WG Science: Sampling and Testing Integrity Workshop

August 5th, 2024

Sampling and Testing Integrity Workshop

This comprehensive, one-day event is designed for industry professionals seeking to enhance their expertise in critical areas such as the science of sampling, maintaining testing integrity and understanding AOAC programs. Attendees will gain practical insights into advanced testing tools and programs that can improve the reliability and accuracy of their processes.

Event Speakers:

Christopher Valadez, President/CEO at Grower-Shipper Association
Dr. Gustavo Reyes, Food Safety Manager at Western Growers
Joelle Mosso, AVP Science Programs at Western Growers
Dr. Teresa Bergholz, Associate Professor at Michigan State University
Dr. Florence Wu, President at Aemtek
Dr. Christopher Crowe, Senior Director of Science at Eurofins
Dr. Javier Atencia, CEO & Founder at Pathotrak
Kevin Davis, Chief Marketing Officer at Provision Analytics
Health LaFevers, Biomerieux
Dr. Season (Yicheng) Xie, Global Product Manager at Bio-Rad 

Details:

  • Tuesday, September 17, 2024
  • 9:00am – 4:30pm
  • Grower-Shipper Association in Salinas, CA
  • English

To register or learn more, click here. 

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WG Names Hudson Treloar as 2024 Scholarship Recipient

August 5th, 2024

Western Growers is proud to announce Hudson Treloar as this year’s WG Scholarship recipient. Hudson and his parents, Owen and Julie Ann, met some of this year’s judges at a luncheon on August 2, where he was awarded $2,000.

“I am delighted to be a recipient of the Western Growers scholarship, and I will endeavor to make the most of this incredible opportunity,” Hudson said. “This fall, I will be starting my Master’s in Aerospace Engineering at UCLA, and this generous gift will help me to finance my pursuit of higher education.”

Hudson wrote in his scholarship application essay that his loftiest goal is to one day be part of the team that brings the first humans to Mars.

The WG scholarship was established to benefit the children and grandchildren of WGFC employees. WGFC is proud to reward and invest in highly motivated students to achieve their dreams of higher education.

This year’s judges were Dave Puglia, President and CEO; Steve Mangapit, President, Pinnacle/COO; Ward Kennedy, SVP of Finance and CFO; and Karen Timmins, SVP of Human Resources.

Congratulations, Hudson!

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Updates from the WGCIT

August 1st, 2024

The Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology was created to link Western Growers members with innovators in the agtech space. Below are news updates from the Center’s startups.

AgMonitor

The water method developed by AgMonitor under a grant of the California Energy Commission was recently approved by the State Water Board. It leverages existing electricity “smart meters” and AI algorithms to re-create pump curves and provide a low-cost option to family farms in probationary basins. AgMonitor supports the four methods in the Board guidelines to measure ground water extraction volumes, including satellite-based ETa data to measure water supply (wells and turnouts) and crop water demand (farmed fields).

Agtools

Agtools has received its first patent: Supply Chain Intelligence – Systems and Methods. This journey started with Ideaship and leading scientists from Japan who researched and analyzed the technology to conclude: worldwide impact, scalability and multiple usages in the Food and Agriculture Industry. Agtools 6 underpin technologies – from data gathering, phenological weather patterns, algorithms, sustainability data for S1, S2 and S3 reporting, industry calculators and neuroscience principles to optimize training methods and systems to enhance user data interpretation and decision-making efficacy will keep improving our industry. Keeping up with AI journey, Agtools got 2nd place at the Ultimate AI Pitch hosted by Amazon nationwide featuring solutions revolutionizing industries through artificial intelligence.

Bio S.I.

Bio S.I. has expanded its team by welcoming Scott Short as Business Development Lead-Specialty Crops. Mr. Short comes to the team adding 25 years of experience, ranging from farming, finance, agribusiness insurance and digital agronomic management platforms. In addition to company expansion, Bio S.I. is proud to announce new partnerships in California, giving growers exposure to Bio S.I. products from Chico to Bakersfield and covering a broad spectrum of specialty/permanent crops. New partners include Buttonwillow Warehouse Company, Coastal Growers Supply Inc, Farmer’s Fertilizer, Grow West and North Valley Ag Services.

Burro

Burro started its journey to solve the relentless labor problem faced by farmers in table grapes and berry harvesting with its namesake Burro autonomous mobile robot. Burro has deployed over 350 robots worldwide with the ability to seamlessly sync to and follow a worker acting as a personal, unmanned utility task vehicle (UTV). Burros also autonomously navigate crop rows, learn and repeat routes and transport goods, just to name a few applications. Burros have traveled over 75,000 miles of autonomous operation and are trusted by many of the top growers in the world. Burro has now set its sights on addressing similar business problems in nurseries with its rugged, easy-to-use Burro Grande. Grande can tow up to 15,000 lbs, both indoors and outdoors, to any destination on your farm. Grandes have pre-launched to several customers in the U.S. and Australia. The official launch of Burro Grande will come at the Cultivate ‘24 conference in Columbus, Ohio on July 14th.

Carbon Robotics

Carbon Robotics received an investment from NVentures, NVIDIA’s venture capital arm. This underscores the power of AI in transforming farming worldwide, as well as Carbon Robotics’ leadership and innovation in the industry. Leveraging the power of 24 NVIDIA GPUs, the LaserWeeder processes 4.7 million high-resolution images per hour, offering unparalleled AI-driven plant detection and identification to target and eliminate weeds with lasers.

Carbon Robotics was also recognized on the 2024 CNBC Disruptor 50 list. The CNBC Disruptor 50 is a prestigious honor recognizing the fastest-growing and most innovative private companies that are transforming their industries and the world through technology. Carbon Robotics’ inclusion underscores its pivotal role in revolutionizing farming worldwide and establishing new benchmarks for innovation and sustainability in agriculture.

