California Fruit and Vegetable

Category: Ag Legislation

  • Western Growers Board Selects Dave Puglia as Next President and CEO

    The Western Growers Board of Directors has unanimously selected Dave Puglia as the organization’s next President and Chief Executive Officer. Puglia will succeed current President and CEO Tom Nassif, who is retiring after 18 years as a forceful and effective leader in the nation’s agriculture industry, on February 1, 2020.

    “Fifteen years ago, Dave came to Western Growers with an extraordinary pedigree in California politics, having served in senior roles on statewide political campaigns and in public service in addition to private sector experience,” said Ratto Bros. President and Western Growers Chairman of the Board, Ron Ratto. “Since joining our organization, Dave has demonstrated an unyielding passion for our members, a deep understanding of the issues facing Western agriculture – water policy, in particular – and an unrivaled capacity for leading our association and industry into the next decade and beyond.”

    “Words are not adequate to express how deeply honored I am to be entrusted with this great opportunity and responsibility,” stated Puglia. “The people of this industry welcomed me into their hearts from the first day on the job, rain or shine. As their advocate, I am as energized and optimistic as ever about the opportunities and challenges ahead.”

    The Western Growers Board of Directors engaged in an extensive nationwide search to ensure that Western Growers’ leadership in federal and state public policy would carry forward and grow while continuing to provide innovative business services to the association’s members. The Western Growers Family of Companies is built on the strength of 445 dedicated employees providing expert advocacy and services across multiple business lines.

    “The mentoring and support I have received from Tom Nassif and so many current and past directors has been amazing,”

    “Outgoing President & CEO Tom Nassif”

    continued Puglia. “My talented and dedicated Western Growers colleagues have also helped propel me on this journey, and there is no better professional staff in the entire agriculture industry. We are ready to go.”

    Puglia will inherit an association that experienced a renaissance under Nassif’s leadership. Over the course of nearly two decades, Nassif elevated the national prominence of Western Growers and established the organization as a recognized leader in food safety, labor and immigration, water, technology and innovation, international trade and many other areas impacting the viability of Western Growers members.

    “Tom Nassif was the right leader at the right time for our organization and the industry,” said Ratto. “The strength and influence our association enjoys today is a credit to his intelligence, work ethic and personal charm. Our membership owes Tom a debt of gratitude for employing his fierce devotion and incomparable talents on our collective behalf.”

    “My service to Western Growers and the fresh produce industry has been a fulfilling culmination to my career,” stated Nassif. “Every day since 2002, my inspiration has been derived from the hard-working, innovative and ethical family farmers who comprise our membership. I am proud of the major strides we have taken as an industry during my tenure, and it brings me great satisfaction knowing that the future of our association is secure in the hands of Dave Puglia.”

    Puglia joined Western Growers in 2005 and currently serves as Executive Vice President, overseeing four departments in addition to the organization’s non-profit charitable foundation and its political action committees. He is also intimately involved in the internal operations of the organization. Prior to joining Western Growers, he was Vice President of APCO Worldwide, a global public affairs consulting firm, and previously served for seven years in the California Attorney General’s Office, first as Press Secretary and later as Director of Public Affairs and Communications.

    About Western Growers:

    Founded in 1926, Western Growers represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico. Our members and their workers provide half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including half of America’s fresh organic produce. For generations we have provided variety and healthy choices to consumers. Connect with and learn more about Western Growers on our Twitter and Facebook.

     

  • Western Growers Board Selects Dave Puglia as Next President and CEO

    The Western Growers Board of Directors has unanimously selected Dave Puglia as the organization’s next President and Chief Executive Officer. Puglia will succeed current President and CEO Tom Nassif, who is retiring after 18 years as a forceful and effective leader in the nation’s agriculture industry, on February 1, 2020.

    “Fifteen years ago, Dave came to Western Growers with an extraordinary pedigree in California politics, having served in senior roles on statewide political campaigns and in public service in addition to private sector experience,” said Ratto Bros. President and Western Growers Chairman of the Board, Ron Ratto. “Since joining our organization, Dave has demonstrated an unyielding passion for our members, a deep understanding of the issues facing Western agriculture – water policy, in particular – and an unrivaled capacity for leading our association and industry into the next decade and beyond.”

    “Outgoing President & CEO Tom Nassif”

    “Words are not adequate to express how deeply honored I am to be entrusted with this great opportunity and responsibility,” stated Puglia. “The people of this industry welcomed me into their hearts from the first day on the job, rain or shine. As their advocate, I am as energized and optimistic as ever about the opportunities and challenges ahead.”

    The Western Growers Board of Directors engaged in an extensive nationwide search to ensure that Western Growers’ leadership in federal and state public policy would carry forward and grow while continuing to provide innovative business services to the association’s members. The Western Growers Family of Companies is built on the strength of 445 dedicated employees providing expert advocacy and services across multiple business lines.

    “The mentoring and support I have received from Tom Nassif and so many current and past directors has been amazing,” continued Puglia. “My talented and dedicated Western Growers colleagues have also helped propel me on this journey, and there is no better professional staff in the entire agriculture industry. We are ready to go.”

