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Showcasing the work of CDFA’s Inspection Services Division

Posted on January 5, 2022 by Joshua Bingham

CDFA’s Inspection Services Division has released its Annual Report for 2021 (Fiscal year ’20-’21).

CDFA Inspection Services Division Annual Report 2021

The report gives an overview of programs within the Inspection Services Division (ISD), as well as information about boards and committees; a fiscal year summary; and the mission, vision and goals of ISD employees. Pictures and statistics illustrate how programs fulfill the CDFA Strategic Plan goals of: promoting and protecting agriculture, maximizing resources, providing engagement and education, remaining dedicated to customer service, and investing in employee development.

Highlights include:

  • The Direct Marketing Program reported 2,427 Certified Producer Certificates were issued and there were more than 627 Certified Farmers’ Markets operating in California.
  • The Center for Analytical Chemistry developed 13 new scientific methods while satisfying the regulatory and monitoring needs of 30 public agencies.
  • The Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) Grant Program awarded more than $2 million to universities and agricultural organizations for research, demonstration and education projects related to the environmentally safe and agronomically sound use and handling of fertilizing materials.
  • The Farm to School Incubator Grant Program awarded $8.5 million to 60 farm to school projects in California to support local and regional farm to school projects that promote nutrition education, sustainable food production and procurement, and high-quality student engagement through experiential learning.

Visit the Inspection Services Division homepage to learn more about its mission to provide professional services that support and contribute to a safe, abundant, quality food supply; environmentally sound agricultural practices; and an equitable marketplace for California agriculture.

View this original post on the CDFA Planting Seeds blog.

Posted in California Nutrition Incentive Program, CDFA Antimicrobial Use and Stewardship Program, CDFA Avocado Inspection Program, CDFA California Citrus Program, CDFA California State Organic Program, CDFA Center for Analytical Chemistry, CDFA Commercial Feed Regulatory Program, CDFA Direct Marketing Program, CDFA Environmental Safety Laboratory, CDFA Farm to School Network, CDFA Farm to School Program, CDFA Feed Inspection Advisory Board, CDFA Feed Inspection Advisory Board Technical Advisory Subcommittee, CDFA Feed, Fertilizer and Livestock Drugs Regulatory Services Branch, CDFA Fertilizer Inspection Advisory Board, CDFA Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP), CDFA Fertilizing Materials Inspection Program, CDFA Food Recovery, CDFA Food Safety Laboratory, CDFA Healthy Refrigeration Grant Program, CDFA Inspection & Compliance Branch, CDFA Inspection Services Division, CDFA Livestock Drug Program, CDFA OCal Cannabis Certification Program, CDFA Office of Farm to Fork, CDFA Organic Input Material Program, CDFA Organic Input Material Program, CDFA Produce Safety Program, CDFA Quality Assurance Program, CDFA Regulatory Analysis Laboratory, CDFA Safe Animal Feed Education (SAFE), CDFA Shipping Point Inspection Program, CDFA Standardization Advisory Committee, CDFA Standardization Program, CDFA Technical Assistance Program, Fertilizer Inspection Advisory Board Technical Advisory Subcommittee, Inspection Services Division Administration Unit | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

California continues to lead in organic agriculture production

Posted on December 30, 2021 by Joshua Bingham

California accounts for 36 percent of all organic production in the United States, leading the nation, and organic production and organic sales are expected to continue to grow.

According to the must recent figures, organic sales in 2020 totaled $11.99 billion, which is an increase of 14 percent from 2019. The top five counties in terms of overall gross sales for 2020 were Monterey County, Los Angeles County, Santa Cruz County, Kern County and Merced County.

Between 2014 and 2020, California farmland in organic production increased 22 percent, from 1,796,080 acres to 2,186,551 acres.

The information mentioned above and more may be found in the California Agricultural Organic Report for 2020-2021, which is scheduled to be published in early 2022. A link to the the 2019-2020 report may be found here.

View this original post on the CDFA Planting Seeds blog.

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

Farm to School Network newsletter spotlights grantees, school gardens, resources

Posted on December 17, 2021 by Joshua Bingham

Click here to view the California Farm to School Network December 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

CDFA food safety scientists celebrate 30 years of continuous growth partnering with USDA Pesticide Data Program

Posted on December 15, 2021 by Joshua Bingham
Logo of CDFA Inspection Services Center for Analytical Chemistry

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) joins the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Agricultural Marketing Service Pesticide Data Program (PDP). CDFA’s Center for Analytical Chemistry (CAC) Food Safety group has partnered with PDP since its inception in 1991.

PDP is a federal partnership with nine states that monitors pesticide residues in the U.S. food supply. PDP data helps demonstrate the high quality of the U.S. food supply — analyses show that pesticide residues are lower than the limits established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in nearly all food samples (typically >99%).

The partnership between the agencies started with a screening list of 28 pesticide compounds. It has since expanded the scope to detect and quantify more than 515 compounds.

Partnering in this project has helped the CAC Food Safety program model its quality system framework into one that generates the highest-quality data for enforcement and regulatory purposes. Innovation was fostered through CAC scientists applying novel analytical methods and custom-made software to automate data processing and review.

“These endeavors opened doors to continuous technical improvement and enabled us to significantly increase our capability to generate high-quality, defensible data in a fast-turnaround work environment,” said CAC Environmental Program Manager Tiffany Tu. “The benefit gained from collaborating with other agencies in the pesticide analysis field in impactful scientific projects helped further our goal of being in the forefront of the pesticide analysis arena, which also ensures CAC Food Safety program’s relevance in our mission of promoting and protecting California agriculture.”

CDFA’s Center for Analytical Chemistry is a branch of the  Inspection Services Division.

View this original CDFA Planting Seeds blog post.

Posted in CDFA Center for Analytical Chemistry, CDFA Food Safety Laboratory, CDFA Inspection Services Division | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Secretary Ross joins First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom for farm-to-school visit

Posted on December 14, 2021 by Joshua Bingham
California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom (seated) is joined by CDFA Secretary Karen Ross during a recent farm to school tour in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District in Contra Costa County. CDFA’s Office of Farm to Fork coordinated the tour to demonstrate the importance of integrated farm to school programs that connect climate-smart, California-produced food in cafeterias to food education in classrooms and gardens, as well as at farms and in local communities. The Office of Farm to Fork is administering a grant program approved by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Newsom to expand these opportunities. The First Partner and Secretary Ross have visited a number of school districts together to learn more about their farm to school programs and plan to continue doing so.

View this original post on the CDFA Planting Seeds blog.

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

CDFA accepting concept proposals for 2022 Fertilizer Research and Education Program Grant cycle

Posted on December 13, 2021 by Joshua Bingham

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) is now accepting concept proposals for the 2022 grant cycle. FREP’s competitive grant program funds research that advances fertilization practices and minimizes environmental impacts of fertilizing materials.
 
The 2022 Request for Proposals (RFP) includes several initiatives put forth by the department to help effectively manage fertilizing materials in California agriculture.
 
This year’s priorities include demonstrating and/or validating management practices that optimize fertilizer and irrigation water use, addressing challenges and barriers to adoption of management practices, technical education, filling knowledge gaps in nitrogen management for specific crops, research on the role of organic input materials in soil nutrient management, understanding nitrogen movement, and investigating mitigation strategies to reduce nitrogen loss.

View the original CDFA press release for additional information and application instructions.

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

ISD Staff Spotlight: Justin Petty helps assure safe and effective fertilizing materials are available in California

Posted on December 2, 2021 by Joshua Bingham

NAME: Justin Petty

YEARS AT CDFA: 12.5

PROGRAM: Fertilizing Materials Inspection Program

TITLE: Special Investigator

HOW DO YOU WORK FOR THE CALIFORNIA FOOD SUPPLY? I educate and regulate producers of fertilizing materials to assure safe and effective products are available to growers of California’s precious commodities. Sampling of fertilizer products and audits of manufacturers are daily activities that contribute to the quality and effectiveness of fertilizers sold and distributed in California.

THOUGHTS OF WORKING AT INSPECTION SERVICES? I have enjoyed my experiences with the CDFA. I work with people that share the same passion for agriculture as I do. And I think that is important to those we serve. The diverse group of people make our offices interesting and unique.

MEMORABLE MOMENT ON THE JOB? A few weeks on the job, while investigating an issue at a worm casting facility, I asked a barefooted man, dressed in a white tank top with jeans and a cowboy hat, what his job title was? His response: “Head Worm-Wrangler.” I think my training partner and I laughed all the way back to the office.

Posted in CDFA Feed, Fertilizer and Livestock Drugs Regulatory Services Branch, CDFA Fertilizing Materials Inspection Program, CDFA Inspection Services Division, ISD Staff Spotlight | Tagged , | Leave a comment

FREP blog offers recap of 2021 FREP/WPH Nutrient Management Conference

Posted on December 1, 2021 by Joshua Bingham
The 2021 Nutrient Management Conference included a panel, “The Evolving Role of Coalitions in the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program,” which included (R-L) CDFA facilitator Mark Cady and panelists Sarah Lopez, Central Coast Water Quality Preservation Inc., Jodi Switzer, Farm Bureau of Ventura County, and Donald Ikemiya, Kaweah Basin Water Quality Association.

The 29th Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) and Western Plant Health (WPH) Nutrient Management Conference was held in San Luis Obispo, CA, October 27-28, 2021. The conference had more than 100 attendees, including crop consultants, growers, industry representatives, researchers and government personnel.

Check out this California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) FREP blog post for a recap of the event and links to more detailed information about the ongoing research projects presented at the conference.

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Each year since 1990, FREP has funded research, demonstration and education projects related to the environmentally safe and agronomically sound use and handling of fertilizing materials. Visit the FREP Grant Program webpage to learn how to apply for funding and visit the FREP Research & Project Database to see how these research projects are available, understandable and convenient for growers to implement.

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

CA Farm to School Network newsletter highlights school events and gardens, CDFA grantee success, USDA tips, funding opportunities and more

Posted on November 30, 2021 by Joshua Bingham

Click here to view the California Farm to School Network November 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

CDFA scientists Nakhjavan, Bland, Khosravifard published in academic journal for optimizing analysis of compounds in surface water

Posted on November 18, 2021 by Joshua Bingham
(L-R) Bahar Nakhjavan, Jason Bland and Maryam Khosravifard

California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Center for Analytical Chemistry (CAC) Environmental Safety Laboratory scientists Bahar Nakhjavan, Jason Bland and Maryam Khosravifard had their article, “Optimization of a Multiresidue Analysis of 65 Pesticides in Surface Water Using Solid-Phase Extraction by LC-MS/MS,” published November 1 in the academic journal Molecules.

The article reviews an improved method developed in the CAC laboratories. Historically, CAC applied a liquid extraction technique to determine 59 pesticide compounds in surface water monitoring. This improved method utilizes a solid phase extraction technique that can determine an expanded 65 compounds. This new technique is faster, simpler, and needs less sample volume (100 ml vs. 1,000 ml) and solvent volume (35 ml vs. 1,000 ml) for extraction, making it more environmentally friendly.

Click here to read the article.

Article Abstract

An analytical method was developed and validated for simultaneous quantitation of 65 pesticides, including one single solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure in surface water by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectroscopy. Different parameters that have an influence on extraction efficiency were evaluated in this research. Different types of cartridges, elution solvents, and sorbent drying time were investigated, and the most appropriate one was selected. Moreover, various pretreatment techniques were applied to remove sediments from water without the loss of pesticides. Centrifugation was introduced as the best option at the beginning of sample preparation to resolve the clogging of the sorbent cartridges. The recoveries of all pesticides ranged from 70% to 120%, with a relative standard deviation of less than 13.7%. The feasibility of the method was evaluated on 10 surface water samples with different concentrations of sand, sediment, and particles.

Citation

Nakhjavan, B., Bland, J., Khosravifard, M., “Optimization of a Multiresidue Analysis of 65 Pesticides in Surface Water Using Solid-Phase Extraction by LC-MS/MS.” Molecules, 2021, 26 (21), 6627; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26216627.

Posted in CDFA Center for Analytical Chemistry, CDFA Environmental Safety Laboratory, CDFA Inspection Services Division | Tagged , , | Leave a comment