Corigin 

University of Missouri researchers recently published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences that Coriphol™ (Corigin Solutions, Inc., Merced CA) treated plants exhibited 13.8% increased leaf carbon capture rates and 40% increased crop yield. The team used sophisticated radiocarbon tracing techniques to precisely measure boosted carbon capture rates and high-performance-liquid-chromatography (HPLC) to measure boosted rates of chlorophyl a, chlorophyl b and beta-carotene, which are the biomolecules that comprise the plants photosynthetic machinery. Biosynthesis of these molecules increased 3-fold, 2.6-fold, and 4.7- fold, respectively, and increased their metabolic turnover 2.2-fold, 2.1-fold, and 3.9-fold, respectively. Also, the Chl a/b ratio increased from 3.1 to 3.4 with treatment.

Coriphol™ is an OMRI & CDFA approved organic plant growth enhancer made from almond shells at Corigin’s Merced manufacturing plant and is available in bulk totes and 2.5-gallon jugs.

In May, it was announced that Corigin was one of three domestic fertilizer projects in California chosen by the Biden-Harris Administration to receive an investment to strengthen American farms and businesses.

Cultiva

Cultiva® is pleased to announce its recent partnership with Globalmet™, a precision weather forecasting service, to further the commitment to provide value-added tools to specialty crop growers and retail partners. Working with Globalmet, Cultiva can now provide focused weather forecasts for fruit producers in the Yakima and Wenatchee regions in Washington and the Lodi and Visalia regions in California for the 2024 growing season. Forecasts can be provided in 30-to 45-day windows and include temperature and rain expectations. Combined with Cultiva’s branded products, Parka® and Kallur®, these forecasts will enable retail fieldmen, pest control advisors and growers in these regions to improve their processes for managing fruit cracking, sunburn or fruit coloring issues.

Ecorobotix

We have started the hiring process to find a CEO for our U.S. branch. This is a big step forward for our growing, international company. We have also hired our initial employees in the U.S. Our team is growing very rapidly in the U.S. and also at our headquarters in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland. We have recently added new crop algorithms to our AI software, making our ARA sprayer adaptable to a wider range of crops, including dicots in wheat, carrots, volunteer potatoes in chicory, dock + thistle, cotton and soy. You can find the article about these algorithms here. We also recently published an article about the beginning of the 2024 season with the ARA ultra-high precision sprayer.

FarmWise

FarmWise’s precision weeder was trialed in processing tomatoes in the Huron area with great success. After a few hours of testing, the machine reached speeds north of 2.5mph on late-weeding stage tomato plants while still maintaining extremely high weeding quality. More features are in the pipeline to continue increasing speed. Tomatoes offer a complex plant structure that can make crop and center stem localization challenging, which is why early computer vision-aided cultivators haven’t been largely adopted in the market. This successful trial continues to prove the robustness and performance of the FarmWise IPS Vision System. Three times the brightness of the sun spotted on each and every plant, NVIDIA’s latest processing chip for revolutionary edge computing, and state-of-the-art machine learning supported by rigorous data collection and image annotation are what make the FarmWise machines truly superior.

Provision Analytics

Provision Analytics has announced the addition of four new Strategic Advisors to its advisory panel, led by Dr. Jennifer McEntire. These new advisors bring a wealth of industry experience. Courtney Cox, a compliance and food safety expert, has 12 years of experience with companies like Azzule Systems and PrimusLabs. Donna Lynn Browne is renowned for her food safety leadership at Dole and Naturipe Farms. Sharon Beals, formerly SVP of Food Safety at Maple Leaf Foods, has extensive executive experience with major food companies like Tyson and US Foods. Joan Rosen has over 22 years in the produce industry, notably advancing global food safety at Chiquita Brands and Fresh Express. These experts will guide Provision in developing digital food safety solutions valuable to produce growers, packers and processors throughout the membership of Western Growers.

SMAPP LAB

We’re excited to share that SMAPP LAB will be now known as “scoutlabs”. In addition, we have secured our Seed round of funding led by IVP; Thomas Petterfy’s fund, who is the 17th largest landowner in the US; SVG Ventures; Impact Ventures; and Depo Ventures.

TRIC Robotics

TRIC Robotics is thrilled to announce the launch of its new UV and Bug Vacuum platform. Its six-row bug vacuum, powered entirely by electricity, offers double the effectiveness in pest control, ensuring a cleaner, more sustainable approach to agriculture. TRIC Robotics will have four more platforms hitting the fields in July. You can view a night demo here.

iTradeNetwork

We’ve all seen QR codes on products in the grocery store and many of us have scanned them to learn more about a product or brand. But the true potential of QR coding goes beyond what meets the eye in this brief encounter.  As a brand owner or marketer, there’s a world of opportunity available within this little label, including benefits like enhanced transparency, consumer engagement and safety measures.

Modern consumers are increasingly concerned and intrigued with the journey of their products.  They want to know the origin, the growing conditions, and even the unique aspects of the fresh products they buy, like variety specifics. With today’s technology, brands can now dynamically link content to each individual product, providing detailed information. You can even recommend the best recipes or usage tips for that specific product. This level of personalized connection with your customers is unparalleled and holds the power to create a strong consumer loyalty bond.

For years, iTradeNetwork has had the best-in-breed QR Code labeling solution. Now, there is also the best-in-class consumer experience to complete the picture. Complete with robust analytics, no-code templates for brand marketing and feedback collection capabilities. The easy-to-use features include:

  • No-Code Content Creation: Users have access to content creation and management of the templates for what consumers see when they scan an item with an iTradeNetwork QR code. These are highly configurable to ensure the representation of all possible unique product attributes.
  • Consumer Engagement Analytics: Engagement reporting and analytics enable the evaluation of consumer feedback, including analysis of factors like location, grower, variety, product, etc.
    And it does all this while remaining cost-effective, operationally flexible and requiring minimal-to-no ongoing IT resources. It seamlessly integrates into even the most challenging workflows, including field packing and pre-printing labels. Connect directly with your customers with one simple solution, and get the analytics directly from farm to fork.
    For over 25 years, iTradeNetwork has delivered supply chain software solutions to the food service and retail grocery industries in order to increase profitability, improve compliance and strengthen trading partner relationships.

TOWING

At Towing, we are transforming agriculture with technology and a mission to achieve a super-circular society. Spun off from Nagoya University in Japan and founded in 2020, our company is at the forefront of agri-tech innovation.

