Posts By: Cory Lunde
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Western Growers Applauds USMCA Announcement
IRVINE, Calif. (December 10, 2019) – In response to the announcement that a deal on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was reached between the Administration and Congress, which received subsequent approval from the Mexican and Canadian governments, Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “Western Growers applauds the Administration and a…
Western Growers Statement on House Passage of Farm Workforce Modernization Act
IRVINE, Calif. (December 11, 2019) – In response to passage of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act by the U.S. House of Representatives, Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “With today’s passage of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act by the U.S. House of Representatives, another hurdle in the race to save ...
Over 150 Water and Agricultural Organizations Urge Congress and the White House to Address Western Water Challenges
WASHINGTON, D.C., (April 20, 2020) — A coalition of 150 organizations representing water and agricultural interests in the western U.S. urged Congress and President Trump today to address aging Western water infrastructure as further measures are considered to help the U.S. economy recover from the ongoing coronavirus crisis. “The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the importance of…
Wearable Tech Reduces Risks of Workplace Injuries in Agriculture
IRVINE, Calif., (July 1, 2020) – Western Growers Insurance Services (WGIS) today rolled out the Connected Worker Program to help prevent injuries before they occur. Utilizing the latest advancements in wearable technology, the Connected Worker Program measures certain motions and detects unsafe movements of employees during their shift. The data is shared with the supervisor and ...
Agriculture and Business Coalition Challenge Cal/OSHA Emergency Standards to Protect Nation’s Food Supply
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (December 31, 2020) – A coalition of agricultural and business employers has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court challenging the COVID-19 related emergency temporary standards (ETS) recently approved by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Board). The complaint alleges, among other things, that the Board lacks statutory authority ...
Western Growers Statement on Confirmation of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack
IRVINE, Calif. (February 23, 2021) – In response to the Senate’s confirmation of Tom Vilsack as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Western Growers President & CEO Dave Puglia issued the following statement: “We are pleased the Senate has confirmed Tom Vilsack as Secretary. Our work with him during his previous service as Secretary yielded positive policy actions ...
Western Growers Statement on Reintroduction of Farm Workforce Modernization Act
Irvine, Calif. (March 3, 2021) – In response to the reintroduction of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act in the U.S. House of Representatives, Western Growers President & CEO Dave Puglia issued the following statement: “We appreciate the efforts of Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Dan Newhouse, and all of our congressional champions, to keep the agricultural ...
Agriculture Coalition Files Lawsuit Challenging Coachella Urgency Ordinance
IRVINE, Calif. (March 12, 2021) – A coalition of agricultural organizations has filed a lawsuit in Riverside Superior Court to block Coachella’s urgency ordinance mandating that farmers and other agricultural employers pay an additional four dollars per hour to their employees for at least 120 days. In the complaint, plaintiffs Western Growers Association, California Fresh Fruit ...
National Ag, Water Coalition Highlights Need for More Water Investments in Biden Infrastructure Proposal
IRVINE, Calif. (March 31, 2021) – Recognizing the constructive elements of conservation, efficiency, recycling and watershed management included in the Biden administration’s initial infrastructure proposal, a national coalition of over 200 agricultural organizations and urban and rural water districts said today it would urge the federal government to further bolster investment in the…
National Coalition Presses for Water Supply Infrastructure
IRVINE, Calif. (June 9, 2021) – Citing an “acute and critical need” magnified by another all-too-familiar drought, a national coalition representing thousands of Western farmers, ranchers, water providers, businesses and communities urged Senate leaders yesterday to take action to address the shortcomings of aging water infrastructure. In a letter to Chairman Joe Manchin and Ranking…
Future Leaders Class Kicks off Program with Orientation
In mid-February, Class III of the Western Growers’ Future Volunteer Leaders Program completed an introductory orientation session in the association’s Irvine office. This is the group’s first activity in what will be a two-year program. In attendance were ten outstanding young individuals from Western Growers’ member companies: Pete Aiello, Uesugi Farms (Gilroy, CA); Brian Antle,…
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY: Western Growers Celebrates Opening of Salinas Center
By Cory Lunde and Stephanie Thara On December 10, 2015, Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif and a trio of prominent past and present Western Growers chairmen were on hand to formally open the Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology (WGCIT) housed in the Taylor Farms headquarter building in Salinas, Calif. Attending the ...
West Meets East: Ag Leadership Groups Network During Florida Production Tour
Rain, rain and more rain. That was the overarching theme of a recent Florida production tour attended by members of the Western Growers (WG) and Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) leadership classes. Following an unusually warm end to last year, record rains and extreme winds in January and February have dramatically impacted many produce ...
CULTIVATE CALIFORNIA: Effort Seeks To Preserve Agriculture’s Social License
It’s no secret. In an era of diminishing resources, agriculture is being asked to do more with less. However, despite the prodigious efforts of many of our members—as well as the broader industry—to innovate and conserve, we still face attacks from agenda-driven activists and pressures from misguided policymakers. These negative sentiments can spill over into ...
WG 91st Annual Meeting: Foodborne Illness — Criminal & Civil Liability Workshop
It was an odd juxtaposition at the 91st Western Growers Annual Meeting. Outside, paradise. Lush ferns and palm trees lined the grounds of the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort. Waves from Keoniloa Bay gently crashed along the shores of Shipwrecks Beach. Inside, a much more sobering reality, where the topic of conversation at the Monday afternoon ...
WG LEADERSHIP: Class IV Future Volunteer Leaders Installed in February
In early February, the fourth class of Future Volunteer Leaders assembled at the Western Growers Irvine headquarters for the inaugural activities of the two-year networking and leadership development program. Class participant Heather Mulholland, chief operating officer for Mulholland Citrus, said the program “provides a unique opportunity to collaborate with, and learn from, a diverse network…
Tom Nassif Wins Prestigious Agriculturalist of the Year Award
Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif has been selected 2017 Agriculturalist of the Year by the California State Fair for his extensive contributions to the California agricultural industry. “Looking at the list of past recipients of this award, I am humbled to be considered among these legendary and iconic names,” said Nassif. “Truly, I ...
Indoor Vertical Farms: The Wave of the Future?
On November 1, 2017, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) voted—by the narrowest of margins—to allow growers utilizing container, hydroponic or aquaponics production to keep their organic certification. While the NOSB is advisory in nature, with the staff of the National Organic Program and other USDA officials making the final call, this vote is significant ...
Legislator Profile: U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein representing California since 1993
(Editor’s Note: Dianne Feinstein won the Democratic primary nomination in June and is on the ballot in November attempting to win her sixth term in the U.S. Senate. Born in San Francisco, Sen. Feinstein graduated from Stanford University in 1955 with a Bachelor of Arts in history. She was first elected to public office as ...
Farmers: The Original Environmentalists
It is a like a sub-plot out of the Netflix television series, Stranger Things, which follows the residents of Hawkins as they battle supernatural forces from the Upside Down, an alternate dimension linked together in a hive mind controlled by the Mind Flayer. In a stranger-than-fiction, real-life drama that is playing out across the country, ...