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First Partner learns about small, BIPOC farmers working to enter school food marketplace

Posted on February 11, 2022 by Joshua Bingham
California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom joins CDFA Farm to School Program staff during a February 10 tour of Vue Certified Produce hosted by the Asian Business Institute and Resource Center (ABIRC) in the Central Valley. ABIRC received a $500,000 grant in the first round of the California Farm to School Incubator Grant to introduce more locally grown, culturally appropriate crops for school meals, while also allowing participating farmers the opportunity to visit schools, talk about their specialty crops, conduct taste tests and share stories about their careers in agriculture. “I had such an amazing day with the folks at Vue Certified Produce in Fowler learning more about the experience of small, BIPOC farmers working to enter the school food marketplace,” Siebel Newsom said. “Thanks to all of them for their hospitality and generosity!”
Posted in CDFA Farm to School Network, CDFA Farm to School Program, CDFA Inspection Services Division, CDFA Office of Farm to Fork | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Save the Date – March 11 webinar offers discussion about proposed agricultural water requirements for Produce Safety Rule

Posted on February 10, 2022 by Joshua Bingham

Save the date for a western states webinar 10-11 a.m. (PST) March 11 on a revision proposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to Subpart E of its Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule that would change the pre-harvest agricultural water requirements for covered produce (other than sprouts).

The webinar is co-hosted by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) and California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) for the western states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.

FDA’s proposed revision, for which FDA developed an Agricultural Water Assessment Fact Sheet, is intended to address stakeholder concerns about the complexity and practical implementation of certain pre-harvest agricultural water requirements. The proposed revision does not change requirements for agricultural water used during and after harvest, or for sprouts. If enacted as proposed, the revision would introduce a systems-based, pre-harvest agricultural water assessment to evaluate potential hazards and guide risk management decision-making on the farm. Public comments about the FDA’s proposed revision may be submitted via the Federal Register until April 5, 2022.

During the webinar, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross will give opening remarks, then a subject matter expert from FDA will provide a brief overview of the proposed revision. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask FDA officials questions about the proposed revision. In California, the Produce Safety Rule is regulated on FDA’s behalf by the CDFA Produce Safety Program. Questions may be shared with presenters and hosts ahead of the webinar by submitting them to producesafety@cdfa.ca.gov. Visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WesternProposedAgWater to receive login instructions for the March 11 webinar. Participation is limited to 500 people on a first-come, first-served basis.

View this original post on CDFA’s Produce Safety Rules! Blog. Sign up to the Produce Safety Program mailing list to receive future notifications straight to your inbox.

Posted in CDFA Inspection & Compliance Branch, CDFA Inspection Services Division, CDFA Produce Safety Program | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

CDFA receives $2 million from USDA for project aimed at improving fertilization and irrigation practices

Posted on January 26, 2022 by Joshua Bingham

CDFA has received $2 million from the USDA for a research consortium to implement a demonstration and outreach approach to help farmers improve nitrogen fertilization and irrigation practices. These funds are being awarded through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grants program, which this year is providing $15 million to 19 projects nationwide to support the development of new tools, approaches, practices and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands.

This project will be led by CDFA’s Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) and is a collaboration with the University of California’s Agriculture and Natural Resources division and UC Davis to support farmer-led coalitions in protecting the long-term viability of farming in the San Joaquin Valley.

The three-year project will deploy seven UC Cooperative Extension personnel to the San Joaquin Valley to perform education and demonstration projects, provide on-farm consultation, and conduct outreach activities to promote locally appropriate best practices.

Program staff will consult with farmer-led water quality coalitions in each region to further assess grower needs. UC Davis researchers will study the effectiveness of this demonstration-and-outreach approaches and will identify extension methods that can efficiently help farmers adopt new conservation practices. 

For more information on the project, contact FREP@cdfa.ca.gov.

View this original post on CDFA’s Planting Seeds blog.

