AUGUST MEETING SET FOR STATE BOARD OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

SACRAMENTO – California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Secretary A.G. Kawamura has announced that the next meeting for the California State Board of Food and Agriculture is scheduled for August 31, 2005 at 9:00 a.m. The meeting will be held in Sacramento, California, at CDFA’s auditorium, 1220 N Street, Suite 131. The scheduled topics before the board include departmental updates, discussion  of a biofuel resolution, and panel presentations on water, land use, and food and fiber as a strategic resource. The meeting will conclude with closing comments from Dr. Jay Lehr, Science Director at the Heartland Institute.

The State Board of Food and Agriculture advises the governor and the secretary of food and agriculture on agricultural issues and consumer needs. The board has forums that bring together local, state, and federal government officials, agricultural representatives, and citizens to discuss current issues of concern to California agriculture.

The board’s fifteen members are appointed by the governor, and are selected to represent a broad range of agricultural commodities, geographical regions, and both the University of California and the California State University academic systems. Members serve four-year terms without pay. There are no term limits and appointments do not require Senate confirmation.

All California State Board of Food and Agriculture meetings are open to the media and general public. For more information on the State Board or CDFA, please contact the department’s public affairs office at
(916) 654-0462 or Helen Lopez, Executive Director of the State Board of Food and Agriculture at
(916) 657-3231.

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