CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE UPDATES
- December 21, 2007

Meeting High Standards to ensure a better future - Farms, Farmers and FUEL

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California's Leopold Conservation Award Winner

I was very pleased that the Sand County Foundation, in partnership with Sustainable Conservation and the California Farm Bureau Federation, will present its Leopold Conservation Award to Craig McNamara, a Yolo County landowner from Winters. McNamara demonstrates outstanding stewardship and sustainable management of natural resources. He will receive $10,000 and a Leopold crystal award.

As one of the judges on the review committee, I believe Craig shows tremendous leadership by integrating conservation principles and practices into his day-to-day farming operations. It's inspiring to see how California farmers and ranchers can be just as successful in protecting the environment as they are in feeding the world.

Craig's 450-acre Sierra Orchards is a diversified farming operation in Yolo County that demonstrates both stewardship and prosperity, integrating habitat conservation practices that result in a healthy return on his investment. He has significantly enhanced the watershed on his land, improved water quality downstream and established thriving wildlife habitat. McNamara is also a skilled on-site educator. He helps visiting high school students become lifelong learners, overcome barriers to change, develop leadership skills and build greater human and social capital in their communities through his Center for Land-Based Learning (CLBL). Founded in 1993, this program reaches more than 2,000 California students annually, giving them hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture.

The four other finalists from California for the Leopold award are: Jim, Mary, and James Rickert of Prather Ranch in Shasta County; Chet Vogt of Three Creeks Ranch in Glenn County; Jack Varian of V6 Ranch in Monterey and Fresno counties; and Andy Zylstra of Zylstra Dairy in Stanislaus County. Information on Craig and the finalists can be seen on the Sand County Foundation website.

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High School Ag Leaders Visit CDFA

Recently I had the chance to meet with 26 students from Golden West High School in Visalia. They came to CDFA as part of an agricultural leadership class to talk about future issues and opportunities in our industry. As you can tell from the bright smiles in the picture on the left, these students were eager to learn, quick to ask questions and enthusiastic about their futures. Classes like these give me hope for the future of agriculture in California.

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Steaming Along The Hydrogen Highway

This month I took a test drive in a prototype hydrogen-powered fuel-cell car (pictured below). The only exhaust that comes from this vehicle is pure water vapor! Along with Governor Schwarzenegger, I see this emerging technology as one part of the larger solution to our growing energy needs. CDFA's Division of Measurement Standards has been assigned the important task of developing the first hydrogen fuel cell standards for the state and the nation.

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Have a safe and happy holiday. Please remember those less fortunate. For our part this season, CDFA is once again assisting with the State Employees Food Drive and partnering with the California Emergency Foodlink and Farmers' Rice Cooperative to provide much-needed foodstuffs to under-served local communities.

As always, thank you for your support. Feel free to contact my office with any questions or concerns.

A.G. Kawamura

Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture
1220 N Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
916-654-0433

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• 2006 Newsletter Archives

[Photos courtesy of: The Center for Land-Based Learning, J. Henderson/CDFA and E. Williams/CDFA]