Sacramento, California – California’s next big farm discussion will not be about one crop, one pest or one regulation. It will be about the growing pile of pressures landing on the same fields at the same time.
On Tuesday, July 7, 2026, the California State Board of Food and Agriculture will meet in Sacramento to take up three issues that show how wide the job of farming has become: who gets access to agricultural land, how farms and food businesses respond to new plastic rules, and how irrigated lands are regulated in a state where water is always part of the story.
The meeting is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Main Auditorium, 1220 N Street, Sacramento. It will also be available through Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84457156306, with Webinar ID 844 5715 6306 and passcode Board2026!. Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available through the Zoom application.
The board is expected to hear updates on the December 2025 report, “Advancing Agricultural Land Equity in California,” prepared by the Strategic Growth Council’s California Agricultural Land Equity Task Force. The discussion comes as land access remains one of the most basic questions in agriculture: who can farm, who can stay on the land, and what barriers continue to shape opportunity.
Another major item will be single-use plastic. CalRecycle’s final regulations to implement the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act are also on the agenda, bringing packaging and waste rules into the same room as growers, ranchers, food producers and industry groups.
The board will also discuss the Second Statewide Agricultural Expert Panel report focused on the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program. In addition, members will hear updates concerning New World Screwworm and the Glassy-winged Sharpshooter.
“Working to build healthy communities is a priority within California agriculture,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “As we continue to address critical issues related to farming, ranching, and food production, we need innovation, research, and collaboration to develop sustainable pathways forward. California continues to be a leader in what we grow and how we grow it.”
Invited speakers include representatives from CalRecycle, the University of California, the Strategic Growth Council, the Agricultural Council of California, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Western Growers, the California Strawberry Commission and CDFA.
Board President Don Cameron said the agenda reflects the reality facing producers. “The diversity of issues that farmers face continues to grow,” he said. “The issues are also becoming more complex and frequently layer-upon one another. Keeping farmers and ranchers informed is essential and that is what this Board continues to do.”
The California State Board of Food and Agriculture advises the governor and CDFA secretary on agricultural issues and consumer needs, while hosting public forums on current concerns across the state’s farm and food system.