Western Growers Year in Review
2025
“ Welcome To Enhance the Competitiveness and Profitability of our Members. ” – Western Growers Mission Statement
To our WG Members, As we enter our centennial year as an association, we reflect not only on the successes of the past year, but on the enduring value proposition that has allowed Western Growers to remain indispensable for 100 years. The strength of Western Growers has always been our vision – our ability to look to the horizon and anticipate the needs of our members. This 2025 Year in Review is a testament to the decades of ingenuity and innovation that have strengthened our association. Over the past year, we have advanced this legacy with purpose. We continue to be the leading voice for growers, solely committed to addressing the unique challenges facing the farmers who grow and ship healthy, nutritious fruits, vegetables and tree nuts. Our team of advocates in Sacramento, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. showed up every day – even during a government shutdown – to confront policymakers on a broad array of state and federal issues, including rising regulatory costs, water supply uncertainty, labor availability and global trade pressures. Our Science department tackled emerging topics such as regulatory pressure on plastic packaging, food safety implications of adjacent land uses and the evolving MAHA-influenced food and nutrition landscape. GreenLink ® also gained significant traction as the industry’s go-to food safety data sharing platform. Our Innovation team continued its drive toward commercialization and adoption of on-farm automation solutions, with an emphasis on harvest automation, while also accelerating the development of biological alternatives to pest and disease management. When thumbing through this annual report, you will see these accomplishments and many more. Rest assured that you have highly qualified, deeply committed professionals working every day to enhance your competitiveness and profitability. As we embark on our second century, this mission remains unchanged and our dedication only deepens. We look forward to growing the next 100 years alongside you.
Sincerely,
DAVE PUGLIA President and CEO, Western Growers
STUART WOOLF President and CEO, Woolf Farming & Processing 2024-25 Chair, Western Growers Board of Directors
Government Affairs, Federal The Leading Grower Representative in Washington, D.C.
2025 has been a busy year with the onset of a new Administration in Washington. With every new Administration come both challenges and opportunities. Western Growers has been able to work aggressively with the new Administration, as well as other agricultural organizations, to push for significant reforms in the H-2A guest worker program. Those reforms have come to fruition, as the Administration has announced several reforms, including notable improvements to the wage structure. As part of this year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act tax package, Western Growers and its specialty crop allies secured significant funding increases for federal Farm Bill programs that benefit our community. Most notably, we secured over $100 million more each year for Specialty Crop Block Grants and the Specialty Crop Research Initiative – programs that exclusively support our priorities, such as food safety research and automation advancement. Finally, Western Growers has worked to help growers overcome challenges caused by high inflation, and at the end of last year and beginning of this year, we helped secure funding for growers as part
of the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crop (MASC) program. This program has secured billions of dollars in economic aid to growers in our industry impacted by high inflation.
Environment AB 914 (Garcia)
Western Growers played a very active role in opposition to this bill which would have given the California Air Resources Board (CARB) new regulatory fee authority to impose fees on businesses with no legislative oversight and would have likely led to the imposition of duplicative regulations. The bill did not move out of the Assembly this year and is now a two-year bill. SB 89 (Weber Pierson) This bill would have prohibited the sale of a product containing glyphosate, except to a person or business that has a valid license or certificate issued by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. The bill did not move forward in the legislative process this year and is a two-year bill.
Government Affairs, California Continuing a Legacy of Powerful Advocacy for California Agriculture.
Labor AB 1331 (Elhawary)
Water AB 1413 (Papan)
WG, along with a broad coalition, opposed this California Federation of Labor Unions-sponsored bill that would have jeopardized workplace safety and efficiency by restricting surveillance in private and public workplaces. AB 1331 was held in the Senate and is a two-year bill. AB 1336 (Addis) WG opposed this United Farm Worker-sponsored bill that was a reintroduction of SB 1299, which was vetoed last year. AB 1336 would have created a disputable workers’ compensation presumption for heat illness-related injuries that occur within the agricultural industry. Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed AB 1336. SB 310 (Wiener) WG helped lead opposition to this bill, which would have undermined the recent Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) reform by providing trial attorneys with a pathway to exploit penalties in meritless wage and hour cases. Our strong opposition resulted in the author not having enough votes to have the bill heard on the Senate Floor.
