Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

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Lots of demand in California for record mushroom crop – from the Sacramento Bee

By Debbie Arrington Mushrooms can grow on you. For mushroom farmers and nutritionists, that’s a good thing. According to experts, demand for the tasty fungi keeps, well, mushrooming as consumers discover more varieties to try in different ways. “Mushroom demand … Continue reading

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‘By the Numbers’ – a look at the California Department of Food and Agriculture

We live in the age of data. From soil sensors to livestock identification, numbers and the patterns and trends they reveal are central to the way we work, both on the farm and here at the California Department of Food … Continue reading

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The Season of Giving – December is Farm to Food Bank Month

By CDFA Secretary Karen Ross & Bryce Lundberg, Lundberg Family Farms and member of the CA State Board of Food and Agriculture. Over the years more than 200 California farmers and ranchers have contributed more than one-billion pounds of food to … Continue reading

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World Soil Day: Celebrating the Magic Beneath

Written by CDFA and the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in California  Today is World Soil Day, as recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to celebrate the importance of soil as a critical component of natural … Continue reading

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Governor Brown Issues Statement on California Air Resources Board Draft Plan to Achieve 2030 Climate Goals

  Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued the following statement on the California Air Resources Board’s initial draft plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 – the most ambitious target in North … Continue reading

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USDA Secretary Vilsack honored with portrait unveiling in Washington DC

    Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s official portrait, painted by Iowa artist Rose Frantzen, has been unveiled at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Washington, D.C. Secretary Vilsack is the nation’s 30th Agriculture Secretary, serving since 2009. CDFA Secretary … Continue reading

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A look at CDFA’s Medfly quarantine response

CDFA announced a quarantine today for a Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) infestation in Panorama City, Los Angeles County. The Medfly detections there have resulted in a series of responses from the agency’s Division of Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services, … Continue reading

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CDFA joins other state agencies in releasing draft plan to make water conservation in California a way of life

News release excerpted Working to make water conservation a way of life, state agencies have released a draft plan for achieving long-term efficient water use and meeting drought preparedness goals that reflect California’s diverse climate, landscape and demographic conditions. The … Continue reading

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#Farm2Fan video series – Sun-Splashed Peaches in Fresno County

California Grown and Visit California are teaming up to produce the #Farm2Fan video series, profiling farms throughout California and fans of those farms who stop by for a visit. The videos are funded by a grant from CDFA’s Specialty Crop … Continue reading

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Wettest start to NorCal rainy season in 30 years, but drought persists – from the Sacramento Bee

By Dale Kasler and Ryan Sabalow It’s only a beginning. But it’s a strong beginning, and it offers at least a rain gauge’s worth of hope to a state enduring its fifth year of drought. The National Weather Service said … Continue reading

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