PRESS RELEASE: Western Growers Commends House on Passage of Senate Energy Legislation with Water Provisions

May 26th, 2016

IRVINE, Calif. (May 26, 2016) — Statement by Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif commending the U.S. House of Representatives on passage of an amendment to the Senate-passed energy bill that includes drought relief legislation introduced by Representative David Valadao (CA-21):

“We are pleased that the House has incorporated Representative Valadao’s drought relief legislation into an amendment to the Senate-passed energy bill, which will compel much-needed dialogue between the two chambers as they negotiate the final language in conference.

Our champions in both the House and Senate agree that the policies restricting water capture and storage in California are flawed and are harming thousands of people in the state. Indeed, there are substantial areas of common ground between the principal proposals (by Sen. Feinstein and Rep. Valadao) that can serve as the foundation for a bipartisan solution to the regulatory drought facing California.

Additionally, Valadao’s legislation addresses priorities critical to the future water security of other western states, including the expansion of water infrastructure and storage projects and protection of private water rights.

The ball is now in the Senate’s court. We urge all of the western senators to engage their House counterparts in good faith with an eye toward producing a compromise that is acceptable to all stakeholders and beneficial to their respective constituents throughout the region. The moment has arrived for our elected leaders to prove they can resolve real problems, helping to restore our confidence in government.”

About Western Growers:
Founded in 1926, Western Growers represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in Arizona, California and Colorado. Our members and their workers provide half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including nearly half of America’s fresh organic produce. For generations we have provided variety and healthy choices to consumers. Connect with and learn more about Western Growers on our Twitter and Facebook.

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TECHNOLOGY SPONSOR: Toro Applauds Western Growers For Taking Lead in Ag Tech

May 3rd, 2016

By Yvete Minor

(Editor’s Note: We had the opportunity to discuss technology & innovation with Paul McFadden of The Toro Company, one of the charter sponsors for the Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology.  Paul shared his insights into the world of agriculture and Toro’s view of how technology can help growers in our region.)

Toro brings a line of water-saving irrigation equipment to the agricultural industry that can help growers control, feasibly—up to every drop of water to their crops, for better conservation and management.  Having just celebrated its 100th anniversary, Toro is traded on the NYSE (TTC), is based in the Midwest and serves more than 70 countries around the world.

 

Western Growers: Tell us about the technical evolutions of water management in the world of agriculture.

Paul McFadden:  Technology adaptation in water management in the world of agriculture is happening, but has been slow at the field level. As past president of the California Agriculture Irrigation Association (CAIA), I interact with business owners, growers, industry experts and more recently, several new irrigation startups that are owned by investment banking groups.  So, in the water and irrigation space, there are a lot of people working on, and investments being poured into, trying to make things happen.  There are also a lot of groups in the Silicon Valley as well as globally that are looking at sensors, information, data and monitors for use in agriculture that are still in the development phases.

 

WG: Recent commentary has suggested that there is a gap between innovations and getting them to market, are you seeing that too?

PM: In my opinion, the best way to describe the tech space in the ag industry is that it is fragmented.  There are many companies that have a product or solution for a specific niche, but there are few companies taking a comprehensive look at managing water on-farm.

 

WG: Which is a big need, right? A comprehensive look at managing water?

PM: Yes! Look at California. We have the same number of reservoirs that we have had since 1979 (outside of a couple of small regional reservoirs) when the last one was built, and our population during that time has doubled.  We all know the effects of the recent drought and ground water supplies.  So, yes, we need to find new ways to manage our water. Not only quantity, but the quality.  Our resources have become more strained, and there’s increasing demands placed on water—especially clean drinking water that’s safe.  There even becomes a need to truck water into small towns, some just east of San Francisco as well as the east side of the Central Valley, because the wells that they were pumping from went dry.

We all have to be better stewards of the water available.

Now, of all the irrigated farmland in the United States, roughly 8-10 percent uses drip and micro-irrigation technology depending on the region and type of crop being grown.  In California, 35 percent of all the irrigated farm land that is drip irrigated, which works out to two-thirds of the acreage using drip and micro-irrigation in the United States is done right here in California.  That tells me that, number one, California growers are growing the types of crops that are suitable for drip and micro, but it also tells me that they are more progressive in thinking in terms of technology or thinking about what they can do to use these resources more wisely, which is encouraging.

Since 1926, Western Growers has taken the lead and this is just another step in taking that journey.

 

WG: As an Advisory Council member and sponsor of Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology, what is your vision for us?  What would success look like or what would you like to see happen?

PM: The Center is a fantastic idea.  Western Growers has really taken the lead on partnering with these startups and new technologies and getting those companies’ exposure amongst its members and the broader community. Hank Giclas (WG senior vice president, strategic planning, science & technology) has been great about helping vet the ideas, and once they are proven that they could work and are worthy, they are brought in and developed.  It has worked out well.  There have been smaller groups that are popping up, at Fresno State and Silicon Valley and locally in Salinas.  But, with the number of people looking really hard at the needs, and willing to support the efforts, it’s a great thing to see Western Growers help these startups bring their ideas forward, fine-tune them and share them with the world of agriculture.

Western Growers always does things first class, and while it will take a little bit of time to build some momentum, a lot of progress has been made.  It was just a couple of years ago that Bruce Taylor (of Taylor Farms) announced his vision (at the Western Growers convention in Las Vegas) and the Center is now open.  There are 14 startups in the space, and we are seen as the “go to” for new ideas and change agents.  It’s going to take time; WG needs to continue to publicize it and we are all going to need to pitch in. It can’t be accomplished alone.

I’m excited and Toro is excited to be a part of it, and we are looking forward to seeing all of the innovation that will come out of it and implemented.  There are some talented and bright individuals in residency at the Center and that conduit to the growers and the agriculture community is a much-needed role.

 

