WG Invites Members to Forbes AgTech Summit in July

March 29th, 2016

The Second Annual Forbes AgTech Summit will bring together over 500 of the brightest minds, from global agriculture and Silicon Valley, to help tackle the world’s most critical challenges in agriculture. The event will showcase the latest innovations for growers, investors and stakeholders, as well as foster lively debate and generate rich networking opportunities.

As a benefit of Western Growers’ strategic partnership with Forbes, all members will receive $250 off the regular admission price. All regular members should have received an e-mail invitation and discount code from Western Growers. If you did not receive this invitation, or are a non-member and would like to attend the event, please contact Hank Giclas at (949) 885-2205.

Among the speakers will be Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif and Taylor Farms Founder & CEO Bruce Taylor (a WG member).

AGENDA

Wednesday, July 13th

  • Innovation Showcase
  • Field Demos
  • Plant Tours
  • Opening Reception

Thursday, July 14th

  • Plenary Sessions
  • Innovation Showcase
  • Closing Reception

For additional information about this event, please visit the Forbes AgTech Summit website.

WG Members, Leaders Among Experts at Salinas Valley AgTech Summit

March 31st, 2016

Western Growers had a strong presence at yesterday’s Third Annual Salinas Valley Agricultural Technology Summit, as WG members and staff led multiple panels and sessions throughout the day. 

The Summit educated more than 500 ag and farm professionals about topics including crop protection, automation, harvest, innovation, worker safety and regulations through a series of presentations, panels, sessions, displays and demonstrations. The event, hosted by the Agricultural Business and Technology Institute at Hartnell College, was held in collaboration with the Monterey Bay Chapter of the CA Association of Pest Control Advisors.

This year, WG members and staff helped place emphasis on the growing partnerships in education, agriculture and technology that are driving breakthroughs impacting the industry. Jamie Strachan (Growers Express) helped kick off the event by providing some of the events’ opening remarks. During the first panel, Brian Antle (Tanimura & Antle), Frank Maconachy (Ramsay Highlander) and Mac Keely (Blue River Technology) highlighted the relationship and benefits of mechanization and machinery. Steve Wiley (American Takii Inc.) and WG Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning, Science & Technology Hank Giclas spoke about the environment, genetics and crop protection during the R&D Panel. Giclas also helped lead the Ag Trade Association Panel, which discussed opinions and strategies in agtech. Johnny Massa Comgro (Comgro Soil Amendments, Inc.) addressed plant protection and soil health during the Dealer and Supplier Panel. Additionally, A.G. Kawamura, former CA Secretary of Agriculture and a former chair and current board member of Western Growers, led a keynote speech. 

Click here to read the full story and see images from the event on the WGCIT Agtech Blog.

DPR to Hold Two Meetings on Fumigation Notification Requirements in April

March 31st, 2016

The Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) will be holding two workshops in April to gather input from stakeholders to help determine what notification is appropriate when field fumigation occurs. Western Growers has been vocal about the direction DPR is headed and will continue to express serious concerns on the issue. Western Growers’ members are encouraged to participate in these workshops, as DPR will use this input to develop a new regulation.

The current regulations require that residents be notified about certain applications of the soil-applied field fumigant, methyl bromide. Other fumigants also have product labels with different notification requirements as part of the emergency preparedness and response measures. Current methyl bromide notification regulations and fumigant labeling requirements will serve as the starting point to create a uniform requirement for all soil-applied field fumigants.

Additional information about current requirements or details about the workshops can be found here.  

WORKSHOP INFORMATION
Salinas area
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Spreckels Veterans Memorial Building
90 5th Street
Spreckels, CA 93962

Fresno area
Thursday, April 14, 2016
6:00 p.m – 9:30 p.m.
Mosqueda Community Center
4670 E. Butler Avenue
Fresno, CA 93702

Agenda

  • Introductions and opening remarks
  • DPR presentation on current requirements and comments from 2015 workshop
  • Public comments
  • Next steps and closing remarks

For more information, please contact Matthew Allen at (916) 446-1435.