Our work focuses on utilizing patented microorganism cultivation technology to produce high-performance biochar. By inoculating microorganisms into the biochar, we have developed a product that offers numerous benefits added to normal biochar. High-performance biochar increases nitrogen uptake, which enhances yields while reducing fertilizer usage, provides robust disease prevention, and accelerates the transition to regenerative agriculture. It has been implemented by over 200 farmers for more than 30 crop types in Japan, receiving feedback indicating yield increases of up to 70% compared to chemical fertilizers.

In March, we opened a state-of-the-art laboratory at AgStart in Woodland, California, marking our expansion into the U.S. We’re conducting successful trials in California for tomatoes and in Ohio for soybeans, demonstrating our technology’s effectiveness across different crops and regions. Next, we’re scaling trials for tomatoes, strawberries, lettuce, potatoes, and cotton. By collaborating with farmers and industry leaders, we aim to showcase biochar’s potential in improving soil quality and resilience to climate challenges. To date, Towing has raised $7.7 million. Explore partnership opportunities with Towing to advance sustainable agriculture without compromising on ROI.

VineView

VineView launches PinPoint RTK, an affordable, high-accuracy GPS receiver for precise data collection. Aimed at vineyard operators, VineView’s PinPoint RTK is specifically designed for precise field data collection, offering superior accuracy through Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) technology. With an accuracy of 2-5cm (2 inches), it outperforms traditional GPS receivers, which typically have an accuracy of 2-4m (7-13ft). The result is highly accurate field data collection, allowing vineyard operators to build precise maps for the most informed decision-making and planning. This includes tracking production, disease mapping, yield estimation and asset tracking. Vineyard managers can utilize these maps as tools for various use cases, such as planning how many rootstocks to purchase for the following season, tracking disease over time to determine when to pull a field, sending employees to exact locations for replants and more.

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California Pushes to Fully Implement Advanced Clean Fleets Rule

August 15th, 2024

Western Growers Tracey Chow, Federal Government Affairs Director, spoke at a virtual public hearing on August 14, 2024, to urge that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) not grant California the ability to fully implement its Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) rule, which mandates the transition from diesel to zero emission trucks and other vehicles. In order to move forward with the full ACF rollout, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) must get a waiver of preemption from EPA under the federal Clean Air Act.

Chow stated that growers are invested in being part of the solution but that these regulations will require more time to implement.

Her comments can be read below:

“Our members are always challenged with balancing their ability to provide affordable, healthy food with ever-changing regulatory and consumer standards. We recognize that climate and air quality are big concerns for Americans, and we want to be part of the solution, not the problem.

However, there is not enough lead time for the necessary technology, equipment, and infrastructure to be developed and deployed, and there has not been due consideration to the cost of compliance. As such, WG asks that EPA not grant a waiver for the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) Regulations on these grounds that are inconsistent with Section 202(a).

At the state level, Western Growers has engaged CARB on ACF since day one. We do not share the view that the EV supply is and will be sufficiently available and affordable for timely compliance.

For our extremely perishable foods, precise timing and delivery is more critical than most other food groups. The heavy construction of EV vehicles means less loads per truck, more vehicles on the road, and more time spent per trip. This makes the delivery of essential healthy foods more complicated and more expensive, and food prices will likely go up, not down.

The bigger challenge is the lack of charging infrastructure, which is even farther behind and even less within our farmers’ control. They have grave concerns they won’t have the ability to have sufficient power and stations to keep a future EV fleet ready. CARB itself has recognized that publicly accessible charging/fueling may not be available in all areas of the state. Farming operations are predominately located in rural areas -areas that are often passed over for infrastructure investment in favor of bigger, urban areas; so we don’t have confidence there will be the necessary power and systems in place to properly ensure compliance by our farmers.

There are still inconsistencies and vagueness about the rule that haven’t been sufficiently addressed by the state, and the existing exemptions and waivers aren’t clear enough to provide assurance to our members. Until and unless these and other challenges are properly addressed, we predict these regulations at this time will not put the state on a path to cleaner air, but a path for more confusion for farmers and higher costs for consumers.”

If you are a grower and have questions, please contact Bryan Nickerson at [email protected].

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In Memoriam: Western Growers Mourns Passing of Agricultural Leader Edward “Ed” Duda

August 14th, 2024

DUDA announced the passing of Edward “Ed” Duda on Sunday, August 11, 2024. He was 91. During a career that spanned decades, Ed built a lasting legacy that will continue to impact agriculture for generations to come. His loss will be felt throughout the industry.

Ed started his career as a third-generation farmer with DUDA in 1957. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Ed worked in various areas of the organization until he was elected president in 1977. During his tenure at DUDA, he was named president and chairman of the board and president and CEO.

Along with his contribution to DUDA, he also supported organizations like the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, the Florida Institute of Technology and the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association.

Along with being a contributor to the agricultural industry, Ed was a man of humor, humanity and faith.

“My father had an intense curiosity about people, life, business, and especially farming and the produce business,” says DUDA CEO Sammy Duda, Ed’s son. “He took a great deal of pride in the role he played in growing and diversifying DUDA into the successful business it is today. I will always remember his sense of humor, his interest in people from all walks of life, and his drive and determination that we could always be better. His humility and ability to connect with people will be an enduring legacy for all of us to emulate in our approach to life, work, and relationships. His love of the company and the people who worked here were a testament to his faith and confidence in God and the human spirit. He will be missed.”

The family has requested that remembrances be made in the form of contributions to St. Luke’s Lutheran Church or the Lutheran Haven Retirement Center in lieu of flowers.

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FDA States It Will Update Program Priorities for Basil, Cilantro and Parsley

August 13th, 2024

Based on results from a sampling assignment of fresh basil, cilantro and parsley from September 2017 to September 2021, the FDA has stated that it will update program priorities regarding sampling assignments and surveillance inspections.

This assignment assessed Cyclospora cayetanensis, Salmonella spp., and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in these herbs, both domestic and imported. Results from this sampling assignment can be found here.