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A Tough Pill to Swallow

May 3rd, 2016

This column marks the final installment of my three-month series on the need to reform the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  The last two articles discussed the specific problems that need to be addressed and the reasons why real reform has been difficult to achieve.  In a way, I have attempted to provide a diagnosis of the disease (and yes, I am comparing the ESA to a sickness).  In this piece, I will prescribe various treatments for the illness and explain why the medicine may be a tough—though not impossible—pill to swallow.
In my last article, I pointed out two major flaws of the ESA.  First, the use of incomplete or flawed (in many cases, both) science by federal agencies to make their determinations.  This is evidenced in their repeated decisions to restrict operations of the Delta pumps.  Second, the intentional or unintentional (one demonstrates malice, the other incompetence) discouragement of voluntary conservation efforts.  In this regard, I shared the labored experience one of our members has had participating in a safe harbor agreement.
To address these two failings of the ESA will require courageous action from our policymakers.  Here is a blueprint for successful reform:
First, to remedy the deficiencies in the use of science by federal agencies, the informational base for many ESA-related decisions must be strengthened.  The “best available science” mandate placed on the fish agencies in the case of the Delta smelt and salmonids only works if the science is complete and reliable.  In many cases, it isn’t.  One potential solution makes a lot of sense: Congress should authorize and fund a research program aimed at addressing the preponderance of uncertain science.
For example, there is a need to better understand the role other stressors play in the decline of the smelt and salmon populations, such as predation and municipal wastewater and industrial discharges.  In fact, we are not even certain of the true impact pumping levels have on these species.  As I mentioned in my previous article, the phrases “is believed” and “we believe” are not sufficiently credible to rationalize depriving critically-needed water to farms and cities south of the Delta.
Second, to alleviate the time and financial burdens associated with participation in existing voluntary conservation programs, the process must be streamlined and the benefits made more tangible.  As with any volunteer effort, providing incentives for the target audience to engage is key.  In this case, the amount of time and money it takes to negotiate and execute the agreements drive many landowners away.  Through simple administrative remedies, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service should standardize and simplify the application and approval process and moderate the monitoring and reporting requirements.
Even with these administrative changes, additional incentives should be considered to encourage voluntary conservation.  As we learned in my last article, one of the primary motivators for landowners to enter into voluntary agreements is to preempt the designation of private property as critical habitat for a listed species, effectively removing the land from production.  If you recall from the kit fox example I used, environmental groups still have recourse to pursue action against the landowner.  Congress should enact a statute ensuring that, given requisite cooperation, land covered under voluntary agreements are generally excluded from critical habitat designations.
In addition to the enactment of a real “safe harbor” law, Congress should also make funding available to off-set the financial burden incurred in the implementation of the voluntary agreements.  Also, Congress should consider creating a crediting mechanism that introduces market dynamics for conservation.  Under this system, private landowners would be allowed to either generate or use credits based on temporary and permanent conservation activities.
Here, I would like to offer up a third consequential defect of the ESA not discussed previously: the peer review process for listing species and developing biological opinions is often tainted by conflict of interest and inherent bias.  In many cases, the experts chosen to determine the validity and significance of the scientific findings have themselves taken advocacy positions related to the species in question.  In some cases, scientists are even asked to review their own work.
The process of selecting peer reviewers is described in policy, not statute.  To cure this deficiency, Congress should authorize a legitimate peer review system…one that promotes scientific rigor and transparency throughout the process.  This would be best achieved by appointing a credible third party, such as the National Academy of Sciences or the National Research Council, to select peer reviewers and facilitate consistent disclosure of results.
Having identified a partial remedy for the ESA ailment, the question becomes how to get Congress and the federal agencies to fill the prescription and swallow the medication.  As Mary Poppins famously sang, “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.” In this metaphor, I believe we can make the pill easier for legislators and regulators to swallow by building a broad-based coalition in pursuit of bipartisan and constructive solutions.  As we push for reform on Capitol Hill, we will seek out the support of our allies—both within and outside of agriculture—to help us form the proverbial sugar.
Here is the candid truth, however.  We may not be able to garner the type of widespread and sustained support we need to affect real change in this law or the application of its regulations.  ESA is a polarizing issue.  On one side, many liberals view the ESA as sacrosanct.  On the other, conservatives willing to challenge the law simply want to gut the act.  Neither extreme has much vested interest in meeting in the middle, which is why compromise will be difficult to achieve.  But I can assure you that Western Growers will not be a summer soldier or sunshine patriot.  We will stand in the service of our members.
The ESA, as currently constructed and implemented, causes grievous harm to our industry.  To stand idly by would be to complacently suffer the maladies of a curable disease.

 

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California Water Situation: Paltry Allocation for Some Despite ‘Normal’ Winter

May 3rd, 2016

The big El Niño delivered some hefty rain to parts of California and several different storms throughout the state.  At the end of this water year (Oct. 1, 2015 –Sept. 30, 2016), California is on tap to receive fairly normal precipitation and snowfall and water content in the snow pack are also near normal.  Some areas of the state—mostly north—received above average rainfall, while some areas to the south are still in what are called “drought conditions.”

What that has led to is a very unequal distribution of contracted water from the State Water Project, the Federal Bureau of Reclamation and water districts throughout the state.

In March, the State Water Project said it will deliver 45 percent of requested water to agricultural and urban water agencies, which is the highest allocation it has made since 2012.  With additional March, April and May rains, that number could rise.

Eastside farmers in the Central Valley Project’s Friant system have been told they will receive just 30 percent of their water this year.  Those relying on the New Melones Reservoir on the Stanislaus River will receive a zero allocation.

In early April, the Federal Bureau of Reclamation noted that farmers north of the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, which drains a large portion of the Sierra Nevada, will receive 100 percent of their irrigation water.  But farmers south of the delta, in the San Joaquin Valley, will receive just 5 percent of their irrigation water deliveries.  For the last two years, they received zero.

At the same time, federal officials announced that South Bay cities in the vicinity of San Jose will receive 55 percent of their contracted water amounts this summer—up from 25 percent last year—from the Central Valley Project.

The Contra Costa County water district, which is north of San Jose, but southwest of Sacramento, was told it would receive 100 percent of its contracted water this year.

Though federal and state officials do not and have not revealed the metrics used to determine allocations for various regions, somewhere in the calculations are the water depths in the state’s reservoirs.  In general, those big reservoirs in Northern California, such as Shasta, Folsom and Lake Oroville, are at 100 percent of capacity, while many reservoirs in the eastern foothills of the San Joaquin Valley are at much lower levels.

Just like with the State Water Project, Bureau of Reclamation officials can up the allocation as the year continues and rain collects, but its initial announcement with its range of allocations from 5 percent to 100 percent, was met with swift condemnation by many.

 

Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif:

“For months before the El Niño rain and snow arrived, we and many others pleaded with the federal government to capture and store as much water as possible when massive storm runoff reached the Delta.  We have seen huge flows into, and out of, the Delta this year.  Today’s announcement of a measly 5 percent allocation to farms and cities in the San Joaquin Valley, contrasted with the State Water Project’s 45 percent allocation, provides dark confirmation that a policy of destruction of farmland is in place.  Already, well over 600,000 acre feet of water that could have been diverted to San Luis Reservoir has been lost to the ocean, and projections suggest that number will reach 1.5 million acre feet if common sense is not restored.  The drought has hit farmers, farmworkers and thousands of families hard, but now with the northern reservoirs filled and spilling water to make room for spring snowmelt, the federal government has very deliberately chosen to deny available relief to thousands of Californians in the San Joaquin Valley.  This action represents more than a failure of common sense.  A government that deliberately chokes off water for its people is a government that has lost its moral compass.”

 

California Farm Bureau President Paul Wenger:

“We’ll never know how much water might have been available this summer, if we had captured more of the water that flowed to sea at the height of the El Niño storm surges.  That lost opportunity will haunt rural California throughout the summer.  In some ways, it’s appropriate that this announcement of continued water shortages came on April Fool’s Day.  We’re fooling ourselves if we think our current water system is adequate to meet all the demands on it, and we’re fooling ourselves if we don’t move quickly to address that inadequacy.  One thing is clear: What’s happening now isn’t working for fish and it isn’t working for people.  We haven’t been able to operate our existing system to take best advantage of storms when they arrive, which leaves us even more vulnerable to the next dry year.  Farm Bureau will continue to press for improved flexibility in both our water system and the regulations that govern it.”

