The California Department of Food and Agriculture is now accepting applications to fill four vacancies on the Fertilizer Inspection Advisory Board’s Technical Advisory Subcommittee.
The subcommittee serves as an expert scientific panel on matters concerning efficient use of fertilizing materials and irrigation water. Subcommittee members advise on Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) activities. For FREP’s annual grant program, members help set research priorities, then review and recommend research and outreach proposals to the Fertilizer Inspection Advisory Board.
FREP is seeking subcommittee applicants with recognized technical, applied and scientific expertise in the fields of agronomy, soil science, plant science, irrigation, production agriculture or environmental issues who are passionate about research and outreach that support improved nutrient and irrigation management in California. The term of office for subcommittee members is three years, beginning on January 1, 2027. Members receive no compensation but are entitled to reimbursement of necessary travel expenses in accordance with the rules of the California Department of Human Resources.
Individuals interested in being considered for appointment should complete the Prospective Member Application Packet available on the subcommittee webpage and email it to FREP@cdfa.ca.gov with a two-page resume or curriculum vitae. The application deadline is Friday, July 31, 2026.
FREP is funded through a mill assessment on the sale of fertilizing materials. FREP funds and facilitates research, education and demonstration projects to improve proper use of fertilizing materials and irrigation water in agriculture. The program serves researchers, growers, agricultural supply and service professionals, extension personnel, public agencies, consultants and the public.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) is now accepting pre-proposals for the 2026 grant cycle. FREP’s competitive grant program funds proposals that advance efficient nutrient and irrigation management practices that minimize environmental impacts through research, demonstration, education and training.
This year’s priorities include: outreach, education and demonstration projects focused on increasing the adoption of efficient crop nutrient and irrigation management practices and technologies; evaluating challenges and barriers to adoption of management practices; the role of organic input materials in soil nutrient management; demonstrating and/or validating management practices that optimize nutrient and/or irrigation water use; filling knowledge gaps for nutrient and irrigation management in specific crops; understanding nutrient movement from the root zone; and mitigation strategies to reduce nutrient losses.
California’s agricultural communities are diverse and many have historically lacked access to resources and information needed to help them successfully run their businesses. CDFA encourages projects that include demonstrable benefits for socially disadvantaged farmers and farm workers, including groups whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic or gender discrimination.
Applicants are invited to submit pre-proposals to FREP by April 27, 2026. Pre-proposals should be aligned with at least one of the identified funding priorities and use the provided pre-proposal template. Timelines, funding priorities, templates and further information on the 2026 FREP RFP are available on the Grant Program web page at www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/ffldrs/frep/CompetitiveGrantProgram.html.
All pre-proposals will be reviewed by the Fertilizer Inspection Advisory Board’s Technical Advisory Subcommittee (TASC). Applicants whose pre-proposals are selected by TASC will be invited to develop full proposals.
Since 1990, FREP has funded more than 280 projects, investing over $32 million in research, outreach and education projects focusing on irrigation and nutrient management practices in California. A database of completed and ongoing research is available on the FREP Research web page at www.cdfa.ca.gov/go/FREPresearch
For more information, please send email inquiries to FREP@cdfa.ca.gov.
Click here to view this original CDFA press release.
CDFA nutrition incentives are accepted at this California Certified Farmers’ Market to double the amount of fruits and vegetables for nutrition benefit clients, as noted on the flyer in the foreground. The funding announced today will continue such nutrition incentives.
What you need to know: California is investing $23 million to help connect California grown fresh food to Californians who qualify for CalFresh, WIC, and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Programs.
Governor Newsom today announced that California is continuing its national leadership in bringing fresh and healthy California grown fruits and vegetables to tables across the golden state. Through the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Office of Farm to Fork, California is connecting locally grown food to eligible Californians who qualify for benefits through the CalFresh, Women Infants and Children (WIC), and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Programs.
California continues stepping up to ensure that every Californian has access to locally grown fruits and vegetables. We’re supporting our farmers, strengthening local markets, and connecting families with fresh, nutritious produce—improving health outcomes while keeping food dollars in our communities. Governor Gavin Newsom
As the country’s top agricultural producer and creator of the nation-leading Farm to School program, California is proud to continue expanding access to our nutritious fruits and vegetables for kids and families across the state. We are thrilled to invest in the Golden State’s farmers and communities to ensure everyone has the opportunity to eat healthy and every kid has the best start in life. First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom
Connecting farmers to families
The state’s investments empower eligible Californians to increase their consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. CalFresh shoppers can benefit from the program simply by spending their benefits at participating Certified Farmers Markets throughout the state and other retail outlets. For every dollar spent by eligible Californians, they will receive an additional dollar that can be spent on fruits and vegetables at the market or retail outlet, within set parameters, increasing their ability to purchase and consume healthy, California-grown fresh fruits and vegetables for themselves and their families. The projects will also support California’s vibrant farming communities selling at participating markets.
