On Friday, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed into law legislation that allows the Arizona Department of Agriculture—rather than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration—to oversee the FSMA Final Rule on Produce Safety in Arizona. The bill, SB 1063, was sponsored by Senator Gail Griffin. The new law provides the Arizona Department of Agriculture the ability ...
Help establish priorities for iceberg lettuce research by participating in the Arizona Iceberg Lettuce Research Council’s (AILRC) 2018 iceberg lettuce research survey. The AILRC requests your participation in the following survey: https://tinyurl.com/AILRC-2018 The results of the survey will help determine the needs of the iceberg lettuce producers when prioritizing research projects that are…
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently modified the contribution limits for health savings accounts (HSAs) covering families. The 2018 contribution limit for HSAs linked to family coverage will be $6,850—not $6,900, as the IRS had previously announced. In its Internal Revenue Bulletin No. 2018–10, released March 5, the IRS clarified that for HSAs, the annual ...
In January 2017, federal OSHA implemented a requirement that all employers in states regulated by Fed-OSHA participate in an annual electronic filing process to better track injury and illness data. Initially, employers in states (like California) who participated in a state-sponsored OSHA plan in lieu of Fed-OSHA were indicated to be exempt from the filing ...
Anthem Blue Cross has alerted Western Growers Assurance Trust (WGAT) that St. Agnes Medical Center in the Fresno region has terminated its contract. As of May 31, 2018, St. Agnes Medical Center was no longer considered “in-network.” Please note that WGAT participants who receive care at St. Agnes Medical Center may be subject to greater ...
After announcing the termination weeks ago, St. Agnes Medical Center has reached an agreement with Anthem Blue Cross to re-instate its contract. This went into effect on June 1, 2018, and will remain in place until a new multi-year agreement is finalized. Western Growers Assurance Trust (WGAT) has rescinded the termination communication that they were ...
IRVINE, Calif. (August 6, 2018) – Western Growers, representing farmers across Arizona, California and other Western states, has announced its opposition to the “Clean Energy for a Healthy Arizona” initiative. This constitutional amendment would require public utilities to acquire 50 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Dave Puglia, Western Growers’…
By Leah Freeman After six years, Western Growers will be returning to Palm Springs for the 93rd Annual Meeting. This is an opportunity for members to take part in educational and exciting events over the course of several days. Taking place October 28th through 31st at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa, this ...
The May/June issue of Western Grower & Shipper is now available online. In this issue: Redefining Rural America, One Woman at a Time Women make up a third of the nation’s farmers, generating nearly $12.9 billion in agricultural sales on a yearly basis. Solid Spring Helps with Disappointing Winter A series of March and April ...
Join us at Western Growers Annual Meeting in Palm Desert, California on October 28 – 31, 2018. The yearly event is a great opportunity for members to come together and celebrate the recent achievements of the fresh produce industry. This year we welcome featured guests including: Judge Andrew Napolitano – PAC Lunch Judge Andrew P. ...
Hear Judge Napolitano share his insights on the current political environment during our WGPAC Lunch on Monday, October 29, in Palm Desert. Judge Napolitano tenaciously defends the natural law freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. Famous for his candid remarks, signature wit, and personal anecdotes, Judge Napolitano is the American media’s most outspoken analyst of the ...
The July/August issue of Western Grower & Shipper is now available online. In this issue: Stephen Patricio Exemplifies the Best of Ag Almost everyone who knows him mentions his dedication to the ag community—especially when it comes to water rights and food safety. One thing that might surprise people, given his influential leadership in the industry, ...
The Top Chef workshop will be returning for another year at Western Growers Annual Meeting, but this time involving sushi. The hands-on workshop – taught by the resident sushi chefs at JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa – will cover everything you need to know to become a master sushi maker, including: Rice preparation ...
One of the featured workshops at the Western Growers Annual Meeting will focus on genomics. Advances in genomics have the ability to transform the ag world as we know it and significantly affect how we live, work and run our businesses. Juan Enriquez will lead this workshop with a panel of members and other industry ...
AgSharks™ returns this year for another exciting competition. Western Growers’ AgSharks™ competition is the groundbreaking, collaborative forum that helps advance agricultural technologies within the fresh produce industry. In 2017, start-up companies Hazel Technologies and AgVoice received a $2.25 million total investment offer from S2G Ventures (Seed 2 Growth). During this year’s…
In this workshop, four Western Growers members will participate in a panel discussion and share stories on how Arbinger has positively impacted them and shaped their leadership influence to create a better work environment. Arbinger is a leading method in strengthening company culture. The method takes into account an individual’s impact on others and focuses ...
Don’t miss the opportunity to save on registration for the Western Growers 93rd Annual Meeting. The full conference ticket for members is $995 and $595 for a guest social pass. Early bird registration ends September 1; after that, prices will go up by $150. The conference will take place October 28-31, 2018, at the JW ...
In late 2017, President Trump directed the U.S. Trade Representative to begin consultation under the U.S. – Korea Free Trade Agreement. At that time, there was also some speculation that the United States might withdraw from the agreement. After just several negotiating rounds, the United States and the Republic of Korea reached an agreement in principle ...