Specright’s Packaging Innovation Featured in Tech Talk at WGCIT – April 5

March 31st, 2016

Western Growers’ members are invited to learn more about specright’s sophisticated system that will simplify packing specification needs. specright, one of 12 startups housed in the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology (WGCIT), is a packaging-specification management company that offers a cloud-based platform where customers can input and manage data to ensure that their specifications for packaging are met. The platform helps produce marketers centralize packaging information in a way that is accessible to suppliers and clients.

Tech Talks, which are offered at no cost, are hosted at the WGCIT in Salinas on a monthly basis. For those who cannot attend in person, the event will also be available via webinar.

EVENT INFORMATION
Tech Talk with specright
Date: Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Location: Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology
150 Main Street, Suite 130
Salinas, CA 93901
Time: 4:00 – 5:00 pm
RSVP: To attend in person or via webinar, please register here.

For more information about the Tech Talk Series or the WGCIT, contact Hank Giclas at (949) 885-2205.

WG Takes Aim at Lost El Niño Water

March 7th, 2016

Western Growers has launched a digital media campaign aimed at intensifying awareness among urban Californians about the water being lost to the sea this winter and the need for federal and state leaders to exert pressure on water system operators to capture and store those El Niño waters before they are lost.

With another blast of El Niño’s rains coming in over the past weekend, the fish agencies in charge of regulating the Delta pumps must be challenged to immediately begin operating them at the maximum levels allowed under the Endangered Species Act.

The centerpiece of the digital program is a two-minute video educating Californians on the amount of water currently being lost to the ocean and calling on them to leverage social media to demand action from Senators Feinstein and Boxer and Governor Brown.

Among other facts, the video states: “Three billion gallons of extra water are passing under the Golden Gate Bridge every single day. We’re not talking about water we need to protect fish or the environment. That water is already being accounted for. No, this is additional water that could be captured and stored for use by farms and cities.”

Over the course of the next ten days, this video will be heavily promoted on Facebook and as premium pre roll (commercials that run prior to news content).

Viewers of the video will be directed back to the new www.wga.com/water website where they can learn more about the drought and why we’re at risk of losing the potential benefits of El Niño.

At the top of the WG Water Page is a running counter that aggregates in real time the amount of water that has escaped to sea since the beginning of the year. The number is quite staggering. At the time of this writing, over 210 billion gallons of water have been lost in 2016.

Page visitors will be prompted to get involved in the conversation by tweeting their thoughts using popular hashtags, including a new hashtag created specifically for this campaign: #lostCAwater.

The Twitter handles of Senators Feinstein and Boxer and Governor Brown are included to facilitate direct outreach to these key influencers in water management.

Western Growers encourages all of its members to take advantage of the resources on the WG Water Page. Watch the video and share it on your various social media platforms. Use the #lostCAwater hashtag to share your perspective on El Niño and the drought. Not sure what to tweet? Talking points are provided for inspiration.

The bottom line is that we must continue putting pressure on our policymakers to do the right thing and not waste El Niño. Social media has given us a powerful platform to share our messages. But time is running out. Get involved today!

[VIDEO::https://vimeo.com/157633874::aVideoStyle]

WG Board Provides Leadership and Guidance at Sacramento Meeting

March 22nd, 2016

Last week, the Western Growers Board of Directors met in Sacramento where they engaged with key administration officials and legislative representatives and deliberated on major policy issues facing the membership and broader Western fresh produce industry.

The following is a summary of several important points of discussion and significant action taken by the Board:

H-2A Processing Delays: With comprehensive immigration reform stalled indefinitely, Western Growers members have increasingly turned to the H-2A program to meet their labor needs. Unfortunately, some California growers are currently facing processing delays at the Department of Labor (DOL) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). Since the beginning of the year, of more than 50 applications, only one has been certified on time. Unless the situation is remedied soon, the economic losses from these delays are expected to mount as California enters the heart of its harvest season.

Staff was directed by the board to conduct a member survey on H-2A processing delays to gather data that can be used in lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill. If your company is engaged in the H-2A program, we encourage you to anticipate and respond to this survey, which will be distributed later this week. Additionally, if you have not already done so, please reach out to your Congressional representatives while they are back home for Easter Recess. Urge them to press DOL and USCIS for solutions to avert the pending H-2A processing delay crisis.

CLICK HERE for suggested talking points to keep in mind when you engage with your Representatives.

