Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

Category Archives: Agricultural Education


Ag Day – A Celebration of the Future

I am blessed to be in my 15th month as California’s secretary of agriculture. In my travels around the state, I have gained a new appreciation for the miracles that farmers and ranchers create every day, against considerable odds. As … Continue reading

Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Community-based Food System, Food Access, Specialty Crops, Trade, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

News Advisory – Ag Day on March 21

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/Press_Releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=12-007 WHAT: Ag Day 2012 is the California agricultural community’s annual opportunity to give legislators, Capitol staffers and the public a chance to see what’s new down on the farm. California’s farmers and ranchers provide food, fiber, flowers and more … Continue reading

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Looking Ahead – Ag Day on March 21

California’s annual celebration of farming, Ag Day, is right around the corner. Next Wednesday, March 21, will see thousands of people on the west lawn of the State Capitol, viewing exhibits staffed by Ag groups. It’s a great opportunity for … Continue reading

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CDFA Launches Biosecurity Toolkit For Equine Events

Six different outbreaks of Equine Herpes Virus-1 among show horses in California over the past year have increased awareness of the need for stronger biosecurity measures at equine events. In response, CDFA’s Animal Health Branch developed the Biosecurity Toolkit for … Continue reading

Posted in Agricultural Education, Animal Welfare, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Connecting Consumers to Farmers and Farmers to Resources – the New Food Compass

From my experience at the USDA, I know the great wealth of data the agency has at its fingertips. With the release of the new Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food website tool – the food compass – resources and … Continue reading

Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Community-based Food System, Environment, Food Access, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Nitrogen management – a key issue in farming

Nitrogen, an essential plant nutrient for food crops, is a hot topic right now in California agriculture. Next week, a team of university researchers is scheduled to release a report on nitrate in groundwater in the Tulare Basin and Salinas … Continue reading

Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Cannella Panel, Environment, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

For those thinking about farming – a new website helps the dream become a reality (start2farm.gov)

When I first began farming, the best advice I received came from my neighbors and the local University Ag Extension Office.  The time honored tradition of trial and error was really my business partner in the field.  I learned that … Continue reading

Posted in Agricultural Education, State Board of Food and Agriculture, Succession Planning | 1 Comment

Secretary Ross Opinion Piece Praises Work of Food and Ag Board President Craig McNamara to Train New Farmers – McNamara Receives Irvine Foundation Leadership Award

California State Board of Food and Agriculture President Craig McNamara has been named as a recipient of the 2012 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award. More information about the award program may be found here. To recognize McNamara’s leadership in programs … Continue reading

Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Community-based Food System, Food Access, State Board of Food and Agriculture, Succession Planning, Trade, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Agricultural Education and Our Moment to Shine

Over the last year I have seen a great effort by the FFA, 4-H and other agricultural education associations in raising the visibility and interest in the California Special Interest License Plate for Agriculture (CalAgPlate). This program is a great … Continue reading

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Future is bullish for Ag graduates

My email in-box lit up last week after Yahoo! published a story claiming that college degrees in agriculture are useless.  It certainly is a counterintuitive statement. Across our country, farming is hotter than ever. Agricultural exports broke records in 2011, and … Continue reading

Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Community-based Food System, Food Access, Trade, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments