WESTERN GROWERS ANNUAL MEETING Reade Becomes Chairman; Cannabis Session Attracts Big Crowd
By Stephanie Thara Metzinger M ore than 550 attendees enjoyed networking socials, captivating educational breakout sessions and thought-provoking keynote speeches during Western Growers 92nd Annual Meeting in Las Vegas on October 29 – November 1, 2017. During the meeting, Craig Reade, CEO of Bonipak Produce, Santa Maria, CA, was officially inaugurated as the 2018 WG Chairman of the Board of Directors while David Gill of Rio Farms and Gill’s Onions was recognized as the 2017 Award of Honor recipient for his visionary leadership in the agricultural community. Guests pondered over the political musings of P.J. O’Rourke during the PAC Lunch, gained insights into millennials from Kristen Soltis Anderson at the Chairman’s Luncheon and laughed with comedian Jim Gaffigan during the Award of Honor Dinner. This year brought a collection of memorable breakout sessions: • Healthcare: A panel of state and federal healthcare experts discussed a variety of issues ranging from the state of play for the Affordable Care Act to the prospects of single payer healthcare.
• Immigration: Political insiders from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Cato Institute and AmericanHort touched on the prospects of immigration reform, the pros and cons of Chairman Goodlatte’s “The AG Act” bill and the strategy for moving an agricultural solution forward. • AgTech: Six startup companies with technology solutions for the fresh produce industry competed for real-time investments from S2G Ventures, a food and agriculture venture fund. Two companies—AgVoice and Hazel Technologies—walked away with a $2.25 million total investment offer. (See separate story.) • Building, Preserving, and Protecting Capital: The panel of financial and insurance experts helped guests unravel the mystery of the economic outlook, equity markets, and private equity opportunities for ag. • Top Chef: The always popular Top Chef workshop featured two phenomenal chefs who demonstrated using everyday fresh produce in gourmet meals. One of the most popular breakout sessions was surrounding the topic that is garnering many questions and concerns lately: cannabis. With the adult use of cannabis now legal in California as of January 1, 2018, the workshop examined the emerging state regulatory and marketplace structures for cannabis. Additionally, this standing-room only session delved into the risks and challenges legal cannabis presents both for entrepreneurs looking to seize the opportunity of the burgeoning new industry and for producers of fresh produce concerned about competing for limited resources such as labor and water. Employer liability was also discussed and the challenges cannabis production presents in that arena. Western Growers Vice President and General Counsel Jason Resnick led the lively and passionate discussion between Lori Ajax, chief of the California Bureau of Cannabis Control; Henry Wykowski, general counsel at the California Cannabis Industry Association, Aaron Johnson, partner at L+G, LLP Attorneys At Law; and Jeff Brothers, co-founder of FLRish, Inc. From beginning to end, the workshop engaged each of the attendees through compelling stories of cannabis use to the risks employers may face as the drug becomes legal in California. Johnson quickly captured the audience’s attention by sharing his personal story of how a severe neck injury triggered an addiction to painkillers. He was not able to quit his opioid habit until he learned that he could control the pain with a small dose of marijuana daily. He indicated that the injury caused—and still continues to cause—so
Sammy Duda (right) hands over the Chairman’s gavel to Craig Reade
12 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2018
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