Sacramento County How to Apply for FEMA Disaster Relief San Joaquin County Recovery and Assistance San Luis Obispo County Storm Recovery Recovery Resources Santa Barbara County Disaster Relief Sutter County Recovery Information Santa Cruz County Assistance Eligibility News Article Ventura County Flood Information FOOD SAFETY Here are some resources to help develop an action plan after a flooding event regarding food safety: FDA Resources The FDA Safety of Food and Animal Food Crops Affected by Hurricanes, Flooding, and Power Outages page addresses the major concerns regarding crop safety associated with heavy
metals, chemicals, bacteria and mold contamination. To meet established safety requirements, the FDA is working closely with state regulators and producers to address concerns. Safety of Food and Animal Food Crops Affected by Hurricanes, Flooding, and Power Outages | FDA Western Growers Leafy Green Appendix F The Appendix F Considerations for Addressing the Effects of Weather Conditions on Environmental Sources of Human Pathogens offers information regarding potential contamination risks associated with flooding, which is important for pre-harvest food safety and environmental assessments for leafy green operations. This document also provides potential corrective actions in response to hazards that may be present in the surrounding environment. CA LGMA Flooding Fact Sheet The CA LGMA has provided a one-page fact sheet to guide responses to flooding.
It contains best practices for three types of flooding events: if an existing crop has come into contact with flood water, if flooding is near existing crop but there is no direct contact, and for future crops where the ground has been flooded. Two of the key takeaways are to document corrective/preventive actions and maintain records for two years for all types of flooding and to wait a minimum of 60 days before planting after a flood event to allow the soil to sufficiently dry out. The fact sheet states that soil testing can shorten the interval for planting to 30 days. The UC Small Farm Food Safety has collected a list of produce safety and flood resources. Produce Safety and Flood Resources | UC Small Farm Food Safety (ucdavis.edu) For additional information or questions regarding food safety, please reach out to WG’s AVP of Science Sonia Salas at ssalas@wga.com.
“Growing Relationships with Members” Site Visit By Michelle Rivera
On Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022 Western Growers Family of Companies employees went on their first-ever “Growing Relationships with Members” site visit, hosted by the Employee Engagement Committee and accompanied by A.G. Kawamura, WG Board Member and Orange County Produce Owner/Partner. Employees started off the day with a wagon ride and guided tour of Tanaka Farms, learning about its history, farming methods and crops grown on the farm, and making a few stops along the way to pick their own produce. After the wagon ride, employees paid a visit to the Barnyard Educational Exhibit for some face-to-face time with chickens, goats, sheep, donkeys, ponies and even a mini cow! The team also got to hear from owner and farmer Glenn Tanaka speak on his humble beginnings and his experiences on the farm. The next stop was a guided tour of Tierra Verde Industries, a third-generation family green waste, wood waste and construction and demolition materials
recycler. Employees were given the chance to take home bags of fresh compost for their at-home gardens and plants. The team fueled up with a delicious BBQ lunch at Manassero Farms, because they would need it for what would come next. During the next site visit at Harvest Solutions Farm, employees formed several lines in the field, tossing cabbages from one person to the next across the rows of crops. The team harvested an impressive two tons of cabbage (yes, you read that right) to help in the mission to end hunger in Orange County. The day came to a close with a guided tour of Second Harvest Food Bank’s warehouse, learning about the organization’s initiatives to address food and nutritional insecurity in the community. It was a fun-filled day of education and bonding with WG members and the WGFC team. Thanks to all who attended! We look forward to our next “Growing Relationships with Members” event!
Tim Cheatham helping harvest cabbage
The group harvesting onions
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Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com
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