Sacramento, California - CDFA staff members joined with colleagues from partner agencies and the agriculture community to say a fond “farewell” to Undersecretary Jim Houston on Thursday (9-28) at CDFA Headquarters. We wished him well as he and his family look forward to the opportunities and challenges that await.

Simply put, California is a better state because of his service. Jim impressed all of us from the start, with his first appointment in 2011 as deputy secretary and his early leadership of our legislative office. When I asked him to accept the position of undersecretary in 2015, it wasn’t just his problem-solving skills and his political acumen that made him the right choice; Jim’s intelligence and his gift for strategic thinking are fully matched by his love of agriculture and his enthusiasm for public service.

Jim has been a great asset to the Brown Administration, and I consider myself fortunate to have worked with him these past six and a half years. I will forever treasure his friendship.