 

Shane Hunt, public affairs official for the US Bureau of Reclamation’s mid-Pacific region:

“We’re the federal government, we do not play April Fool’s Day.”

 

California Rep. Jim Costa (CA-16):

“Sadly, today the Valley is faced with what we all feared and I cautioned against since rains began in January. Despite the El Niño conditions, above average rainfall and an average snowpack in the mountains, today farmers in the San Joaquin Valley have been told they can expect to receive a 5 percent water allocation from the federal water project.  If state and federal agencies had followed my consistent direction and better managed the water in the system, there would have been a different and more positive announcement made today. Instead, as a direct result of the federal agencies failure to act on my recommendations, more land will go fallow, farm workers will be jobless, and the challenges that San Joaquin Valley drought stricken communities face will continue.  This Administration should acknowledge that during this water year, after a four year drought that has caused severe impacts to the people of the San Joaquin Valley, the water projects have been operated for the primary purpose of protecting fisheries and not for the needs of the people of the Valley. This is the Administration’s failure and further proves the necessity for Congressional action to fix this broken water system.  This was avoidable and the residents of the Valley deserve much better.”

 

Johnny Amaral, spokesman for Westlands Water District: 

“At some point, elected officials are going to have to make a decision about whether this region of the country, the Central Valley, and what we do here and what we grow here, is worth preserving and protecting.  I happen to think this area is worth fighting for.  What’s happening is wrong, and we will keep fighting to change this.”

He further said:  “This is the most productive land on the planet.  We have the perfect soil, the perfect climate.  All it takes is water, and it’s a growing machine.  People who don’t like what we do, use phrases like, ‘They are irrigating a desert.’  Well, the whole damn state of California is a desert.”

 

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein:

She called the allocations “further proof of the need for short- and long-term solutions to get through this drought,” and urged Senate action on her legislation, which among other things, would ease rules on pumping.

 

Mike Wade, executive director of the California Farm Water Coalition:

“If federal water allocations continue at these disastrous levels, more of the food that consumers buy will be grown on foreign soil that does not have the food safety and security requirements of California-grown food.”

 

Fresno County Agricultural Commissioner Les Wright:

“Despicable.”

 

Jason Peltier, executive director of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, which includes Westlands:

“We are furious.”

 

Fresno County Supervisor Buddy Mendes:

“A complete joke.”

 

Sarah Woolf, whose family are major Westside growers:

“The outrage is because we see all this water, we see that we’ve had decent rainfall and a snowpack.  But if you went in and asked the Department of Water Resources and the Bureau of Reclamation how they make their decisions, you can’t get an answer. There’s no accountability.”

 

And the opposite view:

Jon Rosenfield, a fish biologist at the Bay Institute, an environmental group.

“The fact is (federal water authorities) are delivering too much water (to farmers), operating at the very maximum limits set by the Fish and Wildlife Service to protect species about to go extinct.”

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Food Safety Data: Anytime, Anywhere

May 3rd, 2016

Providing real-time food safety data at your fingertips is just one part of iFoodDecisionSciences’ business model.

“Our team’s passion to serve the industry, our dedication to helping our clients deliver their produce in a safe and timely manner is above and beyond,” said Diane Wetherington, CEO of iFoodDecisionSciences. “We can get a call from a grower at 5:00 p.m. saying they need to add 500 new blocks to our system so they can start harvesting those plots of land the next morning, and we will meet their request almost immediately.”

iFoodDecisionSciences is committed to providing exceptional customer support because the team understands how crucial it is for growers to easily collect, manage and access data about their fields.

 

Growing Company Roots

The company’s inception stemmed from a Center for Produce Safety project where iFoodDecisionSciences played a key role in analyzing California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement audit data. “After this and other similar projects, our company found its purpose and started growing into a strong organization dedicated to streamlining the food data collection process,” said Wetherington.

Before the company officially launched in 2013, they collaborated with a core group of Western Growers’ members—Taylor Farms, Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Mann Packing and Church Brothers—to determine the needs of every stakeholder in the fresh produce supply chain.

“Western Growers was instrumental in helping us move forward. Hank invited us to meet with the Science & Tech Committee to give them a demo of our initial tool box. After the presentation, we had several companies pilot our software, and we were able to refine our platform based on their input,” said Wetherington.

 

Building a Food Safety Tool Box

iFoodDecisionSciences offers software that helps growers, harvesters, shippers, packers, third-party suppliers and processors save time and money by making data collection and analysis easier. Currently, most companies have to wait for a crew member to take information from the field back to the office, scan and format the data, and only then can they be able to analyze the information. iFoodDecisionSciences simplifies that process.

The company builds software “tool boxes” that funnel information from the field to an online portal using a computer, laptop, mobile device or tablet. These tool boxes are built using client input, so growers and processors are able to access and sift through the data that is most important to their operation’s success.

With the software, companies know immediately if they have a problem in the field. During field assessments to determine if there is any risk before harvest, there might be a delay in inputting and analyzing the paperwork and growers won’t know about the risk until after the crop has been harvested, said Wetherington. “We provide users with access to food safety information anytime, anywhere. Growers can use this real-time information to quickly make field decisions that will prevent food safety incidents.”

 

Prioritizing Collaboration and Innovation

The global population is expected to reach 9.3 billion within the next 30 years, and food production will need to increase by as much as 70 percent to meet this surge. To help growers dramatically increase food production in a safe and healthy manner, collaboration with innovators and entrepreneurs dedicated to food safety is crucial.

iFoodDecisionSciences was among the first start-up companies to join Western Growers in its efforts to advance technology to solve agriculture’s biggest issues, including food safety. Western Growers’ recently-launched Center for Innovation & Technology (WGCIT) in Salinas, CA, serves as an incubator where startups can come together and collaborate on new technologies that will enhance and improve the industry. The Center currently houses 14 companies that are headquartered all across the country but are all working on one mission.

“Our home base is in Seattle, so we love being able to come to the heart of Salinas to join forces with like-minded entrepreneurs,” said Wetherington. “Being part of both the Salinas community and WGCIT family will play a fundamental role in our journey to become a recognized leader in food safety data management and information needs.”

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THE THRIVE PROGRAM: Accelerating Toward an Innovative Ag Future

May 3rd, 2016

Hearts are racing, palms are clammy and nerves are out of control. As the initial beads of sweat drop down contestants’ foreheads, the first team of agtech innovators begins to pitch their idea to the judges.

Start-up companies from around the world pitched their hearts out on March 22-23 to earn a coveted spot in the THRIVE Accelerator Program. THRIVE Accelerator, which is hosted by SVG Partners and supported by sponsors such as Western Growers and Taylor Farms, is a highly-selective mentorship and investment program that offers guidance and other assistance to new agtech and foodtech businesses. Companies chosen for this rigorous eight-week boot camp will participate in a series of events that will give them the business and technical skills needed to best deploy their innovative technologies.

“The program was developed to give companies a competitive advantage,” said Chris Boody, chief technology officer and partner at SVG Partners. “These startups will connect with the most successful business owners in agriculture and hear their views, first hand, on what makes an ideal partnership and a desired product.”

 

Conquering Seed Camp

This is the third year of the THRIVE Accelerator program, and 2016 has turned out to be the most competitive. More than 200 applications from companies representing 36 countries were received…more than double the 90 applications from 20 countries received in 2015.

After careful review of each applicant, SVG Partners selected 36 companies to advance to the next level of competition—the “Seed Camp.” These enterprises were invited to travel to Salinas, CA, to pitch their innovations to a panel of experts from the agricultural, technology and investment industries.

“THRIVE Seed Camp provides companies the unique opportunity to put their best foot forward and pitch to distinguished judges from across the industry,” said Boody.

This year’s Seed Camp was broken out into two sessions: virtual presentations (March 22) and Seed Camp Day presentations (March 23). Companies that were overseas and unable to travel to Salinas pitched to the judges via Skype and Google Hangouts at the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology. The remaining contestants pitched their innovations in person in the Taylor Farms’ offices during Seed Camp Day. Among the judges were five Western Growers members and representatives:

•   Alec Leach, President, Taylor Farms

•   Vic Smith, President & CEO, JV Smith Companies

•   Joe Ferrari, Vice President, Ag Operations, Dole Fresh Vegetables

•   Dennis Donohue, President, Royal Rose Radicchio

•   Hank Giclas, Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning, Science & Technology, Western Growers

“We strongly value the partnership we’ve established with Western Growers and we are so fortunate to tap the expertise of its members and leaders for this year’s THRIVE competition,” said Boody. “Western Growers is held in such high regard in the industry, and we appreciate how dedicated members are to helping prepare these startups for the opportunities and possible challenges they will face in the marketplace.”

All startups had six minutes to pitch their ideas, followed by a two-minute question and answer session with the judges. Companies were evaluated on 1) leadership capability of the team; 2) benefit and adoption ease of the solution/product; 3) market potential; 4) competitive position; and 5) business model and “go to market” plan.

 

Advancing to AgTech Boot Camp

After the final innovation was pitched, judges convened to choose finalists who scored home runs. Only 10 finalists were supposed to be awarded a spot in the THRIVE Accelerator, but the decision was so difficult that the organizers increased the 10 finalists to 12. Three residents in the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology—GeoVisual Analytics, Inteligistics and Specright—are among the 12.

“We were so impressed with the high caliber of startups that pitched during THRIVE Seed Camp,” said Western Growers Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning, Science & Technology Hank Giclas, who was a Seed Camp judge and is a THRIVE Accelerator mentor. “Developing innovative solutions to the world’s most critical farming challenges is the focus of our Center for Innovation & Technology so I was thrilled to participate in the presentations from companies working on ground-breaking technologies and services that may have a role in the fresh produce industry.”

All finalists will participate in weekly mentor meetings, business strategy reviews, individual pitch trainings and networking sessions with some of the world’s top agriculture companies. Throughout the program, innovators will be matched with appropriate growers and ag enterprises to test out their technology and get it ready for deployment. They will also have access to the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology and Salinas Valley, as well as be eligible for possible venture capital funding from SVG Partners.

The 12 finalists are as follows:

•   GeoVisual Analytics: provides quantitative maps of crop health, growth stages, weed pressure and projected yield by analyzing high-detailed imagery captured by drones.

•   Inteligistics: ensures food safety by offering wireless temperature visibility systems that monitor perishable products and provide alerts in case of unacceptable temperature.

•   Specright: offers a cloud-based platform where customers can input and manage data to ensure that their specifications for packaging are met.

•   Acuity Agriculture: builds wireless sensor networks to monitor real-time farm conditions, which help farmers reduce water use, salt buildup and nutrient runoff.

•   Agribody Technologies, Inc.: offers patented technology to improve crop yields and increase plants’ tolerance to diseases and environmental stresses through transgenic modulation or genome editing in plants.

•   AGVOICE: allows ag professionals to capture information as it happens through a voice-first platform that can work on any smartphone; aka the “SIRI of Agriculture.”

•   Edyn: develops smart soil moistures sensors and irrigation controllers to help farms and garden thrive.

•   Food Origins: provides information regarding the progress of the harvest, the density of the production in the field, and the velocity of the harvest using data that is passed via the cloud.

•   MagGrow (Agricultural Magnetics): enables growers to reduce the application of crop protection chemicals by imparting an electromagnetic charge into the sprayed liquid so it will be directly attracted to the plant’s natural electromagnetic field.

•   Soliculture: delivers power-generating greenhouse panels that fine-tune light for crops while simultaneously producing electricity.

•   Trace Genomics: allows customers to obtain strain-specific information on a large panel of soil-borne pathogens with one test and 1-2 week turnaround time, with a simple disease risk report.

•   Wheyhey: offers the world’s first great-tasting, high protein, sugar free and all natural ice cream—developed in response to big foods continuously marketing snacks high in sugar, fat, calories.

Once all 12 companies have gone through extensive training in the boot camp, they will have the opportunity to pitch their solution/product one last time. One winner will be chosen and recognized at the Forbes AgTech Summit, which takes place July 13-14 in Salinas.

 

Taking Center Stage at the Forbes AgTech Summit

The ultimate winner will be honored at the summit in front of 500 of the brightest minds in agriculture. They will also receive national and international press recognition and will be qualified for funding possibilities by multiple ventures, said Boody.

Western Growers continues to bolster its strategic relationship with Forbes in a collaborative effort to advance the agtech industry. In addition to sponsoring this year’s Forbes AgTech Summit, Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif and Taylor Farms Founder & CEO Bruce Taylor (a WG member) will be among the speakers.

As a benefit of Western Growers’ 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.

“This is the perfect opportunity for entrepreneurs and ag professionals from around the world to come together and discuss innovative initiatives and solutions that will advance our industry as a whole. The synergy that will result from this year’s summit will be unmatched and we strongly encourage members to attend,” said Giclas.

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LEGISLATOR PROFILE: Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia representing the 56th District, including the Coachella and Imperial valleys

May 3rd, 2016

(Editor’s Note: The questions and answers have been paraphrased for brevity and clarity)

 

Eduardo Garcia was first elected to the Assembly in November of 2014.  His district is one of the largest in California including much of eastern Riverside County and all of Imperial County.

 

Where did you grow up?  Tell us about your early years?

I was born in the Coachella Valley, but as a kid I have to say I spent a lot of time in Imperial County.  Both grandparents and many aunts and uncles and cousins lived in Mexicali.  From the time I was four or five until I was 15 or so, we spent just about every Saturday in Imperial County.  It was our weekly routine to visit our relatives.

 

Many in the Coachella Valley are connected to agriculture in one way or another, are you?

It was agriculture that first brought my parents to California and the Coachella Valley.  They worked in the fields up and down the state.  At some point they settled in Coachella and eventually transitioned from farm labor to other work.  My mother started a house cleaning business and my father became a gardener.  After a while, my dad found a nice job for the City of Indio in public works.  He has now worked for the city for about 15 years and is in the streets department.  My mother is a small business owner in the house cleaning industry.

 

Describe your childhood as you moved into high school and college.  Was going to college always the plan?

I had a good childhood.  I was involved in a lot of youth sports and extracurricular activities.  But Coachella had its unique challenges and obstacles.  It was a place with limited resources so sports and school were very important to take one down a good path.  I had a lot of friends who were not on that path and basically disappeared from school after about the 8th or 9th grade.

I was just an average student.  There are a lot of teachers still around that taught me and they would say that I wasn’t a bad student, but I was not a great student.  It took a while for me to recognize my own potential.  I am one of those people that greatly benefited by the community college system.  I don’t want to admit how long I was there, but it was a great place for me to build confidence and discover that I could be successful.  I went on to a four year college and graduate school, where I majored in political science with a minor in history.  The minor in history came about because I developed a deep interest in Native American as well as Chicano history.  Those were my two areas of emphasis.

 

What did you see as your future pathway?

My idea was to graduate from the University of California at Riverside, get a teaching credential and hopefully come back to Coachella Valley High School and teach social studies.  And in fact, I was successful.  I did land some long-term substitute jobs that allowed me to contemplate whether this was a career I wanted to pursue.  Eventually I was hired in Adult Education and taught adults.  I did that until I landed a job working in the state of California for my predecessor in his legislative office.  I actually worked for several different legislators over the years, not because I couldn’t keep a job but because different opportunities arose.

 

Is that what drew you to elective politics?

It is a good question as to what got me involved in politics, government or public service for that matter.  I go way back to when I was umpiring in sports leagues and then getting involved in voter registration and engaged in campaigns.  That is what opened my eyes to public service.  Then I interned at City Hall videotaping City Council meetings which really got me interested.  When I graduated from college, I ran for City Council and served for 12 years, 10 as mayor.

 

Did you have any signature or pet issues when you ran for City Council?

I did.  The parks and recreation system for Coachella was my signature issue.  Growing up I always wondered why we didn’t have the parks and facilities that other communities had.  What was the problem and what could we do about it?  That was the issue I ran on and I am very proud that we were able to accomplish a lot while I was in office.  We built new parks and libraries and rehabbed some parks.  We spent $250 million on sewers and infrastructure and 10 years later were able to build a new library.  When we opened a new park, it was the first one built since the 1970s…1974 to be exact.

 

When did you decide to run for a position in the State Legislature?

Once I started working for several different legislators, I got to meet a lot of people in our district and see the work that the Legislature was able to do.  I learned about our district and what its needs were.  I began thinking about running four or five years before and when the opportunity arose (in 2014) I went for it.

 

Did you come into the Legislature with an agenda?

I came with a very similar pet project as I had in Coachella.  In fact, I am carrying a park bond for the state of California which is very much in sync with what we did in Coachella.  I have been around the state and there are a lot of needs in a lot of places.  I am also chairing a committee in which we are talking about jobs and the economy and stimulating investment in local communities.  What we did in Coachella is not unique to Coachella and can work for the entire state.

 

Agriculture is an important part of your district.  What role do you see for government for the ag community?

Agriculture means billions of dollars for the economy in my district.  It also plays a huge role in California’s economy and I totally understand the viewpoint that there are redundant regulations and duplicative processes that may get in the way of agriculture doing what it does best, which is grow crops that feed the world and employ a lot of people.  Sometimes we do need to get out of the way, but we can also help.  For example, we can help by providing the infrastructure that is needed.

 

What is your position about the water bond and the need for infrastructure?

I just recently was appointed to the water and wild life committee and I am very excited to be involved in the process to determine what projects we invest in under Proposition 1B.  I believe we need to get involved in conservation projects, but we also have to build the infrastructure that we need to better manage our water resources.

 

What about immigration reform?

I believe it needs to be taken up yesterday.  The fact is we need a strong labor force, not only for agriculture, but in my district tourism is very important and we need labor for the tourism and hospitality industry.  My predecessor was involved with what role the state could play and I think it is very important to continue to look at that.

 

Are you supporting a particular presidential candidate?

We have not made an endorsement at this point.  We are going to continue to listen to the debates and see who resonates for us.  The time is coming soon in which we will make an endorsement.

 

Do you consume the products that our members and your constituents grow?  Do you have a favorite fruit or vegetables or a dish that includes fruits and vegetables?

I love the watermelon from the Coachella Valley and the grapes that are grown throughout my district.  I love the cantaloupes from Brawley.  I eat a lot of salads.  I like mangos.  I’m not sure they grow any in my district but it would not surprise me.  We do a lot of cooking and eat a lot of the vegetables grown in my district, including bell peppers and onions and carrots in stews.  We are big believers in ‘locally grown’ and fans of regional farmers.  We think it’s a good idea to keep the dollars in the community when you can.

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In Arizona, a Focus on New Water Storage and State Control

May 3rd, 2016

Arizona’s position as a landlocked state with vast amounts of desert land could be a water nightmare.  Yet, since the state’s inception, our policy makers have embarked on a long and distinguished history of protecting our most precious resource.

Starting in 1973, Arizona led the nation in regulating groundwater for development.  This was followed by the historic 1980 Groundwater Management Act requiring demonstration of a 100-year water supply for new residential growth in the five designated Active Management Areas (AMA) throughout the state where groundwater overdraft was most severe.  During the same time frame, the Central Arizona Project received congressional approval and was being constructed to bring water from the Colorado River into the growing metropolitan areas in Phoenix and Tucson.  As the Legislature in Arizona wraps up its 2016 session, they are considering a few bills this year that are important to the water future of the state.

SB 1399 – Water Storage; Plan Report

Last fall, Western Growers joined other agricultural groups in Arizona in sponsoring an agricultural water summit.  The concept was to bring together producers from across the state to discuss water issues and look for ways in which we could work together to protect agriculture in Arizona.  Prior to the conference, polling was conducted to get a sense of voter sentiment toward agriculture and water use.  The results were surprising.  Arizona voters—both in our large cities and in rural areas—think highly of agriculture.

Further, they overwhelmingly support the development of additional water storage in Arizona, even if it means relaxing environmental regulations to achieve results.  With this data in hand, SB 1399 was introduced to authorize the Department of Water Resources and the State Land Department to develop a plan to create additional water storage in Arizona.  Specifically, they are charged with identifying at least six of the most acceptable sites for potential construction of new water storage facilities on existing state land.  This legislation is specific to state land to ensure that the federal government does not have authority over the projects.  This bill has passed many hurdles in the legislative process, and if signed by the governor, would represent the next phase of Arizona’s impressive water management endeavors.

SB 1268 – Adequate Water Supply Requirements; Municipalities

While water laws that regulate development don’t pertain to agricultural users, the repercussions and unintended consequences of these laws could impact all water users within the state.  In 2007, the Legislature passed and Governor Janet Napolitano signed the Adequate Water Supply program to enable towns, cities and counties outside of the existing AMA’s to adopt mandatory adequacy rules for new development.

Within the state’s adequate water supply laws, federal agencies have found a way to claim rights to water.  Essentially, the law adopted in 2007 has given the federal government a state cause of action to sue for water for environmental purposes.  This is bad policy that has just recently been highlighted by a conflict in the town of Sierra Vista, which is facing federal intrusion that would block local and state-approved water management policies governing development.  For those following the federal government’s heavy handed management of California’s water supply, the Sierra Vista situation is chillingly familiar.

On a larger scale, the federal government is increasingly laying claim to water rights in the West due to the immense amount of federal lands in the Western United States.  Clearly, it’s not in the best interest of Arizona to give the federal government additional tools to lay claim to water.  State Senator Gail Griffin is sponsoring SB 1268 to allow local governments to exempt themselves from Adequate Water Supply rules should they face unnecessary litigation from federal agencies.  In addition to this bill, she is sponsoring another that would require counties that have adopted the Adequate Supply Rules to review this policy every five years. Both of these bills allow towns, cities and counties the option to undo the Adequate Water Supply requirements in the event they are faced with litigation from federal agencies that threaten not only their water rights, but the water rights of agriculture and industry within their boundaries.

Western Growers will continue to promote and support the Arizona Department of Water Resources as the primary water authority in this state.  The state’s water leaders are more aware of, and sensitive to, the needs of our citizens, businesses, industries and environment than federal agencies that have proven, in California and elsewhere, that their goal is not to foster responsible water development to sustain economic health.

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Litigation: A Lose-Lose Situation

May 3rd, 2016

“We treat our employees with respect.  We don’t need an employee handbook.”

“We’re an at-will employer.  We don’t need a written warning in the file before we terminate.”

“The At-Will acknowledgement is just going to scare off good employees.  We don’t need it.”

“Arbitration Agreements?  Isn’t that just an invitation to sue?”

 

Famous Last Words

These are all things I’ve heard said at one time or another.  These statements are usually uttered by owners and managers who have never been sued by an employee or a class of employees.  They don’t appreciate the likelihood or have a respect for the true cost of litigation.  File under “Famous Last Words.”

What these bosses don’t understand is that the employee handbook, the at-will acknowledgement, the written warning, the arbitration agreement and a plethora of other litigation avoidance measures are just a form of insurance—litigation insurance.  And cheap insurance at that.  A few hundred bucks for the Personnel Procedures Manual and an employee handbook is nothing compared to the alternative.

We don’t think twice about buying car insurance.  We check the tire pressure and treads, buckle up, and check the mirrors before we hit the road.  And we hope that the air bags go off in the event of a serious collision.  We do these things not because we expect anything to go wrong, but we don’t want to be uninsured, unbuckled, or otherwise unprepared in the unlikely event a major loss hits.  In fact, unless we’re reckless, most of us do everything we can to avoid a catastrophe behind the wheel.

It’s the same way with these employment-related safety features.  You just don’t want to be caught without them in the likely event you are sued.  That’s right, I said ‘likely.’  A recent study found that companies based in California face a 40 percent higher chance of facing an employee lawsuit than the national average.  According to the 2015 Hiscox Guide to Employee Lawsuits, U.S.-based companies have at least an 11.7 percent chance of having an employment charge filed against them.  And the number is low since it does not factor in wage and hour lawsuits; the study only measured data on employment charge activity from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and its state counterparts.

 

Heads I Win, Tails You Lose

How much does it cost to be sued?  The same study found that the average cost of defense and settlement was $125,000.  In California, $100,000 won’t even cover your attorney fees through summary judgment, a tough standard to meet.  To get to that point, it will take a couple dozen hours of staff time to investigate the facts and meet with your attorney, and another 100 hours compiling documents.  Dozens more hours will be spent having your employees prepare for depositions, and even more hours to sit through them.  Your attorneys will spend 50 or more hours drafting the motion for summary judgment, responding to the employee’s attorney’s opposition papers, and appearing at the hearing.  After all that, if you’re lucky the court will find there is “no triable issue of material fact,” (i.e., the case can be decided as a matter of law without the need for a trial) and dismiss the case against your company.  You pay your lawyer their six-figure fee and thank them for a job well done.  You won’t collect your attorneys’ fees; companies cannot typically be awarded attorneys’ fees even if they prevail in a lawsuit against their employees.  That’s the best case scenario.  Even if you win, you lose.

The more common scenario is that the motion for summary judgment is denied – courts are loathe to deny a plaintiff his or her day in court.  More time and money is spent gearing up for trial.  But because the outcome of a trial is always uncertain, the vast majority of litigants settle their claims before trial.  So the only true winners are the lawyers for both sides.

 

Better than Court

Some car accidents are unavoidable.  You can get rear-ended sitting at a red light.  You can get T-boned safely driving through an intersection.  A car can spin out in the rain and careen into you.  Sometimes these things are just inevitable.  The same is true for employment litigation.  You could be doing everything right and suddenly you’re looking at a major claim.

Hopefully you have good car insurance in the first case, and employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) in the other.  While EPLI generally won’t help in a wage and hour case, it will surely come in handy in the inevitable discrimination case.  In a wage and hour claim, hopefully you have good employment policies (on meal and rest periods, and non-productive time, for example) and a good arbitration agreement.  Generally speaking, you would rather have your case heard before a mutually agreeable arbitrator than a jury of unknowns.  While these provisions may not result in litigation avoidance, they can sure help bring the cost down from catastrophic loss to a minor peril.

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FSMA Mandates New Training Procedures

May 3rd, 2016

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is bringing changes to the food industry. Several months ago, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced two key food safety rules impacting the produce industry.  The new FDA’s Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption—the Produce Safety Rule (PS rule)—went into effect on January 26, 2016.  The new Current Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food – the Preventive Controls Rule (PC rule)—went into effect on November 16, 2015.

If your company is subject to either one of these two rules, new training requirements will have to be in place—for some companies as soon as September of this year.  So, where does your company stand on training?

Under the PS rule, training must be provided to all personnel who handle or touch food contact surfaces or covered produce or who are engaged in the supervision thereof (including temporary, part-time, seasonal, and contracted personnel).  This training must be executed upon hiring and periodically thereafter, at least once per year.  The PS rule establishes the following topics as mandatory parts of this training: 1) principles of food hygiene and food safety; 2) the importance of health and personal hygiene; and, 3) the requirements of the PS rule applicable to their job responsibilities.  The rule allows individual companies to develop and customize training for all personnel subject to this requirement.  However, the PS rule does require FDA-recognized training for at least one supervisor or responsible party of a produce operation.

The Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) has developed a training curriculum that is currently under review by the FDA.  The launch of the PSA’s training was expected earlier this year, but it was delayed until the agency could complete its official review and recognition.  This is likely to take place in September 2016.  Once the FDA recognizes the PSA curriculum as adequate to meet the requirements of this rule, several entities, including Western Growers, are expected to provide training.  FDA-recognized training is only required for one responsible party of a produce operation; it is not required for employees working in other job positions.  However, while many in our industry have food safety training programs in place already, the content of current training will have to be evaluated to ensure it includes the topics listed above and explained in more detail in the full text of this rule.

Under the PC rule, the management or party responsible for a facility must ensure that all individuals (including temporary or seasonal) who manufacture, process, pack or hold food subject to one or more subparts of the PC rule are qualified to perform their assigned duties.  In order to be considered “qualified,” a person needs to have education, training, or experience (or a combination thereof) appropriate to the individual’s assigned duties as well as to receive training in topics listed in this rule.  These topics include principles of food hygiene and food safety as well as the importance of employee health and personal hygiene, as applicable to the facility and the individual’s assigned duties.  Designated supervisory personnel must ensure compliance with these requirements and have education, training or experience to supervise the production of safe food.

The PC rule allows for flexibility to utilize existing industry and third-party training programs that address the topics mentioned above.  However, in order to be considered a preventive controls qualified individual, FDA-recognized training may be required.  The FDA defines a preventive controls qualified individual as an individual who has successfully completed training in the development and application of risk-based preventive controls, equivalent to FDA-recognized curriculum or, who through job experience is able to develop and apply a food safety system.  The Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) is the only entity that has developed a nationwide curriculum recognized by the FDA. FSPCA lead instructors are currently providing training at different locations and dates.  This becomes relevant if a facility is subject to activities under the Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Control’s section of the PC rule that must be conducted by a preventive controls qualified individual.

Joining the PSA and FSPCA email distribution list provides the opportunity to learn about periodic updates and upcoming training opportunities for FDA-recognized training through both Alliances.  For regional training utilizing FDA-recognized training stay tuned as Western Growers will also provide information about upcoming training in the next few months.  Robust training programs play a key role in developing and maintaining a food safety culture.  Visit Western Growers’ FSMA portal to access resources available to use in revising, developing or revamping your training program.

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Nassif’s Notes: MINIMUM WAGE…WG CEO Blogs about Impact

May 3rd, 2016

(Editor’s Note: Western Growers President and CEO has started a blog on the Western Growers website called Nassif’s Notes to opine on various topics and initiate discussions among policy makers, journalists and WG members.  This was his first blog entry published on April 11.  See the web address in the box below to access this and other posts.)

 

In a recent National Geographic article by Tracie McMillan, U.C. Davis agricultural labor economist Philip Martin asserts that raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour—as was recently signed into law in California—will have a negligible impact on the prices consumers pay in the produce aisle.

Martin rightly points out that, “Farmers don’t get much of the retail dollar.”  He claims the number is around 28 percent, of which about a third goes to labor.  Extending this calculation further, Martin states that less than 10 percent of the grocery bill makes its way back to the farmworker.

Based on these numbers, Martin argues that raising the minimum wage for farmworkers will add just over $20 per year to the average family’s grocery bill.  In other words, it won’t “cost most Americans very much money at all.”  All the more reason to support a market-distorting wage hike, right?

Not necessarily.  The fact is, raising the minimum wage for California farmworkers will have sweeping consequences that neither Martin nor McMillan fully anticipate or explore.

McMillan alludes to these consequences toward the end of her article.  She states that when wages go up, farmers will often look to mechanize to keep costs down, “or retailers may begin importing food that is cheaper than what’s domestically produced.”

McMillan fails to realize that this seemingly innocuous statement is actually the main point of the story.  Or, more accurately, our collective story as Californians and Americans.

This single sentence begs the question McMillan should have been asking all along: “What impact will raising the minimum wage have on California farmers?”

Why is this an important question? Because it will fundamentally change where our fruits, vegetables and tree nuts will be produced in the future.

The short answer is increasingly likely to be: Not in California.  At least not the 60 percent of the country’s fresh produce that is currently grown in the state.  And probably not even in the United States, as other states adopt more and more of the regulatory nonsense we experience here in California.

In spite of recent reports that California farmers are seeing record revenues, profits are lower than they’ve been at any point since 2011.  That’s because the cost of farming has risen 36 percent over the past five years; inputs like seeds, fertilizer and electricity have all become significantly more expensive.  And water!

Add a 50 percent increase in labor costs to the mix, and you will only accelerate a trend that we have been observing over the past decade—the shifting of hundreds of thousands of acres of current and future California farms to other states and countries.

Raising the minimum wage by 87 percent in just eight years will cause greater disproportionate harm to employers, and many employees who will lose jobs, in regions of California with lower costs of living than San Francisco and Santa Monica.  The larger agricultural companies may be able to survive this labor cost increase but the smaller family farms will fade into oblivion.  A Democratic-controlled state that indirectly focuses on putting the little guy out of business.  Who’d a thunk it?

Governor Brown almost seemed to grasp that fact as he signed the bill, saying: “Economically, minimum wages may not make sense.  But morally, socially, and politically they make every sense because it binds the community together to make sure parents can take care of their kids.”  I fail to see the moral or social sense this will make to the farm and food industry workers who will lose their jobs to other states and countries.

Taken together with the inexorable advancement of the labor and environmental agendas, our state’s political leaders are sending a clear message about the type of California they want to see in the decades to come.

Unfortunately—and inexplicably—they aim to create a California that no longer leads the nation or world in the production of fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, as well as a host of other agricultural products.

Politicians fail to appreciate the reality that the buyers of California fruits and vegetables aren’t “consumers” in grocery stores and restaurants.  The buyers of our products are the big box stores and restaurant chains that sell our produce to consumers.  Those big companies don’t really care whether the fresh produce they sell comes from California or somewhere else.  All they care about is the cost and quality, and here’s the thing: We can promote the quality of California produce all day long, but other states and countries are producing pretty darn good produce these days, and they’re beating us on cost.

Is that really an outcome we are trying to achieve?  Is it really in our best interest to cede control of our food supply to other countries?

For those of us old enough to remember waiting in line for gas during the 1973 Arab oil embargo, I submit that food security is as important to our national interests as energy independence.

Our state’s political leaders cannot be allowed to continue their all-out assault on California farmers, driving family farms out of business and production to other countries.  And even though McMillan doesn’t realize it, that should have been the main takeaway from her article.

 

About Nassif’s Notes

My intention for Nassif’s Notes is to provide a regular forum for Western Growers members, policymakers, reporters and the general public to engage in meaningful dialogue around key issues impacting fruit, vegetable and tree nut farmers in Arizona, California and Colorado. I will use this blog to provide commentary on timely topics, events and people, hopefully furthering the public discourse. From time to time, I will also ask Western Growers staff to weigh in on relevant subjects. Through it all, I invite your thoughtful and respectful participation.

Please visit my blog at https://www.wga.com/tnassif/nassif-notes

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Welcome New Board Members

May 3rd, 2016

The Western Growers Board of Directors has approved the appointments of three new members to join the 42 other sitting directors. The new Directors are:

Lorri Koster, Chairman/CEO, Mann Packing Company Inc., Salinas, CA

Tom Mulholland, Owner, Mulholland Citrus, Orange Cove, CA

Rob Yraceburu, President, Wonderful Orchards, Shafter, CA

The Association is grateful for these talented individuals’ willingness to serve on the Board and bring their unique experience, expertise, and perspectives to WG’s committee and board policy discussions.

The new Directors have been appointed by Chairman Larry Cox to complete the unexpired terms of Mike Jarrard, Mann Packing Co.; Terry Orr, Exeter Ivanhoe Citrus Association; and Joe MacIlvaine; Wonderful Orchards. Western Growers wishes to thank the departing Directors for their years of service and dedication to the Board.

