Posts By: Hank Giclas
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The Anatomy of the Outbreak Investigation
As a cog in the machine of the Leafy Greens Task Force (a coalition of produce companies, trade associations and others committed to understanding the recent outbreaks associated with romaine and developing steps to prevent further occurrence), I wanted to share my perspective on some of the difficult issues that have been focal points of ...
Data Power and Western Growers
Perhaps the single largest missed opportunity for the fresh produce sector is the failure to coalesce and share data. I am not talking about “transparency” of data—such that customers can learn the “provenance” of produce or other attributes. Nor am I talking about the distributed ledger or “blockchain” shared among supply chain partners. I am ...
Food Safety Efforts Underway to Create New Water Paradigm
Between 2009 and 2017, FDA and their partners at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified 28 foodborne illness outbreaks of Shiga-toxin producing E. coli (STEC) in the United States with a confirmed or suspected link to leafy greens—an average of more than three outbreaks per year. This eight-year period came on the ...
Western Growers: First in Food Safety
This issue of Western Grower & Shipper is about “firsts.” Western Growers has led the way in several areas of science and technology beginning with our leadership in the food safety arena. It is not well known, but Western Growers food safety history goes back decades. In 1990, when I joined Western Growers, we were ...
Together, We Can Create a Booming AgTech Ecosystem
By Hank Giclas and Stephanie Metzinger Farmers across the world face the daunting challenge of producing 70 percent more food by 2050 to feed an ever-growing population. Achieving this dramatic increase in global food production will require a proactive approach to modernizing our food system. Growers are “taking the bull by the horns” and implementing ...
Food Safety – Let’s Take a Step Back
In a recent article, I talked about Western Growers’ leadership in the food safety arena. For decades now, Western Growers has been the leader in what has been the single largest shift in food safety culture for growers and handlers on record. We have worked hand-in-glove with our members to design and consistently enhance preventive ...
The Role of Influence in the Food Safety Paradigm
“Influence”, or more specifically “influencers”, is the theme for this month’s magazine. It is a timely subject as Western Growers and the industry struggle with how to stem the ongoing outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with key commodities such as romaine. Securing safe food is a shared responsibility of all parts of the supply chain, ...
Proving our Environmental Case
Miriam-Webster defines “environmentalist” as an advocate of the preservation, restoration, or improvement of the natural environment or one concerned about the complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors (such as climate, soil, water, air and living things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival. Especially with ...
200 Farmers, 700 Students Advance Progress on Food Safety Tech at AgTechx Event
More than 200 farmers, technologists and academics gathered at the King City Fairgrounds yesterday for AgTechx to discuss how to utilize technologies to advance and improve food safety to protect public health, as well as explore the trends and technologies that will shape the food safety systems of the future. The event kicked off with ...
WG Submits Comments on Glyphosate Proposed Interim Registration
Recently, while the European Union was working to extend bans on glyphosate, Western Growers reinforced the need for science-driven policy and submitted comments to the Office of Pesticide Programs — Environmental Protection Agency to urge the continued registration and use of glyphosate. “Western Growers writes to you today to offer our preliminary comments on the ...
Register for the CPS Ag Water Treatment RFP Webinar
Join the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) as they host a free webinar overviewing the purpose of a new request for research proposals and the corresponding requirements to answer questions relating to water treatment. Following a pattern of multiple outbreak events, particularly from 2017 to 2018, and the strong association with continuing agricultural water risk ...
Help AgTech Startups Scale with a Chance to Earn $250,000 in Seed Funding
Western Growers and S2G Ventures is seeking your recommendations for technology companies you are currently working with or believe have an interesting technology to compete in the 2019 AgSharks® Competition. Selected entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to earn a $250,000 minimum investment and access to farmland to pilot their innovations. If any WG member is ...
September 26 Meeting to Help Grow Your Sustainability Program
Join Western Growers, the Produce Marketing Association, Bayer CropScience, SISC, Sustainable Conservation, The Monterey County Sustainability Working Group and Measure to Improve on Thursday, September 26, 2019, for the “Sustainability In Action” meeting. This event will offer practical solutions to support growers, packer shippers and handlers in tracking and implementing sustainability…
NIFA is Looking for Industry Relevance Reviewers
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is seeking 100 volunteers to serve as industry relevance reviewers for their Specialty Crop Research Initiative. Eligible candidates must be currently engaged in, or have been previously engaged in, specialty crop production, handling or processing. Trade association representatives who represent those in specialty production, handling and…
Western Growers Tech Incubator Unveils New AgTech Initiatives during 3-Year Anniversary
The Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology (the Center) celebrated its three-year anniversary earlier today with an exclusive event that included a fireside chat discussing the state of the industry, as well as a presentation to unveil WG’s Grower Trial Network and Crop-Collaborative Initiative. The event — which was held at the Center in ...
AgTechx Food Safety Event Features Star-Studded Panel, Speakers
Next week, Western Growers members will have the opportunity to hear from some of the most innovative minds in agriculture and technology about the latest trends that will shape the food safety systems of the future. Join us for AgTechx at the King City Fairgrounds on Thursday, August 22, 2019, as we explore everything from ...
Spread the Word! Applications for $250K AgSharks Startup Pitch Competition Now Open
Western Growers and S2G Ventures are seeking applications from start-up companies working on agricultural technologies to compete in the 2019 AgSharks® Competition. Selected entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to earn a $250,000 minimum investment and access to farmland to pilot their innovations. If any WG member is currently working with an agtech startup, help them ...
CPS Launches Innovation Challenge to Advance Food Safety Solutions
The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) is calling for applications for its GRABIT Challenge, a competition where technology innovators and developers can submit their solutions-based discovery to win an award of up to $75,000. The Grower’s Risk Assessment Biomarkers Investigative Tool (GRABIT) challenge was designed to stimulate the development of science-based approaches to support the ...
WG Brings AgTech Innovation to Growers in Central Valley
As part of Western Growers’ efforts to bring innovative technologies directly to growers, the WG Center for Innovation & Technology is hosting “Innovation in the Central Valley” on May 8, 2018. Innovation in the Central Valley will feature educational forums and robust networking opportunities while showcasing cutting-edge innovations for the agricultural community. It will also…
Forbes AgTech Summit Returns to Salinas on June 26 – 28
For the fourth consecutive year, Forbes is bringing together the most innovative minds in technology and agriculture for the three-day, invitation-only AgTech Summit on June 26-28, 2018, in Salinas, California. The Forbes AgTech Summit provides attendees with a fully immersive experience into the world of agricultural technology, from cutting-edge innovation showcases to fireside chats with…