California Ag Network

Tag: California Department of Food and Agriculture

  • Grape Crush Report Rescheduled for April 10 Release

    The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) are rescheduling cooperatively funded reports that were affected by the lapse in federal funding. During the lapse, NASS was not able to collect data nor issue reports, including those funded by state and industry programs.

    The following reports have been rescheduled and others will be announced as soon as they are determined:

    • 2018 California Grape Crush Report will be released Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at Noon Pacific Time, providing that funding remains available for Fiscal Year 2019.
    • There will not be a Grape Crush Preliminary Report this year.
    • 2018 California Grape Acreage Report will be released Friday, April 19, 2019 at Noon Pacific Time, providing that funding remains available for Fiscal Year 2019.

    In order to expedite the rescheduled reports and give producers more time to complete their surveys, NASS requests that anyone who received a survey, please respond as quickly as possible:

    If you have received any of these surveys and have not responded, but no longer have the survey form, please call 800-851-1127 from 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Pacific Time. NASS representatives may call to collect information as well. NASS surveys provide critical data used by numerous different federal, state and local programs that benefit farmers and ranchers.

    These reports will be available in the May issue of American Vineyard Magazine.

  • CDFA’s Work to Regulate Antibiotics in Livestock

    A report issued last week by a consortium of environmental groups on antibiotics in the meat supply chain highlights the importance of work being undertaken by California Department of Food and Agriculture as the first state in the nation to regulate the use of antibiotics in livestock. The report touched on CDFA’s efforts but it is important to clearly state what is being done to implement the legislation in collaboration with sister agencies and a broad, diverse set of stakeholders.

    As of January 1st, 2018, California became the first state in the nation to require veterinary oversight for the use of all medically important antibiotics used in livestock (not just in feed or water). The state law also prohibits growth promotion use and goes above and beyond the federal requirements to prohibit the use of medically important antibiotics in a regular pattern for disease prevention unless necessary for surgical or medical procedures. This is currently the only legislation that requires data collection from willing participants to monitor antibiotic use practices, assess trends in antibiotic resistance, and to inform the development of antimicrobial stewardship guidelines and best management practices to effect change in antibiotic usage.

    The California Department of Food and Agriculture has hired experienced and qualified staff to work with multiple state and federal partners, as well as university researchers, to collect information across California’s diverse livestock production types, coordinating with existing systems and efforts where possible. In less than two years, the Antimicrobial Use & Stewardship program’s efforts, through in-house surveys and contracted studies, have developed data from  nearly 1,400 operations, representing more than half a million animals across 55 counties in California, and- reflecting antibiotic use and management practices across beef and dairy cattle, sheep, and backyard poultry operations.

    Additionally, the Antimicrobial Use & Stewardship program has initiated on-farm sampling, covering a population of more than 50 operations and 128,000 animals in California that will voluntarily be sampled over time. Data collection efforts are ongoing and will continue to expand as the program moves forward.

    CDFA is committed to fulfilling the requirements of state law and continuing to work with all stakeholders to achieve a safe, secure, and bountiful food supply, while reducing the emergence of antimicrobial resistance.

  • California launches first dairy digester pipeline cluster

    CDFA Undersecretary Jenny Lester Moffitt congratulates Calgren and their partner dairies and contractors at the launch of the new digester cluster facility.

    California is proud to announce the state’s first dairy digester pipeline cluster. CDFA Undersecretary Jenny Lester Moffitt was on-hand this week for the launch of Calgren Renewable Fuels’ new facility, which partners with local dairies in the Pixley, California area.

    Eleven digesters, 22 miles of pipeline and 75,000 cows contribute to this interconnected system, which will collectively reduce an estimated of 1,867,651 metric tons of CO2 (equivalent) over 10 years. That’s equal to 399,925 passenger vehicles driven for 1 year or 201,668 homes’ electricity use for 1 year. Now that’s cow power.

    Touring the Calgren facility.

