Platform10 is delighted that California Department of Food & Agriculture Secretary, Karen Ross, is the first guest on Platform10's 'The Growers Talk' podcast.

Karen Ross was appointed Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture on January 9, 2019 by Governor Gavin Newsom. In re-appointing Secretary Ross, Governor Newsom cited her unmatched leadership experience in agricultural issues nationally, internationally, and here in California; including environmental stewardship, climate change adaptation, and trade. Secretary Ross was initially appointed by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. in 2011.

Before joining CDFA, Secretary Ross was chief of staff for U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a position she accepted in 2009. Prior to that appointment, she served as President of the California Association of Winegrape Growers from 1996-2009, and as Vice-President of the Agricultural Council of California from 1989-1996. Her prior experience before moving to California included staff work for a United States Senator, a presidential candidate, and government relations for rural electric cooperatives and public power districts.

Secretary Ross is passionate about fostering the reconnection of consumers to the land and the people who produce their food and improving the access of all California citizens to healthy, nutritious California-grown agricultural products, celebrated for their diversity and abundance in serving local, national and global markets.

In the podcast, the hosts, Dennis Donohue of Western Growers and Peter Wren-Hilton of New Zealand-based Wharf42, asked Secretary Ross to share her thoughts about the impact of increased regulation around the use of chemical pesticides, specifically on specialty crop growers. 

Secretary Ross also talked about her recent visits to New Zealand, The Netherlands, Denmark and Spain and some of the lessons learnt.

To listen, please head to our Podcast page above. It was an inspiring conversation and a fitting kick-off to 'The Grower Talks' podcast series.