E: mrivera@wga.com/P: 949.885.4778 EXT 4778 Michelle Rivera serves as the Communications Manager for Western Growers, where she is responsible for ensuring effective internal and external communications for Western Growers members, industry partners and consumers across all platforms. Michelle has more than 15 years of marketing and communications experience in various industries, including adtech, consumer products […]
Zach Bagley, Managing Director of the California Tomato Research Institute, will be speaking at the Salinas Biological Summit on June 20-21, 2023. Bagley has been in the processing tomato industry in California for 10 years and brings an array of experience and insight in agricultural innovation to the Salinas Biological Summit. In his current role with the California Tomato Research…
The May/June digital issue of the Western Grower & Shipper magazine is now available and can be accessed here. This issue’s theme encompasses everything about seeds and soil. The cover story, titled How The Wonderful Company and other ag industry leaders support their communities through education, talks about how ag industry leaders are investing and supporting their workers and…
Chief Scientific Officer for the Almond Board of California Dr. Josette Lewis will be one of the featured speakers at the 2023 Salinas Biological Summit on June 20-21, 2023. Dr. Lewis brings more than 25 years of experience working in agricultural research and policy in government, academic, nonprofit and tech-based sectors. Before joining the Almond Board, she led the Environmental Defense…
Julie Henderson, Director of the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, will bring her agricultural and public health expertise and insight to the Salinas Biological Summit on June 20-21, 2023. Henderson was appointed as DPR Director in December 2021 after serving as its Acting Director since July that same year. She previously served as the California Environmental Protection…
Scott Komar, Senior Vice President of Global R&D for Driscoll’s, is slated to speak at the Salinas Biological Summit on June 20-21, 2023. Scott has been with Driscoll’s for more than 11 years and is currently responsible for all elements of R&D across North and South America, EMEA, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. His leadership extends to the global R&D group, which comprises…
FIRA USA organizers hosted a press conference on April 27, 2023 at the Salinas Rodeo Grounds to announce the opening of registration for the second edition of FIRA USA, set for Sept. 19-21, 2023, in Salinas, Calif. The three-day event aims to bring together startups and growers in the agtech automation community for a showcase of the latest in robotic farming solutions, including…
We are excited to announce that early bird registration is now open for the 97th Western Growers Annual Meeting to be held at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, from Nov. 12-15. 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. This year,…
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its final rule this week in establishing traceability recordkeeping requirements for those who manufacture, process, pack, or hold certain foods, including leafy greens, nut butters, fresh-cut fruits and vegetables and ready-to-eat deli salads, for inclusion on the Food Traceability List (FTL). The requirements established in…
The Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology (WGCIT) hosted its November “Lunch and Learn” series on Nov. 15 with speaker Matthew Hoffman, PhD, Plant Health Technology Lead of Research and Development with Driscoll’s. Nearly 15 startups attended the session, where Hoffman spoke on his area of concentration in technology and outreach program leadership at ...
Register today for the Sustainable Nutrient Management & Soil Health Field Day, which will be held on Friday, December 9. Items on the agenda include climate-smart nutrient management, co-composed biochar application, the latest developments in measuring and assessing soil health and avenues for improving nitrogen recycling in vegetable production. EVENT DETAILS What: Sustainable Nutrient…
More than 330 agricultural and environmental stakeholder groups called on Congress in a letter sent on Nov. 14 to reaffirm that states will not impose pesticide regulation in a manner that contradicts federal findings. Signers of the letter, which includes Western Growers, expressed their concern that some states have begun to regulate pesticides in a ...
Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema toured JV Smith Farms in Yuma this week, hosted by Western Growers member and former Board Chair Vic Smith, CEO of JV Smith Companies, for a chance to see cutting-edge technologies used by farmers in the field. In particular, the tour focused on technologies employed by JV Smith, including Carbon Robotics’ ...
Western Growers has provided comments on the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s (DPR) proposed design elements for its statewide Pesticide Application Notification System. In 2021-2022, California’s state budget allocated $10 million to the DPR to begin the development of a statewide system that provides information to the public about pesticides being used in their areas.…
Agriculture professionals have the opportunity to support the future of food safety scientists by donating to several Center for Produce Safety (CPS) programs. The Center for Produce Safety offers programs that encourage science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students to pursue a career in produce food safety. CPS 2023 Research Symposium: You can sponsor a ...
Since routine inspections of farms subject to the Produce Safety Rule (PSR) began in 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and National Association of Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) have worked closely with state and industry partners to prepare regulators and farms for inspections through training, technical assistance, educational visits, and On-Farm Readiness Review ...
Western Growers recently met with Walmart leadership to discuss Walmart’s Supplier Quality Excellence Program (SQEP). Walmart’s team is interested in learning more about how they can improve the quality of pallets that are entering the system before they make it to suppliers. They are also open to hearing more about the dispute resolution process for ...
Registration is now open for two upcoming labor law seminars to discuss the implementation of AB 2183, the agricultural employee unionization card check legislation that goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2023. The seminar, How to Prepare for AB 2183 “Card Check,” will be presented by Barsamian and Moody. It will cover the statutory changes ...
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey delivered his farewell address to Arizonans last week, giving thanks to Arizonans for the last eight years he’s spent in office and listing his achievements. The governor said that when he took office, the state faced a billion dollar deficit, the economy was flat, and its schools were “mired in lawsuits.” ...
Not too many people can say that the owner of their company made them a sandwich, but that’s exactly what happened to Marisol Moreno when she discovered her passion for agriculture. At the time, she was working for a table grapes company as a senior accountant and was told she’d need to cover for the ...
California is the top agriculture-producing state in the U.S., according to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. But when it comes to autonomous vehicle ecosystem superiority, Arizona has not only taken a front seat—it’s also become the driver. The state has deployed a pro-business approach that has made it the hub for businesses in autonomous technology—and ...
