Performance Coaching Workshop: Learn How to Lead Employees to Success

December 16th, 2021

Join us for an exclusive WG Women Performance Coaching Training on January 26, where you will learn practical and effective coaching strategies to improve employee performance. At the end of this course, you will be able to proficiently identify the tools, skills and knowledge your employee needs to reach their goals and how to provide them. This workshop will deliver tangible tips and tools that you can immediately apply to both your professional and personal life, and it guarantees that you will leave the course feeling more confident in your role of management and leadership.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

  • Strategies for empowering your employees to reach their potential, develop their competency, improving their ability to contribute to the organization
  • Tools to develop a strong relationship of trust with your team
  • Effective communication techniques for performance management, including active listening properly handling difficult conversations and coaching employees to successes
  • Methods for establishing goals, expectations and action plans
  • Practical approaches for increasing employee satisfaction, happiness and motivation levels
  • Tips on how to groom your employee for future positions that make the best use of their talent and potential

WORKSHOP DETAILS:

Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2022

Time: 3:00pm – 5:00pm PT

Speaker: Adriana Robles; Director, Organizational Development & Effectiveness at Western Growers. Bio.

Cost: This workshop is complimentary to Western Growers members.

Register: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

This event is only available to participants of the WG Women Program and is completely FREE. Please note that you MUST be a participant of the WG Women Program to register for this event. To apply for the program, fill out the application here. 

For questions, contact Stephanie Metzinger at (949) 529-8781. 

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Social Media: Western Growers’ Most Popular Posts in 2021

December 30th, 2021

Between Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, Western Growers’ social media platforms effectively educated consumers and key government officials about issues surrounding the specialty crop industry this year.

This year, Facebook continued to be the crown jewel of WG’s social media efforts, with a 730 percent increase in post reach, 275 percent increase in engagement and 99 percent increase in fan growth. On Instagram, stunning images from the farm garnered more than 21,000 interactions (likes, comments, shares) – an 83 percent increase from last year. Additionally, WG grew its Twitter account by 15 percent in 2021 through a series of compelling infographics about California agriculture.

 Here are WG’s most popular social media by number of reach:

  1. Compilation of how fruits and vegetables are harvested in the Farm Fresh: Harvesting video [Facebook]
  2. Braga Fresh Family Farms’ iceberg lettuce demonstration [Facebook]
  3. Behind-the-scenes look at processing in the Farm Fresh: Processing video [Facebook]
  4. Breathtaking image depicting California Dreamin’ [Instagram]
  5. No Water = No Crops video showcasing the impact water restrictions are having on farm operations [Twitter]

To see more posts, visit WG’s social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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FDA Proposes Changes to the Produce Safety Rule Agricultural Water Requirements

December 2nd, 2021

Today, December 2, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a proposed rule to subpart E of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, adjusting the requirements of agricultural water for fresh produce operations subject to this regulation. According to FDA, these proposed requirements are intended to address stakeholder concerns about the complexity and practical implementation of certain pre-harvest agricultural water requirements in the Produce Safety Rule while continuing to protect public health.

If finalized, these proposed requirements would:

  • replace the current pre-harvest microbial quality criteria and testing requirements within the Produce Safety Rule
  • require farms to annually conduct assessments of pre-harvest agricultural water
    •  if a significant change is detected, it would require farms take action by identifying any conditions likely to introduce hazards into or onto produce or food contact surfaces
  • expedite mitigation measures that would be required for specific types of hazards related to certain activities associated with adjacent and nearby lands

Click here to read additional provisions of the proposed rule. The FDA intends to hold two virtual public meetings to discuss the proposal and hear feedback. The agency is also developing an online tool to help farms evaluate potential risks posed by their water sources and determine potential management options. If the proposal is finalized, the agency plans to work closely with other organizations, entities and educators to provide the training necessary to implement these changes.

