CDFA Egg Safety and Quality Manager Tony Herrera has been elected president of the National Egg Regulatory Officials organization (NERO). This is his second time serving as president of NERO. Herrera’s responsibilities at CDFA include planning, directing, managing and overseeing a statewide regulatory food safety, quality and grading program for shell eggs and egg products that are marketed in California. He has …

USDA secretary Sonny Perdue is making available an additional $45 million to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and its partners to address the ongoing virulent Newcastle disease (VND) outbreak in Southern California.  This funding will allow APHIS and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to strengthen their joint efforts to stop the spread of this …

Report Highlights Animal Agriculture’s Commitment to Continuous Improvement Yesterday, the Animal Agriculture Alliance released its “Sustainability Impact Report” focusing on animal agriculture in the United States. The report highlights how the animal agriculture industry shares the same values as today’s consumer with its never-ending commitment to animal care, environmental stewardship, responsible antibiotic use, food safety and nutrition. To access the …

A report issued last week by a consortium of environmental groups on antibiotics in the meat supply chain highlights the importance of work being undertaken by California Department of Food and Agriculture as the first state in the nation to regulate the use of antibiotics in livestock. The report touched on CDFA’s efforts but it is important to clearly state …

Davis, Calif., (April 26, 2018) – Consumers are clamoring for cage-free eggs, and producers are scrambling to meet the demand. In 2017, nearly 16 percent of all hens in the U.S. were in cage-free production. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about 75 percent of all laying hens will need to be cage free by 2026 to meet market …

Davis, Calif., (April 5, 2018) – Californians who raise poultry outdoors are invited to get their eggs tested for contaminants. To find out if harmful substances on the ground that are eaten by birds get passed along in the eggs they lay, Maurice Pitesky, UC Cooperative Extension poultry specialist at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, is providing free egg …

Petaluma, Calif., (March 16, 2018) – Founded in 1969 by Allan Shainsky, Petaluma Poultry has been a local company for more than 40 years. They returned to their “old fashioned flavor” in 1986 when they began feeding a vegetarian diet, committed to never using antibiotics and introduced Rocky the Free Range Chicken. Petaluma Poultry took their commitment to the next …

Davis, Calif., (March 13, 2018) – Historically, keeping backyard chickens was a response to economic hardship — whether it was in the Depression or during wartime food rationing. But a growing number of chickens today are roaming or are caged on small family farms and in backyards, as suburban and urban poultry gains more popularity among consumers. Many people prefer …

Sacramento, Calif., (March 2, 2018) – Circles on the California Waterfowl Tracker map shows where waterfowl are feeding and roosting. Red indicates a high density of birds, orange is medium density and yellow is low density. To reduce potential exposure to avian influenza, a new interactive website is now available to help California poultry producers, backyard poultry enthusiasts, regulators and …

Charitable Contributions for Farmers It is common for businesses to receive tax deductions for cash donations, but did you know that the agriculture community can donate fresh foods for a similar benefit? California farmers and agriculture businesses have the opportunity to donate fresh fruits and vegetables in return for some pretty hefty tax breaks. How much is the deduction?  In …