E: [email protected]/P:949.241.5337 Kara Timmins is the Communications Manager for Western Growers. She has worked in marketing and publishing for over ten years. She has a keen interest in biological evolution and how science can be used to find solutions to human issues. Kara received her undergraduate degree in Anthropology from the University of […]
On Thursday, the Specialty Crops Security Act of 2024 (S. 4168) was introduced by U.S. Senators Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), which increases funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) and ensures specialty crop farmers have a say in how the funding is spent. According to the press release, this legislation will “increase the United States…
Human Resources departments require tools and information to support their organizations. These decisions can strengthen a corporate structure for years to come. For the agricultural industry to stay competitive, it requires specialized insight to make data-based decisions. The Compensation Survey is an annual report created with collective contributions from Western Growers members to…
Are you ready to hire an intern? In a coordinated effort between Western Growers and growers to identify key skill needs within fresh-produce agriculture, students throughout California have completed industry-specific college-level coursework. Students who have acquired the number of credits to qualify for internships are now ready for opportunities. Western Growers is also offering to…
California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis met with the Western Growers Board of Directors at the board meeting held in Sacramento, Calif. on April 8, 2024. Kounalakis spoke to the Board during lunch before the group went to meet with legislators at the Capitol. Pictured: Stuart Woolf, President and CEO of Woolf Farming & Processing and Western Growers Board of Directors…
CONTACT will be hosting The Traceability Rule: How to Prepare and What to Expect from Buyers webinar on April 16, 2024, from 12:30-2:00 p.m. PDT. The webinar will feature Natalie Hunter and Erik Larsen, traceability advisors with New Era Partners. This event is free to attend and will be held on Zoom. Register here.
A farmland landscape may not make many people think of a place rich in scientific research and discovery, but it should! In this episode of Voices of the Valley Megan Kavanaugh, VP of Science and Agronomy at Bio S.I., talks about the life and activity happening in the soil with Western Growers Jeana Cadby, Director of Climate and Sustainability, and Kara Timmins, Communications…
As Albert Keck passed the gavel representing the position of chair of the board to Stuart Woolf at the 2023 Western Growers annual meeting in Kauai, Hawaii, in November, it was more than a handoff of the role. It was a clear view into how deep the bench is in the Western Growers board for leadership. Though a new chair of the board may mean a different tone in guidance, the collaborative and…
For AliBio, structures and systems are at the core of what they offer. The microbial systems they offer parallel the complexity of the systems created by the agricultural industry in order to feed the world’s population. By selecting the most capable microorganisms and analyzing millions of data from their genetics and metabolism, AliBio has a clear mission: provide a product that can help…
Farmers are often called stewards of the land–and more than ever before, the public is paying attention to how these stewards maintain the health of the imperceptibly small components of soil. The team at Bio S.I. has a keen eye on that soil as well. In the inoculant field since the ‘90s and incorporated in 2006, Bio S.I produces microbial products that help rebuild, restore and renew soil…
Omar Amezola, a student at Rancho Cielo in Salinas, Calif. was amazed by one technology in particular when he attended the 2023 FIRA USA event in September with his classmates. “I saw all these different kinds of drones and what they did,” Amezola said. “I went to go ask what they did, and they said that it looks at the plants and it uses x-ray vision and it looks under the…
Western Growers food safety scientists Sonia Salas, Associate Vice President, Science & Technology, and Joelle Mosso, Associate Vice President, Science Programs, discuss their perspective and insight when it comes to buying fresh produce for their children. Hear about how to get information from trusted sources regarding food safety from two food safety experts as well as what the future…
Western Growers Dennis Donohue, Center for Innovation and Technology Director, and Jeana Cadby, Environment and Climate Director, visited Australia and New Zealand to meet with growers and scientists to discover and understand opportunities to collaborate and learn about sustainable farming practices for vegetable production. Highlights of the trip included walking through the new Kiwifruit…
In this episode of Voices of the Valley, Katie Chiapuzio, Director of Environmental Science and Resources at Braga Fresh, joins Jeana Cadby, Environment and Climate Director, and Kara Timmins, Communications Manager, to discuss the amazing nature of bees and how they contribute to agriculture. Listen now to hear about some fun bee facts to share!
The March/April 2024 digital issue of the Western Grower & Shipper magazine is available now. This issue includes the articles To Be Disfavored by Sacramento; Groundwater: A Tale of Two States; My Cross-Border Medical Experience in Mexico, Courtesy of WGAT; California’s Ag Overtime Law, Good Intentions, Unintended Consequences and more. The cover article features A.G. Kawamura for an…
The Western Growers Year in Review for 2023 is now available online. This reference shares an overview of Western Growers activities throughout the year to support and advocate for the agricultural industry. This report includes updates from the following teams: Federal and State Government Affairs Science Center for Innovation and Technology Legal Western Growers…
Though Exotic Fruit Fly (EFF), (including Mediterranean fruit fly, Oriental fruit fly, Queensland fruit fly and tau fruit fly) numbers are down, California dealt with an exceptionally high quantity and diversity of Exotic Fruit Flies this season. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) urges growers to stay vigilant in an effort to eradicate EFF. The CDFA, in cooperation with…
On Feb. 26, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission sued to block Kroger Company’s $24.6 billion acquisition of Albertsons Companies, Inc. alleging that the deal is anti-competitive. Announced in the fall 2022, Kroger’s agreement to purchase 100 percent of Albertsons would mean the merger of the No. 1 and No. 2 largest grocery store chains. According to the FTC’s case “the destruction of…
The third annual FIRA USA event is scheduled for Oct. 22-24, 2024, in Woodland/Sacramento, Calif. FIRA USA will showcase over 35 robots demonstrating advancements in agricultural automation solutions in three demonstration zones of vegetables, orchards and vineyards. The exhibition hall will include 70+ indoor booths. For the first time, growers will be able to attend FIRA USA for…
The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has released the Arizona Annual Vegetables Report summary for 2023. Some key findings from the report: Arizona harvested 68,500 acres of lettuce in 2023, up 5 percent from the 65,000 acres harvested in 2022. Arizona produced 22.06 million hundredweight (cwt) of lettuce in 2023, with a value of utilized lettuce production of…
The National Organics Standards Board (NOSB) is accepting comments until April 3, 2024 regarding recommendations for USDA organics standards. The NOSB will be meeting in Milwaukee in April 2024; written comments and requests to provide oral comments must be submitted before the meetings. Meeting Details Online Comment Webinars (2 days): April 23 & 25, 2024, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm…