The FDA recognizes that the current agricultural water compliance dates are set to begin in January 2022 and intends to exercise enforcement discretion for the agricultural water requirements for fresh produce operations subject to this regulation (other than sprouts). They propose extending the compliance dates for all subpart E provisions applicable to such produce, with the goal of completing the compliance date rulemaking as quickly as possible. More information on the proposed compliance dates will be announced in a forthcoming notice in the Federal Register.

Click here to view the FDA Constituent Update.

Click here to view the FDA Press Release.

Western Growers Science will be submitting comments to the agency and encourages interested members to engage in this process and/or submit individual comments. If you are interested in joining a working group to develop comments, need support to develop your own comments or have any questions or concerns regarding this proposed rule, please feel free to reach out the Western Growers Science team at [email protected].

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FDA Webinar on Proposed Changes to the Ag Water Requirements of the Produce Safety Rule Scheduled for Dec. 16

December 7th, 2021

On Dec. 16, 2021 at noon PT/ 3 p.m. ET, Western Growers in collaboration with Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Association, Northwest Horticultural Council, Produce Marketing Association, and United Fresh Produce Association will be hosting a free webinar featuring the FDA’s Consumer Safety Officer Kruti Ravaliya to provide an overview of the FDA’s long-anticipated proposed changes to the agricultural water requirements (Subpart E) of the Produce Safety rule.

These proposed changes were announced on December 2, 2021 and are open for comments until April 6, 2022. This webinar also will cover the public comment process and will allow time for questions. Join  us for timely webinar to hear from the agency and ask questions. To register for this webinar, click here.

Western Growers will also be hosting a separate industry webinar featuring industry experts to discuss key provisions of the proposed rule in the next few weeks. Details are forthcoming. For additional information regarding the rule provisions, public meetings, FDA’s release, and WG’s working group, access our previous story on this topic by clicking here.

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FDA Releases Plan for Improving Foodborne Outbreak Response

December 9th, 2021

Today, December 9, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a Foodborne Outbreak Response Improvement Plan, striving to enhance the speed, effectiveness, coordination and communication of outbreak investigations surrounding foodborne illness. FDA states that this will improve their ability to identify the sources and causes of foodborne illness outbreaks.

This Foodborne Outbreak Response Improvement Plan works jointly with the New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint, which focuses on tech-enabled traceability, root cause analysis, outbreak data and operational improvements.

The improvement plan is divided into four priority areas:

  • Tech-enabled product traceback, focusing on ways to routinely digitize the process of tracing foods to their source.
  • Root cause investigations, working to systemize, expedite and share the results of FDA investigations into the cause of a food contamination.
  • Analysis and dissemination of outbreak data to increase the transparency of outbreak investigations.
  • Operational improvements to streamline processes and create performance measures.

This was informed by an independent review of the FDA’s structural and functional capacity to support, participate in, or lead multistate foodborne illness outbreak investigation activities.

RESOURCES:

If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to the Western Growers Science team at [email protected].

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Free Risk-Based Thinking Food Safety Webinar on Jan. 13

December 21st, 2021

A free webinar entitled “Risk-Based Thinking in Agricultural Food Safety” will be hosted by the CONTACT team (formed with the support of the Specialty Crops Research Initiative from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture) on Jan. 13.

Dr. Donald Schaffner, Distinguished Professor and Extension Specialist at Rutgers University’s School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, will provide the presentation, followed by a Q&A. The webinar will start at 12:30 p.m. PT and will be held on Zoom.

The invitation notes: “Risk assessments are all the rage these days in agricultural food safety. Unfortunately, the phrase “risk assessment” can mean different things to different people. Dr. Schaffner will provide his perspective on what constitutes a risk assessment and, more importantly, how agricultural producers can use risk-based thinking to improve food safety.”

The webinar is open to all and is part of the CONTACT Food Safety Webinar Series. Please register here: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2yeZXAUkTh616mRN7ViZVQ

For more information on CONTACT, please visit: https://contactproducesafety.ifas.ufl.edu/

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FDA to Host Public Meetings on the Proposed Agricultural Water Requirements

December 21st, 2021

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just announced they will be hosting two virtual public meetings to discuss the recently released revisions to Subpart E of the FDA’s Produce Safety Rule “Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption Relating to Agricultural Water.” Subpart E address agricultural water requirements for produce covered by the Rule.

The first meeting will be held:

Feb. 14, 2022

11:45 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. ET

The second meeting will be held:

Feb. 25, 2022

8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. ET

More details will follow in the Federal Register and on the FDA website.

These proposed changes were announced on Dec. 2, 2021 and are open for comments until April 6, 2022. The full text of the rule is in Docket Folder FDA-2021-N-0471.

Western Growers will be hosting a webinar soon to discuss the perspective of industry experts on the proposed requirements. Please watch your email for additional details.  

Western Growers also is organizing a working group to develop comments regarding the proposed ag water requirements. If you’re interested in joining the working group, please reach out to Sonia Salas at [email protected].

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Cal/OSHA Readopts ETS

December 16th, 2021

Today, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board voted to approve the second readoption of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) with significant changes and updates.

Once approved by the California Office of Administrative Law, the revised ETS will be in place from January 14 through April 14. The original ETS took effect on November 30, 2020, and the workplace standards were updated on June 17, 2021.

Click here to read the new ETS (changes from the previous standard are underlined).

Additionally, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order that provides Cal/OSHA with the ability to extend this ETS through December 2022. Click here to read the Executive Order. 

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2022 H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rates Announced

December 2nd, 2021

On December 1, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published the 2022 Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs). The AEWRs are the mandatory minimum wages agricultural employers must pay workers employed under the H-2A Temporary Agricultural Worker Visa program as well as any domestic workers employed in corresponding employment. The AEWRs are intended to prevent an adverse effect on domestic workers due to the employment of temporary foreign H-2A workers. 

Beginning December 28, 2021, H-2A employers with H-2A employees and domestic workers in corresponding employment in the Western Growers states must pay at least the 2022 AEWR, including on temporary labor certifications that are active before that date.* The following year-over-year increases will go into effect: 

  • Arizona: 2021 – $13.67 2022 – $14.79 
  • California 2021 – $16.05 2022 – $17.51 
  • Colorado 2021 – $14.82 2022 – $15.58 
  • New Mexico 2021 – $13.67 2022 – $14.79 

Nationwide, the average AEWR increase for the year is about 5%.   

For questions about H-2A or Western Growers H-2A labor services, please contact Jason Resnick at [email protected]. 

*note: this story has been updated to reflect the effective date as December 28, 2021, and not January 31, 2022, as previously published. 

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DOL Proposes New Rules on AEWR Methodology

December 2nd, 2021

On December 1, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register designed  to modify the methodology used to determine the hourly Adverse Effect Wage Rates for the H-2A program. The proposed rule, entitled “Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A,” is the DOL’s second attempt in a year to revise the existing structure of relying exclusively on the Farm Labor Survey (FLS) for purposes of determining the AEWRs.

For field and livestock worker occupations, which represent the vast majority of agricultural jobs, the proposed rule continues to use the average annual hourly wage for field and livestock workers (combined) (i.e., crop workers, livestock workers, graders and sorters, equipment operators) for the state or region, as reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Labor Survey. For all other agricultural jobs, which are not adequately represented or reported by the current FLS data (e.g., on-farm construction, supervisors, certain hauling/truck driving), the department proposes to set the AEWRs using the statewide or national average annual hourly wages for the occupational classification reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Survey program. Where the job opportunity covers more than one occupational classification, the department proposes to set the AEWRs based on the highest wage for the applicable occupations.

The proposed rule essentially adopts the wage setting methodology that was proposed by the Trump Administration’s DOL, while eliminating the popular provision that would have frozen H-2A wages at 2020 rates through 2022. That provision was blocked by a federal judge last December.

For questions about H-2A or Western Growers H-2A labor services, please contact Jason Resnick at [email protected].

