Huntington Beach Union High School District students are encouraged to develop lifelong relationships with healthy food as they peruse and sample produce grown by the Community Action Partnership of Orange County, supported through a CDFA Farm to School Incubator Grant.
The Community Action Partnership of Orange County (CAP OC) is putting its CDFA Farm to School Incubator Grant funding to good use, expanding access to fresh, locally grown food for Huntington Beach Union High School District (HBUHSD) students.
“This partnership has allowed our Nutrition Services Department to offer healthier meals while strengthening students’ connections to whole foods, agriculture and gardening,” said HBUHSD Nutrition Services Administrator John Chiu.
At the center of this work is CAP OC’s 8-acre Giving Farm that grows fresh produce, including strawberries, watermelon, avocados, oranges, broccoli and butternut squash, used in school meals.
“When seasonal items are available or featured in meals, we promote them through social media and district communications so students can see the direct connection between local farming and what’s on their plate,” Chiu added.
Students, faculty and administrators also interact with the fresh produce through a bi-monthly farmers’ market hosted by HBUHSD’s Adult Transition Program.
“These markets allow our team to sample fresh produce, test new recipes with students and provide nutrition education,” Chiu explained. “It’s about meeting students where they are and making healthy food approachable and exciting.”
Through their collaborative efforts and support from CDFA’s Farm to School Regional staff, CAP OC and HBUHSD remain committed to building a sustainable, educational and nourishing food system that benefits students today and for years to come. Visit the CDFA Farm to School Program website for more information.
Celebrating the beginning of the International Year of the Woman Farmer at the famous Central de Abasto (Central Market) in Mexico City today, California Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross joined a panel of experts to talk about the many roles of women in the food supply chain, and about the shared experience of California and Mexico as friends, neighbors and business partners.
Her comments included an interview with Milenio TV:
“Mexico is a very, very important friend, neighbor, business partner of the State of California, and we look forward to binational, subnational opportunities to work together to increase our friendship, to increase our business relationship, and to face the challenges of the future – with women involved.”
“Women have always been part of agriculture – but it’s important that we hold women up and show the younger generation all the ways women are involved in our food supply chain, and most importantly in the nourishment of our families, the nourishment of our communities, as well as the nourishment of the land, as we face climate change and challenges to being productive and food secure.”
Secretary Ross is in Mexico this week to strengthen partnerships, including launching a Binational Agricultural Working Group focused on research to advance science-based policy for a more sustainable future.
We’re kicking off 2026 with a new site! We’ve updated www.cdfa.ca.gov with a new look-and-feel, all designed to help our agricultural stakeholders and public users find what they need more efficiently and intuitively, using visual cues, clear labeling, and organization that tracks and matches the way users interact with our pages.
The main landing page is completely redesigned with users in mind. Our most popular destinations, like current press releases, the “Famer Resources” portal, and our high-demand grant programs are all up-top and easy to see when the site first loads. Next up are links to licensing and registration, our Planting Seeds blog, board/commission meeting information, and emergency resources. Based on user data, this is what’s needed most often and now it is more easily accessible.
And as you scroll below those primary links, user activity determines demand and what goes on the “Popular Pages” list. The list will be dynamically updated as our community’s needs and your “clicks” change over time.
We encourage you to check out this website update, see where your “favorites” are, and drop us a line with any constructive feedback. This is your site, and we’re proud to bring it to you.
In his final State of the State address on Thursday, Jan. 8, California Governor Gavin Newsom praised “the farmers who work the soil, nourished by our rivers.” He highlighted First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s contributions to school food nutrition, as part of our ongoing efforts to get more locally grown food into school cafeterias. And he foreshadowed today’s announcement of “a budget that continues our nation-leading investments in school meals.” On California’s reputation for innovation and leadership, he specifically named agriculture as a leading industry and said, “We don’t run from change – we drive it.”
We are grateful that our climate smart ag work will continue with Prop. 4 funding in the proposed budget. We have invested nearly $600 million since 2019 to advance climate smart agricultural practices, funding nearly 3,000 projects across 300,000 acres resulting in a reduction of approximately 27.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent across the life of the projects – the equivalent of taking 6.4 million cars off the road and saving 1.5 million acre-feet of water.
In the same period, we invested over $100 million to transform the California school food system through the Farm to School Program, now reaching 49% of all California school children with projects that provide access to local, climate smart and nutritious foods while supporting local farms with new market opportunities. The budget proposes $25.2 million ongoing to advance Farm to School.
As we move with purpose into 2026, CDFA is dedicated to helping our farmers, ranchers and everyone working in the food supply chain to grow, innovate, become more resilient to climate change and economic pressures, and prepare for the opportunities that come with the very bright future for California.