Drinking Water Replacement: The State Water Resources Control Board recently issued a draft of the East San Joaquin Waste Discharge Requirements that included encouraging Regional Water Resources Control Boards to require replacement drinking water where appropriate (e.g., where nitrate levels exceed drinking water standards) using cleanup and abatement orders against growers. Understandably, growers are concerned that if they agree to provide replacement drinking water, they may be subject to third-party lawsuits and ongoing financial burdens of replacing drinking water for an unknown number of impacted individuals. 

Staff was directed by the WG board to explore and analyze possible alternatives that would result in replacement drinking water being supplied while also protecting growers from third-party lawsuits.  

Crop Protection Tools: Ongoing challenges to the continued use of pesticides in farming, particularly fumigants, is threatening the ability of growers to continue operating in California. While California has the strictest registration process in the country, many crop protection tools are in jeopardy of being regulated out of existence. Currently, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) is in the process of developing new regulations that would further restrict the use of pesticides near schools and expand notification requirements.

Staff was directed to prioritize efforts related to protecting individual compounds and to engage in strategic initiatives aimed at changing current public perceptions of crop protection tools.

Governor Brown, Labor Unions Announce Minimum Wage Deal

March 29th, 2016

Yesterday, Governor Brown, select members of the Legislature and labor union leaders announced an agreement to make California the first state in the nation to reach the $15 per hour minimum wage mark. This deal comes on the heels of a 2013 law that raised the minimum wage from $8 to $10 per hour effective the beginning of this year. The new plan will continue to raise the minimum wage as follows:

Wage 26 or More Employees 25 or Fewer Employees
$10.50 per hour January 1, 2017 January 1, 2018
$11.00 per hour January 1, 2018 January 1, 2019
$12.00 per hour January 1, 2019 January 1, 2020
$13.00 per hour January 1, 2020 January 1, 2021
$14.00 per hour January 1, 2021 January 1, 2022
$15.00 per hour January 1, 2022 January 1, 2023

Once the minimum wage reaches $15 per hour for all businesses in 2023, wages will then be increased each year up to 3.5 percent (indexed) for inflation as measured by the national Consumer Price Index.

The plan does provide a “safety valve,” which will allow the Governor to pause the next year’s wage increase for one year if there is a forecasted budget deficit or poor economic conditions. This so-called “off-ramp” can only be used twice until the $15 per hour level is reached, after which it no longer applies.

“Governor Brown and the labor unions have chosen to ignore economic reality in striking this deal,” said Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif. “The $15 minimum wage will force many fresh produce companies to reduce the working hours of their employees and replace as many as possible with automation or outsourcing to other states and countries.

“California’s regulatory apparatus is picking apart an industry that provides fresh, healthy food to its people and to the world. Forcing the minimum wage higher by 50 percent, on top of the 20 percent increase just completed, is just the latest blow to families that want to stay in California but can’t project a sustainable economic future here.

“Keep in mind, we don’t just compete with California growers, we compete with a world that is not burdened by California’s ever-expanding regulations and constant wage increases. Inexpensive foreign food imports are eating away our future.”

Allowable Charges for H-2A Agricultural Workers’ Meals and Travel Costs Announced

March 1st, 2016

The U.S. Department of Labor recently issued a notice announcing this year’s Allowable Charges for H-2A workers. The notice establishes the allowable charges that H-2A employers may charge their workers when the employer provides three meals a day and the maximum travel subsistence meal reimbursement that a worker with receipts may claim in 2016. When an H-2A employer provides meals, the job offer must state the charge, if any, to the worker for such meals. For 2016, the maximum allowable meal charge is $12.09 per day unless the DOL approves a higher charge.

In addition, workers who qualify for travel reimbursement are entitled to reimbursement for meals up to $51 when they provide receipts. In determining the appropriate amount of reimbursement for meals for less than a full day, the employer may provide for meal expense reimbursement, with receipts, of a maximum of $38.25. If a worker has no receipts, the employer is not obligated to reimburse more than the minimum subsistence charge for meals during travel, which is $12.09 a day.

