The California Department of Food and Agriculture serves the citizens of California by promoting and protecting a safe, healthy food supply, and enhancing local and global agricultural trade, through efficient management, innovation, and sound science, with a commitment to environmental stewardship.

The goals of the California Department of Food and Agriculture are to:

• Promote and protect the diverse local and global marketability of the California agricultural brand which represents superior quality, value, and safety.
• Optimize resources through collaboration, innovation, and process improvements.
• Connect rural and urban communities by supporting and participating in educational programs that emphasize a mutual appreciation of the value of diverse food and agricultural production systems.
• Improve regulatory efficiency through proactive coordination with stake holders.
• Invest in employee development and succession planning efforts.

Since Department programs drive the need for infrastructure investment, each department has a related capital outlay program to support this need. For the specifics on the Department of Food and Agriculture's Capital Outlay Program see "Infrastructure Overview."