California’s female farmers and farmworkers are at the heart of our food system, driving advances in innovation, food safety, quality, and sustainability every day. Whether behind the scenes or in the fields, women are actively shaping the future of agriculture worldwide. To celebrate their contributions, the United Nations has declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer. Let’s take a look at how women are impacting agriculture in the Golden State.
Women Grow the Future
Women have always played a vital role in California agriculture – and their influence grows stronger every year. Over the last decade, there has been a 13% increase in the number of female farmers in California. As more women assume leadership roles, they are changing the face of agriculture in real time – making key business decisions and leading the next wave of innovation in food production and sustainability.
Cultivating Sustainability
Because 63% of California farms are female-operated (which means at least one woman is part of the ownership), women are responsible for key decisions about protecting the future of family farms. Whether protecting soil health or finding more innovative ways to conserve water, women are helping ensure California’s farmland stays productive for generations to come.
When Women Thrive, Communities Flourish
President John F. Kennedy popularized the phrase, “a rising tide lifts all boats,” and this is especially true in agriculture. When women have equal access to resources, farms are more productive, communities grow stronger, and local families thrive. Supporting women in agriculture means supporting agricultural policies that reflect the diversity of all the people who help put food on our tables and wine in our glasses.
California: Rooted in Equality, Leading the Nation
Californians have always known that women play an essential role in agriculture, so a woman’s right to landownership has been protected since the inception of the state. So, it’s no surprise that California is home to more female-operated farms than any other major agricultural state. Nearly two-thirds of the state’s farms are run by women, and women make up 38% of California’s agricultural producers!
Supporting the Woman Farmer – Choose California Grown
Celebrate the International Year of the Woman Farmer by choosing California Grown food, wine and flowers. California farmers produce 80% of the nation’s wine, grow half of all U.S. produce and lead the country in dairy production. And, 93% of California farms are still family-owned. When you choose California Grown, you’re supporting farm families, local communities and the women who help make it all possible.
Granny May’s Strawberry Farm is Elisabeth Saechao’s family legacy. Her Placer County U-pick farm offers visitors a first-hand look at where their food really comes from – and the opportunity to harvest their own fresh fruits.
To say that Audrey Pascone and Heather Austin are passionate about organic foods is an understatement. After embracing a healthier, organic diet and experiencing its positive impact firsthand, the two women uprooted their Bay Area lives to found an organic farm in Red Bluff, California – Red Gate Ranch.
Francie Heffernan is part of the future of California agriculture – and one of the “five Marys” behind Five Marys Ranch. Her family’s brand harnesses the power of social media to share the realities of ranch life, educating and entertaining their followers along the way.
Article by Hilary Rance and photography by James Collier and Hilary Rance for CA GROWN.
The Cal Poly Universities Rose Float, Jungle Jumpstart, makes its way towards Colorado Blvd in Pasadena during the Rose Parade January 1, 2026.
Cal Poly’s student-built Rose Float, Jungle Jumpstart, has been named the Sweepstakes Award winner at the 137th Rose Parade – the parade’s highest honor, recognizing the most beautiful float overall.
This historic win marks the first time in nearly 80 years that Cal Poly has earned the Sweepstakes Award, an achievement typically dominated by large, commercially built floats and major organizations.
Designed, engineered, and built entirely by students from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Pomona, Jungle Jumpstart showcased a creative fusion of nature and technology. Students led every aspect of the project — from concept and mechanical design to floral decoration, logistics, and final assembly — collaborating across disciplines, campuses, and hundreds of miles.
California Department of Food and Agriculture SecretaryKaren Ross congratulates the teams on their achievement, “We are all incredibly proud of the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Pomona students for earning the Sweepstakes Award. Their creativity, dedication, and teamwork reflect the very best of California’s future innovators and leaders.”
Cal Poly universities’ “Jungle Jumpstart” rainforest float that showed how nature and technology work together to create a better world received the Sweepstakes Award at the 137th Rose Parade® held on a rainy New Year’s Day.
The prestigious honor — a first in the schools’ nearly eight decades in the parade — honors the most beautiful float overall and is typically won by larger, commercially-built floats or major organizations, not by self-built entries that include the California State University campuses.
A view of “Jungle Jumpstart” as it made its way through the streets of Pasadena.Students from both Cal Poly universities cheer as the float drives by.Rainforest creatures on the float included this orange frog.One of the float operators peeks out to look at a sloth, one of the rainforest creatures on “Jungle Jumpstart.”
As CDFA’s primary scientist in the field of biological control, Dr. David Morgan has had a hand in many projects over the years. He came to CDFA from “across the pond,” a few years after arriving on our shores in the mid-90s as a postdoctoral researcher at UC Riverside having just completed his studies at Imperial College (M.Sc. and Ph.D.) in Great Britain.
