The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) released a Regulatory Alignment Concept Paper outlining initial proposals for streamlining agriculture-related food safety and water quality reporting requirements.
The Concept Paper is part of the Regulatory Alignment Study, led by CDFA, in coordination with the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) and the State Water Resources Control Board (Water Boards), to evaluate and identify opportunities to streamline administrative processes and optimize information collected by the state. Informed by a broad range of interviews and feedback, the proposals presented in the Concept Paper serve as a foundation for gathering feedback and are not final recommendations.
CDFA’s consultant, Crowe LLP, is requesting feedback on the Concept Paper to inform its final regulatory alignment recommendations to CDFA, CalEPA, and the Water Boards, which are expected in 2025. Crowe will hold informational webinars to provide an overview of the Concept Paper and a series of workshops to receive feedback on the proposals in June and July 2024—see below for additional information.
Please join the public webinar sessions to learn more:
Wednesday, May 29, 2024, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Password: CDFA2024!
Thursday, May 30, 2024, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Password: CDFA2024!
The purpose of the webinars is to:
- Provide an overview of the Regulatory Alignment Study and objectives
- Provide an overview of the Concept Paper and explain how it is organized
- Describe the Summer 2024 workshop format and schedule
Public Workshops to Review Proposals
Crowe will conduct a series of public workshops to gather input and feedback on the proposals detailed in the Concept Paper. Comments received on the Concept Paper will inform the further development of the proposals to streamline four regulatory programs in the areas of food safety and water quality: CDFA’s Produce Safety Program, and the Water Boards’ Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program, Confined Animal Facilities Program, and State Winery Order.
The workshops are organized around each of the four regulatory programs, to provide more programmatic details and to provide a platform for attendees to offer comprehensive and constructive feedback. Each workshop session will include a presentation from Crowe staff and opportunities for public feedback and discussion.
Click the link(s) below to register for a workshop.
Produce Safety Program (PSP) Workshop Sessions
- PSP Session 1: Tuesday, June 4, 2024, 3:00 – 5:00 PM Registration Link
- PSP Session 2: Thursday, July 11, 2024, 4:00 – 6:00 PM Registration Link
Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) Workshop Sessions
- ILRP Session 1: Wednesday, June 12, 2024, 2:00 – 5:00 PM Registration Link
- ILRP Session 2: Tuesday, July 16, 2024, 3:00 – 6:00 PM Registration Link
Confined Animal Facilities (CAF) Program Workshop Sessions
- CAF Session 1: Thursday, June 20, 2024, 3:00 – 5:00 PM Registration Link
- CAF Session 2: Wednesday, July 24, 2024, 4:00 – 6:00 PM Registration Link
State Winery Order (SWO) Workshop Sessions
- SWO Session 1: Wednesday, June 26, 2024, 3:00 – 5:00 PM Registration Link
- SWO Session 2: Tuesday, July 30, 2024, 4:00 – 6:00 PM Registration Link
The purpose of the workshops is to: obtain feedback from all interested parties regarding the proposals outlined in the Concept Paper. The focus areas for the discussion include: Effectiveness of Proposals, Implementation Challenges and Opportunities, Unaddressed Needs or Gaps, Equity and Inclusivity, and Suggestions for Improvement.
The Concept Paper is available on the CDFA website at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/
The initial proposals outlined in the Concept Paper serve as a foundation for gathering feedback; they are not final recommendations.
Public Comment: Feedback on the Concept Paper can be sent via email at RegulatoryAlignmentStudy@
