest in California’s future.

In recognition of today (April 22) as Earth Day, CDFA would like to lift-up farmers and ranchers as stewards of the land, nurturing the soil, conserving water, and protecting biodiversity to sustain our food systems.

In California, where 90 percent of farms are family-owned, these growers provide a third of the nation’s vegetables and over three-quarters of its fruits and nuts—all while navigating challenges like drought, extreme heat, and shifting pest pressures.

CDFA’s Office of Agricultural Resilience & Sustainability (OARS) supports farmers and ranchers to implement science-driven solutions that enhance sustainability. through programs promoting practices that help build healthy soils, save water and energy, support biodiversity, and manage and utilize agricultural waste.  

CDFA and OARS are committed to supporting a vibrant agricultural economy, healthy communities, and thriving ecosystems.

This Earth Day let’s celebrate the hardworking hands that feed us while protecting our natural resources—because for farmers and ranchers, every day is Earth Day!

As part of Earth Week activities across the country and around the world, CDFA is spotlighting the rendering industry as vital to California food and agriculture waste reduction, and the agency supports those who work in rendering by recognizing National Rendering Day on April 21.  

Rendering preserves the environment and lowers our carbon footprint. The process converts used cooking oil and animal by-products into new products. These become animal feed, ingredients in pet food, and goods like fertilizers, paints, and cosmetics. Recycled cooking oil accounts for 75 percent of the state’s biofuel.
 
In California, CDFA’s Meat, Poultry, and Egg Safety Branch oversees rendering and safeguards the environment, animal welfare, and public health.

NOTE — Earth Day is tomorrow, April 22.

CDFA’s Information Technology Services Division (ITSD) – working with the Inspection Services Division’s Produce Safety Program (PSP) – was recognized with five awards from the California Public Sector Chief Information Officer Academy for stellar work in government technology.

Three ITSD staff members received individual awards. Senior Project Manager Ed Lee was awarded for outstanding leadership and project management expertise as well as the ability to motivate and inspire those around him. Senior Project Manager Robin Root was awarded for exceptional leadership and organization acumen while fostering a positive and inclusive atmosphere. Technology Governance Section Chief Sherri Winfree was awarded for a proactive leadership style that sets a high standard and inspires her colleagues to excel.

A Project Implementation Team Award was given for CDFA’s launch of the PSP Portal, a groundbreaking farm and inspections data repository launched in August 2024. Completed on time, in scope and within budget, this transformational project positions California as a leader in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety, ensuring safer food production through technology-driven oversight. ITSD team members named in the photo, as well as Daniel Godinez and former CDFA employees Cyndi Reimer and Marc Grijalva, helped the project launch. Produce Safety Program members named in the photo, as well as Sarah Standiford and Benjamin Taylor, helped develop the project before ITSD made it live.

A Contracts and Procurement Team Award was given to CDFA’s Technology Governance Section (TGS) for playing a critical role in financial management, strategic planning, and project execution. Through strategic leadership and dedication, the TGS team has strengthened CDFA’s ability to implement innovative solutions, ensuring that technology, fiscal responsibility and sustainability align with California’s long-term conservation and development goals.

The USDA has designated April as Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month, and CDFA is aligning with that by highlighting its work to eradicate invasive fruit flies, especially over the last two years.

Infestations reached record levels in 2023, with 1,248 square miles of California under quarantine. However, with efforts focused on the biology of the pest rather than pesticides, CDFA was able to achieve 100 percent eradication.

CDFA’s work in this area, as covered in the report “Progress for California’s Agriculture Community,” reminds us all that it’s in our best interest to take basic steps to protect agriculture, our natural environment, our gardens and parks, and other shared spaces.

Read more here: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/exec/Executive_PublicAffairs/exec/public_affairs/pdf/cdfa_report_2025.pdf

At the California State Nutrition Association (CSNA) Legislative Action Conference yesterday (April 7), CDFA Farm to School Program Manager Nick Anicich discussed how the initiative is benefitting students, farmers, and school meal supply chain partners across California.

