California forms agricultural environmental advisory panel

The Scientific Panel on Environmental Farming has been established in California to advise state agencies on sustainable agriculture. Authorized by Calif. Food and Agricultural Code Section 568, the 5-member advisory panel will review and recommend data on the impact agriculture has on the environment and make recommendations to appropriate state agencies. The panel will also publically document agricultural activities that produce net benefits for the environment and ecosystems.
Calif. Dept. of Food and Agriculture working with American Farmland Trust, Board of Agriculture and hundreds of stakeholders, recently completed a 2-year process of public meetings to complete Ag Vision 2030. This report highlights many sustainable issues, which the environmental advisory panel will focus on.
Three of the panel’s members are appointed by the Secretary of Food and Agriculture representing production agriculture. One member is appointed by the Secretary of EPA representing human health and environmental science. One member is appointed by the Secretary of Natural Resources Agency representing resource management.