Heavy rainfall in early 2023 caused floodwater challenges for many in California’s agriculture community, and CDFA is offering a web page featuring relief and support resources from state and federal partners.
We will continue to monitor the range of resources available and will update the page as needed.
CDFA Secretary Karen Ross was in the Santa Rosa area this week to meet participating farmworkers at the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation 2023 Leadership Academy. Secretary Ross provided an overview of California agriculture and discussed the importance of a robust, highly-trained workforce.
The academy was established a year ago. Secretary Ross spoke at the program’s inaugural opening session then and hosted the participants at CDFA for their final class in the fall of 2022. She explains the importance of the academy in this video.
From the Department of Water Resources
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is pleased to announce grant applications are now being accepted for the LandFlex Grant Program. The $25 million grant program awards funds to Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) within critically overdrafted basins, which will then grant awards to growers to:
1. Immediately idle land as a drought-relief measure for a period of approximately one year
2. Permanently eliminate groundwater overdraft of these same lands. The program targets operators of small- and mid-sized farms in areas where the reduction of agricultural pumping would protect drinking water wells from going dry.
DWR, in coordination with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is working directly with partners in non-governmental organizations and the agriculture industry to reach vulnerable communities in need and provide small or disadvantaged farmers access to the program. Partners include the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Self-Help Enterprises, Western United Dairies Foundation, and the Almond Alliance.
The grant application process comes after the completion and review of public comments for the program’s draft guidelines. Final guidelines can be found online at https://water.ca.gov/landflex. GSAs may submit applications through February 3, 2023.
To learn more about the LandFlex program and how to apply, please visit: https://water.ca.gov/landflex.
Today, the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) published the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) final rule, with an effective date of March 20, 2023. This update strengthens oversight and enforcement of the production, handling, and sale of organic products. This final rule implements 2018 Farm Bill mandates, responds to industry requests for updates to USDA organic regulations, and addresses National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) recommendations.
“Protecting and growing the organic sector and the trusted USDA organic seal is a key part of the USDA Food Systems Transformation initiative,” said Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The Strengthening Organic Enforcement rule is the biggest update to the organic regulations since the original Act in 1990, providing a significant increase in oversight and enforcement authority to reinforce the trust of consumers, farmers, and those transitioning to organic production. This success is another demonstration that USDA fully stands behind the organic brand.”
What does the rule do?
SOE protects organic integrity and bolsters farmer and consumer confidence in the USDA organic seal by supporting strong organic control systems, improving farm to market traceability, increasing import oversight authority, and providing robust enforcement of the organic regulations. Key updates include:
SOE complements and supports the many actions that USDA takes to protect the organic label, including the registration of the USDA organic seal trademark with the USPTO. The registered trademark provides authority to deter uncertified entities from falsely using the seal, which together with this new rule provides additional layers of protection to the USDA organic seal.
Who is affected?
The rule may affect USDA-accredited certifying agents; organic inspectors; certified organic operations; operations considering organic certification; businesses that import or trade organic products; and retailers that sell organic products. To see if you are affected by SOE, please read the full rule available at: www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2023-00702/national-organic-program-strengthening-organic-enforcement
When must organic operations comply with the rule?
Organic operations, certifying agents, and other organic stakeholders affected by the rule will have one year from the effective date of the rule to comply with the changes.
Learn more about the final rule: www.ams.usda.gov/organic/SOE.
CDFA Secretary Karen Ross: “We commend the USDA National Organic Program for taking these vital steps to ensure the integrity of organic certification and labeling with enhanced regulations and enforcement. Our California State Organic Program looks forward to working with the NOP and organic industry on these important changes and collectively strengthening California’s valued organic agriculture.”
CDFA Secretary Karen Ross joined California Natural Resources Agency secretary Wade Crowfoot this week at an almond orchard in Stanislaus County to observe a practice known as Flood-MAR — intentional flooding of agricultural lands to help with groundwater recharge.
There is strong and growing interest in Flood-MAR projects, and the state is committed to working with other state, federal, tribal, and local entities; academia; and landowners to address this interest and build on the knowledge and lessons from past and ongoing studies and programs while pursuing expanded implementation of Flood-MAR and making it an integral part of California’s water portfolio as the state adapts to a hotter, drier future.
