Planting Seeds - Food & Farming News from CDFA

Category Archives: Uncategorized


World Metrology Day 2012 Honors the “Weight of the World”

First things first: this blog post is about metrology, not meteorology. Meteorology is the study of the Earth’s atmosphere and weather. Metrology is the science of measurement. Both are important sciences that impact our everyday lives, but in different ways. A little … Continue reading

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Still the People’s Agency 150 Years Later – Happy Birthday, USDA!

For producers and consumers of food, this is a sesquicentennial like no other. Two weeks ago, we celebrated the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Morrill Act, the single piece of legislation that laid the foundation for the modern … Continue reading

Posted in AG Vision, Agricultural Education, Agricultural Marketing, Alternative Fuels, Asian Citrus Psyllid, Climate Change, Community-based Food System, Dairy, Environment, Farm Bill, Farmers' Markets, Food Access, Food Safety, Glassy-winged Sharpshooter, HLB, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Invasive Species, Pierce's Disease, Specialty Crops, Trade, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Save Our Citrus – CDFA Protects Against Threat of Huanglongbing

CDFA has produced a video showing efforts to protect against the fatal citrus disease huanglongbing, or citrus greening, following its detection in Los Angeles County:

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“California Grown” Offers Tips for Keeping Mother’s Day Flowers at Their Blooming Best

From California Grown and PR Newswire: Mother’s Day is right around the corner and the time is right to celebrate mom by delighting her with fresh cut flowers from California. “California Grown” offers the following tips for keeping her flowers … Continue reading

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Huge Almond Crop Projected

From the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, California office: The initial subjective forecast for the 2012 California almond production is 2.00 billion pounds. This is 1.5 percent below last year’s record production of 2.03 billion pounds. Yield, forecasted at 2,560 … Continue reading

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CDFA teams-up with University of California to promote specialty crops at fairs this summer

Come to the fair this summer! The University of California Small Farm Program and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Division of Fairs and Expositions are teaming up to connect fruit, vegetable, nut, and flower farmers with county … Continue reading

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Opinion piece – Why I Choose to Eat Meat

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/05/05/why-choose-to-eat-meat/#ixzz1uCFhAAUb I am a fifth generation California cattleman, with my sons and daughter actively involved in the ranch. I guess some would classify me as an animal killer because we grow cattle to produce beef. And I know non-ranchers struggle … Continue reading

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May 5 – Citrus de Mayo

CDFA is joining the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in encouraging Californians to make the annual May 5 festivities a “Citrus de Mayo” affair by celebrating citrus’ role in the day’s food and culture—while also raising awareness … Continue reading

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Thank you, Mr. Lincoln

I had an opportunity this week to acknowledge and help commemorate a genuinely transformative event in American history. The action itself was simple – the stroke of a pen. And, as it turned out, the man wielding the pen has … Continue reading

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LA Times editorial on BSE

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-madcow-california-20120502,0,2552488.story May 2, 2012 Mad cow disease has the power to terrify, but at this point, U.S. consumers have far more to fear from other sources of food poisoning. There have been no human deaths from eating mad-cow-tainted beef in … Continue reading

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