Dennis and Jonathan conduct a download from the AWC and delve into other topics surrounding immigration, including updates on H-2A and farmworker wage negotiations. TUESDAY The Morning Jonathan reviews food safety documents that WG Senior Vice President of Science, Technology & Strategic Planning Hank Giclas sent over the previous night relating to E. coli and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s latest efforts to identify a kill step. Jonathan researches and reviews past articles and webinars on the topic. Tracey prepares for her upcoming meetings with congressional members about USMCA. She then heads out to those various meetings to speak with staff of House and Senate leaders about agriculture’s needs as they relate to international trade. As part of his role on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees for Trade (ATAC), Dennis participates in a classified briefing with the Administration and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) about
the various trade negotiations. During today’s briefing, Dennis hears about updates in negotiations with Japan. He also has the opportunity to engage with Administration officials and discuss how aspects of the potential agreement will affect the agriculture industry. The Afternoon Jonathan reaches out to WG members in Colorado to coordinate “farm tours” for the upcoming week. Next week, Jonathan and Tracey will fly out to Colorado to meet with Colorado Fruit & Vegetable
Growers Association/WG members to inquire about what federal issues are most important to Colorado fruit and vegetable growers and how the WG D.C. team can help solve those challenges. Dennis and Jonathan participate in a two-hour meeting with the AWC, exchanging information on the latest updates on negotiations relating to a House ag labor bill. The Evening Dennis reads and reviews the documents discussed during the ATAC
Working closely with other interest groups is crucial to achieving win-win legislation. Pictured is WG’s Tracey Chow (left) with CA Farm Bureau’s Sara Neagu-Reed (right) in the House gallery after a bipartisan Farm Bill was passed in 2018.
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NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2019
Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com
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