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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Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Delivers Major Water Improvements for West
IRVINE, Calif. (November 6, 2021) – In response to passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act by the U.S. House of Representatives, Western Growers President & CEO Dave Puglia issued the following statement: “Western fresh produce growers and indeed farmers throughout the West have reason to celebrate passage of this bipartisan infrastructure bill. The inclusion ...
Albert Keck is Elected New Western Growers Chairman of the Board
IRVINE, Calif. (November 8, 2021) – Albert P. Keck II, President of Hadley Date Gardens, Inc., will serve as the Western Growers Chairman of the Board of Directors for a one-year term. Keck, a third-generation Californian and farmer, is a lifelong native of the Coachella Valley. He is Chairman of the California Date Administrative Committee ...
How the Agriculture Industry is Guiding Technology to Change Biologics and Drones
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 ...
Western Growers Celebrates U.S. House of Representatives Passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 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…
Focus on Worldwide Water Usage: Diving into Israel’s Technological Innovation
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…
CDFA Secretary Karen Ross: “We should be honored and valued and respected even more than Silicon Valley.”
IRVINE, CALIF. (January 5, 2022) – In 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, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross discusses the meaningful opportunities 2022 offers for the agriculture industry in the state.…
Western Growers Awarded $750,000 CDFA Grant to Develop Next-Gen Ag Workers Curriculum
IRVINE, CALIF. (January 11, 2022) – Western Growers received a $750,000 grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s 2021 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (HR 133) to develop and implement a curriculum to provide California college students with best-in-class agtech training. Besides the 2,750 students that will be assisted by the program, the grant will ...
Voices of the Valley: When NASA and Farming Collide
IRVINE, CALIF. (January 12, 2022) – In 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, Turlock Fruit Company General Manager Neill Callis talks about the intersection of space tech and agtech. Prior to farming,…
Voices of the Valley: Inside the Brave New World of Pest Management
IRVINE, CALIF. (January 26, 2022) – In 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, entrepreneur Pam Marrone, founder of Marrone Bio Innovations, discusses why everyone wants to go into biologicals these days for pest…
Western Growers Announces Food Safety Cohort to Quickly Develop Cutting-Edge Prevention and Diagnostic Technologies
The AgTechX Food Safety Cohort is comprised of innovators who will receive exclusive resources to help them launch and scale YUMA, ARIZ. (February 3, 2022) – As part of the inaugural AgTechX Food Safety event hosted by the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology, the Center for Produce Safety and the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture, WG…
Voices of the Valley: Building a Resilient, Safe Food Supply
IRVINE, CALIF. (February 23, 2022) – The past month’s 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, feature three agricultural leaders discussing how they are working in their respective spheres to ensure the nation maintains a safe food…
FDA Will Not Conduct Broad Sampling of Leafy Greens in the Salinas Valley in 2022
IRVINE, CALIF. (March 10, 2022) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will not conduct broad sampling of leafy greens grown in the Salinas Valley region of California for the 2022 growing season. The decision was made based on data from Western Growers, the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture inspection ...
Voices of the Valley: How Technology Can Increase Farming’s Impact
IRVINE, CALIF. (April 4, 2022) – The past month’s episodes of Voices of the Valley, the podcast hosted by Dennis Donohue, the Director of Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology, and Candace Wilson, Regional Director at Farmers Business Network, feature six agricultural leaders discussing how they use technology to increase food safety, crop yield…
Voices of the Valley: Exploring the Future of Agtech Innovation
IRVINE, CALIF. (May 3, 2022) – The past month’s episodes of Voices of the Valley, the podcast hosted by Dennis Donohue, the Executive Director of Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology, and Candace Wilson, Regional Director at Farmers Business Network, feature four agricultural leaders discussing cybersecurity, climate change and the ways to…
Western Growers Insurance Services Names Ed McClements Senior Vice President of Large Group Sales
IRVINE, CALIF. (June 1, 2022) – Western Growers Insurance Services (WGIS) is pleased to announce Ed McClements as the new Senior Vice President of Large Group Sales. McClements has over 45 years of employee benefits experience and 32 years working in the agricultural marketplace. McClements has been immersed in large group sales throughout his career and has a notable…
Water Supply Coalition Issues Urgent Call to Increase Water Funding in Current California State Budget
IRVINE, Calif. (June 15, 2022) – A coalition of agriculture and business organizations has written a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature asking them to establish a clear target to increase the state’s surface water supply to meet current and future needs for human consumption and a growing economy. “Our existing water system can ...
Western Growers Celebrates President Joe Biden Signing the Ocean Shipping Reform Act into Law
IRVINE, Calif. (June 16, 2022) – Today President Joe Biden signed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act into law. This bill – which passed the U.S. Congress earlier this week with bipartisan support – will crack down on unreasonable practices by container shipping lines, bolster U.S. enforcement against uncompetitive carrier practices and improve transparency for…
Western Growers Mourns the Passing of Hank Giclas
IRVINE, CALIF. (Aug. 8, 2022) – The Western Growers Family of Companies is mourning the passing of Hank Giclas. Dave Puglia, President and CEO, made this statement: “Hank Giclas dedicated himself, totally and fully, in service to the people of the fresh produce industry. His career was an unabashed love affair with agriculture, second only ...
BOOST BIOMES: Harnessing the Hidden Relationships of Microbiomes for Ag
By Ann Donahue Boost Biomes wants to grow big by focusing on the small stuff. Based in Brisbane, Calif., and founded in 2016, the agtech startup uses state-of-the-art DNA sequencing to identify microbial products that could be sold in the commercial marketplace. Using its proprietary sequencing technology platform, Boost is in the process of developing ...
Annual Meeting Award of Honor: Carol Chandler’s Family Values Inspired Her to Become a Trailblazing Ag Advocate
By Ann Donahue Years ago, Carol Chandler found herself at a turning point. She was a “farm wife”—in her own words—a mother who put her career as a teacher on hold to dedicate her time to her family. But as she lived day in and day out with her husband, Bill, and her sons, Tom ...