Ann Donahue serves as Director, Communications for Western Growers, where she is responsible for external communication efforts and publicizing the Association’s executives, initiatives, and members across all media platforms. Ann spent more than 20 years as an editor and reporter covering entertainment journalism, with bylines at publications including Variety, the L.A. Times, Billboard, IndieWire, and […]
IRVINE, CALIF. (March 12, 2024) – Following the release of the March 7 Agriculture Labor Working Group report on the farm labor crisis, Western Growers President & CEO Dave Puglia wrote a letter to Agriculture Labor Working Group Co-Chairs Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., and Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., renewing his call for the U.S. Congress to take up the Farm Workforce Modernization Act: "The…
Farmers can receive a free pass to attend the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in San Francisco on March 19-20, 2024 and join more than 2,500 agtech decisionmakers for themed breakout panels, start-up pitches, investor sessions, networking lunches and receptions and a 1-1 meetings hub. Confirmed speakers include: Karen Ross, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture …
Western Growers members are invited to connect with Canadian Produce Marketing Association Chair Colin Chapdelaine and CPMA staff at the organization's upcoming town hall and reception in Salinas. The agenda will include the following: An update on the Canadian market: Plastics and PLU stickers Regulatory updates: Forced labor, supply chain issues, Safe Food for Canadians Act’s…
KAUAI (Nov. 13, 2023) - Stuart Woolf, President and CEO of Woolf Farming & Processing, will serve as Chair of the Western Growers Board of Directors for a two-year term. Woolf was first elected to the Western Growers Board in 2015. "Western Growers is set up to meet the needs of the fresh produce industry in the Western U.S. by focusing on issues like immigration, labor and water rights,"…
USDA convened a pilot workshop over three days to facilitate collaboration between industry, government, and academia to benefit food safety and public health. The event, which included about 40 participants, consisted of field tours, a discussion on the health impacts of cadmium, the importance of spinach and carrots to the diet, current production practices in California and Arizona, and a…
The Fresno-Merced Future of Food Innovation (F3) – the recipient of a $65.1 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration for workforce development – brought growers and stakeholders together this week to drill on down on what agtech skills and certifications growers need in the Central Valley workforce. Western Growers is a supporter of the F3 grant, and several members…
Platform10, an international accelerator to promote biologicals development and implementation, was unveiled on Oct. 31 by Western Growers and Wharf42. “Growers are up against mounting pest and disease challenges due to climate change, reduced efficacy, and diminishing availability of traditional pest control tools,” said Peter Wren-Hilton, Founder and CEO of New Zealand-based consultancy…
Climate Robotics earned a funding offer of $250,000 during the sixth annual AgSharks® Pitch Competition at the Western Growers Annual Meeting KAUAI (Nov. 14, 2023) - Western Growers and S2G Ventures have announced the winner of the 2023 AgSharks® Pitch Competition, with Climate Robotics earning an equity investment offer of $250,000 from the event's judges. Climate Robotics is a…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACTS: Christina Morton, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, [email protected] Ann Donahue, Western Growers, [email protected] Mark Szymanski, National Potato Council, [email protected] Siobhan May, International Fresh Produce Association, [email protected] WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 18, 2023) – The…
IRVINE, CALIF. (Oct. 16, 2023) - Western Growers and S2G Ventures have announced the three finalists that will compete in the 2023 AgSharks® Competition. AgSharks® is a unique event where startup companies pitch their innovations in front of a live audience of the world’s largest specialty crop producers to win a $250,000 minimum investment. The finalists are: Climate Robotics, a…
IRVINE, CALIF. (Oct. 2, 2023) – Following the release of the draft staff report from the State Water Resources Control Board updating the Sacramento/Delta portion of the Bay-Delta Plan, Western Growers President & CEO Dave Puglia issued this statement: "California growers can no longer afford to be subjected to short-sighted water policies that are not based in science or economic…
IRVINE, CALIF. (Sept. 29, 2023) - Following the passing of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Western Growers President & CEO Dave Puglia issued the following statement: "Senator Feinstein’s public service to California will be remembered fondly by people from every region of the state, from urban to rural. For those striving to protect and strengthen California’s farms and the communities…
IRVINE, CALIF. (Sept. 21, 2023) – Members of the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) will adopt Western Growers' proprietary GreenLink® data sharing platform to collect and analyze food safety data. This landmark movement towards industry cohesion means that the leafy green industry will advance collective learning by utilizing a standardized data collection approach.…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACTS: Christina Morton, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, [email protected] Ann Donahue, Western Growers, [email protected] Mark Szymanski, National Potato Council, [email protected] WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 14, 2023) – The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA), a national coalition of more than 200 specialty crop…
Members of Western Growers' Future Volunteer Leaders Class VII visited Idaho and Eastern Oregon last week to expand their knowledge about the best ag practices in neighboring states. Six leaders, including Celeste Alonzo from Junior Enterprises; Krystal Del Bosque from Del Bosque Farms; Briana Giampaoli from Live Oak Farms; Garrett Nishimori from San Miguel Produce; Byron Talley from Talley…
Following Tropical Storm Hilary's damage to California specialty crops, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) on Aug. 28 hosted United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials alongside local leaders and growers to announce bipartisan legislation to improve access to federal agriculture disaster programs. The announcement comes ahead of the September 30 deadline for Congress to pass the 2023…
The Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology was created to link Western Growers members with innovators in the agtech space. Agrology Agtech startup Agrology participated in the International Fresh Produce Association’s Fresh Field Catalyst Accelerator Immersion Program, a week-long deep dive into California growers. Agrology was one of 12 climate solution companies to join…
More than 2,000 growers, tech entrepreneurs and students attended the second annual FIRA USA conference in Salinas, Calif. this week, an attendance record for the country’s premiere agtech robotics event. Making the economics of ag robots work was a repeated theme at the event – with VC money hard to come by and growers needing to watch every penny, how can entrepreneurs get enough…
IRVINE, CALIF. (Aug. 23, 2023) – Following the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) announcement of Jim Jones as the first Deputy Commissioner for the unified Human Foods Program, Western Growers SVP of Science, De Ann Davis, issued the following statement: "Western Growers is pleased to learn that Jim Jones has been appointed as the first Deputy Commissioner for the Human Foods Program by…
Science fiction stories about the future generally go one of two ways: A dystopian hell where robots attack us (“The Terminator”) or a dystopian hell where robots attack us in space (“2001: A Space Odyssey.”) But now it’s time to separate science fiction from fact. As the labor crisis continues in agriculture, with common-sense immigration reform at a standstill and an aging workforce…
