CDFA is Soliciting Public Comment on the Biodiversity Vision Statement

SACRAMENTO, October 26, 2026 - The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is now accepting public comments on the Biodiversity Guiding Principles, a department-wide framework designed to guide future efforts by CDFA to support, enhance, and protect biodiversity across California’s agricultural landscapes.

California is home to diverse ecosystems and agriculture plays a vital role in stewarding that richness. CDFA’s Climate Resilience Strategy for California Agriculture includes an action item calling for the development of guiding principles to support biodiversity and agriculture. This draft Biodiversity Guiding Principles outlines the Department’s long-term aspirations to advance biodiversity in working lands, strengthen ecological resilience, and support farmers and ranchers who contribute to healthy ecosystems statewide. It will guide CDFA’s program development, engagement in work groups, and other biodiversity-related actions.

“The climate crisis and biodiversity decline are deeply intertwined. Modern research tells us that enhancing on-farm biodiversity has positive benefits for resilience both on and off-farm. Enhancing on-farm biodiversity is key to ensuring both support for biodiversity generally, ecosystem health, and our own long-term food security,” said Deputy Secretary for Climate and Working Lands Virginia Jameson

CDFA encourages stakeholders, including farmers, ranchers, technical assistance providers, agricultural organizations, and the general public to review the draft statement and submit feedback during the public comment period.  CDFA will also accept oral public comment as part of the Science Advisory Panel on Resilient and Sustainable Farming meeting on November 12^th, 2026. Feedback will help shape the final vision statement and inform future planning and program development. CDFA will review and publish all written comments received during the public comment period and release a final Biodiversity Vision Statement later this year. Because this is not a regulatory action, CDFA will not respond formally to comments.

How to Comment Comments may be submitted here. The public comment period will remain open until November 26, 2026, at 5pm.

Attend the Science Advisory Panel on Resilient and Sustainable Farming meeting on November 12^th, 2026

Access the Biodiversity Vision Statement The draft document is available here.

For additional information, please contact Patricia Bohls at cdfa.oars@cdfa.ca.gov. Please put Guiding Principles for Biodiversity in the email title.