Western Growers members and staff played a pivotal role at the 2024 Organic Grower Summit in Monterey, Calif. last week. The event commenced with a panel discussion titled “Will Agtech Make Organic Farms More Profitable?” Moderated by Walt Duflock, SVP of Innovation for Western Growers, the panel featured insights from Bartley Walker, Daniel Bernstein and Larry Jacobs.
Another notable panel, “Organic, Regenerative, or Both: What Does the Market Want?” included Ann Marie Hourigan, Larhea Pepper and Thaddeus Barsotti, and was moderated by Eric Morgan of Braga Farms.
The second day of programming included an important discussion on the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) rule issued by the USDA in March 2024. Presenters John Foster, Jenny Tucker, Connie Karr, Meredith Kiser and John McKeon (Taylor Farms) led this critical discussion. These panels also offered continuing education credits accredited through the Certified Crop Advisor program.
The summit concluded with a special presentation by Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Karen Ross, who emphasized the importance of the organic market and the state’s support for farmers transitioning to organic practices. Ross introduced Dave Puglia, CEO and President of Western Growers, who led a keynote discussion on the future of the organic market. Panelists for this discussion included Thaddeus Barsotti, Victor Smith (JV Smith Companies), Colby Pereira (Braga Farms) and Jennifer Lester Moffitt, with Smith and Pereira representing the organic grower perspective.
The day concluded with the announcement of the 2024 Organic Grower of the Year, Dick Peixoto, owner of Lakeside Organic Gardens. Peixoto, the seventh recipient of this annual award, was selected for his commitment to organic farming, sustainability and leadership. The program concluded with the audience singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Peixoto, as he was awarded on his birthday.
The full agenda for the 2024 Organic Grower Summit is available here.
The full list of speakers and presenters is available here.
You can find additional information on the 2024 Organic Grower of the Year award here.
