Last week, the Executive Committee of the Western Growers Board of Directors met with members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives during the annual D.C. fly-in.

The Executive Committee met with nearly 20 senators, representatives and U.S. Department of Agriculture officials over the course of three days. Legislators were from California, Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Arkansas.

During the meetings, the Executive Committee shared the specialty crop industry’s stance on immigration/labor, taxes, water (and the need for a bipartisan infrastructure package) and food safety as well as the importance of ample funding for agricultural research and development. Additional topic of discussion included the port congestion crisis, COVID-19 worker safety assistance, ag education and training, disaster assistance and climate change.