Long before he became “Dr. Morgan,” though, he was already what we affectionately call an “aggie.” He fondly recalls growing up on his father’s farm in England, where “pest problems moved very slowly” – especially compared to the pace of commercial agriculture as he encountered it upon his arrival in California.
Initially, his focus at CDFA was on monitoring invasive insect pests, and searching for and evaluating their natural enemies. But the majority of his work has involved the development of large-scale insect rearing systems.
“Classical biological control, where beneficial insects are used as a stand-alone pest control strategy, has a magnificent history in California, but biocontrol as a component of Sustainable Pest Management has really come to the forefront during my career, especially in California,” Dr. Morgan reflects. “All told, we’ve released more than 35 million beneficial insects. I am particularly proud of our management of the whole biological control process, from selection to production, release, and post-release monitoring of biocontrol agents to optimize their use in pest management.”
As California agriculture wraps up 2025 and looks toward 2026, conversations about technology, climate, and collaboration are shaping what comes next for food and farming. In a recent episode of the Fresh Takes on Tech podcast, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross joined host Vonnie Estes at the Global Produce and Floral Show in Anaheim to discuss how innovation, from precision agriculture and regenerative practices to biological solutions and artificial intelligence–is helping address rising costs, changing climate conditions, workforce transitions, and food safety challenges. The conversation reflects a pivotal moment for California agriculture, where ideas and investments are being implemented across the supply chain. As the state prepares for the year ahead, this discussion highlights how collaboration and technology can continue strengthening resilience, sustainability, and opportunity across California’s agricultural system.
Watch the full interview to hear Secretary Ross’s perspective on the future of agriculture and the path forward into 2026.
State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones, Public Affairs Director Steve Lyle retiring
State Veterinarian Annette Jones and Public Affairs Director Steve Lyle (left) are retiring at the end of the year. They were hosted at a recent holiday gathering by CDFA Secretary Karen Ross (right), with former CDFA Public Affairs videographer Adrian Woodfork joining the festivities.
By Karen Ross, CDFA Secretary
As our CDFA family prepares to turn the calendar over to 2026, the adage “the only constant is change” seems particularly appropriate this time around.
This week, we say a fond “farewell” to two longstanding and outstanding leaders of our department, State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones and Public Affairs Director Steve Lyle, who are both retiring. Stacked end-to-end, their careers in public service stretch to more than half a century. And for much of that time, they worked in tandem on the department’s successful efforts in response to emergencies and outbreaks ranging from “mad cow” disease and foodborne illnesses to brucellosis and bird flu. It took both Annette’s expertise as a veterinarian and a veteran of public policy, and Steve’s experience as a journalist and communicator, to build and lead these emergency response efforts as parallel projects to solve the scientific problems at-hand while also keeping producers, stakeholders and consumers informed of the importance of compliance, vigilance and cooperation. We have been fortunate as a state, as consumers, and as producers to have the benefit of such leadership during these critical times, when no less than public health, animal health and the continuity of our food supply were at stake.
Steve’s and Annette’s careers here covered such a broad swath of projects, challenges and successes that any attempt at a list would be incomplete. Sufficed to say that whatever issue presented itself, these were the right people for the job, again and again. It has been my pleasure to work with them on their professional journeys as public servants, and I have sincerely appreciated their counsel, conduct and friendship.
In a way, this combination of skills that Annette and Steve so successfully brought together – science and communication – encapsulates what we do best at CDFA.
In recent days, I’ve said “Thank you” in person to our retiring leaders for their service to California and to our state’s agricultural community. I would like to publicly add my thanks to them for their care and dedication in training the next generation of leaders who stand ready to succeed them. Dr. Jones hands the reins of our Animal Health and Food Safety Services (AHFSS) Division to two experienced leaders in their own right, Acting State Veterinarian Dr. Amanda “Mandy” Murray and newly appointed AHFSS Division Director Stephen Beam; and Steve Lyle is succeeded by Acting Public Affairs Director Jay Van Rein, a 25-year veteran with our communications office.
Much of what CDFA does is about the stability of agricultural markets, the safety and reliability of the food supply, and the innovation that allows those conditions to evolve and endure. What makes all of that happen isn’t just the laws, the bills, the regulations – it’s our people. It’s our CDFA employees who work with farmers and ranchers and everyone up and down the food production and marketing chain, helping build both strength and foresight into our food systems.
I trust you will all join me in sending our appreciation to those embarking upon the adventure of retirement, and our support and congratulations to those stepping forward into new roles. I, for one, feel blessed and thankful to be a part of this tremendous team and this ever-changing, always-learning process called government.
As we wrap up 2025, we are reflecting on another year of growth, collaboration, and dedication to California agriculture and animal health. To celebrate the season, we are sharing a festive holiday video with a little North Pole magic.
State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones, who is closing out her final year of service, received an urgent request from Santa himself, seeking official approval to bring his reindeer into California.