California’s investments help address food insecurity among low-income Californians while simultaneously supporting and expanding markets for California farmers. Past investments have been shown to have a positive effect on the local economy, with every dollar in incentives generating three dollars in local economic activity.
Incentivising Farm-to-Fork
California is distributing approximately $21.5 million to increase the purchase of California-grown fresh fruit and vegetables by CalFresh shoppers at 12 projects across the state. Current nutrition incentives support CalFresh shoppers at more than 280 locations throughout California.
Awards will allow grantees to sustain incentive distributions and benefit the farmers and shoppers participating in the program at 303 participating Certified Farmers’ Markets, Community Supported Agriculture programs, mobile markets and small retailers across California through spring 2027. The 12 grantees range in location, size and operations.
Across the state, the Office of Farm to Fork’s investments are connecting Californians to locally grown affordable food, while the Ecology Center works with over 50 organizations and operates at over 290 Certified Farmers’ Markets in 38 counties.
10 of the grantees will distribute nutrition incentives and provide technical support at 121 Certified Farmers’ Markets in the following 19 counties across California: San Diego, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Marin, San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Mendocino, Lake, Butte, Siskiyou, Humboldt, Lassen and Modoc. One grantee will focus solely on providing technical assistance for WIC FMNP and SFMNP nutrition incentives that utilize electronic FMNP Farmers’ Market Cards at nine certified farmers’ markets in the Bay Area. A detailed list of grantees and project descriptions for the 2026 CNIP Expansion Grant is available on the CNIP webpage.
Building on California’s success fighting hunger with access to healthy food
In 2025, more than 4 million California children received SUN Bucks food benefits via EBT cards, with each eligible child receiving $120 in food benefits.
California was the first state to implement a statewide Universal Meals Program for schoolchildren, providing all public TK-12 students access to two free meals per school day, regardless of income. California’s Farm to School program, championed by First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, works in tandem with Universal School Meals to ensure California students have access to two free school meals that are locally-sourced, delicious, and nutritious.
In October 2025, Governor Newsom signed a landmark law phasing out the most concerning ultra-processed foods from school meals in California – protecting children’s health and setting higher nutrition standards across the state.
Governor Newsom previously signed AB 418 (Asm. Gabriel, 2023) and AB 2316 (Gabriel, 2024), banning four potentially harmful chemical food additives from products sold statewide, including red dye 3 and brominated vegetable oil, which is often used as a stabilizer in citrus-flavored beverages, and prohibiting schools from serving and selling foods containing synthetic food dye additives associated with risks to health harms in children, including cancer, damage to the immune system, and neurobehavioral issues. The federal government and numerous states have taken similar actions following CA’s lead.
In 2024, Governor Newsom signed a legislative package to increase enrollment in state food assistance programs, reduce youth consumption of processed foods, and increase access to healthy, locally grown food in all California communities.
In 2023, California became the first state to codify President Biden’s new federal guidelines on school nutrition standards to reduce sugar and salt in school meals, and established a process for California to maintain those standards should a different federal Administration lower the standards.
Click here to view this post as it ran the CDFA Planting Seeds blog.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced eight California projects will receive $2.1 million in grant funding through its Local Agriculture Marketing Program (LAMP).
Programs comprising LAMP include the Farmers’ Market Promotion Program, Local Food Promotion Program and Regional Food System Partnerships.
The Farmers’ Market Promotion Program funds projects that support producer-to-consumer markets such as farmers’ markets, roadside stands, agritourism activities, community-supported agriculture programs and online sales. Four California projects were awarded a total of $1 million. The awarded projects in Fresno, Santa Monica, Concord and Napa will offer technical assistance to small farmers and/or marketing to increase attendance at farmers’ markets. Click here for further details.
The Local Food Promotion Program funds projects that support local and regional food businesses that engage as intermediaries in indirect producer-to-consumer marketing. Four California projects were awarded a total of $1.1 million. The awarded projects in Chico, Truckee, Concord and Santa Cruz will increase the reach of local foods and support regional food hubs. Click here for further details.
LAMP and its accompanying grant programs are administered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service and are funded through the 2018 Farm Bill. These programs require a 25% cost share amount of federal funds being requested. For more information, visit the AMS LAMP webpage.
Click here to view USDA’s press release for more information.