WG opposed this measure, which would limit a landowner from filing an adjudication and presenting evidence in court that the safe yield of a basin is different than the Groundwater Sustainability Agency’s sustainable yield determination. It is a two-year bill. AB 1466 (Hart) WG worked with the author on amendments that would allow a small groundwater pumper to file a request in court to be excused from an adjudication process yet retain their water right. Gov. Newsom signed the bill. SB 72 (Caballero) WG supported this bill requiring the California Department of Water Resources to develop targets identifying future water needs for all beneficial uses, which includes agriculture. This will include specified components, including a discussion of the estimated costs, benefits and impacts of any project type or action that is recommended by the Department within the California Water Plan that could help achieve the water supply targets. Gov. Newsom signed the bill.
Western Growers took the lead for Arizona agriculture in 2025, authoring legislation to directly solve issues for specialty crop growers. Success was found with a first-of- its-kind bill enabling the future of specialty crop agriculture to thrive in Arizona. SB 1320 (Dunn) In response to an inquiry from Sen. Tim Dunn during the 2024 Desert AgTech Conference in Yuma, Western Growers staff worked with industry stakeholders to author legislation ensuring the legal operation of autonomous agriculture vehicles in Arizona. This first-in-the-nation legislation modified the definition of an “Implement of Husbandry,” ensuring all equipment or vehicles used within the specialty crop industry that use an automated driving system, or that are completely autonomous, can operate legally on public roadways and highways. The legislation received overwhelming bipartisan support from both the Arizona Senate and House and received a quick signature from Governor Katie Hobbs. To further stress the importance of this legislation, Gov. Hobbs held a bill signing ceremony in November, celebrating this historic piece of legislation, along with SB 1661, which established a governance framework of ag-specific broadband networks, and a $6 million ARPA grant to install broadband network towers covering 160,000 acres in the Yuma region. HB 2202 (Griffin) WG also worked with Sen. Gail Griffin to find a solution for specialty crop growers – particularly those with center-pivot irrigation – who are now within newly formed active management areas. WG-authored HB 2202 would have permitted the irrigation of adjacent land, that was not previously irrigated, upon a determination of irrigation grandfathered rights by the ADWR. HB 2202 was meant to “draw in the corners” for previously center-pivot irrigated lands if the land owner wanted to transition to a row crop or orchard. HB 2202 passed on party-line votes in both the House and Senate and was unfortunately vetoed by the Governor.
SB 1407 (Dunn) Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) faces a distinct disadvantage within the agriculture community – it is often seen as a cash cow by local governments. In an effort to bring tax parity to CEAs and greenhouses, WG authored legislation to be valued and assessed as agricultural tangible personal property. Understanding the intricacies of tax assessment and the need for specificity, SB 1407 required greenhouses to be composed of movable and detachable components used for growing and processing specialty crops. Unfortunately, political and financial headwinds during the session did not enable the legislation to proceed beyond a positive committee hearing in the Senate. Hopefully in the coming years another attempt will be possible to address the inequities in property tax for these critical facilities. HB 2638 (Griffin) Western Growers once again enthusiastically supported the continuation of the On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program. HB 2638 extends the life of the on-farm irrigation pilot program by three years to Dec. 31, 2029. Administered by the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, this program has resulted in substantial investment in irrigation efficiencies, saving millions of gallons of water throughout Arizona’s specialty crop growing regions.
Government Affairs, Arizona Dedicated to Tackling the Unique Challenges Facing Arizona Agriculture.
WG/FDA MOU on Data Sharing On July 28, 2025, Western Growers and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the signing of a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at strengthening produce safety and improving public health outcomes. The MOU establishes a formal framework for ongoing data sharing between Western Growers and the FDA – a milestone that elevates industry-government collaboration to a new level. Western Growers Science is leading a pilot project under this agreement with WG member companies. GreenLink ® : Western Growers Food Safety Data Sharing Platform GreenLink ® experienced remarkable growth, now encompassing over 440,000 tissue samples - more than 30 percent growth from 2024 - and welcoming new participants and historical information. In addition, the CA LGMA Test & Learn program was expanded for two additional years, now running through October 2027. Sustainable Packaging In partnership with key industry organizations, the Sustainable Produce Packaging Alignment for North America (SPPA) provides collaborative workshops, educational resources, technical tools and outreach to address the evolving landscape of fresh produce packaging throughout North America. A new website was launched to serve as a hub for resources, including the SPPA Roadmap. SPPA is a USDA- funded initiative. Biologicals To address current and anticipated pest control needs, Western Growers is supporting innovation, registration and validation of biological products. International guidance and resources on research and validation was developed in partnership with key industry organizations.