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2022 H-2A Wage Rates Effective December 29

December 16th, 2021

On December 15, 2021, the Employment Training Administration (ETA) of the Department of Labor (DOL) issued its notice to announce the 2022 Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWR) for the employment of temporary and seasonal workers under the H-2A program. Employers must pay their H-2A workers and workers in corresponding employment at least the highest of: (i) The AEWR; (ii) the prevailing hourly wage rate; (iii) the prevailing piece rate; (iv) the agreed-upon collective bargaining wage rate; or (v) the federal or state minimum wage rate in effect at the time the work is performed. The new AEWR takes effect on December 29, 2021. Earlier reports suggesting that the new AEWR would not take effect until January 2022 were misplaced.

When the AEWR is adjusted higher during a work contract, and is higher than the highest of the previous AEWR, employers must pay that adjusted AEWR on and after the effective date, December 29, 2021.
 

2022 Adverse Effect Wage Rates

State

2022 AEWRs

Arizona

$14.79

California

$17.51

Colorado

$15.58

New Mexico

$14.79
 

 

For information about the H-2A program and for help securing H-2A workers, Western Growers members should contact Western Growers H-2A Services.

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Key Changes of Readopted Cal/OSHA ETS

December 17th, 2021

On December 16, 2021, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board approved a revision and extension of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). Incorporated in the approved revisions are some rather significant changes employers should be aware of.

Amongst the changes, some significant modifications to COVID-19 prevention and response requirements for the workplace include:

Face Coverings

  • 3205(b)(8) – Increased restrictions are placed on the use of cloth face coverings in this section with the standard now requiring fabric masks to specifically, “…not let light pass through when held up to a light source…” Revisions also clarify the requirement for two-layered use of alternative cloth-based face coverings.
    Allowances for use of surgical masks or voluntary use of respirators remain unchanged.

Employee Screening & Testing

  • 3205(c)(2)(B) – Employee screening for COVID-19 symptoms now requires that both the screener and employee being screened wear face coverings regardless of vaccination status.

Response to a COVID-19 Exposure

  • 3205(c)(3)(B)5 – Employers are now required to provide COVID-19 testing at no cost to all employees, including those who were vaccinated prior to the close contact exposure with a COVID-19 case.
  • 3205(c)(9)(B) – Implements requirements for face coverings and physical distancing for all employees, regardless of vaccination status after close contact exposure to a COVID-19 case.

Employer-provided Housing

  • 3205.3(h)(1) Eliminates an exemption; employers now required to quarantine fully vaccinated and asymptomatic employees who live in employer-provided housing after a COVID-19 exposure.

Employer-provided Transportation

  • 3205.4 –The revised language in the readopted standard now requires that employees, regardless of vaccination status, wear face coverings in vehicles when traveling with other employee(s).

Based on approval from the Board, the revised ETS will become effective January 14, 2022, and remain in place for three months. Furthermore, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order on December 16 that provides Cal/OSHA with the ability to extend this ETS through December 2022.

RESOURCES:

  • New ETS (changes from the previous standard are underlined)
  • Newsom’s Executive Order on ETS extension
  • WG analysis on original ETS that took effect on November 30, 2020
  • WG analysis on updated ETS — on June 17, 2021

Western Growers will continue to monitor updates about ETS and will inform members of additional information as it becomes available.

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U.S. Supreme Court to Hear PAGA Challenge

December 23rd, 2021

The United States Supreme Court has granted review in a case in which the Justices will decide whether the Federal Arbitration Act requires enforcement of a bilateral arbitration agreement providing that an employee cannot raise representative claims, including under the California Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). 

In the case, Viking River Cruises v. Moriana, plaintiff Angie Morana, who worked as a sales representative for the cruise line, brought a lawsuit against her former employer under PAGA. PAGA allows an employee to seek an award for violations of state labor laws on her own behalf as well as on behalf of other employees. The cruise line sought to compel Moriana to arbitrate her claims individually, citing the arbitration agreement she had signed when she was hired.  However, the state courts ruled that under state law, the arbitration agreement could not be enforced and the plaintiff could pursue her PAGA claims collectively on behalf of other employees.   