From frequent Farm to School Network calls for inspiration and technical assistance to the California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program offering state funding to support schools and farmers, Anicich reminded the audience that California is something to be proud of. He also encouraged all in attendance to contact their CDFA farm-to-school regional advisor, working in eight regions across the state, with any questions.

“Just reach out,” Anicich said. “Want to set up a garden tour? We know someone. Looking for funding or advice? We have ideas.”

The CSNA Legislative Action Conference encourages members to discuss the importance of preserving adequate funding for child nutrition with partners and elected officials. Visit https://calsna.org/ for more information.

To learn more about the CDFA Farm to School Program, its regional advisors and grant opportunities to advance farm to school across California, please visit https://cafarmtofork.cdfa.ca.gov/.

By CDFA Secretary Karen Ross

Whenever I’m asked to describe or summarize California agriculture, especially for an audience that isn’t Californian, it’s an opportunity to start a conversation and learn what our more global audience thinks and knows about what we do here. The scale of farming and ranching here is fairly well known – but what often isn’t so universally appreciated is the “how”or the “why” of what we do, both as an industry and as the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). And my description of what we do here begins with the updated mission statement that is the basis for this updated Strategic Plan 2025-2030 document: “To safeguard a resilient food system and promote an equitable marketplace, cultivating a California grown food supply that is globally recognized for innovation, quality, and sustainability.”

Leaders in our agricultural community are familiar with “Ag Vision,” a long-term plan for farmers and ranchers as well as workers and communities. It’s led by our State Board of Food and Agriculture, and it also serves to guide areas of focus for CDFA. It’s not a static plan; it’s a catalyst for action, both for producers and for us.

My vision for this document, our CDFA Strategic Plan update through 2030, aligns with Ag Vision. I want this to be the rubric for everything we do, whether that’s our core work protecting crops and responding to animal disease outbreaks, or all of the other work we do to help producers be better stewards of land and resources, or to help ag researchers and other partners continue to innovate, or to help consumers learn more about where and who their food comes from and how it is grown.

This plan is as much about the “how” and the “why” of what we do as it is about the importance of the tasks themselves. It’s about building equitable and resilient food systems and communities; it’s about collaboration and innovation; it’s about agricultural literacy. It’s about courtesy and compassion, expertise and empathy, diversity and accessibility. It’s about making sure each action and interaction includes and embraces and enacts these goals and ideals.

This document is about CDFA, but if you are a Californian, it is for you – the consumer, the stakeholder, the agricultural community member.

On Thursday night April 3, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross addressed California FFA students at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, delivering an inspiring message about the power of teamwork, innovation, and the role of FFA in shaping the future of agriculture.

More than 7,000 students and 1,000 of their advisors are gathered in the capital this weekend for the 2025 State Future Farmers of America (FFA) Leadership Conference, the largest annual statewide career technical student organization event in California. The conference, which brings together young leaders from 368 chapters, focuses on leadership development, career exploration, and the future of ag.

“You are part of helping the next generation forge the future of agriculture,” Secretary Ross told the students. She emphasized the importance of local communities, collaboration, and investing in the next generation of leaders. She encouraged students to recognize the role they play in strengthening the agricultural industry.

California remains an agricultural powerhouse, leading the nation with a $59 billion industry in 2023. Secretary Ross highlighted that beyond agriculture, California also ranks number one in technology, manufacturing, food and beverage production, entertainment, and tourism—underscoring the state’s vast economic strength and global impact.

Throughout the conference, students will participate in legislative gatherings, scholarship and proficiency interviews, a career expo, and the FFA’s Farm Robotics Challenge Academy.

As Secretary Ross concluded, she expressed gratitude for the commitment of FFA members, stating, “Thank you for the investment you are making in agriculture’s future.”

Following her remarks, Secretary Ross was invited to recognize FFA chapter winners for California Agricultural Plate (AgPlate) marketing efforts. The California AgPlate can be obtained at the DMV and supports agricultural education and youth leadership development—benefiting FFA students by providing funding for programs within California FFA. 

The 2025 State FFA Leadership Conference runs through April 6.