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Western Growers Endorses California Water Bond
IRVINE, Calif. (April 23, 2018) – Western Growers has endorsed a water bond initiative likely to appear on the November 2018 California ballot. The measure would invest $8.877 billion in water infrastructure and programs throughout the state. Following a board discussion and vote on the matter, Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif issued the following ...
Western Growers’ Statement on Administration’s H-2A Reform Initiative
IRVINE, Calif., (May 24, 2018) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today released a joint cabinet statement on modernizing the H-2A temporary agricultural visa program. In response, Western Growers’ President and CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “Any effort to simplify and streamline the federal government’s visa program for agricultural foreign workers – the ...
Four Technology Startups Chosen to Compete for $250,000 Minimum Investment in Inaugural Ag Automation Competition
IRVINE, Calif. (June 5, 2018) – Western Growers and Radicle Growth have selected the four finalists who will be competing in the inaugural Radicle Automation Challenge for a minimum of $250,000 in investment capital and exclusive access to farm acreage to pilot their technologies. On June 26, 2018, these four agtech start-up companies will pitch ...
Upcoming Workshops Will Cover Listeria Control Specific to Fresh Produce
Companies from across the fresh produce supply chain can learn strategies to control and prevent Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) at newly-announced workshops to be held Sept. 11-12 in Fresno, California, and Sept. 13-14 in Monterey/Seaside, California. The workshops are hosted jointly by Western Growers, Produce Marketing Association (PMA) and United Fresh Produce Association (United Fresh), with…
Western Growers Statement on USDA Trade Mitigation Plan
IRVINE, Calif., (August 28, 2018) — In response to the release of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) trade mitigation plan yesterday, Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “We are still analyzing the details of this plan, but at first glance it appears USDA’s mitigation efforts will fall substantially short of ...
AgSharks Competition Offers $250,000 Minimum Investment for AgTech Startups
The challenge calls for entrepreneurs and startups looking to innovate solutions for the agricultural sector IRVINE, Calif. (August 29, 2018) – Western Growers (WG) has partnered with S2G Ventures (Seed 2 Growth) to host the 2018 AgSharks™ Competition, a challenge where start-up companies can compete for a minimum of $250,000 in investment capital to support ...
Western Growers Statement in Response to 2018 Farm Bill Compromise
IRVINE, Calif., (December 11, 2018) — In response to the completion of the 2018 Farm Bill conference report, Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “We are pleased that the farm bill negotiators have completed their task as the 2018 Farm Bill acknowledges the growing importance of the specialty crop industry ...
Western Growers’ Statement on Agricultural Worker Program Act of 2019
IRVINE, Calif., (January 17, 2019) — California Senator Dianne Feinstein and Representative Zoe Lofgren introduced a bill today that would provide a path to citizenship for certain farmworkers. In response, Western Growers’ President and CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “We recognize and applaud the efforts of Senator Feinstein and Representative Lofgren, as…
Western Growers Launches AgTech Innovation Directory
New interactive directory acts as marketplace for agtech startups IRVINE, Calif., (April 17, 2019) — Western Growers has officially launched an interactive directory that acts as a marketplace for agricultural technology (agtech) startups. Found at https://www.agtechpages.com, the Western Growers AgTech Innovation Directory allows users to identify, research and connect with start-up…
Western Growers Statement on U.S. and Mexico Trade Deal
IRVINE, Calif., (June 10, 2019) — In response to the deal reached by the U.S. and Mexico to avert the addition of five percent tariffs on all Mexican goods, Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “We are pleased that this potential impediment to trade between our two countries has been avoided. Mexico ...
Western Growers Statement on the Drought Resiliency and Water Supply Infrastructure Act
IRVINE, Calif., (June 21, 2019) — In response to the introduction of the Drought Resiliency and Water Supply Infrastructure Act, Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “We thank Senators Dianne Feinstein, Cory Gardner, Martha McSally and Kyrsten Sinema for their bipartisan leadership in addressing water supply and drought resiliency needs…
Western Growers Launches New Technology-Driven Food Safety Risk Management Program
WG’s Supply Chain Risk Management Solution answers FDA’s call to apply technologies to advance and improve food safety to protect public health IRVINE, Calif. (June 27, 2019) – During a Forbes AgTech Summit session today moderated by Frank Yiannas, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response, Western Growers (WG) ...
Western Growers Names Jodi Martin as New Director of Employee Benefits Account Management
Martin’s 30-year employee benefits experience will bolster WG Insurance Services’ demonstrated excellence in customer service to agriculture industry IRVINE, Calif. (July 9, 2019) – Western Growers Insurance Services (WGIS) is pleased to announce the recent addition of Jodi Martin, who has joined the team as Director of Employee Benefits Account Management. As Director, Martin will ...
Careers in Ag Job Center Launches to Help Job Seekers Find STEM Careers in Agriculture
Western Growers debuts new job board to increase number of science, tech, engineering, math professionals pursuing jobs in agriculture IRVINE, Calif. (July 26, 2019) – Western Growers is rolling out a Careers in Ag Job Center, a jobs platform exclusively for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-related careers within the agricultural industry. The job board ...
Applications Now Open for AgSharks® Startup Pitch Competition to Win $250,000 Minimum Investment
IRVINE, Calif. (August 6, 2019) – Western Growers and S2G Ventures (Seed 2 Growth) are again partnering to host the 2019 AgSharks® Competition, a pitch competition where start-up companies working on agricultural technologies compete for the opportunity to earn a $250,000 minimum investment and access to farmland to pilot their innovations. Entrepreneurs interested in pitching ...
Tom Nassif to Be Honored for Extraordinary Contributions to the Fresh Produce Industry
Nassif to be commemorated as 2019 Award of Honor recipient for two decades of unparalleled industry leadership IRVINE, Calif. (September 10, 2019) – Tom Nassif, president and CEO of Western Growers since 2002, has been named the 2019 Award of Honor recipient for his innovative approach to addressing key issues confronting agriculture and unprecedented influence ...
Bioplastics Startup mobius Wins $500,000 in Seed Funding at AgTech Pitch Competition
Western Growers, S2G Ventures awards mobius pbc substantial funding to accelerate development of tech that aids farmers in battling regulatory pressures, scarcity of resources IRVINE, Calif. (November 12, 2019) – mobius pbc, an early-stage company that creates waste-based biodegradable polymers to promote sustainable agriculture, won the grand prize of a $500,000 equity investment at Western…
Western Growers Statement on U.S.-China Phase One Trade Agreement
IRVINE, Calif. (December 16, 2019) – In response to the announcement that the U.S. and China have reached an agreement on a Phase One trade deal, Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “President Trump is following through on his promise to rebalance the relationship between the U.S. and many of ...
Western Growers Launches Leafy Green Food Safety Website
Amid COVID-19 crisis, leafy greens industry still enhancing safety of leafy greens through new website IRVINE, Calif. (April 6, 2020) – Answering the nation’s call for enhanced food safety measures, Western Growers (WG) has developed a website to facilitate changes to the Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA)-approved Leafy Green Food Safety Guidelines: www.leafygreenguidance.com. The…
LGMA Partners with Western Growers to Offer Remote Food Safety Audits During Pandemic
IRVINE, Calif., (May 18, 2020) — Mandatory government food safety audits of leafy greens farms under the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement are continuing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Announced today by Western Growers (WG) and the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (CA LGMA), is the availability of a new process developed through a collaboration with…