    Puglia will inherit an association that experienced a renaissance under Nassif’s leadership. Over the course of nearly two decades, Nassif elevated the national prominence of Western Growers and established the organization as a recognized leader in food safety, labor and immigration, water, technology and innovation, international trade and many other areas impacting the viability of Western Growers members.

    “Tom Nassif was the right leader at the right time for our organization and the industry,” said Ratto. “The strength and influence our association enjoys today is a credit to his intelligence, work ethic and personal charm. Our membership owes Tom a debt of gratitude for employing his fierce devotion and incomparable talents on our collective behalf.”

    “My service to Western Growers and the fresh produce industry has been a fulfilling culmination to my career,” stated Nassif. “Every day since 2002, my inspiration has been derived from the hard-working, innovative and ethical family farmers who comprise our membership. I am proud of the major strides we have taken as an industry during my tenure, and it brings me great satisfaction knowing that the future of our association is secure in the hands of Dave Puglia.”

    Puglia joined Western Growers in 2005 and currently serves as Executive Vice President, overseeing four departments in addition to the organization’s non-profit charitable foundation and its political action committees. He is also intimately involved in the internal operations of the organization. Prior to joining Western Growers, he was Vice President of APCO Worldwide, a global public affairs consulting firm, and previously served for seven years in the California Attorney General’s Office, first as Press Secretary and later as Director of Public Affairs and Communications.

    About Western Growers:

    Founded in 1926, Western Growers represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico. Our members and their workers provide half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including half of America’s fresh organic produce. For generations we have provided variety and healthy choices to consumers. Connect with and learn more about Western Growers on our Twitter and Facebook.

     

  • Clarification of New Farm Water Testing Requirements Under FSMA

    For those agricultural commodities that are subject to the new Produce Safety Rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act, water testing will be a key component in this adjustment.  In some cases, these water testing requirements may include more than just what you are irrigating the crop with.  Watch this brief interview with Tom Jones from the Safe Food Alliance as he clarifies these requirements.

     

    Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery for their industry support by visiting them at their booth at the following November Events: Tree & Vine Expo, the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo & Blue Diamond Growers Annual Membership Meeting.

  • Clarification of New Farm Water Testing Requirements Under FSMA

    For those agricultural commodities that are subject to the new Produce Safety Rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act, water testing will be a key component in this adjustment.  In some cases, these water testing requirements may include more than just what you are irrigating the crop with.  Watch this brief interview with Tom Jones from the Safe Food Alliance as he clarifies these requirements.

     

    Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery for their industry support by visiting them at their booth at the following November Events: Tree & Vine Expo, the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo & Blue Diamond Growers Annual Membership Meeting.

  • Congressman Ted Yoho Addresses Citrus Growers on Ag Guest Worker Legislation

    I have worked in agriculture for over thirty years. At the age of fifteen, I worked loading produce during the harvest season at the Pompano farmers market in South Florida. I went on to veterinary school and after graduation, I worked as a large animal vet in North Central Florida for 30 years. For the last six and a half years, I have served on the House Agriculture Committee, proudly representing Florida’s Third Congressional District. With over three decades of experience in and around agriculture, I can confidently say that I understand the needs of American producers and those of the farmworker.

    Currently, agriculture faces an uncertain future because our nation’s farmers cannot find enough workers to tend to livestock or harvest crops. Labor scarcity in agriculture is not a new problem. Producers have been talking about this issue for decades, and likewise, lawmakers in Washington have failed for decades to come up with a commonsense reform to meet the needs of the producer while protecting the migrant workforce.

    Producers who cannot find domestic labor use the H-2A program or use the I-9 form to find temporary foreign labor. The H-2A program is a vital tool for producers, however, the program is flawed in that it only allows for temporary workers up to 10 months legally in the country. Industries like dairy, plant nurseries, and others have full time year-round labor demands that aren’t fulfilled by these programs. Another flaw is it has no enforcement to keep workers in the agriculture sector. So once in the country, the H-2A worker can go work in another industry, say construction for example, that often pays more than agriculture work

    The I-9 form that many producers rely on is plagued with many problems. One is that it does not confirm the legitimacy of a worker’s proper identification or social security number. E-Verify would help alleviate this uncertainty for employers, however the E-Verify program is not mandatory and therefore not widely used.

    While our citrus producers are currently able to use H-2A, there are problems with the program that our proposal would address. Our proposal would allow producers to continue bringing in temporary workers using the H-2A program, but it addresses the high costs of the program. Many citrus producers we have met with have discussed the issues they have with planning for the next year due to the unpredictability and high costs of the adverse effect wage rate (AEWR). Our reforms to H-2A would eliminate the AEWR, allowing market-based conditions to determine the wages paid to workers.

    Additionally, our program would make housing and transportation accommodations optional, allowing producers to charge a reasonable fee if they choose to provide these services to their temporary workers. H-2A would remain a seasonal program, allowing producers to bring in temporary workers for up to 10 months with the same contractual agreement between producers and workers. With these reforms the H-2A program would automatically enrolled the worker into the E-Verify system so an employer is confident they have hired a legal H-2A worker.  In addition, once a worker is in the system, their re-entry into the U.S. would be streamlined like TSA pre-check.  Our proposal would also simplify the petitioning process for employers who bring in H-2A workers. Once implemented this program will create certainty for producers seeking labor while easing restrictions on the valued H-2A worker.

