“Farming is at the very core of what Duda does, from land preparation, nursery production, irrigation, cultivation, fertilization and harvesting and processing of produce,” Lewis said. “That’s our job, but that’s not what we do. What we do is provide healthy fruits and vegetables for the citizens of our country and the world. Duda has been doing it for over 100 years.” This long-standing commitment has shaped how Lewis views his role in advocating for agriculture. “I don’t consider myself as one who is leading the charge to educate the people, but if I’m put in a position where I can communicate the positive impact agriculture makes, I feel as though it’s a tide that raises all boats, irrespective of what crops you’re raising,” he said. “We have a story to tell, and I think there is a great opportunity to tell that story,” Lewis said. “The efforts of SEEAG, and more specifically Farm Day, is one way to bridge that gap and educate the public and have them come onto the farm and have them touch and feel the nursery transplants that go into the field, have them walk on the field and observe our tractors preparing the ground for planting, have them watch a transplanter put young celery plants in the field. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but if you bring someone to the field, you show them a movie in production. It’s worth a billion words.” Building on this vision of connection and education, SEEAG is working to further its reach by expanding its food and agricultural literacy programs while encouraging more growers to participate and strengthen partnerships within their communities. The organization is finalizing its Farm Day Every Day initiative, a year-round outreach program designed to deepen public understanding of local agriculture through free food literacy
education and support for farms to participate in these vital activities. Through a community of supporters, Farm Day Every Day will keep the conversation about local agriculture alive, in-person and digitally throughout the year, all leading up to the annual Farm Day celebrations. “The more in front of the community we are, the more we can support growers,” Paulus-Case said.
A Farm Lab student’s hands after making a loam recipe, one of the activities at the Soil Station.
WESTERN GROWERS OFFICERS – 2025 Stuart Woolf, Chair Rob Yraceburu, Vice Chair Neill Callis, Treasurer Don Cameron, Executive Secretary Dave Puglia, President and CEO DIRECTORS – 2025 GEORGE ADAM Innovative Produce, Santa Maria, California CHAD AMARAL D’Arrigo Bros. of Calif., Salinas, California KEVIN ANDREW Illume Agriculture, Bakersfield, California ROBERT BARKLEY Barkley Ag Enterprises, Yuma, Arizona STEPHEN BARNARD Mission Produce, Oxnard, California BARDIN BENGARD Bengard Ranch, Salinas, California SOREN BJORN Driscoll’s, Watsonville, California GEORGE BOSKOVICH III Boskovich Farms, Oxnard, California RODNEY BRAGA Braga Fresh Family Farms, Soledad, California STEVE BRAZEEL SunTerra Produce, Costa Mesa, California NEILL CALLIS Turlock Fruit Company, Turlock, California DON CAMERON Terranova Ranch, Helm, California
JOHN CHANDLER Chandler Farms, Selma, California LAWRENCE COX Coastline Family Farms, Brawley, California STEPHEN DANNA Danna Farms, Yuba City, California THOMAS DEARDORFF II Deardorff Family Farms, Oxnard, California TIM ESCAMILLA Bolthouse Fresh Foods, Bakersfield, California KRISTEN SMITH ESHAYA JV Smith Companies, Yuma, Arizona CATHERINE FANUCCHI Tri-Fanucchi Farms, Bakersfield, California DAVID GILL Rio Farms, King City, California BOB GIRAGOSIAN Kern Ridge Growers, Arvin, California BRANDON GRIMM Grimmway Enterprises, Arvin, California JOHN JACKSON Beachside Produce, Nipomo, California TRACY JONES Booth Ranches, Orange Cove, California A.G. KAWAMURA Orange County Produce, Fullerton, California ALBERT KECK Hadley Date Gardens, Thermal, California J.P. LABRUCHERIE LaBrucherie Produce, El Centro, California STEPHEN MARTORI III Martori Farms, Scottsdale, Arizona HAROLD MCCLARTY HMC Farms, Kingsburg, California
CANNON MICHAEL Bowles Farming, Los Banos, California HEATHER MULHOLLAND Mulholland Citrus, Orange Cove, California DOMINIC MUZZI, JR. Muzzi Family Farms, Moss Landing, California TOM NUNES V The Nunes Company, Salinas, California STEPHEN PATRICIO Westside Produce, Firebaugh, California JOHN POWELL, JR. Peter Rabbit Farms, Coachella, California RON RATTO Ratto Bros., Modesto, California CRAIG READE Bonipak Produce, Santa Maria, California KYLE RICHARDSON Garry Richardson Farms, Bakersfield, California SONNY RODRIGUEZ The Growers Company, Somerton, Arizona BRUCE TALBOTT Talbott’s Mountain Gold, Palisade, Colorado RYAN TALLEY Talley Farms, Arroyo Grande, California BRUCE TAYLOR Taylor Farms Calif., Salinas, California MIKE WAY Prime Time International, Coachella, California STUART WOOLF Woolf Farming & Processing, Fresno, California ROB YRACEBURU Wonderful Orchards, Shafter, California
15 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com January | February 2025
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