F Cultivating New Leadership Developing the Future of Our Industry For 94 years, Western Growers has been focused on the evolution and continued growth of the industry and the professionals that represent it. As the agricultural landscape continues to change, Western Growers remains committed to developing the next generation of leaders and influencers that will change with it. With a focus on the future of both the industry and its leaders, Western Growers showcases four educational and leadership programs, providing members with guidance, resources and mentoring in the areas of leadership, technology and innovation. CAREERS IN AG The Western Growers Careers in Ag Program aims to encourage college students to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers within the agricultural industry. This past year, the program hosted three, three-day interactive tours, across Monterey County, Central Valley, Coachella/Imperial and Yuma, connecting students representing universities that included CSU Fresno, Cal Poly SLO, Cal Poly Pomona, UC Davis, CSU LA and U of Arizona. Additionally, the Western Growers Careers in Ag program has extended its resources with the launch of the Ag Job Board, to help facilitate career and internship placement, with a focus on increasing the number of science, tech, engineering and math professionals pursuing jobs in agriculture. FUTURE VOLUNTEER LEADERS The competitively selected Future Volunteer Leaders Program is designed for the next generation of leaders within Western Growers member companies interested in becoming more informed and effective advocates for the fresh produce industry. These individuals are policy-minded and have expressed a desire to serve the industry – both now and in the future – in volunteer leadership capacities. WG WOMEN Launched in early 2020, the Western Growers Women program is focused on identifying and preparing women of influence for positions of leadership within Western Growers and/or the fresh produce industry. The key visionary objective is to enhance and promote a fresh produce industry that reflects the value of women in production agriculture and promotes women to the highest levels of company and/or industry leadership. WG FOUNDATION Since its inception in 1995, the Western Growers Foundation has funded more than 1,100 school gardens in California and Arizona. Today, the Foundation’s School Garden program has evolved to support science, technology, engineering and math curriculum to nurture the natural curiosity of children in areas related to farming and agriculture. -
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