The FDA encourages the industry to “ensure its compliance with the agency’s Produce Safety Rule, Preventive Controls for Human Food Rule, and FSMA Final Rule on Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods.”

For questions about food safety best practices, contact Joelle Mosso at [email protected].

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EPA Issues Emergency Order to Stop Use of Pesticide Dacthal to Address Serious Health Risk

August 6th, 2024

WASHINGTON – Today, Aug. 6, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing the emergency suspension of all registrations of the pesticide dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA or Dacthal) under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). This is the first time in almost 40 years EPA has taken this type of emergency action, following several years of unprecedented efforts by the Biden-Harris Administration to require the submission of long-overdue data and then assess and address the risk this pesticide poses.

EPA has taken this action because unborn babies whose pregnant mothers are exposed to DCPA, sometimes without even knowing the exposure has occurred, could experience changes to fetal thyroid hormone levels, and these changes are generally linked to low birth weight, impaired brain development, decreased IQ, and impaired motor skills later in life, some of which may be irreversible.

“DCPA is so dangerous that it needs to be removed from the market immediately,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “It’s EPA’s job to protect people from exposure to dangerous chemicals. In this case, pregnant women who may never even know they were exposed could give birth to babies that experience irreversible lifelong health problems. That’s why for the first time in almost 40 years, EPA is using its emergency suspension authority to stop the use of a pesticide.”

“Farmworkers face burdensome conditions in the fields and often face exposure to harmful pesticides while working to feed our nation. I applaud the emergency action by the EPA which prioritizes farmworker health and safety, especially for pregnant women, by suspending this harmful chemical from our agricultural systems. We must continue to build on this progress and ensure all farmworkers are given the protection, worker’s rights, and overtime pay they deserve,” said Congressman Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07).

“Alianza is pleased to see the EPA make this historic decision.  As an organization led by farmworker women, we know intimately the harm that pesticides, including dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA or Dacthal), can inflict on our bodies and communities.  This emergency decision is a great first step that we hope will be in a series of others that are based on listening to farmworkers, protecting our reproductive health, and safeguarding our families,” said Mily Treviño Sauceda, Executive Director of Alianza Nacional de Campesinas.

Background on DCPA and Biden-Harris Administration Efforts to Assess and Address Risks

DCPA is a pesticide registered to control weeds in both agricultural and non-agricultural settings, but is primarily used on crops such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and onions. DCPA is currently undergoing registration review, a process that requires reevaluating registered pesticides every 15 years to ensure they cause no unreasonable adverse effects on human health or the environment.

In deciding whether to issue today’s Emergency Order, EPA consulted with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to understand how growers use DCPA and alternatives to this pesticide. In 2013, the agency issued a Data Call-In (DCI) to AMVAC Chemical Corporation, the sole manufacturer of DCPA, requiring it to submit more than 20 studies to support the existing registrations of DCPA. The required data included a comprehensive study of the effects of DCPA on thyroid development and function in adults and in developing young before and after birth, that was due by January 2016. Several of the studies that AMVAC submitted from 2013-2021 were considered insufficient to address the DCI, while the thyroid study and other studies were not submitted at all.

In April 2022, EPA issued a very rarely used Notice of Intent to Suspend the DCPA technical-grade product (used to manufacture end-use products) based on AMVAC’s failure to submit the complete set of required data for almost 10 years, including the thyroid study. While AMVAC submitted the required thyroid study in August 2022, EPA suspended the registration based solely on AMVAC’s continued failure to submit other outstanding data on Aug. 22, 2023, following an administrative hearing.  In November 2023, the data submission suspension was lifted after AMVAC submitted sufficient data. Most DCPA use on turf was voluntarily canceled by AMVAC in December 2023, but unacceptable risks from other uses remained.

In May 2023, EPA released its assessment on the risks of occupational and residential exposure to products containing DCPA, following its analysis of the thyroid study submitted by AMVAC. The assessment found health risks associated with DCPA use and application, even when personal protective equipment and engineering controls are used. The most serious risks are to the unborn babies of pregnant individuals. EPA estimates that some pregnant individuals handling DCPA products could be subjected to exposures four to 20 times greater than what EPA has estimated is safe for unborn babies.

Also of concern are risks to unborn babies of pregnant individuals entering or working in areas where DCPA has already been applied (especially post-application workers involved in tasks such as transplanting, weeding and harvesting). Current product labels specify that entry into treated fields must be restricted for 12 hours after application. However, the evidence indicates that for many crops and tasks, levels of DCPA in a treated field remain at unsafe levels for 25 days or more. Spray drift (the movement of pesticide through the air at the time of application or soon after, to any site other than the area intended) from pesticide application could also put at risk the unborn babies of pregnant individuals living near areas where DCPA is used.

Since the release of EPA’s 2023 assessment, AMVAC has proposed several changes to the DCPA registrations, including the cancellation of DCPA products registered for use on turf. Those cancellations practically eliminate exposures to DCPA from recreational activities on and around turf. But according to EPA’s analysis, AMVAC’s proposed changes to agricultural uses of DCPA do not adequately address the serious health risks for people who work with and around DCPA.

In April 2024, EPA issued a public warning regarding the significant health risks to unborn babies of pregnant individuals exposed to DCPA and its intent to pursue action to address the serious, and in some instances, permanent, and irreversible health risks associated with the pesticide as quickly as possible. In a letter to AMVAC dated March 27, 2024, EPA restated the risks the agency found and noted that the agency would be pursuing regulatory options as soon as possible which could include cancelling the pesticide or seeking an emergency suspension.

When serious risks are identified, EPA can take action under FIFRA to suspend or cancel a pesticide. Taking such action is resource and time intensive, partly due to the procedural requirements of FIFRA. A cancellation proceeding may take at least several months (if uncontested by the registrant) or potentially several years (if contested by the registrant, thus triggering an administrative hearing and any subsequent appeal of a cancellation order). FIFRA also allows EPA to seek a suspension of a pesticide product while cancellation proceedings are ongoing if the Administrator determines it is necessary to prevent an imminent hazard.  EPA Administrator Regan has determined that, due to the serious and imminent harm posed by DCPA, an emergency exists such that this order of suspension effective immediately is necessary. EPA intends to issue a notice of intent to cancel the DCPA products within the next 90 days.