Posted in CDFA Feed, Fertilizer and Livestock Drugs Regulatory Services Branch, CDFA Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP), CDFA Inspection Services Division | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Healthy Stores Refrigeration Grant beneficiaries speak of refrigeration unit advantages in LA County video

Posted on January 24, 2022 by Joshua Bingham

The California Department of Food and Agriculture Office of Farm to Fork (CDFA-F2F) recently was allocated $20 million to continue the Healthy Refrigeration Grant Program. CDFA encourages interested parties to stay tuned for announcements about how to apply in the next round of this grant program that funds energy-efficient refrigeration units in corner stores and small businesses in low-income or low-access areas throughout the state to stock California-grown fresh produce, nuts and minimally processed foods, as well as meat, dairy, eggs and other foods.

Examples of Healthy Refrigeration Grant Program benefits can be seen in a video released by the County of Los Angeles Internal Services Department spotlighting four locations that received a refrigeration unit through the first round of grants:

View this original blog post on CDFA Planting Seeds.

Posted in CDFA Healthy Refrigeration Grant Program, CDFA Inspection Services Division, CDFA Office of Farm to Fork | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

CA Farm to School Network newsletter highlights funding, events, grantees and opportunities

Posted on January 21, 2022 by Joshua Bingham

Click here to view the California Farm to School Network newsletter.

The California Farm to School Network includes farm to school practitioners and enthusiasts statewide. Click on the newsletter subscribe button to also receive these monthly updates that include information about grants, resources, research, webinars, events and news from the National Farm to School Network. The California Farm to School Program is part of the California Department of Food and Agriculture Office of Farm to Fork (CDFA-F2F) in the Division of Inspection Services.

Posted in CDFA Farm to School Network, CDFA Farm to School Program, CDFA Inspection Services Division, CDFA Office of Farm to Fork | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Proposed revision to Produce Safety Rule agricultural water requirements — comment period open through April 5

Posted on January 21, 2022 by Joshua Bingham

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing a revision of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule that would change the pre-harvest agricultural water requirements for farms covered by the Produce Safety Rule (other than sprouts). Most California fruit, vegetable and nut farms are covered by the Produce Safety Rule, including those with more than $25,000 in average annual produce sales, with some exceptions.

FDA’s proposed revision is intended to address stakeholder concerns about the complexity and practical implementation of certain pre-harvest agricultural water requirements. The proposed revision does not change requirements for agricultural water used during and after harvest, or for sprouts. It would introduce a systems-based, pre-harvest agricultural water assessment to evaluate potential hazards and guide risk management decision-making on the farm. Public comments about the FDA’s proposed revision may be submitted via the Federal Register until April 5, 2022.

In California, the Produce Safety Rule is regulated on FDA’s behalf by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Produce Safety Program. During the proposed revision’s comment period and until the FDA rulemaking process has been completed, CDFA’s Produce Safety Program will maintain the current inspection process related to this section of the Produce Safety Rule.

Visit CDFA’s Produce Safety Program webpage for more information about farms covered by the Produce Safety Rule.

View this post on CDFA Planting Seeds or the Produce Safety Rules! Blog.

Posted in CDFA Inspection & Compliance Branch, CDFA Inspection Services Division, CDFA Produce Safety Program | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

FREP blog encourages registering for California Plant and Soil Virtual Conference Feb. 1-3

Posted on January 20, 2022 by Joshua Bingham

The 2022 California Plant and Soil Conference will be held virtually February 1-3, 2022. Organized by the California Chapter of the American Society of Agronomy, this annual conference provides an opportunity for students, professionals and other attendees to increase their scientific knowledge concerning the interrelationship of plants, soil and the environment.

For more details, read this blog by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP).

FREP is a CDFA program that funds and facilitates research to advance the environmentally safe and agronomically sound use and handling of fertilizing materials. It is part of the Feed, Fertilizer and Livestock Drugs Regulatory Services branch of CDFA’s Division of Inspection Services.

