Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

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Wasp holds promise for control of Asian citrus psyllid – From the Riverside Press-Enterprise

http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/riverside/riverside-headlines-index/20120925-region-psyllid-killing-wasp-taking-hold.ece  BY MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pe.com A tiny insect from Pakistan is finding a foothold in the Inland Empire — good news for anyone with an orange tree in their yard or a citrus grove to maintain. Tamarixia radiata is a … Continue reading

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News Release – California State Board of Food and Agriculture to Discuss Specialty Crop Block Grant Program at October 2 Meeting

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/egov/Press_Releases/Press_Release.asp?PRnum=12-034  The California State Board of Food and Agriculture will discuss the department’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program at its upcoming meeting on October 2, 2012. The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the California … Continue reading

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Meet CDFA’s “Golden Rooster”

Each year, the California poultry industry recognizes the contributions of an individual who inspires with leadership and dedication, and that person is presented with the “Golden Rooster” award. This year’s honoree is California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Whiteford Jones, who was named as … Continue reading

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Hormone therapy makes sterile male fruit flies more macho, more attractive to females

The following is a summary of scientific research by the USDA. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2012/120904.htm Released en masse, sterile Mexican fruit flies can undermine a wild population of the fruit-damaging pests so that fewer applications of insecticide are needed. But the irradiation used to … Continue reading

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Secretary Ross joins coalition urging swift passage of Farm Bill

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross joined colleagues from states across the country, speaking as NASDA, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, in sending a letter to Congress urging swift passage of the 2012 Farm Bill. http://www.nasda.org/cms/7196/20728/32676/35149.aspx September 18, 2012 Dear … Continue reading

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Farm to School Programs Teach, Nourish

I love visiting schools. When I see all those young faces I see the future – bright-eyed children who will be leading us in 20, 30 or 40 years. Those of us in positions of responsibility have an obligation to … Continue reading

Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Community-based Food System, Specialty Crops, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Drought Assistance; New Farmers Programs; Guidebook on Access To Capital – Partnership With USDA Continues To Provide Outstanding Benefits For California

A key to success at the California Department of Food and Agriculture is great partnerships, and one of our most important ones is with the USDA. We share a mission, we share knowledge, and we share resources as we work … Continue reading

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California Dairy Future Task Force asked to evaluate long-term solutions

Despite the perfect storm of economic challenges affecting our dairy industry, cooperation and strategic reform can provide a more sustainable marketplace for our dairy farmers. Many dairies suffered steep financial losses as a result of the economic collapse in 2008 … Continue reading

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Creative Solutions Bring National Recognition for CDFA’s Division of Information Technology

There are two widely-known trends affecting the way state government does business in California. One, of course, is the remarkable advance of technology, and the other is a challenging budget climate that has altered assumptions in the workplace. In information … Continue reading

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Celebrate National Honey Month by Learning about Honey Bee Haven at UC Davis

With the month of Septepmber–National Honey Month–just ahead, it’s a good time to feature The Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven -a half-acre bee-friendly garden next to the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility at UC Davis.  The garden is designed to provide bees with a year-around … Continue reading

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