SECRETARY KAWAMURA AND STATE BOARD PRESIDENT AL MONTNA INVITE THE AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC TO SHARE IN A CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL VISION

Public listening sessions to be held statewide – developing priorities for agricultural policy

SACRAMENTO – The California State Board of Food and Agriculture and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) today launched a series of listening sessions that will provide a forum for the agriculture industry and public to provide input into California’s strategic agricultural vision planning.  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.

“California has always been the land of innovation and opportunity – now is the time to be innovative and bring many different voices and views together to create a mutual understanding of food, fiber and fuel policy and how it can be beneficial to all,” said A.G. Kawamura, Secretary, CDFA.

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 are hosting statewide listening sessions to capture the public voice at the following locations:
 
Redding Listening Session
Wednesday, May 28 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Shasta County Board of Supervisors Chambers
1450 Court Street
Board Chambers, Room 263
Redding, CA 96001

Sacramento Listening Session
Thursday, May 29 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
CDFA Auditorium
1220 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

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
Thousand Oaks Room
800 Hobson Way
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 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.

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.