National Food Safety Guidelines for Cantaloupe and Netted Melons
After several months of collaborative work in 2024/2025, Western Growers completed the update of the National Best Practices for Cantaloupe and Netted Melons, focusing on growing, harvesting and packing operations. Western Growers is working on the training curriculum and materials that will support outreach early in 2026. This work has been possible with the support of multiple entities and stakeholders across the produce industry. FDA’s Human Foods Program At the request of then-FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, the Reagan- Udall Foundation facilitated an evaluation of the agency’s Human Foods Program, including an end-to-end review of its organizational structure, resources and culture. WG provided both verbal and written comments on September 30 during the foundation’s public meeting and comment period. The recommendations we shared include: enacting a strong, sustained prevention agenda for farms that increases state support and authority; realizing commitment to all the pillars of the agency’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety; investing in collaborative food safety programs that will improve a domestic grower’s ability to operationalize food safety prevention strategies; and improving the agency’s focus on applied research, outreach and education. WG Science Marketing and Communications Since the creation of an Association-focused marketing and communications department in 2024, Western Growers Science’s visibility has increased. In 2025, the WG Science Newsletter and WG Science LinkedIn page continued to increase subscribers. A unified Marketing and Communication strategy is dramatically increasing the Science team’s potential audience reach, which now extends to as many as 200 million people.
Science Leveraging the Power of Science and Data to Move the Fresh Produce Industry Forward.
AgTech There was a lot of progress on the Global Harvest Automation Initiative with key strategic partners in 2025. With Western Growers as a key strategic and capital contributor, the first Reservoir Farms location in Salinas is up and running. This creates the world’s first on-farm robotics incubator, which will save startups a lot of time and capital as they conduct research and development and iterate their robots in a shared workspace with commercially grown acreage right outside the shop, including shared equipment, demos and field trials available whenever they want. Our friends at John Deere recognized the strategic and business impact that Reservoir Farms could have on specialty crop agtech and joined the partnership with a commitment of equipment, maintenance and capital. The next two Reservoir Farms locations will be in Merced and Sonoma, and both should be underway in 2026. Salinas Biological Summit The 2025 Biological Summit was held in Woodland, California. The event brought together innovators, manufacturers and growers and was an opportunity to continue to feature the international aspects of biologicals. An MOU was signed with the Biological Products Industry Alliance to help develop trial protocols. The Summit will return to Salinas in June 2026 at the California Rodeo Grounds.
Investment Western Growers Innovation has watched the precipitous drop in venture capital of the last four years (from $53 billion in 2021 to $10 billion in 2025) and noted that most of the success in the automation segment is in non-harvest activities like weeding, thinning, spraying and planting. Yet harvest labor represents two-thirds of the farm labor hours, according to Cal Poly. We are taking a new approach to fund harvest automation with collaborative grower capital and an R&D effort that will be open sourced and available to all once it’s completed. Stay tuned for details as we head into 2026.
Case Studies Western Growers has now published three Case Studies: Carbon Robotics, Stout Industrial and Cal.Net. A big thanks to WG members Braga Fresh, JV Smith and Terranova Ranch for providing the key economic details that drive the value of the case studies, providing a framework for growers and agtech startups to evaluate the impact solutions are having on grower economics.
Innovation & Technology Accelerating the Advancement of Agricultural Technology for the Fresh Produce Industry.
Scan to learn more about our case studies or visit: wga.com/innovation/case-studies
Platform 10 The trial program began this past year in California, with an initial focus on citrus, table grapes, strawberries, leafy greens and tomatoes. International trials are scheduled for 2026. The global trial network is focused on grower-identified priorities and alternative solutions to chemicals likely to face regulation. The Platform 10 network continues to expand internationally with MOUs being signed with
New Zealand and Australia. Work on a collaborative governance structure is now underway.
