Posts By: Stephanie Metzinger

FDA Develops Guidance Documents in Collaboration with Western Growers

On Tuesday morning, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition published a Constituent Update that discussed “How to Work with FDA on Food Guidance Documents.” The update contained links to two documents on best practices for working with the agency to develop guidance documents for regional, industry or ...

February 16 Webinar Provides Tips to Hiring the Best Employees

To complement the annual Professional Compensation and HR Practices Survey, Western Growers will be offering a free webinar on Thursday, February 16, to provide insight on attracting the best employees. The webinar will cover topics including: Proactive planning for a total rewards strategy; Using data to make well-informed compensation decisions; Newly added compensation and HR ...

WG Center for Innovation Hosts Israel AgTech Innovation Showcase

In an effort to connect agtech innovation centers in Israel with those in California, a delegation of Israel companies will be hosting the “Israel AgTech Innovation Showcase” at the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology in Salinas on Wednesday, March 8, 2017. The event will feature a series of events that aim to foster ...

Repeal and Replace: Health Benefits Updates

On January 20, President Trump signed an executive order regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA), creating a broad policy statement about how the leaders of ACA-related agencies are to conduct themselves. While executive orders may not be used to modify laws or regulations, Trump’s order did include directions to: Avoid cost burdens on states, individuals, ...

Nassif Analyzes Trumps First 100 Days in Blog Series

During President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office, Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif will be providing an in-depth analysis on how proposed federal policies will affect agriculture. Nassif will offer regular updates through Nassif Notes, detailing how issues such as healthcare, tax reform, immigration and trade will impact ag and ag-related businesses. ...

Professional Compensation and HR Practices Survey Now Open

Western Growers is offering members an important tool to help attract and retain the best employees in California and Arizona’s produce industry. The annual HR Practices and Compensation Survey collects data to provide members with crucial information needed to keep compensation competitive—and your participation this year is needed! Every WG member who participates in the ...

Russell Pacific Brings Innovative Solar Technology to WG Members

Russell Pacific will be hosting a Tech Talk on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, to educate members on how to offset high operating costs with clean, solar powered energy. This startup is one of 27 agtech companies in the WG Center for Innovation & Technology. Russell Pacific, a specialty wholesaler, has taken on the responsibility of ...

Repeal and Replace: Health Benefits Timeline Update

President Trump’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) executive order may not affect your health benefits in the short term, but his promise to repeal and replace the ACA makes it likely that major changes are on their way. Once the Trump administration assembles its team, the new republican Congress can use a majority vote to unilaterally ...

Webinar Offers Tips to Hiring the Best Employees — THURSDAY

To complement the annual Professional Compensation and HR Practices Survey, Western Growers will be offering a free webinar on Thursday, February 16, to provide insight on attracting the best employees. The webinar will cover topics including: Proactive planning for a total rewards strategy; Using data to make well-informed compensation decisions; Newly added compensation and HR ...

Don’t Forget to Fill Out the Professional Compensation and HR Practices Survey

Western Growers is offering members an important tool to help attract and retain the best employees in California and Arizona’s produce industry. The annual HR Practices and Compensation Survey collects data to provide members with crucial information needed to keep compensation competitive—and your participation this year is needed! Every WG member who participates in the surveys…

1095-B and 1095-C Reporting Deadline Approaching

The due date for furnishing the 2016 Form 1095-B, Health Coverage, and the 2016 Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage, is March 2, 2017. The IRS issued a notice late last year granting an extension of the 1095-B and 1095-C reporting from January 31, 2017, to March 2, 2017. Following consultation with stakeholders, the Department of the…

Russell Pacific Tech Talk Highlights Innovative Solar Technology

Russell Pacific will be hosting a Tech Talk on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, to educate members on how to offset high operating costs with clean, solar powered energy. This startup is one of 29 agtech companies in the WG Center for Innovation & Technology, Russell Pacific, a specialty wholesaler, has taken on the responsibility of determining ...

February 28 Lunch and Learn Features Technologies to Enhance Food Supply Chain

Can new technologies enhance efficiencies in the food supply chain? Next week’s Lunch & Learn webinar will delve into how smart systems, such as blockchain and live sensors, can help agriculture meet the increasing demand for freshness, taste, nutrition, safety and sustainability in food. On Tuesday, February 28, Ripe.io Co-Founder Raja Ramachandran will explore important ...

DPR Issues Emergency Applications of Fungicides to Orchards

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) recently issued a letter to counties throughout Northern California that there is a need for emergency aerial applications of fungicides to orchards with standing water. Counties affected include Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo and Yuba. DPR notes that the unusual wet weather throughout ...

Russell Pacific Speaks Solar Technology During Tuesday’s Tech Talk

Russell Pacific will be hosting a Tech Talk on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, to educate members on how to offset high operating costs with clean, solar powered energy. This startup is one of 29 agtech companies in the WG Center for Innovation & Technology, Russell Pacific, a specialty wholesaler, has taken on the responsibility of determining ...

Lunch and Learn Features Technologies to Enhance Food Supply Chain: February 28

Can new technologies enhance efficiencies in the food supply chain? Next week’s Lunch & Learn webinar will delve into how smart systems, such as blockchain and live sensors, can help agriculture meet the increasing demand for freshness, taste, nutrition, safety and sustainability in food. On Tuesday, February 28, Ripe.io Co-Founder Raja Ramachandran will explore important ...

WGAT Cedar Health and Wellness Center Now in Oxnard

WGAT recently opened its newest Cedar Health and Wellness Center in the Oxnard area at 650 Hobson Way, Suite 207 in Oxnard. WGAT participants in Oxnard and surrounding communities can use the new Cedar center, which offers expanded hours, same day appointments, bilingual care and exceptional care options with lower copays than standard health plans. The ...

Nassif Details ACA Repeal and Replace Impacts in Latest Blog

Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif just released the second installment of his blog series where he analyzes Trump’s proposed policies and their impact on ag—including the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In his latest entry, he speaks further about the ACA executive order’s effect on ag and ag-related businesses, employees and families. Nassif details ...

Forbes AgTech Summit Comes Back to Salinas on June 28-29

Mark your calendars! The Forbes AgTech Summit is returning to Salinas on June 28- 29, 2017, where 600 of the smartest and most entrepreneurial minds in Silicon Valley and global agriculture will come together to tackle some of the world’s most critical challenges. Held for the third straight year, the Summit fosters lively debate and ...

Sac Bee Publishes Op-Ed by Nassif, Radanovich and Nelsen on ALRB Appointment of Hall

Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif teamed up with George Radanovich, president of the California Fresh Fruit Association, and Joel Nelsen, president of California Citrus Mutual, to pen a Sacramento Bee op-ed (appeared Thursday online, will appear Friday in print) criticizing the Brown administration for its recent appointment of former state Senator Isadore Hall, ...