Thea Rittenhouse

Thea Rittenhouse joined the Department of Food and Agriculture in September 2018 as the Farmer Equity Advisor. In this role, she manages the Farm Equity Office and is responsible for the full implementation of AB 1348, the Farmer Equity Act. In this role, she supports the development of policies and programs which target small-scale and socially disadvantaged producers, works to advance equitable policies and practices within State government and across the CDFA, manages the BIPOC Producer Advisory Committee and Small-Scale Producer Advisory committee and also serves as CDFA's Tribal liaison. In 2023, Ms. Rittenhouse was appointed as a member of the California Land Equity Task Force. Her career has encompassed many aspects of agriculture and food systems work, including school and community gardens, beginning farmer training programs, farmworker advocacy and farm to school programs. Much of her career has focused on serving small-scale, BIPOC producers, agricultural businesses and underserved communities. She holds a Master's Degree from UC Davis in Community Development with a focus on Sustainable Agriculture and Food systems and is co-owner of a small scale organic farm in Northern California.