CDFA Inspection Services Division Director and California Agricultural Neighbors (CAN) co-lead Natalie Krout-Greenberg welcomes stakeholders to a recent California Longitudinal Study (CALS) industry briefing.
The California agriculture industry continues to demonstrate that science and partnerships are the cornerstones of advancing food safety.
In April 2021, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross called for industry participation to help solve recurring food safety incidents. This action followed a number of leafy green outbreaks between 2018 and 2020 that were traced back to the California Central Coast growing region and linked to a unique isolated strain of E. coli O157:H7. In response, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Western Center for Food Safety at UC Davis launched a five-year California Longitudinal Study (CALS) in coordination with CDFA, highlighted as part of the FDA Leafy Greens STEC Action Plan. The CALS study aims to understand environmental factors that may pose risks to food safety in the growing environment.
On March 5, FDA released a constituent update reflecting progress and initial findings of this five-year research study. This is the largest, most comprehensive sampling study conducted in the Central Coast growing region to date. Outcomes of the research are consistent with historical scientific literature and offer insights that the current food safety regulations, metrics and practices are effective when implemented consistently and judiciously. Additionally, with this emerging body of environmental data, California agriculture will explore new, innovative ways to focus on prevention measures for continuous improvement of food safety.
CDFA Secretary Karen Ross sets the stage for researchers’ presentation of initial findings from the California Longitudinal Study (CALS).
“Produce safety is a shared commitment across the entire supply chain,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “The California Longitudinal Study is the result of our public and private sectors working together to advance science-based practices, improve transparency and reinforce consumer trust. It’s all part of California agriculture’s essential mission of feeding the United States and beyond safely, sustainably and reliably. Initial findings verify that the actions we’re taking in the Central Coast region to enhance food safety are moving us in the right direction, and we are committed to maintaining this focus.”
California’s produce industry continues to make significant strides through improvements in food safety risk education and on-farm practices, led by coordinated efforts among government, academic institutions and industry associations. Ongoing training, inspections and audits, data sharing and innovative technology help ensure that fresh fruits and vegetables reach consumers safely. Equally important are the ongoing partnerships forged through California Agricultural Neighbors (CAN), which began in 2021. CAN is a locally led, locally convened group that brings together diverse agricultural stakeholders across the Salinas Valley to explore and reinforce where food safety advancements, rooted in One Health principles, can be discussed, fostered and implemented. One Health is a collaborative, multidisciplinary, systems-thinking approach that recognizes the health of people is interconnected to the health of animals, plants, and our shared environments.
“As stewards of the land and the food system, members of CAN know the significant responsibility inherent in feeding a nation and recognize that food safety and food security are fundamentally interconnected,” said Natalie Krout-Greenberg, director of CDFA’s Inspection Services Division and co-lead of CAN. “Stakeholders engaged in CAN remain committed to advancing produce safety through continued collaboration, shared learning, adaptive practices, and sustained collective commitment.”
Click here to view this original CDFA Planting Seeds blog post.
CDFA’s Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) announces $1.69 million in grant funding for six projects to advance California growers’ understanding and implementation of improved nitrogen and irrigation management practices. Benefits of the awarded projects include increased water quality, reducing nitrate leaching into groundwater, optimizing nitrogen management in organic cropping systems and more.
This funding is being awarded through the annual FREP Grant Program, which funds research and outreach projects related to the environmentally safe and agronomically sound use and handling of fertilizing materials in many of California’s important and environmentally sensitive cropping systems. Since 1991, FREP has awarded $32 million to over 280 projects, available to view and convenient for growers to implement via the FREP Research & Project Database.
Summary of Funded Projects Starting in 2026:
Reducing Orchard Nitrate Leaching to Groundwater with HFLC and AgMAR: Ground-Truthing and Guiding the ILRP Assessment Tool Project Leader: Thomas Harter, UC Davis FREP Grant funding: $299,629 This project funds several focused investigations while continuing to monitor the impact of high frequency, low concentration fertilizer applications (HFLC), or applying fertilizer incrementally through fertigation, on water quality in an almond orchard. Research objectives include providing valuable data to better understand the potential risks and benefits of Agricultural Managed Aquifer Recharge (AgMAR) on water quality and assessing irrigation and fertigation uniformity within the orchard. The project will also evaluate soil nutrient dynamics of a young orchard planted after grinding and reincorporating the wood from the previous orchard (Whole Orchard Recycling) and measure on-site evapotranspiration (ET). Project results will be communicated to growers and consultants to guide irrigation and nutrient management practices through extension events. Data generated from field monitoring will also be used to calibrate modeling tools used by the Central Valley Regional Waterboard to comply with the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP).
