CDFA OFFICIALS HOLD ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED BUDGET AND STRATEGIC GROWTH PLAN

SALINAS- February 2, 2006 - California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura and others held a roundtable discussion today with local leaders on food and agriculture safety issues contained within the Governor’s Strategic Growth Plan and budget proposals.

“Governor Schwarzenegger’s Strategic Growth Plan and budget provide important CDFA measures and funding that will allow California to continue to provide high quality food products and extend our ability to deal with emerging threats,” said CDFA Secretary A.G. Kawamura. “By having better protections in place, we are able to ensure the safety of California’s food and agriculture industry and the continued success of one of California’s most important resources.”  

The Governor’s proposed budget includes $7.2 million from the General Fund for programs to address emerging threats to California’s food supply, economy, natural resources, and public health, including avian influenza and bioterrorism. The proposal includes a personal protection program to design, implement and maintain protections for first responders to plant and animal disease outbreaks as well as a dairy food safety and security shield program that will assess, review and evaluate food security measures.

Over the next 20 years, California’s population is expected to increase by as much as 30 percent and it is estimated the state faces more than $500 billion in infrastructure needs over that same period. Governor Schwarzenegger’s Strategic Growth Plan is the first phase of a 20-year investment to meet these expected needs for Californians. The plan leverages $68 billion dollars in bonds over the next 10 years to invest more than $222 billion in the state’s infrastructure without raising taxes.

Recent events have underscored the importance of programs that address emerging threats to California’s food supply, economy, natural resources, and the public health, including avian influenza and bioterrorism. The Governor’s Strategic Growth Plan and budget seeks to address these issues by providing the necessary precautions to keep California safe.

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