The Emergency Order is effective immediately. EPA determined that the continued sale and use of DCPA products during the time it would take to follow the normal cancellation process poses an imminent hazard to unborn babies. While AMVAC has attempted to address these concerns, EPA has determined there are no practical mitigation measures that can be put in place to allow DCPA’s continued use.

Additional information is available in the DCPA registration review docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0374.

Read the DCPA Emergency Order.

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Climate Robotics: Transforming Agriculture for Climate Resilience

August 1st, 2024

Many of us at some point in our lives have expressed a desire to help save our planet and solve the world’s climate crisis. For Jason Aramburu and Morgan Williams, it’s a philosophy they live by.

The duo co-founded Climate Robotics in 2020, a Houston-based developer of mobile biochar production technology for commercial agriculture. Specifically, the company’s next-generation system helps farmers to affordably collect and process agricultural waste, convert it to biochar and sequester carbon on a massive scale.

“We have the ability to make a big impact on global climate change, in the range of billions of tons of CO₂ that we’re storing in the soil per year,” said Aramburu, who also serves as the company’s CEO. “That’s relevant today because it allows us to generate and sell carbon removal credits to large companies that need to offset.”

Biochar is a carbon-negative soil amendment made from waste biomass that helps reverse global climate change. When biochar is applied to the soil, it boosts water and nutrient retention and improves crop yields by about 16 percent, explained Aramburu.

“It’s like putting a sponge into your soil. Charcoal is very absorbent, so it will hold on to nutrients and water in the soil so that they don’t run off,” he said. “It also has the benefit of increasing soil pH. For areas that have acidic soil, biochar can replace lime in the soil or reduce the need to use lime.”

Climate Robotics’ innovations have garnered several recognitions since its inception. The company was the winner of the 2023 AgSharks® Pitch Competition at the 97th Annual Western Growers Meeting last November, earning an equity investment offer of $250,000 from the event’s judges and exposure to Western Growers’ expansive network of leading fresh produce companies.

Aramburu first took an interest in regenerative farming
and climate change mitigation when studying ecology and evolutionary biology at Princeton University. It was during a semester abroad in Panama with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute where he learned more about biochar while working with indigenous farmers.

“I thought to myself, ‘Some of these techniques seem pretty good. Why aren’t we using these techniques in North American agriculture? We eventually figured out that one of the barriers, a big reason why biochar hadn’t taken off, was the production cost, mostly due to transport of the material,” Aramburu said.

Climate Robotics’ trailer-mounted system allows for low-cost, distributed production of high-value biochar directly on the farm. The unit is powered by the tractor, so there’s no need for electricity. “We designed this to be mobile and portable, which is one of the biggest costs,” he said.

The system allows growers to bypass the time-consuming, energy-intensive effort needed for transporting bulky materials over long distances. “We realized we need to have a system that
you can actually bring to the farm and make biochar from material that’s available locally,” he said. “For fields that have a lot of residue, the system can drive through the field, harvest the material and produce biochar in a single pass. That’s by far the lowest cost way to make biochar, and it’s the only system of its kind.”

The next major objective for Climate Robotics is to advance and scale its technology. “There are a lot of incentives for growers to use this technology. We’re always looking to partner with farmers in North America, so if anyone is interested, this is an open call to reach out to us,” Aramburu said.

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Agrology’s Innovative Solutions for Carbon Sequestration and Sustainable Agriculture

August 2nd, 2024

The topic of carbon capture is increasingly important as the carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels in our atmosphere reach record highs. The Paris Agreement, enacted on Nov. 4, 2016, saw nearly 200 countries commit to limiting global temperature increases to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with an aim to cap the rise at 1.5°C. Achieving this requires significant efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C by the end of the century to prevent severe climate impacts, such as droughts, heatwaves and unprecedented rainfall. Data indicates that greenhouse gas emissions must peak by 2025 and decrease by 45 percent by 2030.

The agriculture industry is uniquely positioned to combat climate change. Farmers, as stewards of the land, are driven
to maintain healthy soil, native vegetation and water bodies. Approximately 10% of the Earth’s land is used for farming, and soil-based carbon sequestration is seen as a promising “negative emissions” technology to remove excess CO₂ from the air.

Regenerative Agriculture: A Key Solution

Regenerative agriculture focuses on restoring and enhancing soil and ecosystem health. This approach goes beyond sustainability, actively improving soil organic matter and biodiversity. Techniques like cover cropping, reduced tillage and crop rotation help sequester carbon dioxide, turning fields into “carbon sinks.” However, the carbon markets often undervalue farmers’ contributions, offering low prices for agriculture-related carbon credits.

Many farmers are eager to adopt regenerative practices but face high costs for new technology, soil amendments and crop management. These financial barriers particularly impact small and mid-sized farms in the U.S. and may serve as a deterrent. Farmers currently receive little financial incentive to offset the costs of transitioning to regenerative agriculture, despite their interest and understanding of its long-term benefits.

Agrology: Empowering Farmers with Technology

Emerging technologies are making carbon capture and sequestration more accessible for growers. In 2019, Agrology co-founders Tyler Locke, Adam Koeppel and Kevin Kelly developed a solution using sensors and machine learning to guide farmers in this process. Their goal was to create an affordable, robust system that withstands seasonal changes and provides predictive services to assist growers in staying ahead of potential problems in the field.

Agrology, a public benefit corporation, equips growers with affordable tools to enhance sustainability and address urgent agricultural challenges. The company’s IoT system offers a user-friendly approach to agtech, providing real-time monitoring and insights into a field’s carbon sequestration, soil health and GHG emissions. This predictive platform also helps farmers measure and manage soil moisture, nano-climates, air quality and many other agronomic conditions in real time.

