again provided growers with firsthand knowledge and information in areas ranging from agtech to food safety to sustainability. The Grower of the Year was awarded to Jeff Huckaby, President of Grimmway Farms, headquartered in Bakersfield, Calif. During Huckaby’s 25-year tenure at Grimmway, the company’s organic program grew from several hundred acres to more than 40,000 acres of certified organic ground. Among the panels that took place: • The keynote presentation, “Grower Roundtable: The State of Organic Growing” was moderated by Western from S2G Ventures. NutJobs was also the winner of the Audience Choice Award. WG Chair Albert Keck hosted the Chair’s Luncheon and Keynote, where Four-Star Admiral William McRaven shared wisdom he gleaned from 37 years in the U.S. Navy, including high-ranking positions of command during the Persian Gulf War, the War on Terror and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Drawing on his lifetime of service, Admiral McRaven captivated the audience with a dramatic recounting of the mission that led to the killing of Osama bin Laden in 2011 and his message of teamwork, personal accountability and resilience. Later that afternoon, the educational portion of the Annual Meeting wrapped up with one final featured session: The Promises and Challenges of New
Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia, and featured Tom Nunes V, President of The Nunes Company; Michael DuPuis, Quality Assurance and Public Relations Coordinator at Divine Flavor; and Brie Reiter Smith, Vice President of Product Leadership at Driscoll’s. “While consumption of fresh organic produce continues to climb, domestic growers face an unprecedented array of regulatory and marketplace challenges that threaten future growth,” Puglia said. “The leaders on this panel will share valuable insight into the state of the organic industry and strategies for turning obstacles into opportunities.” • The panel “Less Chemistry and More Breeding Technologies. Moderated by Jenny Maloney of Bayer CropScience Vegetables, the panel featured experts from the plant genetics industry, including Dr. Sarah Evanega, Lead, Stakeholder Communications to the Pairwise Team; Ernie Farley, Partner at Andrew Williamson Fresh Produce; and David Marguleas, President and CEO of Sun World. Together, the panel discussed the viability of cutting-edge breeding technologies in the fresh produce industry. Friday concluded with the VIP Sponsor Reception, an intimate venue for premier- level Annual Meeting sponsors to socialize with WG grower members and executive staff, and the Award of Honor Dinner Gala honoring agricultural icon John Harris of Harris Farms. With more than 50 years of experience in ranching, farming,
Growers Center for Innovation and Technology in Salinas, Calif. Panelists include Pam Marrone, Advisor, Bioceres Crop Solutions; Don Cameron, Vice President and General Manager of Terranova Ranch; and Denise Manker, Director of Global Agronomic Development, Biologics, Bayer CropScience. AgSharks,” where NutJobs, SWAN Systems and En Solucion presented their cutting-edge innovations in a reprise of the AgSharks competition at the Annual Meeting. • Walt Duflock, VP of Innovation at Western Growers hosted “Meet the hospitality and thoroughbred horse racing, Harris embodies the diversity and entrepreneurship in California agriculture. Following the award ceremony, the audience was treated to the spectacular sounds of Super Diamond, a tribute band that honors the much-loved international pop icon Neil Diamond. The Annual Meeting wrapped up Saturday morning, Nov. 5, with some friendly competition during the 2022 Western Growers Par and Away Golf Tournament at the Revere Golf Club. As we look forward to another memorable gathering next year at the 97th Western Growers Annual Meeting, to be held at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa Nov. 12-15, 2023, we remain committed to delivering a top-notch experience for our members.
Western Growers Co-Sponsors 2022 Organic Grower Summit This year the Organic Grower Summit in Monterey, Calif. on Nov. 30-Dec. 1, 2022 Biology” was moderated by Dennis Donohue, the Director of the Western
Grower Roundtable: The State of Organic Growing panel: Dave Puglia, Brie Reiter Smith, Michael DuPuis, and Tom Nunes V 34 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2023
OGS blended professional and networking opportunities.
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