California Ag Network

Tag: Sacramento

  • Unified Wine & Grape Symposium Taps Owen and Feuchuk to Shape 2027 Program

    With the wine industry confronting some of the most consequential questions in a generation, the team that will shape the conversation at the industry’s largest gathering is now in place. The Unified Wine & Grape Symposium (UW&GS) today announced that Susan Owen, Senior Director of Sales at G3 Enterprises, and Ed Feuchuk, General Manager of Tank Garage Winery and Farm Collective Napa Valley, will serve as co-chairs of the 2027 Program Development Committee.

    The UW&GS Program Development Committee is responsible for identifying the issues, trends and opportunities most important to growers, winemakers and allied industry members, and developing an educational program that helps attendees start the year informed and prepared.

    Owen returns to the leadership role after serving as a co-chair for the past two years. A respected wine packaging executive with extensive experience across the wine industry, Owen brings a collaborative leadership style and a passion for industry service. She currently leads a team of wine packaging experts across North America for G3 Enterprises and has previously held leadership positions with Juclas USA and the Vason Group.

    Joining her is Feuchuk, a wine industry marketer and brand builder with nearly two decades of experience developing innovative direct-to-consumer wine brands. As general manager for Farm Collective Napa Valley, he has led creative, strategic and technical initiatives for brands including Tank Garage Winery, James Cole Winery, Regusci Winery and T-Vine Winery. His work has been featured in publications including the San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times and Wine Spectator.

    “The decisions this industry makes in the next few years will shape it for a generation, and Unified is where those conversations happen,” said Natalie Collins, president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers and a member of Unified Symposium Management LLC. “Susan and Ed bring the right mix of experience and fresh thinking to lead the 2027 program. Together with a committee that spans every corner of the industry, they’ll build a program that sends people home in January with answers they can actually use.”

    The committee has begun meeting to identify key industry topics, recruit speakers and develop the educational program for the 2027 Unified Symposium.

    The 2027 UW&GS Program Development Committee includes experts in grapegrowing, winemaking, business operations, marketing and communications and Spanish-language education. Committee members represent wineries, vineyards, universities, industry organizations and allied businesses from across California and beyond.

    For the list of the 2027 Program Development Committee, visit the Unified Symposium website under Program Information.

    The Unified Wine & Grape Symposium is jointly organized by the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV) and the California Association of Winegrape Growers. The 2027 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium will be held January 26-28 at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento. — Story contributed by the United Wine & Grape Symposium

  • CDFA to Discuss Land Equity, Single-Use Plastic and Irrigated Lands

    The CDFA will hear updates on agricultural land equity, single-use plastic regulations and a recent statewide expert panel report concerning irrigated lands at its upcoming meeting on July 7. The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the California Department of Food and Ag, 1220 N Street – Main Auditorium in Sacramento

    The meeting is also available via Zoom:

    https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84457156306

    Webinar ID: 844 5715 6306

    Passcode: Board2026!

    (Phone Access Passcode: 7512658609)

    (Simultaneous Spanish interpretation is available via the Zoom application)

    “Working to build healthy communities is a priority within California agriculture,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “As we continue to address critical issues related to farming, ranching and food production, we need innovation, research and collaboration to develop sustainable pathways forward. California continues to be a leader in what we grow and how we grow it.”

    Issues for the Board’s upcoming discussion include the December 2025 report, Advancing Agricultural Land Equity in California prepared by the Strategic Growth Council’s California Ag Land Equity Task Force; final regulations to implement the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act adopted by CalRecycle; and the Second Statewide Ag Expert Panel report focusing on the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program. In addition, the Board will hear updates concerning New World Screwworm and the Glassy-winged Sharpshooter.

    Invited speakers include: Michelle Martin, CalRecycle; Ruth Dahlquist-Willard, University of California; Camille Frazier, Strategic Growth Council; Tricia Geringer, Ag Council of California; Paul Towers, Community Alliance with Family Farmers; Melissa Koshlaychuk, Western Growers; Rick Tomlinson, California Strawberry Commission; Dr. Amanda Murray, California State Veterinarian and; Michelle Pham, California Department of Food and Ag.

    “The diversity of issues that farmers face continues to grow,” said President Don Cameron, California State Board of Food and Ag. “The issues are also becoming more complex and frequently layer-upon one another. Keeping farmers and ranchers informed is essential and that is what this Board continues to do.”

    The California State Board of Food and Ag advises the governor and CDFA secretary on agricultural issues and consumer needs. The Board conducts forums that bring together local, state, and federal government officials; agricultural ag; and the public to discuss current issues and concerns to California ag. — Story Contributed by the California Department of Food and Ag

  • Unused Assessments Collected By The Dairy Marketing Branch Now Available To Fund Ca Dairy Industry-Focused Research

    In November 2018, following California’s entry into the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) the operations of CDFA’s Dairy Marketing Branch were terminated. In order to ensure the availability of funds to offset closing costs, terminated programs are required to keep unused funds in State Treasury for three fiscal years. Additionally, in the case of the Dairy Marketing Branch, the approval of the Legislature was required for CDFA to regain access to the unspent balance after the waiting period. The required thresholds have been met resulting in $3,595,000 becoming available for CDFA to conduct research to benefit both dairy farmers and milk processors.