The Justices will likely hear argument in the spring, with a decision to follow by summer. 

Look for additional updates on this case in Western Growers Legal Insights.

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401(k) Limits Updated for 2022

December 30th, 2021

2022 contribution limit for 401(k) plans will increase to $20,500. Employees 50 and older can make an annual catch-up contribution up to $6,500 in 2022 (same as 2021), for a total contribution of $27,000.

There are many benefits for employers that offer a 401(k) plan. It can give employers an edge when it comes to attracting and retaining talent. And 401(k) plans are tax-deductible for employers.

For information about the Western Growers Retirement Security Plan, contact Western Growers Financial Services.

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2022 Mileage Reimbursement Rates

December 30th, 2021

Effective Jan. 1, 2022, the optional standard mileage rate used in deducting the costs of operating an automobile for business purposes will be 58.5 cents per mile, the IRS announced in Notice 2022-03 on Dec. 17.

Employers often use the standard mileage rate—also called the safe harbor rate—to pay tax-free reimbursements to employees who use their own vehicles for business.

For 2022, standard mileage rates for the use of cars, vans, pickups or panel trucks will be:

  • 58.5 cents per mile driven for business use, up 2.5 cents from 2021. This ties the highest safe harbor rate the IRS has ever published, which was a midyear increase in July 2008.
  • 18 cents per mile driven for medical care and for moving purposes for active-duty members of the Armed Forces, up 2 cents from the rate for 2021.
  • 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations, which remains unchanged.

For cars employees use for business, the portion of the standard mileage rate treated as depreciation will be 26 cents per mile for 2022, unchanged from 2021.

While the standard mileage rates for business, medical and moving purposes are based on annual changes in the costs of operating an automobile, the charitable rate is set by statute.

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How the Agriculture Industry is Guiding Technology to Change Biologics and Drones

December 1st, 2021

IRVINE, CALIF. (December 1, 2021) – Disheartening tales of agtech companies who focus on tech at the expense of ag are legendary, and a new generation of entrepreneurs are emphasizing that they approach agriculture with a respect for growers’ needs – and the economic data to back up their claims of efficacy.

In the most recent episodes of Voices of the Valley, the podcast hosted by Dennis Donohue, the Director of Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology, and Candace Wilson, CEO of GreenVenus, spoke with Rantizo CEO Michael Ott and Ag-Bee President Briana Layfied about innovations in drone use, and 3Bar Biologics Founder & CEO Bruce Caldwell on the improvements the biologics space can make in agriculture.

“I think the biggest thing that we’re trying to relate to growers is [that] we want to provide you with the data, we want to show you how much more effective this is,” Layfield said. “We understand that you need something to back this up. We’re trying to listen to our growers…we want to find that niche for you, and be most effective for you, specifically.”

“That’s one of our goals, to find people on the west coast that want to work with us and see that there are benefits to doing things in a smarter way,” Ott said. “What’s the value of not spraying extra pesticide where you don’t need it?…We want to be as precise as we need to be.”

Fresh off winning $250,000 in the AgSharks pitch competition sponsored by Western Growers and S2G Ventures at the Western Growers 2021 Annual Meeting, Caldwell said that technology companies need to view themselves as collaborators – not competitors – when entering the agriculture market.

“Our technology is an enabling technology that can lift the performance of the entire sector,” he said. “It will improve productivity for the crop, but also improve economics – both on return on investment for the grower…and the manufacturer.”

Voices of the Valley is produced by Western Growers and its Center for Innovation & Technology.

The embed code for the episode with Ott and Layfield is below:

<iframe src=”https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/3gPS6ermC6f76W1kH9tZPB?utm_source=generator” width=”100%” height=”232″ frameBorder=”0″ allowfullscreen=”” allow=”autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture”></iframe>

The embed code for the episode with Caldwell is below:

<iframe src=”https://anchor.fm/voicesofthevalley/embed/episodes/The-Next-Wave-of-AgTech-Plant-Probiotics-e1b2499” height=”102px” width=”400px” frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no”></iframe>

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Western Growers Celebrates U.S. House of Representatives Passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021

December 9th, 2021

IRVINE, Calif. (December 9, 2021) – The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4996, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021 on December 8 with an impressive 364-60 vote, making clear its support for U.S. farm exporters that are reliant on maritime shipping transport.

OSRA aims to crack down on unreasonable practices by container shipping lines, bolster U.S. enforcement against uncompetitive carrier practices, and improve transparency for exporters.

Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia issued the following statement:

“Western Growers is very pleased to see the House overwhelmingly pass H.R. 4996, which will help ensure fairer shipping practices and standards for our agricultural exports. The ongoing supply chain and marine port challenges are restricting our farmers’ ability to reach overseas opportunities. The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021 provides much-needed improvements to the maritime shipping environment, which has increasingly become too unpredictable and costly for our exporters to remain competitive.

I thank Reps. Garamendi and Johnson for their bipartisan leadership on this issue. We look forward to similar swift action from the Senate, and we will continue to engage federal and state officials on additional relief measures to help alleviate this supply chain mess.”

Among other provisions, OSRA will:

  • Ensure that carriers (e.g. container shipping lines) may not unreasonably decline to export cargo if it can be loaded safely, can arrive timely to be loaded, and is destined to a location to which the carrier is already scheduled.
  • Require carriers to provide notice of cargo availability, container return locations, and adequate notice of dates when the export container must arrive at the terminal.
  • Require carriers to provide the exporter with specific information to justify any imposed demurrage-detention charges, provide a reasonable dispute resolution process, and certify compliance with existing federal regulation.
  • Prohibit retaliation by carriers against shippers that file complaints with the Federal Maritime Commission.

 

Foreign markets are critical to our members, especially those that produce tree nuts and citrus. Earlier this year, Western Growers supported an industry letter that urged the U.S. Department of Transportation to consider its existing powers and determine how it can assist with the transportation needs of U.S. ag exporters in overcoming the current challenges in shipping goods and products. 

Since the fall of 2020, U.S. agricultural exporters have faced extreme challenges getting their products onto ships and out to foreign buyers, including record-breaking congestion and delays at ports, shipping lines’ persistent failure to provide accurate notice of arrival/departure and cargo loading times, excessive financial penalties and other fees, and skyrocketing freight rate costs.

Unfortunately, this situation remains fluid with no clear end in sight; based on current projections, we may not see a return to normal until mid-2022, all but guaranteeing tough months ahead for those commodities whose peak shipping seasons fall between September and March.

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Focus on Worldwide Water Usage: Diving into Israel’s Technological Innovation 

December 15th, 2021

IRVINE, CALIF. (December 15, 2021) – The most recent episode of Voices of the Valley, the podcast hosted by Dennis Donohue, the Director of Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology, and Candace Wilson, CEO of GreenVenus, explores global water management innovation with Ethy Levy, Fund Manager at Kinneret Impact Ventures, 

As Israel has long been known as an innovator in water usage at both the public and private level, Levy explained that the lessons learned in her home country readily translate overseas, such as the work she’s doing in Australia with Bridge Hub.

“Israel, being where we are geographically in a semi-arid region, we’ve had to deal with water scarcity from Day One,” she said. “I think that created lots of innovation around water in different verticals….water management on the macro level, but also on the micro level. Every grower, every farmer has his sources of water and knows how to manage them in the most efficient way – and that leads us to technology for irrigation.”

Besides the receiving support from the government to advance agtech, Levy said there is a secret ingredient that drives success in Israel: Collaboration is in the country’s DNA.

“What usually impresses investors, entrepreneurs and foreign guests that come to Israel is the openness,” Levy said. “Because we like to share, there is lots of cross-pollination between different ideas and different sectors. You will go to coffee shops in Tel Aviv, and you will sit with your laptop, and the person next to you…will say: ‘You know what, I’m doing something in that field, maybe we can do something together?’”

