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Secretary of Agriculture Karen Ross on California’s Climate Leadership, Ep #45

The agriculture sector requires transformation to reduce emissions, improve soil health, and sequester carbon, while also feeding a growing population. CA's Secretary of Agriculture Karen Ross shares insight on the state's role in ag innovation for local, national, and global impact. Tune in to learn about how the food system is evolving to address climate change.

Date: 03/28/2023
Guest:

Secretary Karen Ross

About episode

Agriculture is a sector that needs to be transformed. We need to cut emissions, improve soil health, and sequester more carbon, all while feeding more people. This episode focuses on how California’s Department of Food & Agriculture is investing in this change. 

Why California? Well, agriculture in the Golden State is a big deal. It’s a $51 billion-a-year industry, that grows over a third of the vegetables and three-quarters of the fruits and nuts in the United States. California is a recognized leader when it comes to climate action, and there’s much to learn from its agriculture policy and practices. So I was delighted to sit down with California’s Secretary of Agriculture Karen Ross. Secretary Ross has decades of experience in agriculture and ag policy and is deeply committed to climate action. We talked about everything from dairy digesters and regenerative ag practices to the role California ag innovation plays nationally and globally, and much more. If you’re interested in how the food system is changing to address climate change, there’s a lot here for you. Here we go.

In today’s episode, we cover:

  • [2:25] Recent weather impacts on California farmers 
  • [4:20] Secretary Ross’ background, experience & current role
  • [6:34] California’s agricultural agenda & its main priorities
  • [8:57] The CA Department of Food & Agriculture’s top programs 
  • [11:23] The Dairy Digester R&D Program – goals & how it works
  • [13:52] Reducing methane emissions from cow burps
  • [15:41] The menu of items to reduce emissions
  • [16:51] The Biden Administration’s Methane Emissions Reduction Plan
  • [18:23] Other success stories or signs of progress 
  • [19:40] The biggest barrier to reaching “every farmer and at least one practice on every acre in California”
  • [20:49] What is the state aiming to address through its Healthy Soils Program
  • [22:49] The target of farms to be reached with 80,000 acres per year 
  • [24:58] Some ways that California & the federal government’s climate initiatives influence one another
  • [27:35] Other initiatives & states that Sec. Ross admires & is learning from
  • [29:11] Opportunities within the ag tech space for innovators & investors to start dialing up their attention
  • [32:44] Other highlights from Sec. Ross on global impact, International Womens Day & CA’s accolades
  • [34:49] What else needs to happen in US agriculture to meet Paris Accord climate commitments & other climate goals
  • [36:26] What can listeners do to address climate change through food & agriculture

Secretary Ross’ background, experience & current role

Secretary Ross says that her current role is one that she was not aware of previously, making it difficult to aspire to something she had never been exposed to. Now, she’s emphasizing the importance of being in front of young people to show them the world of possibilities. She grew up on a farm in western Nebraska, close to the Wyoming border, and now owns part of that farm. While working for a United States senator and going to night school to get her college degree, she fell in love with ag policy, understanding its impacts. She moved to California with her husband and was fortunate enough to represent farmer-owned cooperatives and become the president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers for about 14 and a half years. She was then asked to be the Chief of Staff to Secretary Vilsack in the first term of the Obama Administration. When Jerry Brown won the governor’s race, he invited her to become Secretary of Agriculture, a position she has held since 2011.

California’s agricultural agenda & its main priorities

Secretary Ross believes that California is a global leader in numerous ways, particularly when it comes to policy. She cites the first climate-related bill, signed by Governor Grey Davis, and the cap and trade system, established by Governor Schwarzenegger, which has generated billions of dollars to support the transition to carbon neutrality. The agricultural sector has been an active participant in this transition through programs for climate-smart ag. Over the past decade, nearly a billion dollars have been invested in incentive grants and technical assistance to support this transition and adapt to climate change. One exciting aspect of this effort is the ability to prove that forestry and agriculture can draw down carbon stored in the soils, which has multiple benefits, including increasing water holding capacity and improving nitrogen cycling. Additionally, this approach helps to preserve biodiversity. Secretary Ross is proud of the momentum gained and notes that all CDFA’s programs are currently oversubscribed.

The CA Department of Food & Agriculture’s top programs 

Secretary Ross provides a couple of examples of CDFA’s programs. The oldest program, created in 2014 during a drought, is the on-farm water use efficiency program, which connects conservation practices with reducing greenhouse gas emissions through irrigation pumping. The program has invested over $200 million in incentive grants and targets priority populations, disadvantaged communities, historically underserved, and very small farms. CDFA also established a program to reduce methane emissions from livestock, which includes dairy digesters and alternative manure management practices. The newest program, launched four years ago, is the Healthy Soils program, which offers a variety of practices to store carbon in soil, such as composting, mulching, and no-till hedgerows. These programs have been successful in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, saving water, and promoting circular economy

Other states that Secretary Ross admires & is learning from

Secretary Ross expressed her admiration for various states that have implemented successful environmental initiatives. For instance, she mentions the Chesapeake Bay states, six of which have collaborated to establish standard practices and share resources for technical assistance to reduce nitrogen fertilizer use and runoff issues. Minnesota has focused on water quality, given its abundance of surface water and runoff issues, and Iowa has been successful in getting corn growers to partner on the use of cover crops to store carbon and improve air quality. Colorado has invested COVID Relief dollars in creating healthy resilient food systems through healthy soils programs and other elements, while Washington State University has established an innovative soil health program that serves as a great model for other states.

Opportunities within the ag tech space for innovators & investors

Secretary Ross notes that during the drought and water issues, there was an initial influx of new venture capital coming into agriculture. CDFA and trade associations like Western Growers were overwhelmed with the number of calls from people with potential solutions. Secretary Ross emphasizes the importance of partnering with Cooperative Extension for real-time feedback from farmers. She also highlights the Western Growers Innovation Center in Salinas, which aims to bring the Salinas Valley and Silicon Valley closer together in the investigation of new technologies. The Innovation Center hosts contests for innovators to bring their equipment and technology to work with growers and processors on a daily basis, stimulating new venture capital in the ag tech space. The Innovation Center also puts on seminars and an international summit on biological solutions to pest management, and has an initiative with other specialty crop producing states and countries for automation. In addition, they produce a progress report each year that maps out where the technology is, who we should be partnering with, and where we can do trial work. Other successful examples include the Almond Board of California, which has a science officer who engages with venture capital to identify new technologies globally and works with almond growers to pilot trials.

What can listeners do to address climate change through food & agriculture

Secretary Ross suggests prioritizing buying locally produced goods in California, which has numerous benefits including potentially reducing emissions. It’s important to also consider reducing food waste by being mindful of what is purchased and consumed. There is a statewide effort to properly separate goods for composting. Additionally, individuals can reduce their carbon footprint by making conscious decisions about energy usage and transportation, considering various modes of transit such as walking, biking, driving, or using public transportation.

Resources Mentioned

Other Related & Notable Resources

Connect with Secretary Karen Ross

  • Connect with Secretary Ross via CDFA

Connect with Jason Rissman

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