California Department of Food and Agriculture

Liam explains that gap in orchard nutrition.

Jessica examines CDFA's proposed biodiversity principles, including what they could mean for working farms and why they are not a new regulation.

I'll cover CDFA's $500,000 cotton seed bug research award and West Coast Nuts reporting on walnut freshness through the supply chain.

Jessica has an urban agriculture grant comment deadline.

In our separate sports segment, Jay Visser previews Cal Poly basketball and Fresno State soccer.

Thanks, Liam.

California's Agriculture Department is asking farmers and ranchers to help shape how it supports biodiversity on working lands.

CDFA opened public comment October 26 on Draft Biodiversity Guiding Principles, a framework intended to steer the department's future programs and other work.

The broader California history goes back to San Joaquin Valley detections in 2023.

CDFA's background fact sheet lists Kings, Madera, Merced, and Stanislaus counties that year, followed by Tulare County in 2025.

Those are earlier records, separate from this week's UC Monitoring Report.

Why does the species distinction matter? CDFA explains that this beetle can feed on nuts still on trees, unlike other carpophilus species.

Adults move into split nuts, and both adults and larvae feed on kernels.

At roughly a tenth of an inch long, the adult is small, and CDFA cautions that it closely resembles other common carpophilus beetles.

Damage identification adds another challenge.

Carpophilus beetles and navel orangeworm can occupy the same nut.

Announced October 30th, the competitive funding opportunity supports purchase incentives for California-grown fresh fruits and vegetables at certified farmers markets for shoppers using WIC and WIC or Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program benefits.

CDFA seeks qualified entities to distribute incentives and help shoppers and vendors use electronic farmers market cards.

Projects reaching low access areas and low income populations will receive priority.

Applications are due December 4th, 2026 at 5 p.m. Pacific time.

Before we close, two application dates to keep handy.

UCANR says agricultural technology startups have until November 20th to apply for service support through the California AgTech Alliance.

CDFA's nutrition incentive expansion proposals are due December 4th at 5 p.m. Pacific.

Those are separate competitive programs with different applicants and purposes.

HPAI in Colorado Milk Tank.

CDFA taking applications for nutrition grants.

Voting began today among eligible California almond growers on a proposed amendment to the federal marketing order for almonds.

The amendment would give the Almond Board of California the authority to use a seasonal line of credit from a commercial lending institution.

The 2025 crop year Incredibly challenging for the rice industry, and we are fortunate to have the nearly 21% increase in the PLC reference prices for rice, which represents the most substantial investment in the Farm Bill program since the 2002 Farm Bill when considering all the Title I crop insurance and trade investments made in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

USA Rice President and CEO Peter Bogman said...

CDFA's Office of Farm to Fork is accepting proposals for various projects under the California Nutritionist Senate Program.

Qualified entities can submit proposals to distribute CNIP incentives at certified farmers markets to purchase California grown fresh fruits and vegetables and provide support, outreach, and technical assistance for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for women, infants, and children, the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program, and the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program.

In City Watch, the Sacramento County health officials are asking backyard poultry owners to take precautions after bird flu was confirmed in two local flocks.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture confirmed one case on October 5th and another on October 23rd.

All birds in the affected flocks were culled to prevent further spread.

But officials say there are currently no poultry movement restrictions in Sacramento County.

The board will also hear an update on agriculture items from the most recent state legislative session.

Invited speakers include Carney King from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Justin Miller of Twin Peaks Orchard, Hung Kim Doan of University of California, Small Farm Advisor, Riverside County, and Ruth Dahlquist Willard, UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program.

Other invited speakers include representatives from USDA's Economic Research Service, the American Farm Bureau Federation, and University of Toronto.

California authorities have seized and destroyed more than 139,000 pounds of illegal cannabis worth more than $230 million so far this year, the state has announced.

California school kitchens are connecting local farm production with daily meal preparation.

In an October 27th report, the California Department of Food and Agriculture described how Live Oak School District in Santa Cruz County is using a $200,000 farm to school incubator grant for culinary and garden education built around locally sourced produce.

The district combines purchases from local farms and the Santa Cruz Farmers Market with production on its own school farm.

During the past school year, that farm grew 17 varieties of vegetables and herbs and produced 4,800 pounds of food.