Voices of the Valley is produced by Western Growers and its Center for Innovation & Technology.

The embed code for the episode is below:

<iframe src=”https://anchor.fm/voicesofthevalley/embed/episodes/How-to-Become-an-Agtech-Impact-Rainmaker-e1bnff1” height=”102px” width=”400px” frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no”></iframe>

About Western Growers:

Founded in 1926, Western Growers represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. Western Growers’ members and their workers provide over half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including half of America’s fresh organic produce. Connect and learn more about Western Growers on Twitter and Facebook. 

 

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The California Ag Robotics Forum Debuts in Fresno

December 14th, 2021

The world’s most prestigious specialty crop agricultural robotics show is coming to Fresno, Calif., on October 18-22, 2022 – FIRA USA: The California Ag Robotics Forum.

Last week, Western Growers along with FIRA, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Fresno State University, GOFAR and Fresno-Merced Future of Food Innovation announced that they will together host the first annual FIRA USA.

FIRA USA 2022 AT A GLANCE:

  • FIRA USA, an annual event for autonomous farming and agricultural robotics solutions
  • A relevant and engaging event with high value for the ag sector
  • A networking event between farmers, robot manufacturers and scientists
  • Agenda:
    • Day 1: Research & Development Day
    • Day 2: Business Day
    • Day 3: Demos Day

Registration will be available in early 2022. For more information on FIRA USA, contact Walt Duflock at [email protected] or review the announcement collateral here.

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In Memoriam: Franz De Klotz

December 6th, 2021

Western Growers mourns the loss of board member and beloved fresh produce industry veteran Franz De Klotz at age 60. Most recently on the sales staff at Peter Rabbit Farms in Coachella, Calif., Franz spent the better part of four decades bringing his passion and expertise to multiple food and agriculture companies.

“On behalf of the Western Growers board of directors, membership and entire fresh produce industry, we wish to express our profound sadness at the passing of Franz,” Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia said. “He was driven by a deep desire to serve our association and has left a lasting, meaningful impact on our industry through his service on our board as well as other industry and civic organizations. Franz brought his big heart, warm smile and sharp mind into so many of our deliberations. We have lost a champion. Our hearts go out to his wife, Judy, and their four children.”

Franz was not born into agriculture, but instead took an interest in the industry after working on several Madera-area farms as a teenager. After high school, he went to the University of California, Davis, and then transferred to Fresno State where he earned a degree in plant science and viticulture.

Fresh out of college in 1983, Franz began working for the state’s Agricultural Inspection Service where he spent time inspecting grapevines in the Coachella and San Joaquin valleys, which ultimately led to his first position inside the produce industry with Sun World in 1985. After several years, Franz made the move to Sysco, where he was involved in the creation of the company’s produce procurement department in Southern California.

His next move took him back to Sun World, where Franz was part of the team that pioneered and launched several widely successful proprietary crops, including the Superior Seedless grape and the Le Rouge Royale pepper. This is also where Franz met his future wife, who just happened to be the granddaughter of Los Angeles citrus industry icon, Sam Perricone. After he married, Franz went to work in the family business until the Perricone operation was sold in 1999.

From here, Franz saw his career come full circle, returning to the Coachella Valley where it all began. For the next twenty years, he served as vice president of marketing for both Richard Bagdasarian Inc. and Pasha Marketing, the company’s vegetable division that he was recruited to launch. Following the sale of Richard Bagdasarian Inc. to a private equity group, Franz joined the sales team at Peter Rabbit Farms, also based in the Coachella Valley.

In addition to serving on the Western Growers board of directors since 2019, Franz was extremely active in several Coachella Valley government and community organizations, including the Coachella Valley Water District board and the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District. He was also appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to serve as a member of the Colorado River Board of California.

He maintained close ties to the San Joaquin Valley where he was raised, farming almonds and pistachios with his brother in Madera County. Franz is survived by his wife, Judy, and their four children: Emerson, Parker, Lloyd and Olivia.

 

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