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Strengthen Your Recall Preparedness – April 4 Meeting
How confident are you in your facility's environmental monitoring and sanitation verification? Establishing a defensible clean break is critical in protecting both consumers and your business in the event of a recall. Join George Nikolich, Food Safety Consultant and CFFA Strategic Partner, and Joelle Mosso, AVP of Science Programs at Western Growers, for an in-depth presentation and…
Management Strategies for Food Safety: Create an Environment of Support and Success Webinar
Navigating food safety compliance while meeting production goals is no easy task—but the right knowledge can make all the difference. Join Joelle Mosso, AVP of Science Programs at Western Growers, for a webinar designed to equip leaders with the skills to confidently manage the dual responsibilities of food safety compliance and production demands. Gain a clear understanding of the…
Diamondback Moth: Lessons from History and Future Solutions Webinar
Effective DBM Control Series Part 1. Presented by the Grimm Family Organic Center and Western Growers Science. 1 DPR CEU “Other” approved. Join us for a discussion about Diamondback Moth (DBM), a significant pest of brassica, and what future options show promise for control of this species. In this webinar, we will explore the history of control options development for Codling…
Ben Etcheverry, President of New Mexico Chile Association, Testifies before Senate Ag Committee
photo Courtesy of CSPAN Ben Etcheverry, President of the New Mexico Chile Association and Western Growers member, testified before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry during a hearing on "Perspectives From the Field: Farmer and Rancher Views on the Agricultural Economy." Etcheverry underscored labor shortages, increasing costs and unfair trade practices putting domestic…
Developing The Next Generation of Tech-Savvy Ag Workers: College of the Desert Event
The Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology, California Department of Food and Agriculture and College of the Desert have partnered to host AgTechX Ed – a half-day event dedicated to developing the next generation of tech-savvy agricultural workers. The AgTechX Ed Summit at College of the Desert will include three panel covering the following topics: industry issues and skill…
Diamondback Moth: Lessons from History and Future Solutions Webinar
Join us for a discussion about Diamondback Moth (DBM), a significant pest of brassica, and what future options show promise for control of this species. In this webinar, we will explore the history of control options development for Codling Moth, a major pest of apples, assess lessons that can be applied to DBM in cole crops, and introduce novel practices and tools that show promise to…
Testimony of Ryan Talley, of Talley Farms, on behalf of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance
photo Courtesy of CSPAN Testimony of Mr. Ryan Talley House Committee on Agriculture Hearing February 11, 2025, 10:00 a.m. ET Thank you, Chairman Thompson, Ranking Member Craig, and members of the Committee. Although not directly under the jurisdiction of the Agriculture Committee, I cannot testify before Congress without first emphasizing how vital it is to the security of our nation’s…
SCFBA to Congress: Strengthen National Health and Food Security, Prioritize Specialty Crops in Farm Bill
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2025 – The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) today called on Congress to advance a bipartisan farm bill that prioritizes investments in specialty crops, ensuring the long-term viability and competitiveness of growers. Ryan Talley, vice president and co-owner of Talley Farms in Arroyo Grande, Calif., testified before the House Agriculture Committee during a…
Testimony of Ryan Talley, of Talley Farms, on behalf of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance
Testimony of Mr. Ryan Talley House Committee on Agriculture Hearing February 11, 2025, 10:00 a.m. ET Thank you, Chairman Thompson, Ranking Member Craig, and members of the Committee. Although not directly under the jurisdiction of the Agriculture Committee, I cannot testify before Congress without first emphasizing how vital it is to the security of our nation’s food supply, and the…
Western Growers Women: Effective Employee Performance Management Webinar
With competing demands and constant workplace disruptions, your team looks to you for direction, guidance and inspiration. Discover techniques to coach your team more effectively, shifting them from feeling threatened to feeling challenged and fulfilled. Gain tools to enhance your coaching style, close performance gaps, and build a more competent and efficient workforce. Learn how to ask…
Opinion: Visa Reform Desperately Needed for Ag Workers
In this opinion piece, Dave Puglia, the president and CEO of Western Growers, argues that the nation's food production is vulnerable to indiscriminate immigration sweeps amid congressional inaction on H-2A reforms. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have triggered a hot debate among Republicans over visas for foreign tech workers, but little is being said about the fact that critical aspects of…
USDA Secures $129.2 Million in Emergency Funds to Combat Exotic Fruit Fly Outbreaks
WASHINGTON, January 17, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is using emergency funding to respond to the threats associated with growing outbreaks of exotic fruit flies. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack approved the transfer of $129.2 million from the Commodity Credit Corporation to APHIS to directly support…
The Wonderful Company Commits $10 Million to LA Fire Relief Efforts
The Wonderful Company today announced it is committing $10 million to fire relief efforts in the Los Angeles area. Immediate donations will support first responders, with plans to expand to broader relief efforts. The company will also match L.A. fire-related donations made by its 10,000 global employees through its giving program or personal contributions. “We are profoundly grateful to…
Western Growers Mourns the Passing of Food Safety Veteran Tony Banegas
Tony Banegas, Vice President of Quality, Food Safety and Industry Relations at Bonduelle Americas, passed away on Dec. 15, 2024. A respected 30-year veteran in food safety, Banegas joined Bonduelle Fresh Americas in 2009, then known as Ready Pac Foods, as National Director of Quality Assurance. Throughout his career, Banegas was deeply involved in numerous Western Growers initiatives and…
SCFBA Seeks Expansion of MASC Program After Specialty Crops Excluded from Year-End Economic Aid Package
Group requests Congressional support for a $3 billion additional investment in USDA’s Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops program WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 18, 2024) – In a letter issued to the leaders of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate Agriculture Committees, the Co-Chairs of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) expressed their disappointment that specialty crop production…
Fresh Produce Alliance Welcomes Passage of Bill C-280 into Law
You can read the full release here. December 10, 2024 (Ottawa, ON) – Yesterday evening, the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA), the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC), and the Fruit and Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corporation (DRC) were thrilled to see Bill C-280, the Financial Protection for Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Farmers Act, pass at third reading in the Canadian…
Driscoll’s CEO Soren Bjorn Joins Western Growers Board of Directors
Western Growers is pleased to announce the appointment of Soren Bjorn, CEO of Driscoll’s, to the Western Growers Board of Directors. Bjorn will be representing District 10, which includes Watsonville, Gilroy, Hollister and Santa Cruz. He succeeds Eric Reiter, who has stepped down due to a realignment of his professional responsibilities and time commitments. Bjorn brings a wealth of…
Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Endangered Species Act Protection for Monarch Butterfly; Urges Increased Public Engagement to Help Save the Species
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing protection for one of the nation’s most beloved species -- the monarch butterfly -- and is encouraging the public to be part of its recovery. The Service is seeking public input on a proposal to list the species as threatened with species-specific protections and flexibilities to encourage conservation under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species…
Western Growers Endorses Rep. Jim Costa for Ranking Member of House Ag Committee
IRVINE, CALIF. (Dec. 10, 2024) - In response to Rep. Jim Costa’s (CA-21) campaign for Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee, Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia issued the following statement: “We urge Rep. Jim Costa’s colleagues to select him as Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee for the 119th Congress. A third-generation San Joaquin Valley farmer,…
USDA Launches New Marketing Assistance Program for Specialty Crop Producers – Apply Now
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) has introduced a new program that could benefit your organization. The Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program offers $2 billion in funding to help specialty crop producers expand markets and address rising costs. Applications are open Dec. 10, 2024 through Jan. 8, 2025. What is MASC? Funded by the…