Secretary A.G. Kawamura invites you to WASDA 2008
As president of the Western Association of State Departments of Agriculture, it is my pleasure to invite you to the WASDA Annual Meeting July 21 to 24 in beautiful and historic Monterey, California.
Monterey has been praised by artists and poets, explorers and novelists for centuries. Our coastline beckons you to explore its coves and redwood groves. The hotel is located on Cannery Row, a lively combination of history, art and commerce made famous by John Steinbeck’s celebrated novel. Meeting rooms look directly over otters frolicking in the surf and the spectacular shoreline of Monterey Bay. Exciting activities are planned to take advantage of our location.
We will visit the Salinas Valley, the salad bowl of the world, and home to some of America’s most valuable farmland. Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck captured the moment when water for irrigation and ice for shipping reformed the Salinas Valley. The spirit of ingenuity and innovation is the foundation of California agriculture and continues to guide our state’s farmers and ranchers today.
California agriculture produces 400 crops and $32 billion in direct farm sales, which constitutes a significant part of our state’s economy. However, along with the successes come challenges. As you have also experienced, agriculture is threatened by severe weather, water shortages, diseases and pests. Coming up with innovative solutions to address these challenges is vital to the agricultural and food industries, and especially to our consumers.
I look forward to our meeting and exploring how we can work together to address some of the critical agricultural issues we face. My staff and I are eager to welcome you to California in July. Please contact our events coordinator, Carol Tate, by e-mail at wasda@cdfa.ca.gov or phone at (916) 654-0321, if you have any questions about the meeting.
A.G. Kawamura
President, Western Association of State Departments of Agriculture
Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture