WG 2019-2020 Board Election Results

October 9th, 2018

We are pleased to announce the results of the 2019-2020 Western Growers Board of Directors elections. The following members have been elected by the membership to serve a two-year term starting in November 2018:

D-1 All Arizona except Yuma County     

Steve Martori, Martori Farms

 

D-2  Yuma County (Arizona)

Robert Barkley, Barkley Ag Enterprises, LLC 

Alex Muller, Pasquinelli Produce Company

 

D-4  Imperial County and Blythe

Lawrence Cox, Coastline Family Farms

Kelly Strickland, Five Crowns Marketing, Inc

 

D-5  Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego Counties

A.G. Kawamura, Orange County Produce

 

D-6 Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo

George Adam, Innovative Produce

John Jackson, Beachside Produce LLC

Craig Reade, Bonipak Produce Co 

Ryan Talley, Talley Farms

  

D-7  North San Joaquin and Northern California

Stephen Danna, Jr., Danna Farms, Inc. 

Ronald Ratto, Ratto Bros, Inc. 

 

D-8  Ventura County

Stephen Barnard, Mission Produce, Inc.  

George Boskovich, III, Boskovich Farms, Inc.

Thomas Deardorff, II, Deardorff Family Farms  

 

D-9  Kern County

Kevin Andrew, Vanguard International  

Edwin Camp, D.M. Camp & Sons

Catherine Fanucchi, Tr-Fanucchi Farms, Inc.   

Brandon Grimm, Grimmway Farms

Rob Yraceburu, Wonderful Orchards

 

D-10 Watsonville, Gilroy, Hollister, Santa Cruz

John Manfre, Frank Capurro and Son

Dominic Muzzi Jr, Muzzi Family Farms, LLC

 

D-11 Monterey County

Bardin Bengard, Bengard Ranch, Inc.

John D’Arrigo, D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of California  

Sammy Duda, Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Inc

David Gill, Rio Farms

Tom Nunes V, The Nunes Company, Inc

Bruce Taylor, Taylor Farms California, Inc 

 

D-12 East San Joaquin Valley

Carol Chandler, Chandler Farms

Fred LoBue, LoBue Farms, Inc 

Harold McClarty, The HMC Group Marketing, Inc.

Thomas Mulholland, Mulholland Citrus

 

D-13  Riverside and San Bernardino

Franz DeKlotz, Richard Bagdasarian, Inc.

Albert Keck, Hadley Date Gardens, Inc.

               

D-14  West San Joaquin Valley

Stephen F. Patricio, Westside Produce

Stuart Woolf, Woolf Enterprises

 

Affiliated Directors

Frank Maconachy, Ramsay Highlander, Inc.

Sonny Rodriguez, The Growers Company, Inc.

 

We all join in welcoming these industry leaders to the 2019-2020 Western Growers Board of Directors. At the October 29 Board Meeting, the Board of Directors will also confirm the appointments of several individuals who will serve as Directors at Large on the 2019-2020 Board.

Thank you to all candidates who placed their names on the final ballot and also the members who cast ballots in the 2019-2020 Board of Directors elections.

 

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Feature from the Farm: Franscioni & Griva Celebrates 150 Years

October 9th, 2018

Family owned and operated, Franscioni & Griva Corporation is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Since 1868, Franscioni & Griva has been an agricultural staple in the Central Coast, growing from a dairy farm into a diversified produce operation.

The farm credits its dedication to diversification as a major reason for the company’s longevity and success, as it provided economic stability despite fluctuations in the farm market prices.

“Franscioni & Griva is unique because we have diversified from the very beginning,” said Rebecca Griva, sixth-generation family member and director of sustainability at Franscioni & Griva. “Being able to adapt efficiently to market demands is one of the main reasons we are able to celebrate this milestone anniversary.”

This sixth-generation farm has gone from farming grain, to ranching cattle, to growing a variety of crops, ranging from beets and corn nuts to kale and grapes. Additionally, Franscioni & Griva has always been quick to adopt new technology, in an effort to grow and harvest a variety of crops more efficiently and effectively. This has also contributed to their success.

Franscioni & Griva Ranch has been a member of Western Growers since 1985 and has been a grower for many WG members throughout its history, including Green Giant, Christopher Ranch, Church Brothers, Seminis, Tanimura & Antle, Dobler & Sons and Sabor Farms, among others.

“We have a very diverse and colorful history of working with many different companies and a wide variety of crops,” said Griva.

For more information on Franscioni & Griva Corporation’s 150-year history, visit http://www.fgvegetable.com/index.html.

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WG Offers Training Sessions on Employer Liability for Sexual Harassment – November to April

October 18th, 2018

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), employer liability for sexual harassment has been a controversial issue in the courts. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that an employer is always liable for a hostile work environment created by a supervisor when the discrimination is a tangible employment action (significant change in employment status such as hiring, firing, failing to promote or a change in benefits).

In a hostile environment case with no tangible job action, “the employer is only presumed liable for a supervisor’s harassment. The employer may have an affirmative defense against such a claim, and avoid liability, if the employer can show that it had and enforced a policy against sexual harassment and that the complaining employee unreasonably failed to take advantage of preventive or corrective opportunities that the employer provided.”

SHRM strongly suggests to “establish a written nondiscrimination policy, including a specific policy against sexual (and all other forms of) harassment.” This should be published in the employee handbook. They also suggest to conduct regular training seminars on sexual harassment and require mandatory attendance, keep records of attendees at each session and investigate ALL complaints of sexual harassment.

Courts encourage employers to educate their workers about the policy by conducting training for managers and employees. Western Growers is offering training sessions every few months to cover these topics and other best practices to combat harassment issues in the workplace.

TRAINING DETAILS

COST:

  • WG Member: $60
  • Non-WG Member: $75

LOCATIONS & DATES: 

Fresno

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

WG Fresno Field Office (7575 N. Palm Ave., Ste. 101, Fresno, CA 93711)

Western Growers also provides training for non-management employees. For more information, please contact Anna Bilderbach at (949) 379-3889.

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Stay Connected with the Western Growers Annual Meeting 2018 Mobile App

October 23rd, 2018

Western Growers is proud to announce that the official mobile app for the Western Growers Annual Meeting 2018 in Palm Desert, California, is now available for download! Designed with members in mind, the tools of this app will make your annual meeting experience seamless from beginning to end.

To get started:

  1. Download the app for iPhone/iPad or Android
  2. Create an account by clicking on the profile icon in the top right corner
  3. Check-in and start enjoying all of the in-app features

Our mobile app allows you to:

  • View schedules, speakers, and explore workshops and keynote events
  • Access event locations maps and floor plans
  • Personalize your schedule and receive event reminders
  • Network with other meeting participants.
  • Share your experience with pictures, comments, check-ins, and more

To download, search for “Western Growers” in the Apple iOS or Google Play app stores.

IN APP CONTEST

For those attending the conference, engage with Western Growers on the app or on social media to win premium, tender steaks!

  • Best Photo: Take pictures during the Western Growers Annual Meeting and post them on the app using #AgCollab. The photo with the most likes will win.

Check the Annual Meeting website or contact Cheryl Wood at (949) 885-4798 for the latest information on featured speakers, conference agenda and activities. For questions about downloading or accessing the app, contact Nicolle Chase at (949) 885-2248.

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Ensure that the “load and count” at shipping point is acknowledged by shipper, carrier and buyer

October 24th, 2018

The term load and count is the notation on a bill of lading indicating that the contents (number of cartons or sacks) inside the refrigerated trailer were loaded and counted by both the shipper and trucker.

If you are not allowing the carrier the opportunity to verify your count, your operation could be referred to as a shipper load and count. This term changes the narrative should there be a shortage at destination wherein a carrier can allege they were denied the opportunity to verify the load and count at shipping point. While we understand concern over security and food safety restrictions inside your facility to allow truckers the opportunity to observe loading, please establish a protocol to ensure that observing loading is available.  Provide a secure, restricted area adjacent to the rear doors of the truck where the loading of pallets can be readily seen at time of loading.  Many operations now employ videos to allow for verification at a later date to view the loading and securing of the load.  

For shortages at destination, if you are a shipper load and count, you provide a carrier an argument that it is not liable since they were not present when the load was counted and loaded. Shippers should understand that generally, your position is jeopardized when the vehicle is loaded without giving the driver an opportunity to verify count and the trailer is delivered with an intact seal.

It is becoming increasingly important for shippers, receivers and carriers to understand the legal consequences of bill of lading notations in the current litigious society. Parties to transportation arrangements would be well advised to reexamine their current bill of lading to make certain the correct verbiage is included.

The following links provide an example of a Shipper Pre Load and Loading Check List and a Bill of Lading that include carton/sack count.

If you have any questions, please contact any of the Western Growers Trade Practices team members, Bryan Nickerson, Matt McInerney, or Ken Gilliland.

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United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Reached Over the Weekend

October 1st, 2018

Over the weekend, the United States, Mexico and Canada reached an agreement to modernize and rebalance trade between the countries. The new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will enable food and agriculture to trade more fairly, and could help expand exports of American agricultural products. All food and agricultural products that have zero tariffs under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will remain at zero tariffs. Other achievements related to the fresh produce industry include:

Setting Standards for Agricultural Biotechnology

For the first time, the agreement specifically addresses agricultural biotechnology to support 21st century innovations in agriculture. The text covers all biotechnologies, including new technologies such as gene editing, whereas the Trans-Pacific Partnership text covered only traditional rDNA technology. 

Commitments to Reduce Trade Distorting Policies, Improve Transparency, and Ensure Non-Discriminatory Treatment for Agricultural Product Standards

Building on NAFTA, the United States, Mexico, and Canada agreed to work together on agriculture matters, improve transparency and consultations on matters affecting trade among the countries.

Enhanced Rules for Science-Based Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures

In the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures chapter, the United States, Mexico, and Canada have agreed to strengthen disciplines for science-based SPS measures, while ensuring Parties maintain their sovereign right to protect human, animal, and plant life or health. Provisions include increasing transparency on the development and implementation of SPS measures; advancing science-based decision making; improving processes for certification, regionalization and equivalency determinations; conducting systems-based audits; improving transparency for import checks; and working together to enhance compatibility of measures. The new agreement would establish a new mechanism for technical consultations to resolve issues between the Parties.

To read the full fact sheet from the Office of the United States Trade Representative, click here.

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World’s First Ag Voice-to-Text Tech Featured in October 17 Tech Talk

October 9th, 2018

AgVoice is the world’s first voice-to-text start-up company that allows ag professionals the freedom to work hands-free while on-the-go. The startup will be hosting a Tech Talk on October 17, 2018, to share how farmers can use the voice-to-text technology to improve productivity and workflow management, increase documentation accuracy and gain valuable insights to optimize the use of resources in production.

During the session, AgVoice CEO Bruce Rasa will cover the ins and outs of the startup’s mobile voice-interaction service, as well as explain how food and agriculture professionals can use the technology to capture insights on the go.

He will discuss how the technology was designed to achieve four unique features:

  1. Recognize Food and Ag Terms: The AgVoice service is created with a lexicon that is ag-centric and is able to decipher agricultural terms, names and niche words. 
  2. No Connectivity Required: In many ag operations, internet and cloud connectivity is either non-existent or intermittent. AgVoice sees a future in which the service could run on a smartphone, in an offline mode, without connectivity to match the realities of the ever changing environments of food production and agriculture.
  3. Immediate Corrections: No speech recognition software is perfect. However, with important tasks such as recording food safety data, every single word must be correct. AgVoice recognizes this discrepancy and has designed a system (patent pending) that empowers users in the field to correct checklists and notes on the spot.
  4. Ease of Use: AgVoice’s technology is a voice-first design. Users are able to open the app on their phone and navigate the service using solely their voice.  

For more information about AgVoice, join us for the Tech Talk on Wednesday, October 17, 2018, at 3pm PST.

EVENT INFORMATION

AgVoice Global Tech Talk®

Date: Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Time: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM PST

Location: Online (you will be emailed a link when you register)

RSVP: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Tech Talks, which are offered at no cost, are hosted by the Center to introduce WG members and the community to the latest innovations.

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C.H. Robinson Providing Supply Chain Updates Relating to Hurricane Michael

October 11th, 2018

While Hurricane Michael directly impacts the Florida Panhandle, as well as parts of southern Mississippi, southern Alabama and southern Georgia, the disruption to the supply chain will be felt across North America. In effort to support customers and carriers during this critical time, C.H. Robinson will be providing hurricane updates on a regular basis through its website.

Hurricane updates will be posted to the client advisory section of the C.H. Robinson website, located under the Resources tab. The first update is available here.

In addition to providing updates, the C.H. Robinson account teams will continue to reach out directly through the appropriate channels as it relates to any direct impact to your respective shipments and business with C.H. Robinson.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your C.H. Robinson representative, Lauren Singh at [email protected].

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Five Startups Selected to Pitch at AgSharks during Annual Meeting

October 24th, 2018

Five start-up companies will be pitching their cutting-edge agricultural technologies to a panel of farmers, venture capitalists and a live audience for a chance to win a minimum of $250,000 in investment capital during Western Growers AgSharks™ Competition on Tuesday, October 30. Each startup, who is inventing technology to solve agriculture’s most dire issues, will also be competing for exclusive access to farm acreage to pilot their innovations.

The following are the five start-up companies who have been selected to pitch during the 2018 AgSharks Competition:

  • Augean Robotics: Augean Robotics builds Burro, a robot that follows pickers and functions as a virtual conveyor belt between pick points and collection points, allowing hand pickers to pick continuously rather than wasting up to 30 percent of their time shuttling produce.
  • ImpactVision: ImpactVision is a machine learning company, applying advanced imaging technology to food supply chains in order to improve food quality, generate consistent products and reduce waste. The startup’s software provides insights about the quality of foods, such as freshness of salad, the ripeness of avocados or the presence of foreign objects rapidly, non-invasively and at production grade speeds.
  • Skyx: Skyx is an agricultural-robotics technology company enabling a modular swarm of autonomous drones for spraying. Their innovative solution enables variable rate application at hotspots, or uniform coverage of entire farmland.
  • HeavyConnect, Inc.: HeavyConnect has built a mobile platform that eliminates all paper from the farming operation. Their innovative food safety app allows growers to comply with any food safety standard, by enabling farm managers to complete food safety checklists simply within the mobile application. The app collects better data, more accurately, and eliminates the need to transport and organize compliance documentation.
  • Bird Control Group: Bird Control Group provides innovative products to keep birds at a safe distance, ensuring a safer working environment and a highly effective way of damage prevention. They built Autonomic, a fully automated bird repelling system that provides continuous bird repelling capability after a one-time configuration. When the Autonomic is operational, birds perceive the system’s approaching laser beam as a physical danger and disperse to seek safety.

The six judges who will be offering feedback, equity investment offers, acreage for use in pilot programs or a combination of the three are as follows:

  • Kevin Andrew, Chief Farming Officer at Vanguard International
  • Robby Barkley, President & CEO of Barkley Ag Enterprise
  • Sanjeev Krishnan, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director at S2G Ventures
  • Cristina Rohr, Vice President at S2G Ventures
  • Vic Smith, President & CEO of JVSmith Companies
  • Matthew Walker, Managing Director at S2G Ventures

AgSharks, which takes place during WG’s Annual Meeting, is the first agtech competition to offer real-time investment opportunities and decision-making in front of a live audience. Having made its debut in October 2017, AgSharks provided two startup companies a total of $2.25 million in investment offers from S2G Ventures. AgSharks was created by WG in partnership with S2G Ventures with the intent of identifying key innovations in the fresh produce industry and supporting agtech startups in bringing their technology to market.

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Survey Request on Export Shipments to Canada

October 25th, 2018

With the enactment of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, a new provision that requires labeling consumer prepackaged fresh fruits and vegetables with a lot number will be required.

The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) has been in discussion with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regarding the potential impacts to business, including U.S. exporters, on this new requirement.

To assist CPMA, a partner with whom Western Growers has worked closely with over many years, we are encouraging you to please take a moment and complete this very brief survey. The data collected will assist CPMA in their further discussions with CFIA in an effort to reach a resolution to this costly regulation.

CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY

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October 18 Webinar Covers What You Need To Know For ACA Reporting Year 2018

October 4th, 2018

Pinnacle Claims Management, Inc. (PCMI) will host a webinar on Thursday, October 18, 2018, to cover upcoming changes to Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting requirements, as well as provide an overview of the Pinnacle ACA Dashboard.

In this webinar, resident ACA expert and PCMI Compliance Counsel, Jon Alexander, will guide you through the 2018 updates to the tangled web of ACA regulations, mandates and reporting requirements.

When you attend, you’ll learn about:

  • ACA Updates
  • Employer Mandate Update (Pay or Play responsibilities)
  • ACA Reporting Requirements & Updates
  • Health Insurance Exchange Subsidy & Penalty Notices
  • Deadline Dates for Reporting to the IRS
  • Potential IRS Fines
  • Pinnacle’s ACA Dashboard Reporting Tool

WEBINAR DETAILS

Affordable Care Act Reporting: What You Need To Know For Reporting Year 2018

Speaker: Jon Alexander (Bio), Vice President of WGAT and PCMI Compliance and Program Manager for Covered California

Date: Thursday, October 18, 2018

Time: 

  • Current Customers: 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM (PDT)
  • New Customers: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (PDT)

RSVP: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Participation is complimentary

For more information, contact Jon Alexander at (949) 885-2330.

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Water Resources Development Act Passes Senate

October 10th, 2018

The Water Resources Development Act of 2018 passed the Senate today with a 99-1 vote. That follows the House passage of the same bill, on a 408-2 vote.

As we reported earlier, the WRDA bill contains language that authorizes a pilot project to help finance development of water infrastructure. Language in this legislation will enable local irrigation districts to apply for low-interest federal loans from the Environmental Protection Agency to finance new reservoirs, below ground storage projects, recycling and desalination projects. This language was specifically aimed at California’s Central Valley.

The WRDA bill also contains a reauthorization of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Sections that may be of interest to Western Growers members are as follows:  

  • Section 2005 – Drinking water infrastructure resilience and sustainability: This section includes new grant opportunities within an existing $60 million annual program for states to assist small and disadvantaged communities when contaminants are present or are likely to be present in drinking water provided by a public water system or underground source of drinking water. The intent of this provision is to assist states with small and disadvantaged communities to promptly address problems associated with testing, treatment and remediation of contamination sources. Additionally, in cases where a third party is later found to be at fault for the contamination, EPA is authorized to reclaim the funds provided by the grant from the party at fault. This section also provides $4 million in grants in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 for programs for water systems, as well as for assistance in planning, design, construction, implementation, operation or maintenance to improve resilience to natural hazards.
     
  • Section 2015 – State Revolving Loan Funds: This section makes changes in the statue regarding requirements on the use of Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds (DWSRF) and its eligible uses. It makes clear that DWSRF monies can be used to replace or rehabilitate aging treatment, storage or distribution facilities to meet SDWA mandates or improve public health. The section also moves existing prevailing wage requirements on DWSRFs into the SDWA; reinvigorates the use of DWSRFs for state source water protection planning; requests EPA to collect information on best management practices for DWSRFs; and requires the EPA’s national drinking water needs survey to include a report on lead pipes. Importantly, this section permits states to increase the amount of DWSRF loans they make to economically disadvantaged communities and permits an additional 10 years for repayment of these loans to the state.
     
  • Section 2023 – Authorization for capitalization grants to states for Drinking Water Treatment Revolving Loan Funds: This section authorizes over $4.4 billion in appropriations, over three years, for capitalization grants awarded to state drinking water revolving loan funds. The amounts are: $1.174 billion in fiscal year 2019; $1.3 billion in fiscal year 2020; and $1.95 billion in fiscal year 2021.
     
  • Section 4201 – The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) reauthorization and innovative financing for state loan funds: This section reauthorizes the WIFIA program and removes the pilot designation of this program. This section provides important amendments to allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other federal agencies with federal credit instruments to enter into an agreement with the EPA to service loans for their programs. This section also creates a new financing program within WIFIA for states to be able to bundle smaller projects. This section improves the process for state applications and provides additional sources of funding for State Infrastructure Financing Authorities applying for WIFIA loans, also known as the Securing Required Funding for Water Infrastructure Now. This section expedites the evaluation of these applications and places the application fee on the SRFs, removing the burden on the communities. It prevents these combined projects from having to do any additional environmental reviews and allows for the federal cost share of the project to cover up to 100 percent of the total project cost. This section ensures that the current SRF and WIFIA funds are protected. This is an innovative financing program former Senator Barbara Boxer came up with that Western Growers strongly supported. We believe that it is good that it is on steady ground and no longer a pilot.

This bipartisan water infrastructure bill has been sent to President Trump for signing.

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2018 End of Session CA Legislative Wrap-Up

October 11th, 2018

The California Legislature has left Sacramento for the remainder of the year, having completed their legislative business on August 31. Governor Brown had until September 30, 2018, to take final action on those bills that made it to his desk. This has been an extraordinarily active year.

Listed below are some of the notable bills that were acted on by the governor:

  • AB 2751 (Stone) Signed: Western Growers requested a veto of this bill which requires the Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB) to process to final board order, within one year, all decisions concerning make-whole awards, backpay, and other monetary awards to employees, or any board order finding liability for an award. The board order would need to be followed even during the appeal process. AB 2751 also empowers the ALRB to force successor contracts through the mandatory mediation and conciliation process. Governor Brown vetoed a similar bill in 2015 (Campos, AB 561). Unfortunately, he took a different position and signed this bill into law.  
  • AB 3080 (Gonzalez Fletcher) Vetoed: Western Growers requested a veto of this bill which, among other provisions, would have effectively placed a prohibition on requiring any applicant for employment or an employee from being required to waive their right to a judicial forum as a condition of employment or continued employment. This would have banned certain arbitration agreements. The governor agreed that AB 3080 would likely be preempted by federal law, and he vetoed the bill.
     
  • AB 3081 (Gonzalez Fletcher) Vetoed:  Western Growers requested a veto of this bill regarding sexual harassment because it would have created another pathway of costly litigation against employers for issues that are already protected under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). AB 3081 also included language that would require a client employer to share with a labor contractor all civil legal responsibility and civil liability for all employment related harassment claims. The governor vetoed the bill.
     
  • SB 100 (de Leon) Signed: Western Growers requested a veto of this bill which creates a policy goal for all of the state’s retail electricity to be supplied by 100 percent clean energy by 2045. We opposed this bill because of concerns that it creates additional business uncertainty and may lead to higher energy costs. The governor signed the bill.
     
  • SB 1343 (Mitchell) Signed: The governor also signed this bill which requires that all employers with five or more employees must provide sexual harassment training to all of their employees by January 1, 2020. Supervisors will need to receive two hours of training and non-supervisorial employees will need to be trained for one hour. The bill also includes provisions specifying when training is to be provided to temporary or seasonal employees.

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

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USDA Appoints WG Members to Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

October 16th, 2018

On Friday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue appointed numerous Western Growers members to the recently reestablished Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC).

Secretary Perdue appointed a total of 25 individuals to the FVIAC. Of the 25, the following are Western Growers’ members:

  • John Chandler, Chandler Farms L.P., Selma, Calif. (former WG Future Volunteer Leader)
  • Jeffrey Huckaby, Grimmway Enterprises Inc., Bakersfield, Calif.
  • Brian Kirschenmann, Kirschenmann Farms Inc., Bakersfield, Calif.
  • Harry (Bruce) Talbott, Talbott’s Mountain Gold LLLP, Palisade, Colo.

Originally chartered in 2001, the FVIAC advises the Secretary of Agriculture on issues affecting the fruit and vegetable industry. Committee members represent organic and non-organic growers, shippers, wholesalers, retailers, industry trade associations, importers, processors, foodservice suppliers, food brokers, state departments of agriculture and farmers markets; and represent local, regional and national levels. The newly appointed members will serve terms of up to two years beginning immediately and ending in 2020.

Western Growers congratulates our members and all the others who were appointed to serve. To see the entire list of nominations or to learn more about the FVIAC, click here to read the official press release from U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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Applications for Zero Emission Ag UTV Voucher Program Now Open

October 18th, 2018

Applications for the Agricultural Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV) Voucher Program are now open. The Ag UTV Voucher Program provides monetary incentives for the replacement of existing diesel or gasoline-powered UTVs with new, zero-emission UTVs. Qualified individuals, businesses, educational institutions and non-profit organizations involved in California agricultural operation, as defined by the California Air Resources Board, are eligible to apply.

There are two general types of vehicles eligible for grant funding under this program:

  • All-terrain vehicles (ATV)
  • Utility terrain vehicles (UTV)

Funds are provided on a first come, first serve basis and applicants must obtain a signed voucher from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District prior to the purchase of new equipment. Applications and guideline documents are available here: http://valleyair.org/grants/utv.htm.

For questions or additional information, contact the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District at (559) 230-5800 or [email protected].

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November 1 Lunch & Learn Webinar Prepares Growers for FSMA On-Farm Inspections

October 23rd, 2018

In preparation for official Produce Safety Rule on-farm inspections beginning in the spring of 2019, WG members covered by this regulation can request non-regulatory On-Farm Readiness Reviews (OFRRs). OFRRs are designed to give farmers a better understanding of what they can expect from a routine produce safety inspection.

On November 1, Western Growers is hosting a Lunch & Learn webinar where producers affected by the Produce Safety Rule can explore the pros or cons of an OFRR. OFRRs are the result of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act compliance principle “educate before you regulate” and offer an opportunity for dialogue between the farmer and the regulator and/or educator about the requirements of the Produce Safety Rule before official inspections begin.

During the webinar, government representatives from Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico, will provide more details about their state programs and touch on the basics of OFRRs. Additionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will discuss their role in OFRRs.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from our speakers about general and state-specific OFRR information and to ask questions. Register today!

WEBINAR DETAILS

Are You FSMA Ready? Can On-Farm Readiness Reviews Help?

Date: Thursday, November 1, 2018

Time:  11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Pacific Time

Speakers:

  • Mark Chen, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  • Teressa Lopez, Arizona Department of Agriculture; Citrus, Fruit and Vegetable Standardization/Fresh Produce Grade Inspection
  • Steve Patton, California Department of Food and Agriculture
  • Cristy Dice, Colorado Department of Agriculture
  • Matthew Gaskins, New Mexico Department of Agriculture

RSVP: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Participation is complimentary only to WG members.

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FDA to Hold Public Meetings to Discuss Draft Guidance under FSMA Produce Safety Rule

October 25th, 2018

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently issued a draft guidance document to help farmers better understand what they need to do to meet requirements established by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

The Draft Guidance for Industry: Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption offers recommendations on how to meet the requirements for most subparts of the rule. Additionally, it outlines how to determine whether produce or farms may be eligible for exemptions from certain requirements, or from the rule in its entirety. 

For those interesting in discussing the draft guidance, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will be holding a one-day public meeting on November 29, 2018 in Anaheim, California.  Meetings will also be held in Oregon, New York and Georgia. Meeting registration is expected to open on October 31, 2018. Click here to learn more about the public meetings.

If you are not able to attend and have comments regarding this guidance, please contact Sonia Salas at [email protected] before November 29, 2018.

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Upcoming Webinar Covers Prop 65 Compliance for Growers, Shippers and Processors

October 4th, 2018

In August 2016, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment published updated warning regulations under the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act (Proposition 65) and provided a two-year transition period for compliance. Now companies need to be in compliance with the updated warning regulations. Successfully navigating Prop. 65 is a simple way to minimize the risk of lawsuits in California. Are you compliant?

Please join us for this informative webinar exploring Prop. 65. In this webinar, attorneys from the law firm Shook Hardy Bacon LLP we will cover a variety of topics, including:

  • Posting Prop 65 warnings at facilities
  • Product labeling on packaging and on websites
  • Special considerations for the produce industry
  • The anatomy of a Prop 65 case

The session will be moderated by WG Vice President & General Counsel Jason Resnick.

WEBINAR DETAILS

Prop 65 Compliance for Growers, Shippers and Processors

Speakers:

  • Paul La Scala, Partner at Shook Hardy & Bacon. Bio.
  • Naoki Kaneko, Partner at Shook Hardy & Bacon. Bio.
  • Emily Weissenberger, Associate at Shook Hardy & Bacon. Bio.
  • Jason Resnick, Vice President & General Counsel at Western Growers. Bio.

Date: Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. PDT

RSVP: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Participation is complimentary

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

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California Law Requires Giving Employees Notice and Time Off to Vote

October 25th, 2018

As Election Day (Tuesday, November 6th) draws near, it is important to keep in mind that California Law requires employers to give all employees who do not have sufficient time outside of working hours to vote in a statewide election time off to vote (California Election Code section 14000).

Specifically, the laws provides:

  1. The employee may, without loss of pay, take up to two hours of time to vote  if they don’t have time to vote outside of regular working hours;
  2. The time off for voting need only be provided at the beginning or end of the regular working shift, whichever allows the most time for voting and the least disruption from work, unless otherwise mutually agreed; and
  3. The employee must give the employer at least two working days’ notice of the need to take time off for voting.

California law also requires California employers to post a notice to their employees advising them of provisions for taking paid leave for the purpose of voting in a clearly visible place at least 10 days before every statewide election. Many posters that contain all of the required state law postings includes this notice. Otherwise you have until Saturday October 27, 2018, to post the notice which can be downloaded and printed for free from the Secretary of State website.

In addition, employees who serve as election officials must be provided leave on Election Day to serve and may not be disciplined due to taking such leave. However, leave for election officials is not required to be paid.

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Opening Reception Kicks off WG’s 93rd Annual Meeting in Palm Desert

October 29th, 2018

Western Growers kicked off its 93rd Annual Meeting last night with a welcome reception held at JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa’s Rockwood Grill Patio.

This year’s Annual Meeting brings together nearly 500 agricultural leaders to innovate and promote new ideas to help the fresh produce industry thrive. The three-day meeting will feature a series of educational workshops covering topics such as genomics, agricultural technology and changing mindsets to influence results. Attendees will also hear from keynote speakers including Fox News Senior Judicial Analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano, Robert O’Neill and Jon Dorenbos.

Western Growers’ Golf Tournament was also held yesterday morning. The winners of the tournament will be announced tonight during the Party with the Partners Reception. Last night’s welcome reception was sponsored by Nutrien Ag Solutions, Prudential Agriculture Investments, CHEP & IFCO and Heliae.

The Annual Meeting’s Diamond Sponsors (the highest level of support for the conference) are RDO Equipment and Bayer.

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