    The digesters and the cluster project were made possible in part by grants in 2017 and 2018 from CDFA’s Dairy Digester Research and Development Program totaling approximately $16 million, with an additional $17.5 million in matching funds provided by the dairies and Calgren.

  • CA Table Grape Commission Celebrates 50 Years

    CDFA Secretary Karen Ross

    In recognition of the 50th anniversary of the California Table Grape Commission (commission), Secretary Karen Ross of the California Department of Food and Agriculture presented the organization with a resolution commemorating 50 years of service to the state and its residents.

    Among other things, the resolution Secretary Ross presented noted that, “since its first meeting in 1968, the commission has served the public interest by providing the leadership, promotion, and research needed to turn a small struggling industry into a mainstay of the state’s agricultural economy.” Further, Secretary Ross noted that, “in remaining dedicated to its purpose of creating demand for the state’s fresh grape crop the commission has fostered an environment that allowed a disparate group of small growers producing 27 million boxes of fresh grapes for U.S. consumers only to grow into an industry that ships approximately 110 million boxes to 60 countries with a crop value of $1.8 billion.”

    As part of the celebration, Dominick Bianco of Anthony Vineyards was honored for his service on the first board of commissioners from 1968-1971 and for his continuous service since 1986. Marko B. Zaninovich of Sunview Vineyards was recognized for his service from 1971-1974 and for his continuous service since 1991.

    During the meeting at which the recognition took place, the 2018 crop estimate was confirmed to be 114.6 million 19-pound boxes. Reports on the promotion programs underway in the U.S., Canada, and export markets around the world were provided.

  • Seed Biology & Quality Course, UC Davis, June 19 – 21, 2018

    Delivering improved varieties and crop protection through high quality seed is a vital component of modern agricultural production systems. It is critical that seed producers and marketers have an understanding of the biological factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of seed health, vigor and viability, and how those qualities are measured. This course presents the scientific background and technical protocols for assessing, enhancing and maintaining high seed quality and updates participants on new information in these topics, including seed pathology and enhancement. The program targets quality assurance professionals in the seed industry, new employees, consultants, breeders and seed producers to extend and update their knowledge.

    2 RST credits available to class participants!

    This course is taught by widely respected academic and public sector researchers and industry executives.

    Core Instructors and guest lecturers include:

    Kent J. Bradford — Professor, Department of Plant Sciences and Director, Seed Biotechnology Center, UC Davis

    Phyllis Himmel — Director, Collaboration for Plant Pathogen Strain Identification (CPPSI)
    Samantha Thomas — Global Stewardship and Industry Affairs Lead, Monsanto
    Deborah Meyer — Program Supervisor of the Seed Science, Nematology, and Plant Pathology Laboratories at the California Department of Food and Agriculture Plant Pest Diagnostics Center

    Diane Krause — Plant Pathology Researcher, Monsanto
    Matt May — Seed Pathology Scientist, Monsanto
    Mike O’Leary — PhD Researcher, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis
    Pedro Bello — Research Associate, Department of Plant Sciences, Seed Biotechnology Center, UC Davis

    Riad Baalbaki — Senior Seed Botanist, Plant Pest Diagnostics Center, California Department of Food and Agriculture

    Course Topics

    • Seed development and maturation
    • Seed vigor and viability
    • Seed health and phytosanitation
    • Seed testing
    • Seed enhancement
    • Seed longevity and storage
    • Seed biotechnology
    • Seed pathology

    Lab Topics

    • Standardized seed health testing methods
    • Certification of labs for seed health testing
    • Testing treated vs. non-treated seed (fungicide, bactericide, biological, organic & disinfectant treatments)
    • Molecular vs. ‘biological’ seed health assays (indirect vs. direct assays)
    • Location of infection of seeds by plant pathogens
    • Sample size for seed health testing, seed sampling protocols

    For more information and registration about Seed Biology and Quality, please contact Julie Tillman (jtillman@ucdavis.edu)

    or online @ http://sbc.ucdavis.edu/Courses/Seed_Biology_and_Quality/