Posts By: Cory Lunde
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PAGA Reform Measure Officially Qualifies for 2024 California Ballot
On Friday, July 22, the Secretary of State announced that the California Fair Pay and Employer Accountability Act qualified for the 2024 ballot on the random sample count of signatures. More than 700,000 valid signatures were submitted in support of the PAGA reform. “This necessary reform will protect multigenerational farm businesses while providing a better ...
Board of Directors D.C. Fly-in Addresses Grower Priorities
After a two-year hiatus, the Western Growers Board of Directors resumed its annual lobbying trip to Washington, D.C. last week. Over the course of three days, the delegation of board members and future volunteer leaders met with nearly two dozen congressional representatives and administration officials to elevate the needs of Western fresh produce growers. The following ...
PRESS RELEASE: WG Disappointed in U.S. District Court Organic Compost Ruling
IRVINE, Calif. (June 21, 2016) — Western Growers is disappointed with yesterday’s federal court decision that struck down a five-year-old federal Guidance document allowing the use of composted municipal green waste on organic farms in California. Monday’s court decision in Center for Environmental Health v. Vilsack vacated the National Organic Program’s (NOP) Guidance 5016: The…
PRESS RELEASE: Survey Concludes Minimum Wage and Ag Overtime Laws Will Reduce Potential Farmworker Earnings
IRVINE, Calif., (December 5, 2016) — Following enactment of California’s minimum wage (SB 3) and agricultural overtime (AB 1066) laws earlier this year, Western Growers conducted a survey of its California members to capture the business decisions they are now planning and the impact on farmworkers and farm businesses. The results of our survey reveal that, ...
PRESS RELEASE: Western Growers Praises Senator Feinstein for Support on Delta Pumping
IRVINE, Calif. (March 11, 2016) — Statement by Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif regarding Senator Dianne Feinstein’s call for increased pumping to capture the water from recent El Niño storms: “We are extremely pleased that Senator Feinstein has publicly called on federal agencies to increase Delta pumping to the maximum extent allowable under ...
PRESS RELEASE: Western Growers Opposes “Cortopassi Initiative”
IRVINE, Calif. (March 29, 2016) – Statement by Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif announcing the decision of the Board of Directors to oppose the “Cortopassi Initiative,” which would require statewide voter approval before revenue bonds in excess of $2 billion can be issued to fund public infrastructure projects, including some local projects funded ...
Western Growers Opposes Proposed California Transportation Infrastructure Package
IRVINE, Calif., (April 3, 2017) — In response to the California transportation infrastructure funding package (SB 1) announced by Governor Jerry Brown, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “The staggering regulatory burdens and costs placed on California farmers ...
Western Growers Statement in Response to Outbreak of E. coli
IRVINE, Calif., (November 21, 2018) — In response to the recent food safety alert issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration linking an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 to romaine lettuce, Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “Our hearts go out ...
PRESS RELEASE: Western Growers Commends House on Passage of Western Water Bill
IRVINE, Calif. (July 16, 2015) — Statement by Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif commending passage of the Western Water and American Food Security Act of 2015 by the U.S. House of Representatives today: “We want to thank Rep. David Valadao for his leadership in introducing and helping secure passage of the Western Water ...
Over 100 Water and Agricultural Organizations Urge Congress to Use Infrastructure Legislation to Address Western Water Challenges
IRVINE, Calif., (March 25, 2019) — Over 100 organizations representing water and agricultural interests in the Western U.S. urged Congress today to use any infrastructure package under consideration to help address severe hydrological conditions in the West. “As a nation we must continually invest in the Western water infrastructure necessary to meet current and future…
PRESS RELEASE: Western Growers Praises Introduction of Senate Water Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE IRVINE, Calif. (July 29, 2015) — Statement by Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif praising Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer for introducing the California Emergency Drought Relief Act of 2015 today: “We want to express our thanks to Senators Feinstein and Boxer for re-introducing much needed legislation aimed at ...
Western Growers Statement on Tom Nassif Testimony Before House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship
IRVINE, Calif., (April 3, 2019) — This morning, Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif detailed the critical labor shortages facing American agriculture and laid out the case for agricultural immigration reform before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship. In his testimony, Nassif stated that experienced workers are aging out of the agricultural…
Western Growers Statement on California DPR Ban on Chlorpyrifos
IRVINE, Calif., (May 9, 2019) — In response to yesterday’s announcement that the California Department of Pesticide Residue (DPR) is acting to ban the use of the insecticide chlorpyrifos, Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “California farmers are universally committed to the safety of their food, the health of their workers ...
Western Growers Statement on Latest USDA Trade Mitigation Plan
IRVINE, Calif., (May 23, 2019) — In response to the release of the Trump administration’s latest trade assistance package, Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “We appreciate the efforts of the Administration to again partially offset the damages being incurred by the agriculture industry as a result of the ongoing trade war ...
Western Growers Praises Newsom on SB 1
IRVINE, Calif. (September 16, 2019) – In response to Governor Newsom’s announcement that he will veto SB 1, Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “On behalf of thousands of family farmers and rural residents in the San Joaquin Valley, and across the state, who rely on sensible environmental policies for their ...
Western Growers Applauds U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement
IRVINE, Calif. (September 25, 2019) – In response to the announcement of the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “Western Growers extends its appreciation to President Trump for his leadership on the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, which opens up real market opportunities for producers of fresh fruits, vegetables and…
Western Growers Statement on Revisions to Federal Biological Opinions
IRVINE, Calif. (October 22, 2019) – In response to the Trump Administration’s new plan that will guide the federal management of the Central Valley Project (CVP) in California, Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “We are encouraged by the federal government’s willingness to expedite revisions of the biological opinions that ...
Western Growers Statement on Introduction of Farm Workforce Modernization Act
IRVINE, Calif. (October 30, 2019) – In response to the introduction of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act by Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Dan Newhouse, Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “On behalf of Western Growers members, farmers across the country who depend on an adequate supply of labor for their ...
Western Growers Statement on Committee Passage of Farm Workforce Modernization Act
IRVINE, Calif. (November 20, 2019) – In response to passage of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act by voice vote in the House Judiciary Committee, with a recorded vote to take place tomorrow morning, Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “Western Growers applauds today’s passage of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act in ...
WG Applauds Japanese Approval of Trade Deal
IRVINE, Calif., (December 5, 2019) — In response to the announcement of the Japanese Diet’s approval of the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “With Japan’s parliamentary approval of the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, the final hurdle for the deal to take effect on January 1st of 2020 ...