The Spring CPF Quality Assurance Seminar will take place on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at the Stanislaus County Ag Center in Modesto from 8:30am – 2:00pm. Please mark your calendars. For more information on speakers and topics, along with a registration please visit the Quality Assurance 2012 Spring QA seminar web page. For more upcomming events check out our Calendar of Events page.

As part of a continuing effort to build a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that meets the evolving needs of a 21st century agricultural economy, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today informed Congress that in 90 days he plans to approve consolidation of 131 Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices with other USDA service centers, consistent with provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill. Under the Blueprint for Stronger Service announced on January 9, Vilsack laid out USDA’s plans to modernize and accelerate service delivery while improving the customer experience through use of innovative technologies and business solutions.  Read More     

The West Coast’s premier Fresh Chicken Cooking Contest is inviting home, amateur and professional chefs to stir up locally-inspired cooking creativity with the call for entries for the third annual Foster Farms Fresh Chicken Cooking Contest (entries accepted beginning February 29). The winner will receive a grand prize of $10,000 plus a one-year supply of Foster Farms fresh chicken*. The deadline to enter is June 3, 2012 at 11:59:59 p.m. PDT. Foster Farms is encouraging residents of California, Oregon and Washington to submit their favorite, original, fresh chicken recipes for consideration for a chance at the coveted grand prize. Recipes must feature Foster Farms fresh chicken and should be inspired by fresh ingredients grown on the West Coast as a testament to Foster Farms’ commitment to foods that are fresh, locally grown and always natural. Read More

Chicken continues to dominate the center-of-the plate, although American families like variety in their evening meals with many mixing their choice of dinner proteins throughout the typical week, according to the "2012 Power of Meat" report issued this week at the Meat Conference. Chicken is served four or more times per week at dinner by 10 percent of consumers, while 53 percent serve chicken one to three times per week, and 14 percent serve it less than once a week.  Only 3 percent never have chicken for dinner. Read More

California Secretary of Agriculture Karen Ross toured the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory in Turlock last week, escorted by State Veterinarian Annette Whiteford, Lab Director Richard Breitmeyer, Turlock lab Branch Chief Bruce Charlton, dairyman and former CDFA Undersecretary Chuck Ahlem and CPF President Bill Mattos. The Turlock lab serves the vast poultry industry primarily in the north Valley, (but receives birds from throughout the state and the West Coast) and is located in some of the oldest buildings in the lab system. The government, University of California and industry are pursuing ways to expand the lab at a new location and include all livestock diagnostic services. Ross was impressed with the facility personnel and the work accomplished in Turlock. She assured everyone that she would like to see a new facility at some time and would continue working with industry and the University to make it happen.