Posts By: Chardae Heim

California’s New Private Sector Retirement Solution “CalSavers” Officially Opens

CalSavers is a California state sponsored retirement program which encourages employees to save for retirement without burdening employers with administrative complexity, fees, or fiduciary liability of existing options. This program was initially designed to close the retirement coverage gap by limiting the amount of California workers without access to a retirement savings plan. Employees can…

California’s New Private Sector Retirement Solution “CalSavers” Officially Opens

CalSavers is a California state sponsored retirement program which encourages employees to save for retirement without burdening employers with administrative complexity, fees, or fiduciary liability of existing options. This program was initially designed to close the retirement coverage gap by limiting the amount of California workers without access to a retirement savings plan. Employees can…

Santa Barbara County Joins Housing for the Harvest Program

Santa Barbara County has joined Housing for the Harvest, the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s new program that provides temporary hotel housing for agricultural workers in need of a place to self-isolate after testing positive for COVID-19. Santa Barbara is the third county to participate in the program, which includes both Fresno and San ...

Overview of Trimble Ag Software Wraps Up “Innovating In Challenging Times” Webinar Series

Join Trimble Ag for the final episode of Innovating in Challenging Times on Thursday, October 1. During the webinar, Devon Liss, a 15-year ag technology veteran and current manager of product development with Trimble Ag Business Solutions, will highlight the benefits of the Trimble Ag Software. Some topics that will be covered during the webinar ...

Upcoming AgTech Webinar Highlights Innovative Solar Technology

Cleantech Entrepreneur Ryan Park joins Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology (WGCIT) Director Dennis Donohue for the next Innovating in Challenging Times webinar on Thursday, September 3. Park will be discussing his company, Concept Clean Energy, and the advancements they have made amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Concept Clean Energy creates agtech that addresses specific…

Digital Edition of September/October 2020 WG&S Magazine Now Available

The September/October 2020 Western Grower & Shipper Magazine is now available to view online. This edition explores the business side of agriculture by showcasing farmers’ ability to diversify and innovate, making them the ultimate business mavens. This edition also contains Western Growers’ Ag Legal Network Directory. Click here to access the electronic version of the ...

Upcoming AgTech Webinar Focuses on Artificial Intelligence to Help Farmers

GeoVisual Analytics’ technology focuses on big data analytics to improve intelligence across the farm. General Manager Charles McGregor is joining Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology (WGCIT) Director Dennis Donohue this Thursday, to discuss how the use of this artificial intelligence-based agtech leads to increased profits and optimized efficiencies. Register now and don’t…

Kings, Riverside and Tulare Counties are Latest to Join Housing for Harvest Program

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently announced that the counties of Kings, Riverside and Tulare have joined Santa Barbara, Fresno and San Joaquin, to meet the temporary housing needs of agricultural workers exposed to COVID-19, through the Housing for the Harvest Program. As previously reported in Spotlight, the CDFA has implemented the ...

Kern and Madera Counties are Latest to Join Housing for Harvest Program

Today, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announced the recent addition of Kern County and Madera County to the Housing for the Harvest Program. The program provides temporary housing for agricultural workers who test positive for COVID-19. As recently reported in Spotlight, the counties of Kern and Madera will be joining the counties ...

Housing for Harvest Program Welcomes Two Additional Counties

Today, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announced the expansion of the Housing for the Harvest Program to Sacramento and San Luis Obispo counties. With the addition of these counties, ten California counties are now participating in the program: Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, Kern, Madera, Kings, Riverside, Tulare, Santa Barbara, Fresno and San ...

Entrepreneurs to Discuss AgTech & Military Service During WGCIT Veterans Day Event

Join the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology on Tuesday, November 10th, for its Veteran’s Day Salute, where agtech innovators will discuss how the military prepared them for their current roles. They will also be sharing the significance of Veterans Day to them as well as be providing insight on agtech trends. Western Growers ...

Western Growers Launches The Western Growers University

Western Growers is committed to excellence and the continued delivery of education, development and mentorship throughout our agricultural landscape. That is why we are happy to announce the official launch of the Western Growers University, an online campus and educational experience focused on the growth and development of both the leaders of today and those of ...

Veterans Day Salute at the Center was Huge Success, Recording Available Now

Today, the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology (Center) hosted a one-of-a-kind 2020 Veterans Day Salute, a webinar where agtech innovators discussed the intersectionality between the military and the ag industry. Center Director Dennis Donohue was joined by panelists Amy Tomlinson and Brian Curtis of Concentric Power, Dr. John Skardon of Tailwater Systems, and Nathan…

Final 2020 Digital Edition of WG&S Magazine Now Available

The November/December 2020 edition of Western Grower & Shipper magazine is now available both online and in print. To wrap up the year, WG&S magazine highlights philanthropy within the industry and how ag gives back to the younger generation. Click here to access the electronic version of the magazine. Some features from this issue include ...

Dave Puglia to Moderate Upcoming OGS Grower Roundtable 2020, Registration Now Open

Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia will be moderating the virtual OGS Grower Roundtable 2020, scheduled for December 9. Unlike previous years, the 2020 summit is a virtual keynote event featuring three industry trailblazers. Puglia will be joined by Bruce Taylor of Taylor Farms, Vic Smith of JV Smith Companies and Soren Bjorn of ...

WGCIT Hosts First Colorado Grower Trial Network Event

The Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology (Center) is pleased to announce its first Colorado-focused Grower Trial Network (GTN) event. Join Colorado produce growers and ag experts for a focused, two-day event to learn about specific opportunities for agtech in Colorado, share your solutions with an audience of growers and experts, and receive feedback on ...

New Year, New Look; January/ February 2021 Digital Edition of WG&S Magazine Now Available

The latest issue of Western Grower & Shipper Magazine is now available both online and in print. With a new look and feel, the magazine gives readers an inside look of the various faces of Western Growers. Learn more about Chairman of the Board Ryan Talley, Class 6 of the Future Volunteer Leaders and more. ...

CDFA Accepting Farm to School Incubator Grant Applications

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Office of Farm to Fork has opened the application for the 2021 Farm to School Incubator Grant Program. This program involves two funding tracks, awarding competitive grants to support innovative local and regional farm to school projects in nutrition education, sustainable food production and procurement. The deadline to ...

Reminder: California’s COVID-19 Reporting Law in Effect

One of California’s recent COVID-19 laws, AB 685 which requires employers to notify employees who have possibly been exposed to the virus and report workplace outbreaks to the local health department, went into effect January 1, 2021. This law also allows the Division of Occupational Health and Safety to more aggressively enforce health and safety ...

APMA Hosts Series of Upcoming HRPA Certificate Program for HR Professionals

The Agricultural Personnel Management Association (APMA) is offering Human Resource  Professional in Agriculture (HRPA) Certificate Program sessions, beginning February 22, 2021. WG Human Resources (HR) Learning & Development Manager Anna Bilderbach will kick-off parts 1 and 2, presenting an introduction of HR management and an overview of HR basics. WG Senior Vice President, Human…