Posts By: Tracey Chow

Export Problems Rise at West Coast Ports With No End in Sight

In recent weeks, Western Growers has become aware through direct member communication and media reports that significant exporting issues are arising and impacting agricultural exporters. The current situation is being felt throughout the West Coast, with the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports experiencing the worst of it. Based on current reports, there is a ...

Western Growers, Allies Share Trade Priorities with Biden Transition Team

On Tuesday, January 12, Western Growers and a dozen of its fresh produce allies sent a letter to President-elect Joe Biden, highlighting several international trade matters that are jointly important to the group. Agricultural trade has been a hot button issue in recent years – particularly under the Trump Administration – and it is expected ...

USDA Opens Process for Producers to Adjust CFAP 2 Payments, Ends February 26

Last Friday, USDA announced plans that would help certain producers potentially receive additional Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) support. Specifically regarding specialty crops, producers with existing approved CFAP 2 applications can amend their eligible 2019 calendar year sales to account for crop insurance indemnities, Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) payments,…

Western Growers, Industry Allies Urge Federal Action on Export Crisis at West Coast Ports

This week, Western Growers and nearly 300 allied agriculture and forest products companies and associations sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, urging his immediate intervention to support U.S. exporters and ensure their access to overseas markets. Since fall of 2020, U.S. agricultural exporters have faced extreme challenges getting their products onto ships ...

Western Growers Efforts Result in $700 Million from USDA for Worker Protection

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a spate of new funding as part of the its ongoing Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. The funding includes $700 million dedicated towards Pandemic Response and Safety Grants for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other protective measures to help specialty crop growers and others in the ...

Participate in WG Climate/Sustainability Survey

Western Growers is a leading voice on behalf of our industry in the climate/sustainability arena, and we need your feedback to help us inform policymakers and influence legislation and regulation. Which sustainability practices are you currently undertaking? Which would you consider adopting? What proposals should WG focus on? Please let us know by filling out the ...

Western Growers Supports Garamendi-Johnson Bill to Address Ocean Shipping Challenges and Reforms

On Tuesday August 10, U.S. House Representatives John Garamendi (CA) and Dusty Johnson (SD) introduced the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021. In order to support the competitiveness of U.S. businesses that are reliant on maritime shipping transport, the bipartisan bill aims to crack down on unreasonable practices by container shipping lines, bolster U.S. enforcement ...

MRL Compliance is Crucial to Export Success

Due to recent Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) violations on export shipments of various fresh produce commodities, Western Growers reminds its members that while the United States may have established tolerances on a particular crop protection compound other countries’ threshold limits may be lower or non-established. MRL violations can trigger enhanced surveillance or test-and-hold protocols on…

Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach Increase to 24/7 Operations, In Response to Unprecedented Supply Chain Congestion

On Wednesday, the White House announced that the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach will both be expanding operations to 24 hours-7 days a week. Historically, neither port has operated at that level, despite other ports around the world doing so. With the addition of new off-peak night time shifts and weekend hours, ...

Western Growers Celebrates U.S. House of Representatives Passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021

The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4996, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021 on December 8 with an impressive 364-60 vote, making clear its support for U.S. farm exporters that are reliant on maritime shipping transport. OSRA aims to crack down on unreasonable practices by container shipping lines, bolster U.S. enforcement against uncompetitive carrier practices, ...

“Containergeddon” Results in $2.1B Loss to California Farmers

The supply chain gridlock and shipping container shortage has resulted in California agriculture losing an estimated $2.1 billion (or 17 percent), according to a recent study released by the University of California, Davis. The report cites that from May to September 2021, the monthly number of containers loaded with agricultural products declined by 18 percent ...

Ocean Shipping Reform Act Gets Bipartisan Vote in U.S. Senate Committee

On March 22, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation passed S. 3580, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act. This bill aims to crack down on unreasonable practices by container shipping lines, bolster U.S. enforcement against uncompetitive carrier practices and improve transparency for exporters. The bill also works to ensure that carriers (e.g. container shipping…

Ag Industry to Biden Administration: Port of Oakland Export Service Must Be Restored

On April 25, Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia joined the heads of six agriculture associations in urging federal officials to bring ocean shipping carriers and the industry together to resolve the lack of service at Port of Oakland. In a letter addressed to United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Department of ...

Ocean Shipping Reform Act Approved by Congress, Ready for President Joe Biden’s Signature

On June 13, the U.S. House passed S. 3580, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act with overwhelming bipartisan support. This bill – which passed earlier this year with bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate – will crack down on unreasonable practices by container shipping lines, bolster U.S. enforcement against uncompetitive carrier practices and improve transparency for ...

From NAFTA to USMCA: What Has Changed and How Will It Affect Agriculture?

Looking back on the 25-year history of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the data and stories of success are plentiful. In our sector alone, U.S. fruit and vegetable suppliers are exporting nearly triple what was being done pre-NAFTA. That said, NAFTA has long received its fair share of criticism, including from the specialty ...

A Year in Trade: 2019 Highlights & Looking Ahead

This past year, the industry was once again kept on its toes with trade; some commodities were pushed clear back onto their heels. As we reflect on some of the year’s most notable events, we can expect this new decade to start off with significant trade matters being removed, and added, to the industry’s wish ...

International Trade Uncertainty Continues

It is fair to say that 2020 has thus far proceeded in ways no one could have predicted. The issue that is top of mind for the industry is the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and economic fallout. While much of the attention and impact has been domestic-facing, COVID-19 has also thrown international supply chains into disarray. ...

Uncharted Waters: Five Points to Know about the Ongoing Port Crisis

By Tracey Chow, Government Affairs Specialist The COVID-19 pandemic has foisted new challenges onto producers with foreign-bound exports. Since late 2020, the global shipping system has been dealing with skyrocketing demand for cargo containers, extreme port congestion, and higher shipping costs. Many industry veterans have described the conditions as ‘unprecedented,’ while others have…

TRADE PRACTICES: Supply Chain Chaos Causing Quite the Freight

By Matthew Allen, Vice President, State Government Affairs By Tracey Chow, Federal Government Affairs Specialist The Story Problems at the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland are stacking up, and the transportation and logistics bottleneck continues to get worse. Context please. The Southern California ports account for 40 percent of all shipping containers ...

Trade Takes Center Stage in 2018

By Tracey Chow This year, trade has taken center stage and captured news headlines globally. Given the dramatic upheavals and extremely fluid nature of our international markets and trade partnerships, Western Growers is at the forefront of communicating our members’ needs in an effort to help expand American agricultural exports and remain competitive abroad. Trade ...