“Building soil biology can be complex, time-consuming and disruptive to current operations. Agrology helps derisk the transition to climate-smart practices through education and support, as well as our ground truth carbon flux data to help guide the way. We are proud to help growers navigate these changes and challenges with our partners like Western Growers. It’s inspiring to see growers use Agrology data to close the feedback loop between their soil and management practices, enabling them to grow one of their most valuable assets: their soil,” said Charlie Dubbe, Head of Regenerative Partnerships at Agrology.

Innovative Technology and Principles

Agrology’s platform is built on several key tech and
design principles:

  1. Consumer Approach: By applying consumer technology principles, Agrology’s sensors are rugged, affordable and easily replaceable at no cost to the growers.
  2. Ground-Truth Data: Real time in-field data to close the feedback loop between farming practices and their impact on ecosystem health, soil health and carbon sequestration.
  3. Machine Learning and AI: Leverages real-time forecast and historical data to predict trends and alert growers to potential issues, allowing them to stay ahead.
  4. Mobile App: Synthesizes data and delivers actionable insights and predictions, providing growers with the most up-to-date information and alerts for critical thresholds.

Agrology is dedicated to supporting growers with the toolsthey need to succeed while protecting the planet’s sustainability. Its predictive platform offers real-time monitoring and insights, helping farmers address challenges efficiently. Agrology and its partners received approximately $5 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grants for climate-smart agriculture, recognizing their ability to quantify regenerative practices and monitor greenhouse gases and soil carbon respiration in real time.

The Bigger Picture: Carbon Capture and Soil Intelligence

Removing CO₂ from the atmosphere primarily depends on two things: plants and soil biology. Plants absorb atmospheric CO₂ via photosynthesis and transport that carbon into the soil as the root exudates through the liquid carbon pathway. From there, the soil microbiology digests and processes that carbon into forms that are increasingly difficult to decompose. Eventually, the carbon reaches a state of recalcitrance, meaning that it has entered into long-term storage in the soil. Increasing soil organic matter also increases the labile, and subsequently the recalcitrant carbon fraction. Additionally, increasing the soil carbon content also enhances the productivity and water retention of the soil.

Our understanding of soil is crucial. Cutting-edge science and technology are needed to measure and interpret soil properties, known as soil intelligence. This information helps farmers make cost-saving decisions about soil treatments and crop management, maximizing efficiency and sustainability.

“Carbon sequestration is a key focus of climate-smart agriculture, but soils that are rich in microbiology and life offer so much more to farmers than just carbon. Healthy, biologically active soils fuel increased nutrient availability, better water infiltration and holding capacity, which help increase profitability by reducing input costs. Just as importantly, a healthy soil microbiome improves crop quality and resilience,” Dubbe explains.

Soil is the brain and stomach of the farm. With this new technology, we can unlock valuable insights, enabling farmers to lead the way in sequestering carbon and combating climate change.

Introducing Nitrous Oxide Sensors: A New Milestone

So, what’s next? Agrology has introduced the first-ever Nitrous Oxide (N₂O) sensors for the agriculture industry, marking a significant advancement in greenhouse gas monitoring. Nitrous Oxide is a potent greenhouse gas, and its accurate measurement is crucial for understanding and mitigating agricultural GHG emissions. The Agrology N₂O sensors provide real-time data, enabling growers to track and reduce their emissions effectively.

Koeppel explains, “Until now, accurately measuring N₂O emissions at scale has been a formidable challenge, limiting the adoption of practices that can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our new Nitrous Oxide sensors are set to change this, enabling precise nitrogen application without sacrificing yield, as well as empowering growers to scale agricultural practices that are proven to lower greenhouse gas emissions.”

This new sensor technology is integrated into Agrology’s existing platform, combining the power of IoT, machine learning and AI to offer comprehensive environmental monitoring. By providing precise measurements of N₂O levels, Agrology empowers farmers with the tools needed to implement more sustainable practices and contribute to global climate goals.

Agrology continues to innovate and expand its offerings, reinforcing its commitment to supporting farmers and promoting sustainable agriculture. The introduction of N₂O sensors is a testament to its dedication to addressing the challenges of climate change and enhancing the agricultural sector’s resilience and sustainability.

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Agrology’s Innovative Solutions for Carbon Sequestration and Sustainable Agriculture

August 2nd, 2024

The topic of carbon capture is increasingly important as the carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels in our atmosphere reach record highs. The Paris Agreement, enacted on Nov. 4, 2016, saw nearly 200 countries commit to limiting global temperature increases to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with an aim to cap the rise at 1.5°C. Achieving this requires significant efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C by the end of the century to prevent severe climate impacts, such as droughts, heatwaves and unprecedented rainfall. Data indicates that greenhouse gas emissions must peak by 2025 and decrease by 45 percent by 2030.
The agriculture industry is uniquely positioned to combat climate change. Farmers, as stewards of the land, are driven
to maintain healthy soil, native vegetation and water bodies. Approximately 10% of the Earth’s land is used for farming, and soil-based carbon sequestration is seen as a promising “negative emissions” technology to remove excess CO₂ from the air.

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A Hopeful Moment for California’s Reservoir Projects

August 15th, 2024

Let’s pause from all our troubles for a moment to call out something that might be going right in California. Especially surprising is that it’s happening in water infrastructure.

Caught your attention, didn’t I?

Two long delayed water storage projects are moving forward: Sites Reservoir and the raising of the dam at San Luis Reservoir. It’s still too early for the ceremonial shovels photo, but that may be coming into view. For the Western Growers team, it’s hard to temper our excitement at the prospect of state and federal water investments that we fought so hard to secure finally turning into “wet water,” though the price per acre foot remains concerning in both cases.

We have long objected to the endless bureaucratic delays and hurdles the State of California erected after voters overwhelmingly approved Prop. 1 in 2014. That general obligation bond measure – originally passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2009 – dedicated $2.7 billion toward water storage projects. Gov. Jerry Brown campaigned for it with messaging that left no doubt in voters’ minds that California needed new water storage facilities, including new and enlarged dams, and that Prop. 1 was the answer. Then the state took over, and with the approval of environmental activists hellbent on blocking any new water storage, thickets of regulatory processes and requirements were put in place.