Legal and Regulatory Advocacy Highlights In 2025, the Western Growers Legal Department played a pivotal role in shaping the judicial landscape in various critical cases impacting the agricultural industry, encompassing employment, water and environmental issues. Key involvements include: Western Growers v. ALRB: Western Growers and member Olive Hill Greenhouses filed a federal motion for preliminary injunction on April 24, 2025, to block enforcement of California’s Mandatory Mediation and Conciliation statute as unconstitutional, arguing it hands coercive power to unions, forces non- consensual “contracts” and undermines farmworkers’ choice of representation. The motion spotlighted the harm to Olive Hill, a small San Diego County nursery pushed into MMC after UFW’s AB 113 card check certification. While the district court denied the motion, Western Growers and Olive Hill have appealed to the California Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District. California Climate Litigation: Western Growers joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups in challenging California’s climate disclosure laws, SB 261 and SB 253, arguing that the mandates are unlawful and unworkable for
Industry Guidance The Personnel Procedures Manual (PPM) continues to be the industry-leading resource for agricultural HR professionals and managers, with updated content, policies and checklists. Members seeking Legal guidance received one-on-one guidance about employment law and HR-related questions by calling the HR/Legal Hotline at 877-942-4529 .
many agricultural businesses. On November 18, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an injunction blocking enforcement of SB 261, which was set to take effect on January 1, so that law cannot be enforced while the appeal is pending, although SB 253 remains in effect for now. In parallel, the plaintiffs, including Western Growers, have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to issue an emergency injunction that would halt enforcement of both SB 261 and SB 253 against their members while the case proceeds. Water Rights Litigation Western Growers joined a coalition of agricultural organizations in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in United Water Conservation District v. United States, urging review of a Federal Circuit decision that misstates California water law and weakens protections for vested appropriative water rights. The brief explains how federal regulators effectively commandeered tens of thousands of acre-feet of water for endangered fish flows without compensating the right holder, and warns that, if left standing, the decision could undermine the reliability of irrigation supplies across the West. Through this filing, Western Growers is defending members’ property interests in water and the priority system that underpins Western agriculture. Water Quality Litigation Western Growers remained highly active in water quality litigation in 2025, challenging regulatory actions that threaten to impose unworkable standards and compliance costs on irrigated agriculture. WG has continued to contest and seek revisions to regional agricultural orders, defend key exemptions for irrigated lands and push back on efforts to expand discharge and monitoring requirements without sound scientific justification. Through appeals, petitions and amicus briefs, WG is working to secure fair, practical and science-based water quality programs that protect both environmental resources and the long-term viability of Western agriculture.
PPM Link:
Scan to learn more about the Personnel Procedures Manual (PPM) or visit hubs.ly/Q03_0Lgr0
Legal Offering Expert Legal Guidance and Advocacy.
Legal Insights Newsletter The Western Growers Legal Insights Newsletter, the most comprehensive and relevant source for legal news and information covering new laws and cases that affect the workplace; bills that are making their way into the law books; more localized news and information; and best practices to ensure a legally compliant workplace, reached members’ inboxes every Friday.
Stay Up-to-Date
Scan to sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest industry updates prepared by our Legal Team or visit go.wga.com/wg-newsletter-sign-up
“ Testimonial
H-2A Services Yearly Performance Western Growers H-2A Services filed several hundred H-2A applications plus several hundred transfer and extension petitions on behalf of WG members in 2025. The number of WG members utilizing WG H-2A Services doubled year-over-year. The service, available exclusively to WG members, mitigated labor shortages by helping members successfully employ nearly 7,000 H-2A workers on a seasonal basis. Additionally, WG H-2A Services broadened its scope by filing applications for the first time in Hawaii, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina and North Dakota. Stagger Start Update Reversing a decades-long policy, DOL now permits employers to stagger worker entry under one application. WG H-2A Services worked with clients to utilize the new staggering rules to reduce contracts and cost, providing employers much-needed flexibility. AEWR Update WG has advocated for H-2A wage relief for years. Now, the DOL’s new AEWR rule creates two wage levels based on job skill and simplifies how positions are classified, helping prevent inflated wages. Under certain circumstances, employers may apply a housing cost adjustment to wages. Overall, H-2A wages will be lower going forward, giving growers more stability and predictability. H2Organizer Partnership Our partnership with H2Organizer gives Western Growers members a top-tier onboarding and compliance platform designed specifically for H-2A employers. It streamlines paperwork, improves accuracy and supports workers with mobile onboarding and multilingual tools. Members gain a reliable, efficient system that simplifies the entire H-2A process for both their teams and their employees.