“Subsistence” includes both meals and lodging during travel to and from the worksite. An H-2A employer must either pay in advance or reimburse a worker for the reasonable costs of transportation and daily subsistence between the employer’s worksite and the place from which the worker comes to work for the employer (provided that the worker completes 50% of the work contract period). When the worker completes the contract, an H-2A employer must pay for that workers’ return costs.

When an H-2A worker must travel to obtain a visa so that the worker may enter the U.S. to come to work for the H-2A employer, the employer must pay for the transportation and daily subsistence costs of that part of the travel. H-2A employers must pay the reasonable costs associated with the worker’s travel, including transportation, food, and lodging, when necessary. When an H-2A employer does not provide transportation and lodging, the H-2A employer must pay the most economical and reasonable costs associated with these expenses.

H-2A employers are responsible for the worker’s travel costs to the worksite provided that the worker completes 50% of the work contract period. When the worker completes the contract, an H-2A employer must pay his or her return transportation and subsistence costs, including lodging costs where necessary. This policy applies equally to instances where the worker is traveling within the U.S. to the employer’s worksite. 

For more information, contact Jason Resnick at (949) 885-2253.

California and Arizona Counties Eligible for Drought Disaster Assistance

March 3rd, 2016

On March 2, 2016, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) designated Imperial, Marin, Mendocino and Trinity counties in California as primary natural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by a recent drought.

Because they are contiguous to the prime disaster designated counties, the following counties in California and Arizona are also eligible for assistance:

California

  • Glenn
  • Humboldt
  • Lake
  • Riverside
  • San Diego
  • Shasta
  • Siskiyou
  • Sonoma
  • Tehama

Arizona

  • Yuma
  • La Paz

For more information and to apply for assistance, please go to:

http://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/disaster-assistance-program/index

http://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/farm-loan-programs/farm-loan-application-forms/index

Drought charts and conditions: http://science.kjzz.org/content/273027/farmers-ranchers-3-arizona-counties-qualify-drought-assistance

DWR Releases Guide for Emergency Groundwater Regulations

March 3rd, 2016

Following the release of their Draft Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) Regulations on February 18, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced that it has made a guide to the regulations available on the Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGM) webpage. The Draft GSP Emergency Regulations Guide provides information essential to understanding the Draft GSP Emergency Regulations, and explains the fundamental concepts through four phases of development and implementation. The guide does not serve as a substitute for the draft GSP regulations. DWR encourages interested parties to read the Draft GSP Emergency Regulations.

DWR now uses the word “emergency” when referring to the regulations to reflect the streamlined process the state must go through to get the regulations codified before the deadline mandated in the legislation.

For more information, contact Gail Delihant at (916) 446-1435.     

2016 Arizona Specialty Crop Block Grant Now Being Accepted

March 9th, 2016

The Arizona Department of Agriculture (ADA) announced this week that the 2016 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program – Farm Bill grant manual is now available and applications are now being accepted. The sole purpose of the Specialty Block Grant Program is to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in Arizona. The department projects that $840,000 will be made available to in this funding cycle with distribution of monies expected to occur in late 2016.

Interested parties must submit their applications online and must do so before 11:59:59 (MST) Monday, April 18, 2016. There will be two webinar workshops held on Wednesday, March 23, 2016. See page 12 of the manual or the website above for more details.

Click here for general information on the Specialty Crop Block Grant process

View the 2016 Manual

For more information or to be added to the grant program mailing list, contact Lisa A. James, grant program manager at (602) 542-3262 or Ashley Estes grant program specialist at (602) 542-0972

Western Growers Takes on H-2A Processing Issues; Nassif Discusses Visa Program on Fox & Friends

March 11th, 2016

Western Growers has long advocated for Congress to take action on immigration reform in order to provide members with a legal and reliable workforce. We will continue to work toward meaningful solutions critical to the needs of our industry and the nation.

However, because of Washington’s intractable political climate, we have broadened our efforts to focus on reforming and streamlining the only program farmers can use to legally bring in foreign workers to harvest their crops – the H-2A program.

In the absence of immigration reform, the fresh produce industry has increasingly relied on the H-2A visa program to address labor shortages, especially in California and Arizona. This trend has not been without its difficulties.

Yesterday, in response to escalating bureaucratic delays in processing H-2A requests, Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif sent a letter to members of the California congressional delegation urging them to lean on the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service for a prompt resolution to both immediate and systemic issues with the program.