    In addition to the temporary H-2A guest worker program, we are implementing a five-year program that will enable year-round workers to stay in the United States. The guest worker will be able to renew their visa every four and half years and will be allowed to travel back and forth between their county and the United States or follow the growing season around the country

    We must face reality. Without a reliable, predictable, and steady agriculture workforce, our food will not get to market, household food costs will increase, and our producers won’t be able to compete globally.  This also creates the risk of making America dependent on another country for our food supply, which no American should accept.   Our farmers and ranchers produce the highest quality food in the world. We are fortunate to live with such abundance, but we need individuals to work the fields and ranches to make this possible. It is imperative that we provide producers with the workforce they need to feed America and the world. While at the same time provide the hard-working migrants a legal, dignified way to generate income and opportunity.

  • Often Overlooked Legal Employee Reimbursement Requirements (Farm Liability Series Part 3 of 3)

    Farmers are some of the best people on the planet.  They work hard and do their very best to keep food on the table in homes all over the world.  Like anyone though, sometimes they make mistakes too and can overlook some of the ever-changing laws and requirements for their farm employees, and end up in court over violations that could have been prevented.  To keep farmers out of the court room, we have put together a series of three videos with simple tips and employee requirements featuring Ag Attorney Stacy Henderson, as shared in her presentation earlier this year at the annual Convention of the Almond Alliance of California.  Watch these brief videos to help reduce liabilities on the farm and read more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

     

    Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery for their industry support by visiting them at their booth at the following November Events: Tree & Vine Expo, the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo & Blue Diamond Growers Annual Membership Meeting.

  • Legal Care for Injured Farm Employees (Farm Liability Series Part 2 of 3)

    Farmers are some of the best people on the planet.  They work hard and do their very best to keep food on the table in homes all over the world.  Like anyone though, sometimes they make mistakes too and can overlook some of the ever-changing laws and requirements for their farm employees, and end up in court over violations that could have been prevented.  To keep farmers out of the court room, we have put together a series of three videos with simple tips and employee requirements featuring Ag Attorney Stacy Henderson, as shared in her presentation earlier this year at the annual Convention of the Almond Alliance of California.  Watch these brief videos to help reduce liabilities on the farm and read more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

     

    Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery for their industry support by visiting them at their booth at the following November Events: Tree & Vine Expo, the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo & Blue Diamond Growers Annual Membership Meeting.

  • Often Overlooked Legal Employee Reimbursement Requirements (Farm Liability Series Part 3 of 3)

     

    Farmers are some of the best people on the planet.  They work hard and do their very best to keep food on the table in homes all over the world.  Like anyone though, sometimes they make mistakes too and can overlook some of the ever-changing laws and requirements for their farm employees, and end up in court over violations that could have been prevented.  To keep farmers out of the court room, we have put together a series of three videos with simple tips and employee requirements featuring Ag Attorney Stacy Henderson, as shared in her presentation earlier this year at the annual Convention of the Almond Alliance of California.  Watch these brief videos to help reduce liabilities on the farm.

     

    Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery for their industry support by visiting them at their booth at the following November Events: Tree & Vine Expo, the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo & Blue Diamond Growers Annual Membership Meeting.

  • Legal Care for Injured Farm Employees (Farm Liability Series Part 2 of 3)

     

    Farmers are some of the best people on the planet.  They work hard and do their very best to keep food on the table in homes all over the world.  Like anyone though, sometimes they make mistakes too and can overlook some of the ever-changing laws and requirements for their farm employees, and end up in court over violations that could have been prevented.  To keep farmers out of the court room, we have put together a series of three videos with simple tips and employee requirements featuring Ag Attorney Stacy Henderson, as shared in her presentation earlier this year at the annual Convention of the Almond Alliance of California.  Watch these brief videos to help reduce liabilities on the farm.

     

    Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery for their industry support by visiting them at their booth at the following November Events: Tree & Vine Expo, the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo & Blue Diamond Growers Annual Membership Meeting.

  • Employee Meal & Rest Period Violation Prevention (Farm Liability Series Part 1 of 3)

    Farmers are some of the best people on the planet.  They work hard and do their very best to keep food on the table in homes all over the world.  Like anyone though, sometimes they make mistakes too and can overlook some of the ever-changing laws and requirements for their farm employees, and end up in court over violations that could have been prevented.  To keep farmers out of the court room, we have put together a series of three videos with simple tips and employee requirements featuring Ag Attorney Stacy Henderson, as shared in her presentation earlier this year at the annual Convention of the Almond Alliance of California.  Watch these brief videos to help reduce liabilities on the farm and read more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

     

    Please thank our sponsor Duarte Nursery for their industry support by visiting them at their booth at the following November Events: Tree & Vine Expo, the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo & Blue Diamond Growers Annual Membership Meeting.