California’s record-setting drought has brought increased national and international attention to the state’s importance to the global food chain. With an estimated 2 billion more people to feed worldwide in the next 20 years, there is widespread concern about whether California will be up to the challenge. California Secretary of Agriculture, Karen Ross, believes that it will.
On August 6, Secretary Ross addressed the FMI 2014 State Issues Retreat in California. In her remarks, the Secretary touched on a variety of topics affecting the grocery industry including bee pollination, bio-technology, egg production and many others. But most notably, she spoke about California’s efforts to manage its water shortage. Secretary Ross believes that with a combination of the application of technology, careful water management, and increased investment in water infrastructure, the state can meet the challenges posed by the drought.
Beyond water management issues, Secretary Ross highlighted the central importance of science and technology to the food industry as a whole. She noted that venture capital is increasingly coming to agriculture, and consequently, the pace of technological change may only quicken. Secretary Ross acknowledged the uneasiness of some consumers with the intersection of science with their food. “Science is farther ahead than the people,” she said. “It’s in our best interest to protect choice for the consumer.”
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