Ann Donahue
Western Growers, Director, Marketing and Communications
Ann Donahue serves as Director, Marketing and 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, […]
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March 10 Deadline for USDA-NRCS Cover Crop Initiative Applications in California
The USDA National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in California is encouraging producers to sign up for a special cover crop initiative offered through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. The deadline is March 10, 2022, and more information about EQIP can be found here. $6.8 million in fiscal year 2022 is being provided for the utilization ...
California Water Commission Increases Potential Funding for Seven Water Storage Projects
On Wednesday the California Water Commission increased potential funding for the seven water storage projects in the Water Storage Investment Program. The Commission voted to increase the potential funding amount for the Sites Project by $25 million, correcting a shortage from 2018 due to limited funding. The Commission also voted to adjust the Maximum Conditional Eligibility ...
FDA Podcast, Upcoming Abstract Highlight WG’s Food Safety Data Sharing Platform
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s TechTalk Podcast this week featured an in-depth exploration of Western Growers’ Food Safety Data Sharing platform. Cronan McNamara, the Founder and CEO of Creme Global, speaks about how his company’s food safety data analytics and predictive modeling software and services are working in tandem with the WG Science team ...
WGCIT Welcomes Seven New Start-Ups to its Ranks
The Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology has welcomed seven new start-ups to its roster. They are: aerialPLOT The company offers aerial imagery and analytics to provide real-time crop data. AgNote The farm management software company provides easy-to-use data tracking. Axis7 Based in New Zealand, the R&D service provider won a residence at the ...
Western Growers Applauds $4 Billion in Drought-Relief Funding
IRVINE, CALIF. (Aug. 8, 2022) – In response to the inclusion of $4 billion in drought-relief funding for the Colorado River Basin in the Senate spending bill, Western Growers President & CEO Dave Puglia issued the following statement: “We appreciate the determination of Senator Kyrsten Sinema and her colleagues to secure substantial new funding for ...
Pinnacle Claims Management Expands Management Services to its Cedar Health and Wellness Center in Santa Maria, Calif.
IRVINE, Calif. (Aug. 1, 2022) – Pinnacle Claims Management, Inc., part of the Western Growers Family of Companies (WGFC), has announced it will facilitate patient care as a managing services organization at the Cedar Health and Wellness Center located in Santa Maria, California. This comes after Pinnacle announced it was taking over health care delivery and ...
Western Growers Praises Gov. Newsom’s Bold Water Supply Strategy for California
IRVINE, CALIF. (Aug. 11, 2022) – In response to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Water Supply Strategy that was announced today, Western Growers President & CEO Dave Puglia issued the following statement: “We applaud Governor Newsom’s bold and comprehensive water infrastructure and management strategy. Our farms are in distress due to water insecurity, increasingly placing millions…
Western Agricultural Coalition Warns of Rural Economic Upheaval Without Effective Deployment of Drought Response Funding
IRVINE, CALIF. (Aug. 29, 2022) – In a letter sent to U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton, a coalition of agricultural organizations offered their support, assistance and counsel for the immediate implementation of drought funding from the Inflation Reduction Act. Key coalition principles include: The…
Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance Issues Statement of Principles
The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA), a national coalition of more than 200 specialty crop organizations representing growers of fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, nursery plants and other products, has released its statement of principles for consideration of the 2023 Farm Bill. The SCFBA was established to advocate for broad-based Farm Bill policy ...
Western Growers Debuts ‘Water for Farms’ Online Video Series
IRVINE, CALIF. (Sept. 6, 2022) – Western Growers is debuting five documentary short videos online today that give first-hand accounts of how the unrelenting historic drought is hurting Caifornia farmers. Produced in association with the California Farm Water Coalition, the videos show the drought’s impact on consumers via stories from Booth Ranches in Orange Cove, ...
Robots to conquer Fresno fields at FIRA USA in October 2022
The beginnings of a robotics revolution in the agricultural world will take place in California on Oct. 18-20. Over 800 people who work in the food system, technology experts and others are expected to gather at FIRA USA in Fresno, Calif., to discover the latest self-sustaining solutions to farm labor shortages and environmental challenges. They ...
Statement of Western Growers on Signing of AB 2183
IRVINE, CALIF. (Sept. 29, 2022) – Following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signing of AB 2183 into law, Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia issued the following statement: “It is shameful that Governor Newsom invoked the name of Cesar Chavez in signing AB 2183. Instead of advancing the labor icon’s movement, as the Governor claimed, California ...
Drought in California: Farmers Already Forced to Abandon Crops as Additional Water Restrictions Loom (Video)
Western Growers releases video series “No Water = No Crops” IRVINE, CA (July 12, 2021) – In “No Water = No Crops,” a series of videos released today by Western Growers, three California farmers show the impact the drought is having on their operations, and the cascading losses that result to farmworkers and their communities. “This is one of the…
Celebrating the Skills of the Farmers and Farmworkers Who Bring Food to Your Table (Video)
IRVINE, CA (July 20, 2021) – In “Farm Fresh,” a series of videos released today on YouTube by Western Growers, we celebrate the extraordinary skills and ingenuity of the farmers and farmworkers who work to bring food to America’s tables. In previews posted to Facebook, the “Farm Fresh” series received almost 14 million views. “Farm Fresh: ...
National Ag, Water Coalition Applauds Senate Passage of Infrastructure Bill
IRVINE, Calif. (August 10, 2021) – With nearly two-thirds of the West experiencing extreme or exceptional drought conditions, and more than 90 active wildfires burning across the U.S., a national coalition representing thousands of Western farmers, ranchers, water providers, businesses and communities underscored the significance of Senate passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure…
Western Growers Unveils Middle School to Post-Graduate Agtech Career Development Pipeline
IRVINE, Calif. (August 26, 2021) – Western Growers (WG) has bolstered its workforce development efforts with the launch of five initiatives aimed at transitioning the agriculture workforce to master rapidly developing agricultural technology. The initiatives make up WG’s Agtech Workforce Readiness Campaign, which was announced last night at AgTechX Ed at Reedley College. “We need ...
Western Growers Denounces Passage of AB 616 in California Legislature
IRVINE, CALIF. (Sept. 2, 2021) – In response to passage of AB 616 by the California State Legislature–first in the Senate on August 26 and then in the Assembly on September 1–Western Growers President & CEO Dave Puglia issued the following statement: “It is both ironic and shameful that a body of elected leaders would act ...
California Fresh Produce Industry Decries Assembly Action on SB 559
IRVINE, CALIF. (September 8, 2021) – In response to California State Senator Melissa Hurtado being forced to pull SB 559 after the California State Assembly Appropriations Committee removed all funding provisions, a coalition of leading California fresh produce organizations issued the following statement: “With nearly 90 percent of the state in extreme or exceptional…
National Coalition Urges Additional Water, Conservation Resources in Reconciliation Package
IRVINE, Calif. (September 20, 2021) – With over 80 percent of the West currently experiencing severe, extreme or exceptional drought conditions, and more than 2.2 million acres of land already burned across the Western states, a national coalition representing agriculture, public water agencies and the environmental and conservation communities urged Congress to include resources for…
Western Growers to Honor Carol Chandler at the 2021 Annual Meeting
IRVINE, CALIF. (September 21, 2021) – Western Growers will honor agriculture advocate, educator, philanthropist and trailblazer Carol Chandler with the 2021 Award of Honor. The Award of Honor is Western Growers’ highest recognition of achievement and is given to individuals who have contributed extensively to the agricultural community. Chandler is partner of Chandler Farms in…