Though a number of small water projects have since qualified for Prop. 1 funding, Sites Reservoir is the only large project that appeared viable to nearly everyone, except the you-know-who’s. Water users in the Sacramento Valley and south of the Delta who could benefit from the project pressed forward to secure funding to complement their own major financial commitments even as the red tape grew.

Finally, a breakthrough: In July 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of infrastructure streamlining bills aimed at accelerating critical projects, including for the electric grid, safe drinking water, water supply and transportation. Four months later, Newsom used the new law to fast-track the Sites process and avoid months or even years of environmental lawsuits. True to the intent of the legislation, in June 2024, Sites overcame an environmental permitting challenge and gained approval from the Yolo County Superior Court, a decision that occurred in just 148 days, even faster than the new law allows.

Sites Reservoir, which will hold up to 1.5 million acre-feet of water, has received a total of $46.75 million in initial funding from the state. In all, Sites is eligible for $875.4 million of Prop. 1 funding, a significant portion of the total project cost of $4 billion.

Further south, the B.F. Sisk Dam is awaiting that ceremonial shovel photo opportunity, too. The 382-foot-high dam impounds San Luis Reservoir, which has a current total capacity of around two million
acre-feet of water. San Luis – operated jointly by the State of California and the federal Bureau of Reclamation – is the largest off-stream water storage facility in the country. But it could hold more, and plans to raise the dam have been around a long time.

In October 2023, the Department of the Interior and San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority approved plans to implement the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project, the first major water storage project to be greenlit in California in more than a decade.

The joint project will add an additional 130,000 acre-feet of storage space, producing additional water supply for cities, farmland and 135,000 acres of Pacific Flyway wetlands and critical wildlife habitat.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law approved by Congress and President Biden in 2021, together with the questionably titled Inflation Reduction Act, included more than $12 billion for water projects (somewhat loosely defined) in the western states.

Now, we can see some of that funding coming to worthy projects like this one, with around $35 million flowing from those federal laws and another $60 million from the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (which made it over the finish line thanks to the remarkable partnership of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy), for a total of $95 million in federal contributions to a project that is expected to cost $1 billion.

The Sisk Dam raise project is currently in design, which is projected to complete in early 2025, with construction awards in early 2026.

With the continued maladministration of water in California’s very wet years (35 percent allocations before planning windows closed for the San Joaquin Valley following consecutive flood-producing years does not define “balance” in any reasonable person’s view), and the increasing impacts of California’s groundwater regulation regime (SGMA), this is no declaration of success. But it is progress, however slowly achieved. Let’s applaud these investments in two of the key water storage projects we’ve all been calling for, keep the pressure on to make them less costly for water users, and to expedite their completion.

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Western Growers Wins H-2A Appeal

August 1st, 2024

In a significant legal victory, Western Growers’ Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Jason Resnick, successfully challenged the denial of an H-2A application on behalf of Morrison Chopping, LLC. The decision by the United States Department of Labor’s Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA) to reverse and remand the final determination is a welcome development where such victories are hard won. 

Background of the Case 

Morrison Chopping, LLC, an employer engaged in custom combining operations, utilizes Western Growers’ H-2A Services. In this case, they were seeking certification for a Farm Equipment Mechanic and Service Technician position. The application, initially filed on May 3, 2024, requested temporary labor certification for one job opportunity, with duties including the diagnosis, adjustment, repair, installation, and maintenance of farm equipment. Despite responding to two Notices of Deficiency (NOD) from the Certifying Officer (CO), the application was denied on June 25, 2024, due to unresolved deficiencies. 

Key Deficiencies and Appeal 

The primary issues cited in the denial were the inclusion of multiple Areas of Intended Employment (AIE) and the failure to provide a Farm Labor Contractor (FLC) certificate of registration, as required by the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA). The CO argued that Morrison Chopping’s application contained non-custom combining duties and listed worksites in different Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), thereby necessitating separate applications for each AIE. 

In response, Morrison Chopping asserted its exemption from MSPA requirements due to its status as a custom combine operation. The company argued that it was authorized to file a single application covering multiple AIEs based on a planned itinerary, as per the Department of Labor’s Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 16-06. Additionally, the company allowed for the modification of job duties to remove tasks not performed by the harvester. 

BALCA’s Decision 

Administrative Law Judge Francine L. Applewhite found that the CO’s denial was arbitrary and capricious, reversing the decision and remanding the case for further consideration. Judge Applewhite emphasized that the CO failed to adequately address Morrison Chopping’s status as a custom combining operation and its exemption from certain regulatory requirements. 

The ruling acknowledged Morrison Chopping’s exclusive engagement in custom combining and their successful filing of approximately ten H-2A applications since 2023. Judge Applewhite noted that the employer’s explanation of the skills required for custom combining operations and authorization to remove non-harvesting job duties demonstrated compliance with H-2A regulations. 

Implications for H-2A Employers 

This decision highlights the importance of understanding the nuanced regulatory landscape governing H-2A applications. Employers engaged in custom combining and other specialized agricultural operations are subject to special rules exempting them from certain requirements. The ruling serves as a reminder that it is important to challenge DOL’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification when they issue notices of deficiencies or denials that are contrary to the plain language of the H-2A regulations.  

Western Growers remains committed to supporting its members in navigating the complexities of H-2A labor certification processes. 

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FTC’s Noncompete Rule to Take Effect September 4th

August 1st, 2024

As discussed here, on April 24, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) moved to ban noncompete agreements for most workers effective September 4, 2024.  

The Non-Compete Clause rule was immediately challenged in federal district courts in Texas and Pennsylvania. Contradictory rulings issued in the Texas and Pennsylvania cases create the potential for a split in the district courts if either ruling is appealed, setting the stage for a U.S. Supreme Court review. However, for now, it is unlikely any subsequent challenge will delay implementation and enforcement efforts. 

What Does it Mean? 

With the September 4, 2024, effective date fast approaching, employers should begin/continue taking the following steps toward compliance: 

  • Review the personnel files of current/former employees (including senior executives) for existing noncompete agreements and agreements containing non-compete provisions. 
  • Work with legal counsel to prepare required notifications to any impacted individuals. 
  • Consider whether alternative protections such as confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements, invention protection and/or trade secret agreements are viable options to noncompete restrictions. 

