Posts By: Jeff Janas
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Western Growers Praises Proposed ESA Revisions
Earlier this year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service published revisions to the listing/delisting process for species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Western Growers filed comments with both agencies praising the revisions that have been proposed. The proposed revisions provide for more state government input and increase the ...
Updated California Family Rights Act Notice and Form Available
The Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) has prepared a new Joint Notice for Family Care and Medical Leave (CFRA Leave) and Pregnancy Disability Leave for employer use. A Spanish translation of the notice is expected to be released soon. The new joint notice is worded differently than the prior version of the notice ...
Low Interest Loans Available from Water Resources Board for Ag Projects
The California State Water Resources Board has a low-interest loan funding program available for agricultural projects. Example projects that may be funded include, but are not limited to, implementation of Ag Management Practices and installation of Drip and Micro-drip Irrigation. For the Board’s Loan Brochure, CLICK HERE For a link to the Board’s financial assistance ...
Leaving Money on the Table — Billions of Settlement Dollars Go Unclaimed
Western Growers is proud to announce that we have engaged Financial Recovery Strategies (FRS), a leading asset recovery and cost reduction firm, as WG’s exclusive class action settlement claim consultant. Every year throughout the U.S., tens of billions of dollars are recovered in class action settlements. These allege that products, like containerboard, automobile parts, agricultural ...
WG Pushes for Permanent Seasonal Workers’ Fix in Affordable Care Act
Western Growers is promoting a small, but important, legislative fix to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that would help employers determine the healthcare eligibility for their seasonal workers. The legislation, known as the Stars Act (Simplifying Technical Aspects Regarding Seasonality), aims to permanently codify IRS regulations defining who is considered a “seasonal worker” under the…
WG Board to Convene Tomorrow in Newport Beach
Western Growers Chairman Vic Smith will gavel to order the Orange County Board of Directors meeting tomorrow morning in Newport Beach. Committee meetings are scheduled all day on Wednesday and will include discussions on a variety of topics affecting the industry, including water, labor, food safety, agtech, legislative proposals, trade, and transportation issues. The full ...
UFW Files Access Notices on California Farms
UFW has been actively filing ‘Notices of Intent to Take Access’ with the Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB). Over 30 access filings have been submitted over the last 30 days. UFW organizers have visited a number of farms along the southern and northern coasts and the Central Valley. In those instances when the UFW has ...
Canadian Opposition Party Lauded for Committing to PACA-like Program for Produce Sellers
Last week, the leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP) — in advance of this fall’s federal elections — made a platform commitment to introduce payment protection for produce sellers similar to the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) offered in the United States. The Canadian Produce Marketing Association and the Canadian Horticultural Council praised NDP ...
WG Board Wraps-up Orange County Meeting
The Western Growers Board of Directors wrapped-up a successful meeting today in Orange County, having deliberated top issues affecting the fresh produce industry. Chairman Vic Smith of JV Smith Companies led two days of committee meetings and a general session that included policy discussions on water supply, labor, food safety, trade, transportation issues, and innovation. ...
AgFunder Highlights WG Center for Innovation and Technology
This week, AgFunder highlighted the Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology, scheduled to open this October in Salinas. The Center will facilitate interaction, collaboration and networking opportunities between AgTech entrepreneurs, farmers and investors. It will also provide start-ups with programs and mentoring assistance to help launch their businesses successfully.…
Western Growers Objects to Crop Sustainability Provision in Huffman Bill
This week, in response to water legislation he introduced last month, Western Growers sent a letter to California congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) objecting to a crop sustainability provision that would set a dangerous precedent for the agriculture industry. While the bill includes some interesting ideas, WG expressed concern over that particular provision and explained ...
WG Annual Meeting — Peak into the Future with Former Cisco Chief Futurist Dave Evans
This November, Western Growers will be holding our 90th Annual Meeting. The occasion not only gives us an opportunity to celebrate the history of our industry, but to contemplate its future. There may be no one more qualified to do that than former Cisco Chief Futurist, David Evans, who will provide his take on what ...
San Joaquin Control District Issues Drought–related Air Pollution Advisory
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (District) issued a Special Advisory on August 3, 2015, reminding agricultural operators farming greater than 100 contiguous acres, having 500 or more mature dairy cows, or 190 or more of any other cattle that they are required to have and implement a Conservation Management Practices Plan (CMPP) ...
GMOs Check – Register for Our GMO Lunch & Learn Webinar
What is the current status of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)? Are you interested in learning more about the existing and emerging science around GMOs as well as some of the current challenges related to their use? Stay ahead of the game by joining Western Growers on August 26 for our Lunch and Learn webinar on ...
Reclamation to Release 83,000 Acre-feet of Water to Stave Salmon Die-off
Geographically speaking, the Trinity and Klamath Rivers are worlds apart from the over-crowded population centers of Northern and Southern California. The water that collects in the Trinity River Reservoir from the confluence of these two rivers, which eventually flows south via an intricate plumbing system, has a wide range of beneficiaries, including cities, farmers and ...
Court Sends Central Coast Conditional Waiver Program Back to Drawing Board
On Tuesday, the Sacramento County Superior Court issued a ruling in the lawsuit brought by Monterey Coastkeeper, et al. against the State Water Resources Control Board for modifications it made to the Regional Board’s Central Coast Agricultural Order governing discharges from irrigated agricultural lands in the Central Coast region. Under the Conditional Waiver program, farmers ...
Undocumented Workers Entitled to Same Protections as Legal Workers
A recent decision by a United States District Court for the Southern District of New York confirms that undocumented workers are entitled to the same benefits as regular citizens under fair labor and New York Labor laws. The decision applies to a variety of work situations, including coverage under workers’ compensation laws and the Affordable Care ...
ALRB to Conduct Public Hearings on Proposed Access Rules
The Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB) will be traveling to key agricultural areas in September 2015 to solicit input from farmworkers, employers and interested members of the public on its proposal to promulgate a rule that permits ALRB staff to visit agricultural work sites. The visits are intended for the purpose of educating farmworkers and ...
2015 California Wage and Benefit Survey Results
The 2015 California Wage and Benefit Survey results are now available. The survey was conducted by the Farm Employers Labor Service (FELSSM), Western Growers and several other ag organizations and provides a reference for estimating pay rates, benefits and understanding compensation structures used by California agricultural firms. Fourteen on-the-farm jobs titles from supervisor to general…
Agricultural Plastics Recycling Conference and Trade Show Starts Tomorrow
The Agricultural Plastics Recycling Conference and Trade Show starts tomorrow in San Diego and runs through August 21. The forum is being hosted by plastic recyclers, brokers, farmers, nurseries, agricultural plastic manufactures and government officials to discuss alternative solutions to using landfilling and the open burning of waste from agricultural products. Attendees will…