incredible fortitude, Puglia learned quickly that his decision to take the job was the right one. The idea of challenging the status quo now drives his vision for the association come February 1, 2020, when he formally assumes the role of WG’s President and CEO. “Ronald Reagan said, ‘ Status quo is Latin for the mess we’re in.’ I will be guided by the premise that one of the greatest dangers in this business is the status quo ,” he said. “Tom Nassif certainly came to this role with an appetite for challenging the status quo, and there is no question that Western Growers and the industry at large are better for it. So I have the benefit of leading a very healthy, vibrant and effective organization. We won’t maintain that strength by being comfortable. We have to come to work every day with a drive to do better. Our members embody an amazing degree of entrepreneurialism and sophistication, and we should share those characteristics by always challenging ourselves to do better.” Puglia notes how the hyper-speed at which information flows is dramatically changing the nature of public policy engagement and advocacy, and this can provide an opportunity for WG to be on the leading edge of that trend. WG has made strides in effectively using social media as a communications platform for public policy and shaping positive consumer opinions and judgments about agriculture and farming. In the future, he plans to expand WG’s reach and influence by using paid and earned media as well as further tap into the digital space to achieve legislative goals that benefit the fresh produce industry. Where will he start? California.
“There’s a saying in politics: ‘As California goes, so goes the nation,’” Puglia notes. Though California is the largest ag production state in the country, it is also the most populous. Most legislators represent dense urban districts and are separated from farming. Many are either willingly or unconsciously influenced by ideological mythology about farms and farm practices. Farmers, especially in the Western United States, are continuously hit with a litany of
Puglia discusses challenges facing agriculture with Senator Dianne Feinstein during the 2019WG Board Meeting inWashington, D.C.
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JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2020
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