Nitrogen Runoff and Leaching Loss from Nursery Production Project Leader: Christopher Shogren, UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Los Angeles County FREP Grant funding: $300,969 This project seeks to quantify nitrogen runoff and leaching from common combinations of irrigation method (drip vs. overhead), fertilizer type (controlled release vs. water-soluble) and soilless substrates with varying carbon to nitrogen ratios. The research will measure and compare nitrogen losses for plants grown with a single fertilizer and irrigation method from soilless substrates of different carbon to nitrogen ratios, measuring the percentage of nitrogen lost through leaching and runoff for both controlled-release and water-soluble fertilizer applications throughout the production cycle. In addition, the researchers will measure and compare nitrogen losses for overhead and drip irrigation methods when controlled-release and water-soluble fertilizers are applied. Findings will be used to develop best management practices that are protective of water quality that will be shared with nursery producers through outreach events and resources.
Development of Diagnostic Tools to Support Site-Specific N Management Decisions in Organic Cropping Systems Project Leader: Paul Zerbe, Soil Health Lab LLC FREP Grant funding: $301,589 This project will provide growers with decision-support tools to optimize nitrogen management in organic cropping systems at the field level. Data will be collected on the management history, grower perception of nitrogen management challenges and a suite of soil properties on 120 organic vegetable fields in the Salinas Valley. Through statistical data analysis, researchers will establish relationships between these factors and incorporate their findings into a diagnostic tool and interpretive guide that can identify which fields can perform well with lower-cost inputs and which require more intensive investment. Using field testing and validation, the project aims to provide practical tools that improve both nitrogen efficiency and profitability. Beyond this project, the approach offers a scalable model for developing field diagnostics that support informed decision-making in complex farming systems.
Advancing Irrigation and Nitrogen Management of Cantaloupe in Southern California using Field Experiments and Remote Sensing Project Leader: Amir Verdi, UC Riverside FREP Grant funding: $301,222 The overall goal of this project is to enhance the sustainability of cantaloupe production in Southern California by developing science-based irrigation and nitrogen application recommendations for the major soil types in the region. Objectives include evaluating the response of cantaloupe to different irrigation and nitrogen amounts for heavy and coarse soil types in Riverside and Imperial counties and developing recommendations for irrigation and nitrogen management region-specific recommendations. Findings will be used to develop and evaluate a statistical yield predicting remote sensing-based models using drone and satellite data and update the California Fertilization Guidelines.
Nutrient Management: A Collaborative Approach between Agriculture and Regulatory Programs in the San Diego Region Project Leader: Valerie Mellano, San Diego Region Irrigated Lands Group FREP Grant funding: $190,339 In this outreach project, the San Diego Region Irrigated Lands Group (SDRILG) will lead a collaborative effort with agricultural and regulatory programs in the San Diego region to provide nutrient management outreach and education to growers who produce predominantly orchard, vine and nursery crops. This goal of the project is to establish and extend best management practices that achieve regional water quality goals, which are particularly focused on surface water contamination. This work will analyze the specific best management practice needs collaboratively with regulatory program staff and support SDRILG in providing data-driven outreach and education to its members. This will allow for implementation of the most effective practices for the unique agricultural operations in the region and provide education to growers on their effective use.
Developing Tools and Information to Enhance Water-Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Sustainability of Avocado Production Systems Project Leader: Aliasghar Montazar, UCCE, San Diego, Riverside and Imperial Counties FREP Grant funding: $301,639 Optimizing nitrogen applications along with appropriate irrigation management practices is important in all crops; however, in avocado production, managing salt buildup in the soil is an added challenge. This study will address this by conducting extensive field experiments and data collection in 15 commercial avocado sites in Southern California. The aim of the work is to develop new nitrogen and water management tools and information that enhance efficiency while increasing yield and economic return. Key objectives include assessing the impact of grower practices on avocado tree growth, fruit quality, nitrogen removal, nitrogen soil availability and leaching, and developing nitrogen-removal crop coefficient values in California avocados. A long-term impact of the study will be achieving a higher ratio of harvested nitrogen to cropland nitrogen inputs, which may contribute significantly to reduced nitrate contamination in groundwater.
Click here to view this original CDFA press release.
CDFA’s California State Organic Program reminds California organic producers to submit responses to the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) 2025 Organic Survey no later than Thursday, Feb. 5.
Last conducted in 2021, the Organic Survey looks to gather new data on organic production, marketing practices, income and expenses in the United States. This effort is critical for USDA to be able to determine the economic impact of organic agriculture production on the nation. The survey results are scheduled to be made public on Oct. 30, 2026.
