CDFA AND CALEPA REGULATORY ALIGNMENT CONCEPT PAPER RELEASED FOR FEEDBACK

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Sacramento, May 6, 2024 – The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has released a Regulatory Alignment Concept Paper outlining initial proposals for streamlining agriculture-related food safety and water quality reporting requirements.

The Concept Paper is part of a Regulatory Alignment Study led by CDFA in coordination with the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) and the State Water Resources Control Board (Water Boards). The objective is to evaluate and identify opportunities to streamline administrative processes and reduce paperwork pressure on farmers and ranchers. Informed by a broad range of interviews and feedback, the proposals presented in the Concept Paper serve as a foundation for gathering feedback and are not final recommendations. 

CDFA’s consultant, Crowe LLP, is requesting feedback on the Concept Paper to inform its final regulatory alignment recommendations to CDFA, CalEPA, and the Water Boards, which are expected in 2025. Crowe will hold informational webinars later this month to provide an overview of the Concept Paper, to be followed by a series of workshops June and July of this year.

Feedback on the Concept Paper can be provided at the workshops or sent via email to RegulatoryAlignmentStudy@crowe.com by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31, 2024.

Overview of Concept Paper Webinars
Crowe will host two webinars to provide an overview of the Study and Concept Paper and communicate details on upcoming public workshops. Please register in advance.

Webinar Sessions
Wednesday, May 29, 2024, 10:00 – 11:00 AM 
Zoom Registration Link
Thursday, May 30, 2024, 5:30 – 6:30 PM
Zoom Registration Link

Public Workshops to Review Proposals 
Crowe will conduct a series of public workshops to gather input and feedback on the proposals detailed in the Concept Paper. Comments received on the Concept Paper will inform the further development of the proposals to streamline four regulatory programs in the areas of food safety and water quality: CDFA’s Produce Safety Program, and the Water Boards’ Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program, Confined Animal Facilities Program, and State Winery Order.

For more details on upcoming workshops, please visit https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/RegulatoryAlignment.

Please email questions to RegulatoryAlignmentStudy@crowe.com

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