    In the next few months CDFA plans to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to perform industry-focused research projects. As part of that process, we are asking the California dairy industry to help us identify their top research priorities. Accordingly, all members of the California dairy industry are invited to attend a workshop to discuss research priorities, project criteria and scope:

    Date: Thursday, October 23, 2025

    Time: 10:00 am

    Location: CDFA Headquarters Auditorium

    1220 N Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

    You may join the workshop online by using the link below:

    Join by Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82016929719

    Meeting ID: 820 1692 9719

    Passcode: G265+hC4

    Please direct any questions about the workshop or the unused funds to Kacie Fritz at Kacie.fritz@cdfa.ca.gov with CDFA’s Marketing Services Division.

  • Urban Farming Workshops Start Soon in Sacramento and San Diego

    Sacramento, Calif., (March 12, 2018) – Are you an urban farmer in the Sacramento or San Diego region? Are you a gardener thinking of selling some of your produce to neighbors, restaurants or at a farmers’ market? Are you part of a non-profit organization growing and distributing food in your community? If so, you are invited to join other urban farmers at one or more of four low-cost full-day workshops starting soon in both the Sacramento and San Diego regions, offered by UC Cooperative Extension and local partners.

    Learn more about the workshops, as well as the 2017 workshop series’ held in the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Area regions, at ucanr.edu/sites/UrbanAg/Urban_Ag_Workshops.

    If you’re growing more food, herbs, flowers or fiber than your family or organization consumes, and if you are selling or otherwise distributing the excess, and if you are growing in or at the edge of a city or town, then you are one of an increasing number of urban farmers. Urban farms are often very small scale, commercially marginal and operated by beginning farmers. They can be operated by individuals, families, non-profit organizations, schools or colleges, or by other groups. Research shows that successful urban farms can bring social, health, environmental and economic benefits to local communities, including improved access to healthful food.

    A UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) team recently assessed the needs of urban farmers around the state, and found that they struggle with production, business, and marketing challenges, many of which are specific to the urban context of their farms. Additionally, many urban farmers are unaware of agricultural regulations, city zoning and permitting rules, food safety, soil quality issues and pest quarantines.

    To help new urban farmers get started effectively, and to help more experienced urban farmers improve their skills and profitability, the UCCE team is offering a series of four urban agriculture workshops in each of the Sacramento and San Diego regions. These communities have recently put policies in place to encourage urban farming, and many residents are getting involved. The workshops will be held at urban farm sites and will include farm tours and discussions with local urban farmers sharing challenges and success stories.

    The 2018 workshop series starts March 16 in the Sacramento area and March 23 in the San Diego area.

    Workshop #1 will cover urban farming legal basics, including types of urban farm enterprises, zoning issues, soil testing, required permits and licenses, and an introduction to key local resources such as the Agricultural Commissioner and UCCE staff.

    Workshop #2 will cover marketing and business management for urban farms, including business planning, record keeping, market channel options, and an introduction to labor laws and risk management.

    Workshop #3 will be about production considerations for urban farmers, focusing on water management, integrated pest management (IPM), and soil contamination/soil improvement.

    Workshop #4 will cover pre- and post-harvest food safety practices, using CDFA’s Small Farm Food Safety Guidelines.

    Cost: Each workshop is $20 for a full day of expert speakers, participatory exercises, lunch and refreshments. Each workshop will be a one-day event. Urban farmers and future farmers, and others who are interested can take one, several, or all four of these workshops.

    Registration is open. Space is limited, so please sign up early.

    San Diego registration: http://ucanr.edu/sdurbanag2018

    Sacramento registration: http://ucanr.edu/sacurbanag2018

    More UC ANR urban farming resources: ucanr.edu/sites/UrbanAg/

    For more information:

    San Diego Series: Mary Redlin, Southern California Coordinator, mvredlin@ucanr.edu, (562) 900-3041

    Sacramento Series: Penny Leff, Northern California Coordinator, paleff@ucanr.edu, (530) 752-5208

  • State Agencies to Host Groundwater Recharge Forum on November 8th in Sacramento

    Sacamento, Calif., (October 9, 2017) – The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), in collaboration with California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and other state entities, are hosting a Public Forum on Managed Groundwater Recharge to Support Sustainable Water Management. This all-day event will be held at the Sacramento Convention Center on November 8th 2017 and bring together a variety of speakers to address recharge opportunities and issues.

    Groundwater recharge is an important topic for California as the state continues to recover from an historic drought that caused increased reliance on groundwater basins – resulting in overdraft, failed private domestic wells and impacts to environmental quality.

    In June 2017, the California State Board of Food and Agriculture sent a letter to CDFA Secretary Karen Ross encouraging the convening of a forum to, “inform long term state policies related to ground water recharge.” California’s farm and ranching communities are important partners in helping to implement recharge efforts, but many barriers in federal/state policy as well as infrastructure challenges limit wide scale recharge opportunities.

    This forum will bring together water authorities, agricultural organizations, regulators and other stakeholders to address groundwater recharge opportunities and associated policies.

    Registration Information