CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL VISION: SECRETARY KAWAMURA AND STATE BOARD PRESIDENT AL MONTNA REMIND THE AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE

Public listening sessions to continue statewide – developing priorities for agricultural policy

The California State Board of Food and Agriculture and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) will continue the series of listening sessions that provides a forum for the agriculture industry and public to provide input into the planning of a strategic agricultural vision for California.  This vision will be used to guide public policy and investment priorities at the state and national level for the next 20 years. This important planning will affect everyone who produces, ships, processes, markets, eats, drinks or uses California agricultural products.

“The Ag Vision will give California agriculture the opportunity to design its future through 2030 - this will not be a document to gather dust, but an action plan to secure the viability of this industry for today and years to come,” said Al Montna, President of the California State Board of Food and Agriculture.

Public input is essential for the agricultural vision to fully represent California.  This includes perspectives from farmers, ranchers and processors as well as nutrition, conservation and rural development groups. The state board and CDFA have already held listening sessions in Redding and Sacramento and are hosting listening sessions at the following locations starting in July:

San Luis Obispo Listening Session
Tuesday, July 1 from 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau
651 Tank Farm Road
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

Tulare Listening Session
Wednesday, July 2 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Agricultural Heritage Center
4500 S. Laspina Street
Tulare, CA 93274

Oxnard Listening Session 
Monday, July 7 from 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center
800 Hobson Way, Thousand Oaks Room
Oxnard, CA 93030

Escondido Listening Session
Tuesday, July 8 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
San Diego County Farm Bureau
1670 East Valley Parkway
Escondido, CA 92027
 
The California Agricultural Vision will consist of strategic goals that the agricultural industry wants to achieve by the year 2030. More information about the California Agricultural Vision process and session venues can be found at www.cdfa.ca.gov/agvision.