BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN GROWERS, PRODUCE AND EMPLOYEE WELLNESS By Beth Sims, Manager, Health and Wellness, Pinnacle Claims Management, Inc.
deserve. Brazeel made a point to highlight the growers who are at the heart of this effort, the men and women who dedicate their lives to cultivating fresh produce and, through Project FoodBox, ensuring it reaches the families who need it most. Their willingness to step up, even when it meant going above and beyond during challenging times, has been nothing short of inspiring. As Western Growers members, these growers are known for growing the best medicine on earth— fresh, nutritious food that fuels healthier lives and stronger communities. The conversation also emphasized the role employer health plans can play. As Mangapit shared, companies are uniquely positioned to make a stand when it comes to supporting healthier choices for their employees. Providing access to fresh, affordable food isn’t just about wellness programs or checkboxes, it’s about strengthening the workforce, boosting productivity and demonstrating genuine care. “When employers take an active role in supporting these efforts,” Mangapit explained, “it creates an incredible opportunity to make a lasting impact on their employees and their families.” Agriculture and healthcare don’t often share the same stage, but Project FoodBox shows how deeply they are connected. By aligning growers, health plans, businesses and communities, this initiative is proving that collaboration can create ripple effects that reach far beyond the field or the workplace. It’s about dignity, access and the belief that healthy food shouldn’t be a privilege, but a standard. This podcast conversation underscores one powerful truth: feeding people well is not just a responsibility, it’s an investment in the future. When we nourish individuals with care and intention, we’re not only supporting their immediate health and well-being but also planting seeds for stronger families, more vibrant communities and a healthier generation to come. The way we choose to feed people today shapes the quality of life we all share tomorrow.
In a recent podcast conversation, Tim Cheatham, Director of Business Development at Western Growers Health, joined Steve Mangapit, Chief Operating Officer of Western Growers and President of Pinnacle Claims Management, and Steve Brazeel, Founder and CEO of SunTerra and Project FoodBox, for a discussion about one of the most pressing issues today: ensuring access to fresh, healthy food. Ensuring access to fresh, healthy food is essential for improving public health outcomes and strengthening communities. Research consistently shows that diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins lower the risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity. When people have reliable access to nutritious food through local markets, community programs or agricultural partnerships, they are better equipped to lead healthier, more productive lives. Project FoodBox began with a simple but powerful idea: to bridge the gap between growers, produce and families who need better access to nutritious food. What started as a grassroots effort during a time of need has grown into a scalable, sustainable solution that benefits growers, communities, health plans and employers alike. For Brazeel, leading Project FoodBox isn’t just business, it’s a calling. His passion shines through as he speaks about the vital connection between agriculture and health. Food is medicine, he explains, and farmers play a direct role in shaping healthier futures. Too often, the people who work tirelessly to grow and harvest our food don’t get the recognition they
Catch the entire podcast by scanning the QR code and hear how Project FoodBox is changing the future of food and health.
18 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com November | December 2025
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