Posted in CDFA Feed, Fertilizer and Livestock Drugs Regulatory Services Branch, CDFA Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP), CDFA Inspection Services Division | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Did you know produce inspections at the wholesale level are an integral part of CDFA Standardization Program?

Posted on January 19, 2022 by Joshua Bingham
Recent CDFA Standardization Program inspections at a wholesale location found several violations, including (left) a minimum quality violation of melons exceeding tolerance for decay and (right) a labeling violation of missing identity, responsibility and quantity statement.

Did you know that produce inspections at the wholesale level are an integral part of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Standardization Program?

CDFA’s Standardization Program has roots back to 1915, when at the behest of the California fresh fruit and vegetable industry, the California Legislature established minimum standards for all fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables to protect consumers and the industry from substandard products. Standardization also promulgates and processes regulations concerning standardization of quality, maturity, containers, labeling and packing requirements – examples of which can be seen in the accompanying photos.

Standardization laws establish minimum standards for maturity, quality, size, standard container and pack, and container markings. Staff members from CDFA and California county agricultural commissioner offices enforce the standards through inspections that take place in fields, packinghouses, wholesale markets, retail distribution centers, retail outlets and highway inspection stations.

CDFA’s Standardization Program is in the Inspection and Compliance Branch of the Inspection Services Division.

Posted in CDFA Inspection & Compliance Branch, CDFA Inspection Services Division, CDFA Standardization Program | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Winter 2022 Quarterly Feed Update released by Commercial Feed Regulatory Program

Posted on January 10, 2022 by Joshua Bingham

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Commercial Feed Regulatory Program (CFRP) announces the release of its Winter 2022 Quarterly Feed Update. Click here to view the newsletter.

Highlights include:

  • Results of a research trial on the effects of feeding lipid-extracted hemp residue to lactating goats
  • Details on food safety Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) training
  • Feed Inspection Advisory Board (FIAB) Technical Advisory Subcommittee update
  • Members of the Animal Health Branch Secure Food Supply Program touring a California livestock feed mill
  • CFRP finalizes 2021/2022 animal food safety contract with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  • CFRP participation in Diversion Strategy webinars available to view online

CFRP is part of the Feed, Fertilizer and Livestock Drugs Regulatory Services Branch of CDFA’s Division of Inspection Services.

Posted in CDFA Commercial Feed Regulatory Program, CDFA Feed Inspection Advisory Board, CDFA Feed Inspection Advisory Board Technical Advisory Subcommittee, CDFA Feed, Fertilizer and Livestock Drugs Regulatory Services Branch, CDFA Inspection Services Division, CDFA Livestock Drug Program, CDFA Safe Animal Feed Education (SAFE) | Leave a comment

CDFA scientist Cady published in Progressive Crop Consultant magazine

Posted on January 6, 2022 by Joshua Bingham

California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) Senior Environmental Scientist Mark Cady had an article he co-authored, “Nitrogen Regulations in California and the Certified Crop Adviser’s Role,” published in the September 2021 edition of Progressive Crop Consultant magazine. Article co-author is Jerome Pier, senior agronomist, QualiTech Plant Nutrition.

The article provides an overview of water quality regulations and how they have expanded dramatically in the past decade. It also emphasizes how important it is for crop consultants to be attuned to these regulations as they communicate with their growers and the agriculture industry.

Click here to read the article.

Citation

Cady, M., Pier, J., “Nitrogen Regulations in California and the Certified Crop Adviser’s Role.” Progressive Crop Consultant, September 2, 2021; https://progressivecrop.com/2021/09/nitrogen-regulations-in-california-and-the-certified-crop-advisers-role/.

Posted in CDFA Feed, Fertilizer and Livestock Drugs Regulatory Services Branch, CDFA Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP), CDFA Inspection Services Division | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment