Courtesy of the CDFA

California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones has granted a 24-hour permit for nine reindeer scheduled to visit California on the evening of December 24 and in the early morning hours of December 25.

The application was filed with CDFA Animal Health Branch staff by a rotund, jolly man with a red suit, white beard, and a pocketful of candy canes. The signature on the application reads, “K. Kringle.”

“Although Santa’s reindeer are special and very magical, we are grateful that every year he ensures they meet and exceed our animal health requirements to enter the state — he really cares about protecting the health of our farm animals and wildlife,” said Dr. Jones.

The permit was granted with two conditions: the nine reindeer listed,  Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph, may not fraternize with other reindeer in the State of California, and the sleigh must be checked before entering the state to ensure no agricultural pests are hitching a ride. “Mr. Kringle’s veterinarian has assured us that the reindeer are healthy and fit again this year. They are ready for a busy night,” said Dr. Jones.  “We are excited to welcome them into our state, where they are sure to find plenty of yummy fresh vegetables to renew their energy,”

CDFA Secretary Karen Ross thanked Department staff for their hard work, recognizing their commitment to maintaining animal health and safe and abundant California-grown food to share with all our visitors this holiday season. “We are delighted to issue this permit to Mr. Kringle,” said Secretary Ross. “We wish him safe travels and plenty of California milk and cookies as he and his reindeer deliver presents to the children of our state.”

Courtesy of the CDFA

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Pest Exclusion Branch is announcing three vacancies on the Nursery Advisory Board. The Board is composed of twelve voting members, each representing an establishment with a valid California License to Sell Nursery Stock. No two members shall represent the same organization. Members will represent a wide spectrum of the nursery industry, and the Board will be geographically representative of the nursery industry in California.

There are three upcoming vacant positions for voting members.  The successful candidates will be appointed to serve terms beginning February 1, 2025.

The term of office for Board Members is four years. Members typically meet twice per year but can meet more frequently if needed. The members receive no compensation but are entitled to payment of necessary traveling expenses in accordance with the rules of the California Department of Human Resources.

In addition, the Board includes up to nine non-voting ex officio members from the County Agricultural Commissioner and Sealers Association, the University of California, and groups affiliated with the nursery industry.

The mission of the Nursery Advisory Board is to grow and maintain a strong relationship between CDFA and the nursery industry in order to secure the industry’s future. The Board facilitates communication between state and federal regulators and the nursery industry, and it advises CDFA’s Nursery Services Program on policies, fees, and other issues concerning nurseries and nursery stock.

Individuals interested in being considered for this Board appointment should send a brief resumé and fill out the attached “Prospective Voting Member Appointment Questionnaire” to Kristina Weber, Board Supervisor, by December 16, 2024 at: nurseryservices@cdfa.ca.gov or by mailing to:

California Department of Food and Agriculture

Pest Exclusion Branch

1220 N Street, Room 241

Sacramento, CA 95814

Attention: Kristina Weber

For additional information, you may contact the Nursery Services Program at

(916) 654-0435.

Courtesy of the California Department of Food and Agriculture

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Pest Exclusion Branch is announcing a vacancy on the Seed Advisory Board.

The board is composed of seven members who are seed labelers, and two members who may be seed dealers. These nine members must be registered to sell seed under provisions of the California Seed Law and represent the functions of seed production, conditioning, marketing, or utilization. The board also has two public members.

There are four vacant positions: two vegetable seed labelers and two agricultural seed labelers. The successful candidates will be appointed to serve a three-year term beginning on April 1, 2025, through March 31, 2028.

The term of office for board members is three years. Members typically meet twice a year but can meet more frequently if needed. Board members receive no compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for necessary traveling expenses in accordance with the rules of the Department of Personnel Administration.

Enforcement of the California Seed Law ensures an orderly market of high-quality seeds in California. The Seed Advisory Board makes recommendations to the CDFA secretary on all matters pertaining to seed law and regulations, enforcement, seed laboratory diagnostics and annual budgets required to accomplish the purposes of the California Seed Law.

Individuals interested in being considered for this board appointment should send a brief letter of interest and a completed Prospective Member Appointment Questionnaire with

1220 N Street, Sacramento, California 95814, Attention: Nicole Hostert, by October 1, 2024.

For additional information, and a Prospective Member Appointment Questionnaire, visit the Seed Services Program web page under “Seed Advisory Board” at: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/pe/nsc/seed/index.html

You may also contact Nicole Hostert, Senior Environmental Scientist Supervisor, Seed Services (916)537-6577 or e-mail seedservices@cdfa.ca.gov.

Courtesy of the CDFA News 

The California Department of Food and Agriculture, Meat, Poultry and Egg Safety Branch (MPES) announces one vacancy for one public member on the Egg Safety and Quality Management’s (ESQM), Shell Egg Advisory Committee Board (SEAC).

ESQM monitors egg quality at production, wholesale, and retail levels. The goal is to provide California consumers with eggs that are wholesome, properly labeled, refrigerated, and of established quality, while maintaining fair and equitable marketing standards in the California egg industry.

This vacancy is due to an upcoming term expiration. The membership term for this vacancy will be for 36 months. Applicants should not be a registered egg handler or a representative of a registered egg handler.

Board members receive no compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for transportation to and from meetings and for per diem expenses for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses.

Applicants interested in being considered for this SEAC appointment, should submit resumesby August 21, 2024, to:

Mrs. Penny Arana
Meat,Poultry and Egg Safety Branch

1220 N Street
Sacramento, California 95814 penny.arana@cdfa.ca.gov

Additional information is available on the Egg Safety and Quality Management program’s web page at http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/mpes/esqm.html. You may also contact Michael E. Abbott, Egg Quality Manager at (916) 628-1721

Steve Lyle, Director of Public Affairs

officeofpublicaffairs@cdfa.ca.gov

California Department of Food and Agriculture

916-654-0462

Courtesy of the CDFA News

The California Department of Food and Agriculture Office of Farm to Fork (CDFA-F2F) is accepting applications for the 2023-24 California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program, until 5 p.m. PDT April 4, 2024.

The program will award competitive grants to support projects that cultivate equity, nurture students, build climate resilience, and create scalable and sustainable change.

To support a systems approach to advancing farm to school throughout the state, the program offers four funding tracks:
• Track 1: The California Farm to School TK-12 Procurement and Education Grant
• Track 2: The California Farm to School Technical Assistance (TA) Grant
• Track 3: The California Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) Grant
• Track 4: The California Farm to School Producer Grant

Visit the California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program webpage to view the formal request for applications, access the online portal through which applications must be submitted, and register for informational webinars.

The California Budget Acts of 2021 and 2022 made appropriations for the 2023-24 California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program. CDFA will make a total of up-to $52.8 million available via the four funding tracks outlined above. The amount of funds awarded in each funding track will depend on the number of competitive applications received in each funding track.

For assistance and questions related to the Farm to School Incubator Grant Program process, please email cafarmtoschool@cdfa.ca.gov.

Courtesy of the CDFA

CDFA is pleased to announce the availability of approximately $12 million in grant funding for Healthy Soils Program Incentive Grants. The objectives of the program are to increase statewide implementation of conservation management practices that improve soil health, sequester carbon, and reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases.

California farmers, ranchers, business entities, California Native American tribes, and non-profit organizations can apply for awards. Applicants may request up to $100,000 per project. Priority will be given to applicants who are considered Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers.

The program is currently accepting grant applications and will continue to do so until 5 p.m. PST, Friday, February 9, 2024.

“The Healthy Soils Program was developed to partner with farmers and ranchers and facilitate their preferred methods to draw down carbon onto their lands and store it in our soils,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “Building up soil’s organic matter and biodiversity promotes its lasting health and productivity, while also reducing the possibility for erosion. With tremendous thanks to our Governor and the California Legislature for their ongoing support, the Healthy Soils Program has awarded more than $105 million to fund more than 1,500 projects over its lifetime, resulting in a combined greenhouse gas reduction of more than 1.1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the projects’ lifespans. That’s like removing 24,000 gas-powered cars from the road for 10 years.”

CDFA will hold two online workshops to provide information about the application process. Participants register for the webinars using the links below. Each workshop will cover the same content, and for those unable to attend, a PowerPoint presentation along with other relevant materials will be posted on the Healthy Soils Program Incentive Grants webpage: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/IncentivesProgram.html.

• Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm PST https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qsjIpbedQ-m8B6UFqOrZgA
• Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at 10:30 pm – 12:00 pm PST https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VUI60B10SRy7tVte08td1A

Free technical assistance (TA) is available to applicants. TA providers’ contact information, and other details, can be found at: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/technical/docs/2023_hsp_taps.pdf and https://ciwr.ucanr.edu/Programs/ClimateSmartAg/TechnicalAssistanceProviders/.

Available TA Providers include providers from the University of California Cooperative Extension Community Education Specialists (UCCS CESs), through their Climate Smart Agriculture Program.

“Through our strong relationships with diverse farming communities, our team supports the implementation of practices that build soil health, use water more efficiently, and provide an alternative for manure management,” said Amber Butland, a TA Provider who works through the CES group. “We strive to provide the best assistance possible by offering translation services, grant application support, computer access, and one-on-one farm visits.”

The Healthy Soils Program stems from the California Healthy Soils Initiative, a collaboration of state agencies and departments that promotes the development of healthy soils on California’s farmlands and ranchlands.

For information on eligibility and program requirements, prospective applicants should visit the HSP Incentive Grants website at www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/incentivesprogram.html.

Courtesy of the CDFA

The Department of Food and Agriculture’s Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation and the California Dairy Research Foundation (CDRF) is pleased to announce the award of $21.41 million in grant funding to1 projects for the Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP), and $14.23 million in grant funding to 12 projects for the Dairy Plus Program.

“California has set ambitious climate goals, and agriculture is an important contributor to these achievements,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “Dairy farmers and livestock ranchers are putting effective new technologies and best practices to work in their barns and fields, and these projects keep that progress in motion.”

These projects reduce greenhouse gas emissions from manure on California dairy and livestock farms while improving water quality and nutrient management. Funding for AMMP is made possible by the California General Fund and state Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment.

Funding for the Dairy Plus Program comes from a collaboration between CDFA, CDRF, and USDA as part of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant. Together, recipients will improve their manure management practices and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by an estimated annual total of 87,350 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (MTCO₂e).

“Dairy families work hard every day to produce healthy and nutritious dairy products,” said Paul Sousa, Director of Environmental Services & Regulatory Affairs for Western United Dairies and a long-time AMMP Technical Assistance Provider. “At the same time, they look to be sustainable in how they care for their cows, the land, and the environment. AMMP and Dairy Plus help provide the incentives needed to implement Climate Smart Agriculture practices. However, addressing just one challenge at a time is not enough, and that is why Dairy Plus is addressing water quality in addition to methane reduction with the same practice. With these programs, dairy families are benefiting the environment and our communities while providing healthy food choices for all Californians.”

Dairy manure produces methane when it decomposes. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that significantly contributes to global warming.

The Alternative Manure Management Program incentivizes practices such as solid waste separation and creating ways to store more manure in a dry form while reducing methane production. Implementing these practices provides other important co-benefits, like reducing odor and air pollutants. The program also facilitates compost production from manure solids, which may be recycled as fertilizer and animal bedding.

This latest grant round has brought the total number of AMMP-supported projects to 172. Collectively, it is anticipated these practices will reduce over 294,000 metric tons of GHGs per year for California farms, equivalent to removing more than 65,000 cars from the road.

The complimentary Dairy Plus Program focuses on larger-scale projects for improved water quality and nutrient management in addition to methane reduction.  Practices included filtration of manure wastewater using worms (vermifiltration), coagulation of fine manure solids out of liquid (advanced solid-liquid separation assisted by flocculants), and non-mechanical separation of manure solids from water (weeping walls) that can help capture nitrogen and keep more manure out of a liquid environment; projects could also incorporate aerated composting and subsurface drip irrigation for further nutrient processing and application.

CDFA selected 8 Dairy Plus projects in conjunction with a new 2023 AMMP project and 4 Dairy Plus projects to further advance past completed AMMP projects for awards (contingent on pre-project consultation and meeting federal requirements). Project information can be found at  https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/ddrdp/ 

Courtesy of the CDFA

Portions of Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties have been placed under quarantine for the Oriental Fruit Fly following the detection of multiple flies in each county.

In Contra Costa County, detections near the cities of Brentwood and Oakley have resulted in a quarantine zone covering 99 square miles, bordered on the north by the San Joaquin River; on the south by Marsh Creek State Park; on the west by Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve; and on the east side by the Old River.

In Santa Clara County, detections in the cities of Santa Clara and Sunnyvale have resulted in a quarantine zone covering 112 square miles, bordered on the north by Coyote Creek; on the south by Saratoga; on the west by Mountain View; and on the east by Alum Rock. A link to the quarantine maps may be found here: www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/off/regulation.html

“Invasive fruit flies are serious pests for California’s orchards and backyard gardens,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross.  “These recent detections remind us that we need to remain vigilant in protecting our food supply and natural resources.  The stakes are enormous, and not just in California. A new report from the United Nations notes that invasive species management costs hundreds of billions of dollars each year around the world. We’re all in this together as we work to reduce this impact. ”

The Oriental Fruit Fly is known to target over 230 different fruit, vegetable, and plant commodities.  Important California crops at risk include grapes, pome, stone fruits, citrus, dates, avocados, and many vegetables, particularly tomatoes and peppers.  Damage occurs when the female fruit fly lays eggs inside the fruit.  The eggs hatch into maggots, which tunnel through the flesh of the fruit or vegetable, making it unfit for consumption.

To prevent the spread of this pest through homegrown fruits and vegetables, residents living in  quarantine areas are urged not to move those items from their property.  However, they may be consumed or processed (i.e., juiced, frozen, or cooked on the property where they were picked, or disposed of by double bagging and placing in the regular trash, not green waste.

Following the principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), agricultural officials use “male attractant” technique as the mainstay of the eradication effort for this invasive species.  This approach has successfully eliminated dozens of fruit fly infestations in California.  Trained workers squirt a small patch of fruit fly attractant mixed with a very small dose of an organic pesticide, Spinosad, approximately 8-10 feet off the ground on street trees and similar surfaces; male fruit flies are attracted to the mixture and perish after consuming it.  The male attractant treatment program is being carried out over an area that extends 1.5 miles from each site where the oriental fruit flies were trapped.

While fruit flies and other invasive species that threaten California’s crops and natural environment are sometimes detected in agricultural areas, the majority are initially found in urban and suburban communities.  The most common pathway for these pests to enter the state is by “hitchhiking” in fruits and vegetables brought back illegally by travelers as they return from infested regions of the world or from packages of home grown produce from other countries sent to California.  Help protect California’s agricultural and natural resources; please Don’t Pack a Pest (www.dontpackapest.com) when traveling or mailing packages.

The Oriental Fruit Fly is widespread throughout much of the mainland of southern Asia and neighboring islands, including Sri Lanka and Taiwan, and it has infested other areas, most notably Africa and Hawaii.

Federal, state, and county agricultural officials work year-round, 365 days a year, to prevent, deter, detect, and eliminate the threat of invasive species and diseases that can damage or destroy our agricultural products and natural environment.  These efforts are aimed at keeping California’s natural environment and food supply plentiful, safe, and as pest-free as possible.

Residents with questions about the project may call CDFA’s Pest Hotline at 1-800-491-1899.  Additional information may be found here: www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/off.

Courtesy of the California Department of Food and Agriculture

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is pleased to announce availability of approximately $4 million dollars of grant funding for its Healthy Soils Demonstration Program.

The program funds projects that showcase California farmers and ranchers implementing established and emerging soil health practices. These projects create an opportunity for local communities to visit and observe soil health practices in action and understand how those practices can translate to their own operations. The program also funds data collection on soil health and/or greenhouse gas emissions to inform future state investments in climate smart agriculture.

Nonprofit entities, university cooperative extensions, federal and university experiment stations, city and community colleges, resource conservation districts (RCDs), California Native American Tribes, and farmers and ranchers in partnership with one of the entities are eligible to apply.

CDFA will hold two free web-based workshops to provide information on Program requirements and the application process. Participants can attend remotely by registering for webinar access:
•         Tuesday, July 11, 2023
9 a.m. – 11 a.m. PST
Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_B_U2prf6RFCrYLs7_joclA
•         Wednesday, July 12, 2023
1 p.m. – 3 p.m. PST
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NpINDZW8RQeihz29YvrZMg

The solicitation will close on August 28, 2023, at 5 p.m. PST. CDFA will not accept late submissions.

For information on eligibility and program requirements, visit the Healthy Soils Program website: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/DemonstrationProjects.html