Kara Timmins
Kara Timmins
Western Growers, Communications Manager

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 […]

Posts By: Kara Timmins

WGCIT Sponsor: How Bayer Sets the Pace of Innovation

“Fruit and vegetable growers need every tool in the toolbox because production is so challenging.” — Dr. Frank Wong, U.S. Industry Affairs Lead at Bayer. The only thing better than having a powerful ally is having an ally that is also dedicated, motivated and smart. Bayer is that ally for the specialty crop industry and Western Growers. Bayer has supported the Western Growers Center for…

WGCIT Resident: Agronova’s Probelte – Providing the Tools for Soil Health to Promote Human Health

With the motto “From soil to health,” Probelte puts its purpose of being a player in the chain of environmental and human health front and center. Hector Rodriguez, the CEO of Agronova—of which Probelte is the biological solutions subsidiary—has a keen eye on the future of biologicals in U.S. agriculture. In the broad framework of the Probelte catalog of products, there are three main…

Salinas Biological Summit Preview: Learn About the Cutting Edge of Soil and Plant Health

For many, standing at the edge of a growing crop—whether it’s a plot of land filled with thick and rustling broccoli leaves or swaying stalks of sweet corn—is a peace that borders on the sublime. The plants move in the breeze, capturing the gust to make sound. The soil is rich with minerals from careful cultivation and plant matter that has been churned into it over and over again. The…

All in the Family: How The Wonderful Company and Other Ag Industry Leaders Support Their Communities Through Education

As far as the whole story of agriculture goes, farming is just the beginning. The rows of leafy-green heads of lettuce or carrot greens is the scene opener to a much grander narrative. The farm is the start and the wellspring around which communities are created, mirroring the growth of the product that brought the people to the rural regions of the United States. In an industry where many…

What the Farm Bill Means for Specialty Crop Growers

January 2023 started the year with a dramatic entrance for much of the U.S. West. This new year is just one part of the story of years of unprecedented challenges with climate, pandemic-response regulations and policy changes, to name a few, creating a broad horizon of issues the Agriculture Committee leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate have to consider for the…

Future Agtech Employees Gain Insight from Industry Leaders at West Hills Lemoore College

Western Growers Association, California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and West Hills Lemoore College presented Ag Techx Ed – Developing The Next Generation Of Ag Tech Employees event on May 9th, 2023 at West Hills Lemoore College. In another step toward supporting and onboarding the next generation of specialized agtech professionals from within grower communities, Western…

Sherry Frey Will Speak at the Salinas Biological Summit

With more than two decades of industry experience, Sherry Frey, Vice President, Total Wellness at NielsenIQ, is scheduled to share her expertise regarding market insight for different consumer demographics at the 2023 Salinas Biological Summit on June 20-21, 2023. Sherry’s knowledge has particular value to the conversation of biological solutions related to the work NielsenIQ does.…

Elizabeth Fastiggi Joins the Salinas Biological Summit

Elizabeth Fastiggi, Head of Worldwide Business Development for Amazon Web Services, will bring her expertise for creating transparent and efficient food systems to the 2023 Salinas Biological Summit. In a recent episode of Western Growers’ Voices of the Valley podcast, Elizabeth stated that “various members of the supply chain talking to each other is what really matters.” As activity…

Alex Cochran, Chief Technology Officer at DPH Biologicals, Joins the Salinas Biological Summit

Alex Cochran, Ph.D., is bringing more than 20 years of leadership experience in agriculture research & development for crop protection, seed treatments and biologicals to the 2023 Salinas Biological Summit. Alex will be bringing a wide range of expertise to the Salinas Biological Summit happening on June 20-21, 2023. He served as Corteva’s R&D discovery and development leader for…

Don’t Miss the June 15th Deadline to Contribute to WG’s 2023 Compensation and Benefits Survey to Get a Free Copy

The deadline to contribute to the 2023 Compensation and Benefits Survey has been extended to June 15, 2023. This will be the cutoff date to participate in data contribution to qualify to receive the completed survey for free, a $2,500 value. All member data is collected, collated and analyzed by Industry Insights ─ a secure third-party company that does not reveal the raw data to anyone at…