The 2025 Organic Survey is part of the Census of Agriculture Program and as such is required and protected by law (Title 7 USC 2204(g) Public Law 105-113). These federal laws require producers to respond and USDA to keep identities and answers confidential. NASS mailed the survey to all known organic farms and ranches within the 50 states, as well as those producers transitioning to certified organic production. For more information about the 2025 Organic Survey, visit www.nass.usda.gov/go/organic.
This report presents the latest illustration of Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) feed manufacturing and distribution in California. The annual VFD Summary Report has been developed to provide a transparent and thorough explanation of the AUS program’s involvement to ensure a feed manufacturer / distributor complies with state and federal VFD order mandates.
2024 report highlights include:
Background, including general information, scope of reporting, processes for protecting confidential information and analytical considerations for the data
Data tables reporting VFD information by species, drug, indication type and amounts sold, as well as aggregated, informative visuals
Collaborative outreach and education efforts for the public, distributors and veterinarians performed by CDFA divisions of Animal Health and Food Safety Services, and Inspection Services
Plans for the AUS program and future VFD collection and compliance
In conjunction with CDFA’s Commercial Feed Regulatory Program under Food and Agricultural Code (FAC) Section 14092.5, AUS collects VFD information on a quarterly basis from both manufacturers and distributors listed on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s VFD Distributor Notification list. The information collected is held confidential in accordance with FAC Section 14407.
Click here to view the 2024 Veterinary Feed Directive Summary Report.
SOP collaboration with California county agricultural inspectors included (clockwise from top left) an agave farm tour with Riverside County inspectors, a farmers’ market verification of good practices with San Luis Obispo County inspectors, an organic inspection with Santa Barbara County inspectors, and an organic inspection with Imperial County inspectors.
CDFA’s State Organic Program’s (SOP) mission is to protect the organic label through education, outreach and, when necessary, enforcement in California, under the authority of the USDA’s National Organic Program. California is the only state in the nation with a USDA-approved State Organic Program.
The SOP upholds state laws and USDA organic regulations by overseeing requirements for the production and handling of organic products within California as well as those entering the state. This includes partnering with counties to perform SOP inspections.
Following are recent examples of this important partnership:
Riverside County agricultural inspectors joined the SOP for an agave farm tour to deepen their understanding of organic production practices and strengthen interagency collaboration.
San Luis Obispo County agricultural inspectors joined SOP to conduct organic enforcement inspections at local farmers’ markets to verify compliance with state and federal organic standards and ensure transparency for consumers.
Imperial County agricultural inspectors joined SOP for an on-site organic inspection. The visit included a comprehensive review of production and handling practices to ensure full compliance with both state and federal organic regulations.
Santa Barbara County conducted an inspection to verify compliance with both state and federal organic standards. The visit included a thorough review of production, handling and documentation practices to ensure the operation met all regulatory requirements.
Huntington Beach Union High School District students are encouraged to develop lifelong relationships with healthy food as they peruse and sample produce grown by the Community Action Partnership of Orange County, supported through a CDFA Farm to School Incubator Grant.
The Community Action Partnership of Orange County (CAP OC) is putting its CDFA Farm to School Incubator Grant funding to good use, expanding access to fresh, locally grown food for Huntington Beach Union High School District (HBUHSD) students.
“This partnership has allowed our Nutrition Services Department to offer healthier meals while strengthening students’ connections to whole foods, agriculture and gardening,” said HBUHSD Nutrition Services Administrator John Chiu.
At the center of this work is CAP OC’s 8-acre Giving Farm that grows fresh produce, including strawberries, watermelon, avocados, oranges, broccoli and butternut squash, used in school meals.
“When seasonal items are available or featured in meals, we promote them through social media and district communications so students can see the direct connection between local farming and what’s on their plate,” Chiu added.
Students, faculty and administrators also interact with the fresh produce through a bi-monthly farmers’ market hosted by HBUHSD’s Adult Transition Program.
“These markets allow our team to sample fresh produce, test new recipes with students and provide nutrition education,” Chiu explained. “It’s about meeting students where they are and making healthy food approachable and exciting.”
Through their collaborative efforts and support from CDFA’s Farm to School Regional staff, CAP OC and HBUHSD remain committed to building a sustainable, educational and nourishing food system that benefits students today and for years to come. Visit the CDFA Farm to School Program website for more information.
Click here to view this original CDFA Planting Seeds Blog post.
This is a blog for the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Inspection Services Division (ISD). Read here for the latest news about how ISD is providing Californians professional services that support and contribute to a safe, abundant and quality food supply; environmentally sound agricultural practices; and an equitable marketplace for California agriculture.