For questions, please contact Matt McInerney at (949) 885-2263.  

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Western Growers Welcomes 39 New Members

May 5th, 2016

We would like to recognize and thank our 39 new members for joining the Western Growers’ family.  Your patronage and support is greatly appreciated. We look forward to working with you and your employees in 2016 and beyond.

REGULAR MEMBERS

Avocado Resources Corporation

Garry Richardson Farms

G & M Farms Inc.

GFO LLC, Griffith Bros

Healthy Trends Produce, LLC

Heritage Ranch Management

Produce West

Roco Farms, LLC

Shiloh Ranch

Sea Breeze Farms, LLC

Viota West

 

NON-FRESH REGULAR

Usibelli Vineyards Inc.                                                   

 

ASSOCIATE

Aqua4D Water Solutions

A J Farm Labor Contracting

Central Coast Wine Services

Concentric Power Inc

Conservis Corporation

Costa View Farms

De Pue Warehouse Company Inc.

De La Luz Inc.

Duane Morris, LLP

Floracurltura Pacific Inc

French Camp Vineyards

Guess Cattle Co., LLC

H & S Harvesting Inc.

Harvest Port Exchange Inc.

HeavyConnect Inc.

Inteligistics Inc.

iTradeNetwork

Kern Ag Labor Management Inc.

Laura Quido FLC

Measure to Improve, LLC

Mendoza Bros Farming Inc.

Mondavi & Family

Myriad Flowers International

Netafim USA

 

NATIONAL

Benny’s Farm Fresh Distributing Co. Inc.

Financial Recoveries Strategies Inc.

For more information, contact Rob Steinmann at (949) 885-2266.

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What Annual Meeting Workshops Do You Want to See? Take our Member Survey

May 17th, 2016

It’s mid-May and that means Western Growers’ staff is heavily into planning our 91st Annual Meeting being held November 6th – 9th in Hawaii at the Grand Hyatt Kauai. One thing has become obvious during the planning process — there’s lots to talk about!

So far, we’ve collected a number of possible workshop topics. In fact, we have more issues than we have time to cover during our time in Hawaii and need your input to help us decide what topics to cover. Our Member Survey allows you to see what topics we have come up with, select which ones you like, and also gives you the chance to offer suggestions on topics we didn’t think of.  

Take our Member Survey to register your thoughts with us!

TAKE THE SURVEY

For more information on the survey, contact Ryan Zilker at (949) 885-2249.

For more information about the Annual Meeting, contact Randy Hause at (949) 885-2265.

Register for the Annual Meeting HERE!

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Celebrity Impressionist Jeff Tracta to Entertain During 91st Annual Meeting

May 24th, 2016

Jeff Tracta takes impressionism to an entirely new level—and he’s bringing his show to Hawaii for Western Growers’ 91st Annual Meeting! Tracta is a world-renowned impressionist, comedian and singer, and he will be our entertainment during the Award Dinner on Tuesday, November 6.

With an array of over 100 spot-on impressions, Tracta pays tribute to over fifty years of music, comedy and pop culture. He’s an expert impressionist on the most current music artists—Bruno Mars, Pharrell Williams, The Black Eyed Peas and Lady Gaga—to legendary icons such as Bob Dylan, Billy Joel and Elton John. He’s also a professional in comedy tributes including Adam Sandler, George Lopez, Joan Rivers, Ray Romano, Chris Rock and Jeff Foxworthy, as well as the entire cast of Family Guy. Tracta truly has something for everyone.

Tracta first earned international fame starring for eight years as “Thorne Forrester” on the hit daytime drama The Bold & the Beautiful on CBS. His musical talents manifested in that same role, with all of Tracta’s albums going triple platinum worldwide. He has performed in over 31 countries to sold-out concerts in stadiums and arenas from Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, Italy and Germany to India, South Africa and Japan.

Tracta made his Broadway debut starring as Danny Zuko in Tommy Tune’s revival of Grease. His award-winning comedy performance in Agency received rave reviews and won the Los Angeles Critics Choice Award. Additionally, Tracta is a frequent guest on news and national talk shows and has been profiled on CNN, the Tonight Show, and Good Morning America.

To see Tracta in action, visit his website, view this YouTube clip and join us for our Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting will be held at the Grand Hyatt in Kauai on November 6 – 9, 2016. To register or learn more about this year’s meeting, please click the link below.

REGISTER FOR THE MEETING TODAY!

Don’t forget to also book your hotel room. Registration slots and hotel rooms traditionally go fast, and you want to miss this memorable event. For more information, contact Randy Hause at (949) 885-2265.

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Choose What Workshops You’d Like to See at the Annual Meeting

May 24th, 2016

It’s mid-May and that means Western Growers’ staff is heavily into planning our 91st Annual Meeting being held November 6th – 9th in Hawaii at the Grand Hyatt Kauai. One thing has become obvious during the planning process — there’s lots to talk about!

So far, we’ve collected a number of possible workshop topics. In fact, we have more issues than we have time to cover during our time in Hawaii and need your input to help us decide what topics to cover. Our Member Survey allows you to see what topics we have come up with, select which ones you like, and also gives you the chance to offer suggestions on topics we didn’t think of.  

Take our Member Survey to register your thoughts with us!

TAKE THE SURVEY

For more information on the survey, contact Ryan Zilker at (949) 885-2249.

For more information about the Annual Meeting, contact Randy Hause at (949) 885-2265.

Register for the Annual Meeting HERE!

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We Are Moving to New Digs

May 26th, 2016

We are moving! Beginning May 31, Western Growers will be located at 15525 Sand Canyon, Irvine, CA 92618. Our phone, fax and P.O. Box numbers will remain the same.

Previously, the Western Growers team in Irvine was located in four different buildings throughout the city. This new facility will now combine the Irvine workforce into one central location, further enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization.

The new office building will house the Western Growers Association and its subsidiaries and affiliates, including Assurance Trust, Insurance Services, Financial Services, Pinnacle Claims Management and Covered California for Small Business. The addresses for all other Western Growers offices will remain the same.

The move will be finalized just after Memorial Day. In honor of the holiday, our offices will be closed on Monday, May 30, so we can remember those who served.

For more information, contact Randy Hause at (949) 885-2265.

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Choose What Topics You Want Discussed at the Annual Meeting

May 26th, 2016

The Western Growers 91st Annual Meeting will be here before you know it, and we need your help in choosing workshop topics.

The meeting will be held November 6th – 9th in Hawaii at the Grand Hyatt Kauai and there is so much to talk about!

We’ve collected a number of possible workshop topics and narrowing them down will be a team effort. We have more issues than we have time to cover during our time in Hawaii, and your input will be crucial in helping decide what topics to cover. Our Member Survey allows you to see what topics we have come up with, select which ones you like and also gives you the chance to offer suggestions on topics we didn’t think of. 

Take our Member Survey to register your thoughts with us!

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY

Contact Ryan Zilker at (949) 885-2249 for question about the survey. For more information about the Annual Meeting, contact Randy Hause at (949) 885-2265.

Don’t forget to register for the Annual Meeting! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER. 

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