The Western Growers Board of Directors visited Washington D.C. this month to advocate on behalf of the membership on a wide range of issues, including the Farm Bill, plastic packaging, labor, food safety and sustainability.

On the heels of the release of two separate farm bill frameworks by the chairs of the U.S. House and Senate Agriculture Committees, the board met with representatives and staff from both committees – including House Agriculture Chairman GT Thompson. The board reiterated the priorities outlined by the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance and urged the lawmakers to collaborate on a bipartisan bill that can get signed into law this year.

In addition to legislative visits on Capitol Hill, the board also engaged with key agency officials on topics ranging from H-2A rules to FDA reform to biological pesticide registrations, including Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small, acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Jim Jones, and Senior Advisor for Agriculture to the EPA Administrator Rod Snyder.

Finally, one interesting side trip included a working lunch with officials at the Canadian Embassy to discuss plastic packaging and other trade related issues. Economic Minister John Layton delivered opening remarks on the Embassy’s trade, economic and business development programs in the U.S.