We recognize that time is of the essence as many of our California members are looking to the H-2A program to meet their labor needs during the upcoming season. Stay tuned for updates on our efforts to make this program more workable for our members and the agriculture industry.

Read Western Growers Letter to the California Delegation

Additionally, with immigration continuing to be a hot presidential campaign topic, this past week, Fox & Friends anchor Anna Kooiman hosted a segment that included Tom Nassif, in which he focused on the need for H-2A reform.

View Nassif’s appearance on Fox & Friends  

For more information, contact Ken Barbic at (202) 296-0191.

Webpage Draws Attention to #LostCAwater

March 11th, 2016

In case you missed it, on Monday, Western Growers launched a digital media campaign aimed at intensifying awareness among urban Californians about the water being lost to the sea this winter and the need for federal and state leaders to exert pressure on water system operators to capture and store those El Niño waters before they are lost.

With El Niño’s continuing to bless the state with rain and snow, the fish agencies in charge of regulating the Delta pumps must be challenged to immediately begin operating them at the maximum levels allowed under the Endangered Species Act.

The centerpiece of the digital program is a two-minute video educating Californians on the amount of water currently being lost to the ocean and calling on them to leverage social media to demand action from Senators Feinstein and Boxer and Governor Brown.

[VIDEO::https://vimeo.com/157633874::aVideoStyle]

Among other facts, the video states: “Three billion gallons of extra water are passing under the Golden Gate Bridge every single day. We’re not talking about water we need to protect fish or the environment. That water is already being accounted for. No, this is additional water that could be captured and stored for use by farms and cities.”

Over the course of the next week, this video will be heavily promoted on Facebook and as premium pre roll (commercials that run prior to news content).

Viewers of the video will be directed back to the new www.wga.com/water website where they can learn more about the drought and why we’re at risk of losing the potential benefits of El Niño.

At the top of the WG Water Page is a running counter that aggregates in real time the amount of water that has escaped to sea since the beginning of the year. The number is quite staggering. When the page was launched on Monday, the counter indicated over 210 billion gallons of water have been lost in 2016. As of today, the amount of water lost increased to over 220 billion gallons — that’s 10 billion gallons in three days!

Page visitors will be prompted to get involved in the conversation by tweeting their thoughts using popular hashtags, including a new hashtag created specifically for this campaign: #lostCAwater.

The Twitter handles of Senators Feinstein and Boxer and Governor Brown are included to facilitate direct outreach to these key influencers in water management.

Western Growers encourages all of its members to take advantage of the resources on the WG Water Page. Watch the video and share it on your various social media platforms. Use the #lostCAwater hashtag to share your perspective on El Niño and the drought. Not sure what to tweet? Talking points are provided for inspiration.

The bottom line is that we must continue putting pressure on our policymakers to do the right thing and not waste El Niño. Social media has given us a powerful platform to share our messages. But time is running out. Get involved today!

Water, Water Everywhere

March 15th, 2016

Last Friday, Senator Dianne Feinstein pushed the issue of capturing El Nino water into high gear by publicly calling for federal regulators to increase the pumping of storm pulse flows through the Delta as much as possible within the bounds of existing environmental restrictions. Feinstein’s comments came during the same week that Western Growers launched its new #LostCAWater webpage, which asks the question, “Why are we missing this opportunity to recover from the drought?”

In response to Feinstein’s comments, Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif issued a statement praising the senator for raising public awareness about the fact that the state has lost hundreds of thousands of acre feet of water to the ocean during the drought, and called on Senator Barbara Boxer and Governor Jerry Brown to do the same.  

Read the Full Text of Western Growers’ Statement

Last week also saw Democrat California Assemblyman Adam Gray (Merced) send a letter to U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner, Estevan Lopez, asking him to rescind failed pumping policies that have allowed “water to flow into the ocean during wet years, while prohibiting pumping for other beneficial reasons.”

Read the Full Text of Assemblyman Gray’s letter

For more information, contact Cory Lunde at (949) 885-2264. 

