The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) will be holding stakeholder meetings in February to solicit feedback from the public and agricultural stakeholders on farmer- and rancher-led climate solutions that sequester carbon, reduce greenhouse gases, and enhance biodiversity.
“These outreach meetings are essential to ensure we gain information and knowledge from the people who live and work on the land and the organizations that support them,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “We want to hear from all those interested in discussing farmer- and rancher-led efforts to help ensure climate resilience, greenhouse gas mitigation, biodiversity, and food security.”
The meetings will be organized around three agricultural categories: livestock and dairy; row and field crops (annual crops); and trees and vines (perennial crops). The resulting report will be made available for a 30-day Public Comment period, after which the information will be used to inform CDFA and other state agencies about farmer-and rancher-led climate solutions. The collected information will also inform the next update of the California AB 32 and SB 32 Scoping Plan, and ongoing and future work of the Natural Working Lands Climate Smart strategy.
Each agricultural category will include two meetings of approximately two hours each. The first meeting will include an introductory presentation followed by an opportunity for stakeholder input. The second meeting will allow further discussion and capture additional feedback. Those interested in attending are invited to register via the following links:
- Livestock and Dairy Meeting #1, February 8 at 2 p.m.:
https://csus.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsdO-qrjwpE9TCt74IRi0V4FaVYS9f5jNu - Livestock and Dairy Meeting #2, February 12 at 9 a.m.:
https://csus.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEpce-opzMsGNAruyE0r0-kytqobtBN_cNN
- Annual Crops Meeting #1, February 16 at 2 p.m.:
https://csus.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYtdOqgqj0sGNRlzD5RdDouZcGBWa3d_RMc - Annual Crops Meeting #2, February 19 at 9 a.m.:
https://csus.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEsf-GhrTsuE9J1mm3NiT8KwCR2qJhwBRXp
- Perennial Crops Meeting #1, February 23 at 2 p.m.:
https://csus.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEude6orDkiEtAwaTScN-oU3f5IQCBmAqws - Perennial Crops Meeting #2, February 26 at 9 a.m.:
https://csus.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUkcOytrz4pHd3fJw2Ig7xNqT6PbvGFKIEb
CDFA has engaged previously with agricultural stakeholders on farmer- and rancher-led climate solutions and produced several reports, including the Climate Change Consortium and Climate Assessment reports. Farmer- and rancher-led climate solutions are also highlighted in CDFA's Climate Smart Agriculture programs under the Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation and include the Healthy Soils Program, State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program, Dairy Digester Research and Development Program and Alternative Manure Management Program. Stakeholders are encouraged to review these programs prior to the public meetings noted above.
If you have questions regarding these meetings, please contact CDFA’s Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation by email at cdfa.oefi@cdfa.ca.gov. The meeting agenda can be found at www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/climate.
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This article was originally published in the CDFA Newsletter.