Hadley Date Gardens President and Western Growers Chair of the Board Albert Keck returns to the podcast to talk about what it will take for farmers and rural communities to change the narrative about the realities of earning a living in agriculture.

“We’ve been playing defense for so long…boy, I would love to be able to shift gears and play offense,” Albert says, noting that real-world shortages may be what finally makes the issue come to the forefront. “I don’t love going to the grocery stores and seeing empty shelves. What happens when there is no water?” 

The ramifications of this, he says, could be a way to bridge the perpetual urban and rural divide. “Maybe that’s where our opportunity is as Western growers,” Albert says. “We can capitalize on the fact that consumers in our society realize the supply chain is hanging in the balance.”

Listed to the latest episode of Voices of the Valley here.