2016 Board of Directors Meeting Concludes in Sacramento

March 17th, 2016

While St. Patrick’s Day didn’t produce a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it did bring about the end of this year’s March Western Growers’ Board of Directors’ meeting. Beginning Monday evening and concluding Thursday afternoon, directors gathered in Sacramento to engage on a variety of complex issues facing the industry and affecting growing operations. Larry Cox of Lawrence Cox Ranches, Brawley, California, presided over his first Board of Director’s meeting.

Major topics like water, labor, food safety and trade were covered producing lively discussion and policy debates with the Board moving to take positions or action on a multitude of items. Key administration officials, legislators and staff met with the Board and provided insight into key policy agenda items.

Western Growers plans on to highlight some of the major committee discussions in upcoming editions of Spotlight. Stay tuned! 

For more information, contact Cory Lunde at (949) 885-2264.  

WG and California Fresh Fruit Association Join Together on Piece-Rate Legal Filing

March 24th, 2016

Today, Western Growers and the California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) issued a joint press release announcing the organizations will be filing an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit challenging provisions of AB 1513, a bill signed into last year law. That law provides a safe harbor from class action lawsuits to employers who make back payments to piece-rate employees for rest periods and other “nonproductive time.”

The “carve out” provisions in the bill effectively exclude Fowler Packing Company, Inc. and Gerawan Farming, Inc. from taking advantage of the safe harbor, unfairly subjecting those employers to predatory class action lawsuits. The United Farm Workers union (UFW) demanded the “carve-out” provisions be included in exchange for their agreement not to oppose the labor deal struck by the Brown Administration and the legislature. The UFW has been embroiled in a years’ long battle with Gerawan, particularly since its employees fought for and won the right to hold an election to oust the union. The UFW has also filed class action lawsuits against both Gerawan and Fowler over piece-rate pay, claims that would be knocked out of court if the employers were permitted to make back payments directly to the employees under the safe harbor provisions of AB 1513.

READ THE FULL PRESS RELEASE  

For more information, the Amicus filing, please contact Jason Resnick at (949) 885-2253.

Arizona Ag and Horticulture Industries Host Legislative Luncheon at Capitol

March 31st, 2016

On Tuesday, March 29, Western Growers was part of a group of agriculture and horticulture organizations that hosted a luncheon for Arizona legislators on the grounds of the state Capitol. Unofficially known as Ag Day at the Capitol, the legislators and other public officials came out in droves to mingle with staff and members from the host organizations at what has become an annual event (see picture gallery to the right). Arizona growers made available an array of fresh produce and some dairy products for Senate and House members to bag and take home and enjoy with their families.

WGs’ Arizona Government Affairs Manager AnnaMarie Knorr was extremely pleased with the outcome of the event.  “The fact that we had nearly every member from the House and Senate stop by for the luncheon — all while they are in the process of drafting the state’s budget — shows the strong support the agriculture industry has in Arizona.  We were especially pleased that members of leadership from both parties and officials and staff from various regulatory agencies visited the event,” Knorr added.     

Participating organizations included:

  • Western Growers
  • Agri-Business & Water Council of Arizona
  • Arizona Agriculture Aviation Association
  • Arizona Cattlemens Association
  • Arizona Cotton Growers Association
  • Arizona Crop Protection Association
  • Arizona Farm Bureau
  • Arizona Nursery Association
  • CropLife America
  • United Dairymen of Arizona
  • Western Plant Health Association
  • Yuma Fresh Vegetable Association

For more information on the event, contact AnnaMarie Knorr at (602) 451-0658.

Western Growers Opposes “Cortopassi Initiative”

March 31st, 2016

Western Growers’ Board of Directors voted earlier this month to oppose the “Cortopassi Initiative.” The Initiative would require statewide voter approval before revenue bonds in excess of $2 billion can be issued to fund many public infrastructure projects, including some local projects funded by ratepayers through joint powers authorities.

“The Cortopassi Initiative would create a new avenue for opponents to try to block badly needed water supply projects and water infrastructure, including potentially Sites and Temperance Flat reservoirs,” said Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif. “Most troubling, this project would require a statewide vote on some local projects funded entirely by local project users and ratepayers – empowering voters in distant parts of the state to block local decision-making and control.”

Click here to read the full statement and press release.

For more information, contact Cory Lunde at (949) 885-2264. 