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Upcoming Webinar: 2024 H-2A “Farmworker Protection” Final Rule 

August 1st, 2024

The Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) will host a webinar on August 7th at 12:00 PM PT. This session aims to inform program users and stakeholders about the 2024 H-2A “Farmworker Protection” Final Rule. 

Event Details: 

  • Date and Time: Wednesday, August 7, 2024, at 12:00 PM PT (1 hour) 
  • Registration: Not required 
  • Capacity: 1,000 attendees 
  • Presentation Availability: A copy will be publicly available at a later date 

Access Information: 

  • Meeting Number (Access Code): 2828 285 0217 
  • Meeting Password: OFLC2024 

This webinar is an excellent opportunity for stakeholders to gain insights into the new regulations and their implications. Ensure you join promptly as spaces are limited. 

For information about Western Growers H-2A Services or the H-2A program generally, contact [email protected].  

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USDA Invests Up to $400 Million to Address Drought, Conserve Water through Production of Water-Saving Commodities

August 1st, 2024

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest $400 million with at least 18 irrigation districts to help farmers continue commodity production while also conserving water across the West. This funding – which will support irrigation districts and producers in using innovative water savings technologies and farming practices while producing water-saving commodities in the face of continued drought – is expected to conserve up to 50,000 acre-feet in water use across 250,000 acres of irrigated land in production, while expanding and creating new, sustainable market opportunities.

Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia appeared at a USDA press event today in Corcoran, Calif., alongside USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small, who announced the allocation of $400 million in drought funding to the Western United States.

This historic funding builds on the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to conserve water, increase the efficiency of water use, upgrade existing infrastructure, and overall strengthen water security in the West. With historic water conservation enabled by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation announced in May 2024 it had staved off the immediate possibility of the Colorado River System’s reservoirs from falling to critically low elevations that would threaten water deliveries and power production. Due to record conservation investments as well as improved hydrology, Lake Mead levels today, at elevation 1075 feet, are the highest since May 2021, when they were at 1073 feet. The Administration is now working to ensure the long-term sustainability and resilience by focusing on long-term water conservation in several basins across the west.

Agricultural producers are the backbone of rural communities across the West and many of them are struggling under prolonged drought conditions,” Vilsack said. “USDA is taking an ‘all hands’ approach to help address this challenge, including these new partnerships with irrigation districts to support producers. We want to scale up the tools available to keep farmers farming, while also voluntarily conserving water and expanding markets for water-saving commodities.”

Partnering with Irrigation Districts to Support Water Conservation, Produce Water-Saving Commodities

USDA worked to select irrigation districts based on several commodity production and water management-related criteria in order to maximize the ability to achieve program objectives, leveraging available data from the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation to ensure close alignment and partnership. USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) provided data and analysis to support the preliminary selections. Districts that have been preliminarily selected for potential inclusion in this program include:

  • Black Canyon Irrigation District, Idaho
  • Brooklyn Canal Company, Utah
  • Central Oregon Irrigation District, Ore.
  • Central Arizona Irrigation and Drainage District, Ariz.
  • Corcoran Irrigation District, Calif.
  • East Columbia Irrigation District, Wash.
  • Elephant Butte Irrigation District, N.M.
  • Glenn – Colusa Irrigation District, Calif.
  • Greybull Valley Irrigation District, Wyo.
  • Hidalgo & Cameron Counties Irrigation District 9, Texas
  • Huntley Project Irrigation District, Mont.
  • Imperial Irrigation District, Calif.
  • Maricopa – Stanfield Irrigation and Drainage District, Ariz.
  • Palisade Irrigation District, Colo.
  • Quincy Columbia Basin Irrigation District, Wash.
  • Solano Irrigation District, Calif.
  • Sutter Mutual Water Company, Calif.
  • Truckee-Carson Irrigation District, Nev.

The preliminary selected districts may receive up to $15 million each in the awards and will enter into sub-agreements with the producers participating within the district. Depending on available funding, awards to additional districts may be possible.

Producers who participate will receive payments for voluntarily reducing water consumption while maintaining commodity production. The needs of producers will determine the specific strategies for water conservation, including irrigation improvements, shifts in management practices, shifts in cropping systems, and other innovative strategies. USDA will learn from the diversity of strategies used and identify additional opportunities to maintain and expand water-saving commodity production in the future.

Participating producers and irrigation districts will commit to ensuring continued commodity production in the areas where water consumption is reduced. USDA is working to finalize agreements with the preliminarily selected districts, which will include the details of each individual district’s water-saving strategies, commodities to be produced, and specific budgets. Following the finalization of those awards, producers within the participating districts will work directly through their irrigation districts to participate. USDA and the preliminarily selected districts will provide more details on the agreements and opportunities for producers to directly enroll.

Click here to read the full press release.

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Volunteers Needed to Review Pre-Applications for Specialty Crop Research Initiative

August 27th, 2024

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is recruiting industry representatives (growers, packers, shippers, staff from organizations who represent specialty crops, and other stakeholder experts) to serve as relevance reviewers for pre-applications for the 2025 Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI).

NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and extension across the nation to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. NIFA supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and applies an integrated approach to ensure that groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice.

The purpose of the SCRI program is to address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by awarding grants to support research and extension that address key challenges of national, regional and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems.

The time commitment is about 15-20 hours during the months of January and February. The review panels will take place for about 1.5 hours during the week of February 3rd.

If you’re interested in volunteering for this important role:

  1. Create an account on NIFA’s Peer Review System (PRS) at https://prs.nifa.usda.gov. If you’ve reviewed for NIFA previously, you’ll need to update your profile. If you need assistance with access, you can email NIFA staff at [email protected] or [email protected].
  2. Complete this scheduling poll to note you’re available to review and indicate your area of expertise: https://forms.office.com/g/9Y2mRdmibV 

For any questions about the role and responsibilities of industry relevance reviewers, please contact SCRI Relevance Review Manager Valerie Mellano at [email protected].

For more information, visit the relevance recruit website.

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