In response to the deal reached by the U.S. and Mexico to avert the addition of five percent tariffs on all Mexican goods, Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “We are pleased that this potential impediment to trade between our two countries has been avoided. Mexico represents one of the largest export markets for U.S. …
Clean, transparent, fresh, sustainable. Environmentally friendly, animal humane, high quality, social activism. Those traits are all identified with organic, and in 2018 they all helped push organic sales to unprecedented levels. The U.S. organic market in 2018 broke through the $50 billion mark for the first time, with sales hitting a record $52.5 billion, up 6.3 percent from the previous …
A 26-episode weekly video series has debuted on YouTube to help train the next generation of vegetable crop workers and increase their use of effective stewardship practices in vegetable production. Projections for near-future retirements of people working in California’s agricultural production, marketing and post-harvest handling sectors indicate severe re-staffing needs in the coming years. Technological advances have reduced manual labor …
Duncan Family Farms, a leading family-owned, multi-regional grower of over 7,000 acres of certified organic produce, announced that Will Feliz has returned to the firm as president and Ryan Borer has joined as chief financial officer. Arnott Duncan, co-founder and CEO, said the appointments will accelerate the company’s growth and help it achieve its strategic objectives. “Will and Ryan bring …
Having an odd number of chromosomes can produce sterile – and seedless fruit. Spitting out watermelon seeds can be a summertime rite of passage for some folks. Others like their watermelons seedless. How did those seedless watermelons (and other plants) come about? The May 7th Sustainable, Secure Food blog explains the topic of polyploidy. “Plants can have multiple sets of chromosomes, which …
In response to yesterday’s announcement that the California Department of Pesticide Residue (DPR) is acting to ban the use of the insecticide chlorpyrifos, Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif issued the following statement: “California farmers are universally committed to the safety of their food, the health of their workers and communities, and the sustainability of their land. At every …
The financial risks and costs associated with food safety are increasing and food suppliers will face continued increases in food safety costs over the coming years. Until there is reliable traceability throughout the food supply chain, the advanced technology that enables faster identification of food safety issues is also increasing the likelihood of more broad-based food advisories being issued. A …
The National Onion Association’s membership works hard to keep their operations sustainable. From use of onion as a raw “onion power” to power up facilities to protecting workers and the land, America’s onion farmers work hard every day to create the most sustainable programs possible. It’s not only right for the country, but their families as they continue to feed …
Summer is coming, and temperatures are rising to levels of concern for heat illness for farm employees. “Weather forecasts are looking at highly increased temperatures in the coming weeks,” shared Manuel Cunha, Jr., President of Nisei Farmers League. “In some areas, an increase of more than 20 degrees than what we are used to at this time of the year. Please …
Western Growers has officially launched an interactive directory that acts as a marketplace for agricultural technology (agtech) startups. Found at https://www.agtechpages.com, the Western Growers AgTech Innovation Directory allows users to identify, research and connect with start-up companies who are developing technologies and innovations to solve the biggest issues facing the agriculture industry. These startups are specializing in everything from automation …