PRESS RELEASE: Western Growers Takes Aim at Lost El Niño Water

March 7th, 2016

Launches New Water Web Page and Digital Media Campaign

IRVINE, Calif. (March 7, 2016) — Western Growers has launched a digital media campaign aimed at intensifying awareness among urban Californians about the water being lost to the sea this winter and the need for federal and state leaders to exert pressure on water system operators to capture and store those El Niño waters before they are lost.

With another blast of El Niño’s rains coming in, the fish agencies in charge of regulating the Delta pumps must be challenged to immediately begin operating them at the maximum levels allowed under the Endangered Species Act.

The centerpiece of the digital program is a two-minute video educating Californians on the amount of water currently being lost to the ocean and calling on them to leverage social media to demand action from Senators Feinstein and Boxer and Governor Brown.

Among other facts, the video states: “Three billion gallons of extra water are passing under the Golden Gate Bridge every single day. We’re not talking about water we need to protect fish or the environment. That water is already being accounted for. No, this is additional water that could be captured and stored for use by farms and cities.”

Over the course of the next ten days, this video will be heavily promoted on Facebook and as premium pre roll (commercials that run prior to news content).

Viewers of the video will be directed back to the new www.wga.com/water website where they can learn more about the drought and why we’re at risk of losing the potential benefits of El Niño.

A running counter at the top of the page aggregates in real time the amount of water that has escaped to sea since the beginning of the year. The number is quite staggering. At the time of this writing, over 210 billion gallons of water have been lost in 2016.

Page visitors will be prompted to get involved in the conversation by tweeting their thoughts using popular hashtags, including a new hashtag created specifically for this campaign: #lostCAwater.

PRESS RELEASE: Western Growers Donates $1 Million to Bolster Food Safety Research, Marking $10 Million Milestone for Center for Produce Safety Campaign

March 9th, 2016

WG challenges farm-to-fork industry partners to invest in food safety solutions with $1 million donation to Campaign for Produce Safety

IRVINE, Calif. (March 10, 2016) – Western Growers (WG) has donated $1 million to the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) to advance food safety research and develop ready-to-use solutions to improve the safety of fresh produce globally. WG’s contribution puts CPS over the $10 million mark for their Campaign for Produce Safety, which aims to raise $20 million by 2020 to fund critically needed, actionable food safety research. 

“With nearly a decade of cooperation and collaboration between our two organizations, we are honored to help CPS reach the $10 million milestone in their fundraising campaign,” said Tom Nassif, Western Growers president and CEO. “The safety of consumers is a top priority for our industry which is why I encourage every farm-to-fork stakeholder to consider how they can further contribute to the development of the strongest food safety system in the world.”

CPS—a partnership between industry, government and academia—has supported over 100 research projects and awarded more than $18 million to develop science-based solutions that prevent or minimize produce safety vulnerabilities since its inception in 2007. Working with some of the world’s leading produce safety scientists, CPS has discovered key findings that have led to improved safety practices including utilizing effective buffer zones as hazard management tools, validating the efficacy of the wash process and establishing controls that prevent Salmonella contaminants from developing tolerances to treatments. 

“CPS is the only organization where the produce supply and demand chain works collaboratively with the regulatory, research and academic community to identify research needs, conduct research and translate findings into science-based implementable solutions and guidance from field to fork,” said Stephen Patricio, CPS chairman and Westside Produce president and CEO. “Western Growers has been an integral component of CPS throughout its history, and the $1 million pledge is an example of their commitment to the future of CPS.”

CPS’ Campaign for Produce Safety, which publicly launched in September 2015, has reached the halfway mark of its fundraising goal through the support of industry partners who have stepped up and made significant financial commitments in support of the common goal of strengthening food safety practices. The support of every stakeholder in the supply chain is needed to raise the additional $10 million needed to double the output of produce safety research and advance educational initiatives to further translate research findings into action.

“The Campaign for Produce Safety is paramount to the continuation of our work to identify and fill in produce food safety knowledge gaps,” said Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli. “With the generous support of our campaign contributions CPS can increase the amount of industry-focused food safety research while broadening the scope geographically and throughout the supply chain.”

For more information about the Campaign for Produce Safety, please visit the CPS website.