See below to watch a short conversation about the practice between Secretaries Ross and Crowfoot.
CDFA Secretary Karen Ross and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf met to take a tour of Gotham Greens in Davis (top photo) before attending a roundtable discussion at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) to identify opportunities to coordinate and advance a comprehensive prevention strategy to enhance food safety in California.
Partners in the discussion included CDFA, the FDA, UC Davis, UCANR, California State University, the office of Congressman Mike Thompson, Western Growers Association, D’Arrigo California, the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement, the Monterey County Farm Bureau, the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California, and the Center for Produce Safety.
The roundtable was a continuation of the California Agricultural Neighbors Initiative promoting collaboration and open communication toward advanced food safety in California.
Secretary Ross: “We deeply appreciate the collaborative working relationship with FDA on all aspects of food safety and the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act. This was a very constructive discussion with leaders across the produce sector, and I want to thank CDFA Inspection Services director Natalie Krout-Greenberg for organizing the day and Commissioner Califf for spending time with us and participating in some excellent discussions.”
With more rain in the forecast this weekend and ongoing concerns about the risk of flooding in California, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services is providing a list of shelters in the following counties: Merced, Monterey, Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma and Stanislaus. Some of the shelters are at local fairgrounds.
The following tips can help keep your pets and outdoor animals safe during a storm or extreme weather.
From a blog post by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
As a series of strong, winter storms continue to bring rain, wind, and continued flooding to many parts of the state, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) is reminding all Californians about the -importance of preparing your entire family – and that includes your pets.
Preparing yourself and your pets to leave in an emergency will help reduce the stress and anxiety of leaving your home in a hurry.
PLAN AHEAD
Cal OES is working closely with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to ensure that large animal owners are aware of the steps to take ahead of an evacuation.
A little preparation with large animals will make an evacuation easier for all involved. Train them to be caught and loaded in trailers easily. Attach an ID tag to their halter or lead rope.
The CDFA Cares Program is actively engaged with local and regional emergency managers and animal shelters to coordinate resources in support of animal care needs.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced an investment of $9.6 million across the country to help farmers, ranchers, processors and rural businesses diversify the nation’s meat supply.
“USDA is putting the needs of farmers, ranchers and consumers at the forefront of the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to strengthen the resiliency of America’s food supply chain while promoting competition,” said agency secretary Tom Vilsack. “USDA has undertaken a Department-wide approach to coordinate ways to deliver more opportunities and fairer prices for producers, to give people access to healthier foods, eliminate bottlenecks in the food supply chain and ultimately lower prices for consumers.”
Secretary Vilsack announced 25 new projects increase independent meat processing capacity, including an investment in Five Marys Farms, an independent producer of beef, pork and lamb in Siskiyou County. An anticipated expansion of customer base in the amount of 60,784 is expected as a result of the project.
The USDA is awarding 23 Value Added Producer Grant program grants totaling $3.9 million to help producer-owned companies process and market new products. USDA is also providing guarantees for a total of $5.7 million in loans to two companies through the Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program using American Rescue Plan funding. This program supports new investments in infrastructure for food aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storage, transportation, wholesaling and distribution.
Friends and colleagues at CDFA and throughout the state’s agricultural community are joining in congratulating Inspection and Compliance Branch Chief Steve Patton on his retirement last month. He put in 45 years of dedicated and loyal service at CDFA.
Steve began his career in 1977 as a seasonal cling peach inspector with the department’s Processed Products Branch, which covered peaches, pears, garlic and onions, tomatoes, olives and wine grapes. From there, he steadily gained experience, respect and promotions on the way to his culminating post as branch chief.
Steve’s career path at CDFA involved a great deal of field work and thousands of hours spent on farms, in fields, and at processing plants, as well as his time in the office. He also logged a lot of miles getting to and from all of the state’s far-flung agricultural regions.
“Working for CDFA has given me the opportunity to see hundreds of farmers’ markets, thousands of farms and dozens of processing facilities,” Patton said. “And almost all of that was driving; at six-foot-five, flying was never really my favorite way to travel.”
Congratulations, Steve, and thank you on behalf of a grateful department, industry and state.