Mojave Pistachios Gains Ground on Challenge to Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority’s Pumping Allocations

In the most recent development, the Fourth Appellate District, Court of Appeal compelled the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (IWVGA) to show cause for why Mojave Pistachios’ petition for writ of mandate to challenge the IWVGA’s Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) should not be granted. This permission of the writ of mandate is one part of the legal struggle between Mojave and…

FIRA USA Invites High School FFA Clubs in Northern California to Attend for Free

The first day of the FIRA USA event ─ September 19, 2023 ─ will be free for High School students associated with FFA clubs in the Salinas area to attend. Helping to deliver the future of agtech is much more than just technological advancements. The future of agtech requires sharp-minded up-and-coming engineers and scientists to take notice of the exciting developments happening in…

Growers Who Incurred Losses in 2022 Due to Natural Disaster Can Prepare for Coming Relief Assistance

The USDA has shared information to assist growers who were impacted by a natural disaster in 2022 to collect the necessary documents to prepare for participating in the Emergency Relief Program (ERP), which will distribute the $3.7 billion from the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced plans to begin the process of…

Highlight Your Brand and Connect with Top Leaders in the Fresh Produce Industry at the Western Growers Annual Meeting

The 2023 Western Growers Annual Meeting is open for sponsorship opportunities. This is an exceptional opportunity to build awareness of your brand through face-to-face networking with the agricultural industry’s elite leaders from hundreds of organizations. Share your company’s message with the brightest minds in the fresh produce industry, including hundreds of Western Growers members, the…

WG Member Benefit: CPS Symposium Tickets Available for Food Safety Professionals

Western Growers is a platinum sponsor of the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) Symposium on June 20-21, 2023 at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead, Ga. Western Growers is offering four tickets to food safety professionals from member companies, which includes entry to the VIP dinner. The two-day event will feature discussions and presentations on the latest advancements in produce safety…

See David Gill, Owner of Gills Onions and Rio Farms, at the Salinas Biological Summit

David Gill, Owner of Gills Onions and Rio Farms, will be joining the 2023 Salinas Biological Summit on Jun 20-21, 2023. Gills Onions is one of the largest and most innovative fresh-cut onion processing plants in the world. Along with Gills Onions, David owns Rio Farms, which grows a variety of crops including lettuce, spring mix, spinach, cauliflower and peppers. Between Rio Farms and Gills…

Farmers are Entrepreneurs: Citi’s Adam Bergman Talks Agtech on This Week’s Voices of the Valley

Adam Bergman ─ Managing Director, Clean Energy Transition Group and the Global Head of AgTech at Investment Banking, Citi ─ joins Dennis Donohue and Candace Wilson on this week’s episode of Voices of the Valley. The topic of agtech and cleantech to address issues like climate change is a global endeavor, Adam says. Countries like Israel, Brazil and the United States are all players in…

Hear Dr. Helene Dillard at the Salinas Biological Summit

Dr. Helene Dillard will be bringing her expertise to the 2023 Salinas Biological Summit on June 20-12, 2023. In her time serving as the Dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California Davis, Helene has led the College to achieve a No. 1 ranking in agriculture in the nation for the past seven years. She completed her B.S. degree in biology of…

Christine Birdsong, Undersecretary for the CDFA, Talks Sustainable Pest Management Solutions on This Week’s Voices of the Valley

Undersecretary for the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Christine Birdsong joins Dennis Donohue and Candace Wilson on this week’s episode of Voices of the Valley to discuss her role and initiatives to support California agriculture on key points like sustainable pest management, water (whether drought or flood), supply chain difficulties and an aging workforce. Birdsong…

Western Growers Annual Meeting Early Bird Registration is Now Open!

Early bird pricing for the Western Growers Annual Meeting is open until July 31, 2023! This year’s event at the Grand Hyatt Kauai is one that you will not want to miss. Attended by key decision-makers from Western Growers member companies, the Annual Meeting brings growers, shippers and processors together with allies and suppliers in the fresh produce industry. Do not delay in…