Posts By: Tim Linden
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Safety Culture in the Food Industry
Wikipedia: Safety culture refers to the ways that safety issues are addressed in a workplace. It often reflects “the attitudes, beliefs, perceptions and values that employees share in relation to safety.” In other words, “the way we do safety around here.” Workforce Dynamics As the workforce grows larger, it is increasingly difficult to have ...
A Meandering Path to the Helm of the Family Business
COMPANY BACKGROUND: H.W. Mann was founded in 1939 by H.W. “Cy” Mann as a fresh carrot packing operation. Soon thereafter, the company started growing, packing and shipping many other vegetables, including broccoli. In the 1950s, Mann began experimenting with liquid ice on its broccoli, which was one of the major innovations that kept the product ...
ANNUAL MEETING SEMINAR Civil & Criminal Product Liability To Be Explored at Hawaii Convention
A trio of experts will discuss the issues surrounding liability when a foodborne illness surfaces at the Western Growers 91st Annual Meeting in November. The meeting will take place at the beautiful Grand Hyatt in Kauai in Koloa on the island of Kauai, November 6-9. The “Foodborne Illness: Criminal & Civil Liability” workshop will be ...
Legislator Profile Senator Mike McGuire represents California’s 2nd District which stretches from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon Border
(Editor’s Note: The questions and answers have been paraphrased for clarity and brevity.) Mike McGuire first ran for elective office at the age of 19 and became a state senator in 2014 at the age of 34. In both instances he was one of the youngest ever elected to such a position in California. ...
ELECTION 2016: Arizona & California Should Follow Familiar Patterns
It’s not an exaggeration to say that all eyes are on the presidential election this year. Every day brings a different story, different revelation and more news that seemingly drives up the unprecedented unfavorable ratings of both candidates. Much has been written about that election and seemingly there is nothing more to add. But that’s ...
Ventura County Ag Industry Flexes a Little Muscle
On the November ballot in Ventura County, the citizenry will be able to vote on two different land use propositions because of efforts of the ag community in that county. The issue dates back to 1998 when Ventura County voters overwhelmingly backed the SOAR Initiative. SOAR stands for Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources, which ...
ORGANIC PRODUCTION WG Increases Role in Sector
There is no denying that the organic production of fruits and vegetables has moved well past the fad stage and is a full-blown trend. In fact, it has been for the past decade. Retailers have been realizing double-digit growth for quite some time, though sales started at a very low level meaning it took many ...
Dozens of Partnerships Drive Business Model
CA Member Profile Tom Russell Partner Pacific International Marketing Member Since 1990 Family Background: Tom Russell was born in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1951, the son of a banker. His father did participate in the ag lending universe, but Tom was not exposed to the agricultural industry and really had no plans to go in that ...
WATER WOES Rain Year Ends; Drought Persists
Despite the El Nino effect, which did drop above-average rainfall in Northern California in the 2015-16 rain year, the year officially ended on September 30 without an end to the drought. Statewide, this marks the fifth consecutive year of below-average precipitation that fell more often as rain than snow. Record warm temperatures created an early ...
SOIL ANALYSIS Trace Genomics Brings Cutting Edge Technology to Testing
Using high-tech genome sequencing, a San Francisco start-up company is beginning to offer growers a much more detailed, and quickly achieved, look at their soil profile before planting. Trace Genomics, which won an innovation award at the July Forbes AgTech conference in July, is currently offering growers a pathogen panel test for $199, which delivers ...
Deep Salinas Roots
Tommy Nunes The Nunes Company Director Since Nov. 2016 Member Since 1976 Deep Salinas Roots FAMILY BACKGROUND: Tommy Nunes, or “T5” as he is called in the office and in the industry, comes from a long line of Salinas Valley farmers. His great grandfather, Tom Nunes, began farming in the Salinas Valley in ...
The Trump Presidency What Happens Now?
It seems fair to say that few president-elects have ever entered office with less certainty on public policy priorities than Donald Trump. While running for office, Donald Trump was not beholden to a particular philosophical line of thought. On some issues, he tracked well with the Republican Party that he represented, but on others he ...
Serving Grower’s Needs for Decades
Willy Leon President Vegetable Growers Supply Salinas, California Member Since 1953 THE BACKGROUND: It was in 1948 when some of the Salinas Valley’s oldest farming families came together to form Vegetable Growers Supply as a quasi co-op designed to manufacture wooden crates for the fast growing fresh produce industry. The well-recognized family names that ...
SAMMY DUDA: Ag Work Is All He Ever Wanted to Do
t was not necessarily ordained that Sammy Duda would join the family business when he came of age, “but to be honest, I don’t think I ever thought about doing anything else. I have such great memories and experiences growing up in the business and interacting with employees and other family members, it is what ...
Sailing His Way to California
California Director Profile Kevin Murphy CEO Driscoll’s Member Since 1972 | Board Member Since November, 2016 BACKGROUND: Kevin Murphy was born in South Africa in 1962. His family was in the farming business when he was growing up, mostly involved in timber. He went to the University of Natal, which he said is similar ...
NEW FEDERAL WATER LAW: ‘Maximizing Water Supply’ Key Provision of Legislation
After a seemingly interminable length of time, in December of 2016, Congress passed and President Obama signed new federal water legislation that has already had an impact on water supplies in the state of California. While it is not a panacea and much work still needs to be done to better manage the water supplies ...
Speaker of the Arizona House J.D. MESNARD: College Internship Launches Political Career
(Editor’s Note: The questions and answers have been edited and paraphrased for brevity and clarity.) J.D. Mesnard was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2010 and has been re-elected ever since. For the 2017 term, he was elected by his peers to be the leader of the majority Republican caucus and Speaker of ...
Love of the Outdoors Leads to Farming Career
CA Director Profile Don Cameron Vice President Terranova Ranch Inc. Helm, CA Director Since 2016 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ROOTS: Don Cameron grew up in Redding in Northern California, a couple hundred miles north of San Francisco. His father worked for the Public Utilities Commission and it was his dad’s transfer to Fresno when Don was ...
Varied Experiences Dot Career
Will Feliz President Duncan Family Farms Goodyear, Arizona Director since 2016 FAMILY BACKGROUND: Will Feliz claims he never contemplated getting into any other line of work. He was born in El Centro, California, grew up in Firebaugh, California, and knew that agriculture would be his career. His parents met in the California desert area ...
IRRIGATION INNOVATION: Efficiency Main Driver of Product Advancements
With California setting new records this year with regard to rainfall, one might think that irrigation concerns would be a lower priority item for the time being. But that really never is the case. Creating efficiencies in one’s irrigation program is always top of mind for the grower…and for the manufacturer, who is constantly trying ...