Update on the H-2A Services Team Western Growers continues to invest in expanding our H-2A Services team. Jordan Long, Account Executive, has helped drive strong growth in member participation in H-2A Services. Sarah Landon, Senior Case Manager with extensive H-2A filing experience, joined the team and has enhanced our capacity to deliver high-quality support as member H-2A filings increase. Jason Resnick and Alejandra Gonzalez continue to manage H-2A compliance and operations. Jason Resnick: Key Presenter for APMA H-2A Certification Program Western Growers’ Jason Resnick, SVP and General Counsel, played a central role in APMA’s H-2A Certification Program, serving as one of the program’s featured H-2A experts. Jason co-presented a full session on H-2A compliance and co-presented with The Growers Company’s Sonny Rodriguez on the FLC-specific considerations of H-2A filings. The program certified more than 75 participants across its nine-week curriculum. WG Making Impacts at Conferences The Western Growers H-2A Services team took an active leadership role in 2025, presenting and participating at top labor and ag conferences. Our team engaged directly with industry stakeholders at: • APMA Annual Meeting • APMA Retreat • AZ/CA Ag Seminar • CFVGA Annual Conference • NCAE Labor Forum • CFLCA Ag Labor Forum
We’ve had nothing but great experiences with Jason Resnick and his team. They really are a cut above others in their industry and the services they provide. They are the experts, so we leave everything up to them…We don’t have to worry about all the rules, regulations and deadlines of the H-2A program! We are very grateful for Western Growers! ” - SHELLEY MENDENHALL HR Manager, Richter AG
H-2A Services Providing Clear Guidance and Full Support with Zero Guesswork.
Interested in H-2A? Please contact Jordan Long at jlong@wga.com or call (559) 304-7432 to learn more.
Flexible Learning Through Monthly Webinars
Expanding Vision, Expertise and Impact
In 2025, Western Growers University (WGU) continued to expand access to high-quality, agriculture-focused training for member organizations across the West. This year marked a significant step forward with the launch of WGU’s at-cost training model, a major initiative designed to reduce financial barriers and make professional development more accessible to farming operations of every size. Under this structure, members pay only for travel and materials while gaining access to standardized, bilingual training in compliance, leadership and supervisory development, ensuring that employees at all levels can participate in meaningful, relevant skill-building. Expanding Access Through Onsite Training Throughout 2025, WGU delivered more than 40 onsite training sessions across California and Arizona. These in-person programs reached hundreds of supervisors, managers and front-line employees, offering hands-on, scenario- based learning tailored to agricultural environments. Core offerings included Harassment Prevention; Workplace Violence Prevention (SB 553); Supervisory Skills and Leadership Foundations; Performance Management and Employee
To further increase accessibility, WGU launched a new monthly webinar series available to all members at no cost. These virtual sessions provided a flexible option for organizations with dispersed teams or demanding seasonal schedules and served as a valuable complement to onsite programs. Highlighted 2025 webinars included: • Having Tough Conversations • Being Accountable for Your Results • Effective Employee Performance Management For the first time, WGU also introduced Spanish-language webinars, significantly expanding access for Spanish-speaking supervisors and front-line employees. This addition reflects WGU’s ongoing commitment to meeting members’ needs and supporting the diverse workforce that drives the agricultural industry.
In 2025, Western Growers University welcomed Teresa McQueen as the new leader of its training and development initiatives. An experienced employment attorney, educator and workplace investigator, McQueen brought a fresh, strategic perspective rooted in compliance, legal best practices and organizational effectiveness. Her expertise in labor law, conflict resolution and culture-building strengthened WGU’s curriculum and guided the expansion of programs and updated compliance training. Under her leadership, WGU continued to refine its offerings to better support the evolving needs of member companies and the industry’s emerging leaders. Testimonial Western Growers University demonstrates a strong commitment to meeting our compliance training requirements for both general employees and supervisory staff. The provision of bilingual instruction, delivered by an educator who is highly relatable to our workforce demographics, greatly enhances employee engagement and participation. Priscila Cisneros demonstrates a capacity to encourage active involvement from employees at every level, an achievement that is both notable and greatly appreciated. ”
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WG University Your Partner in Ag Workforce Development.
LUPITA RENTERIA Ocean Mist
Coaching; and Communication, Collaboration and Trust-Building.
In 2025, Pinnacle Claims Management moved to expand customer support and brand refinement in an ever-changing market environment. Our wins this year reflect a clear through-line: combining technical excellence in claims administration with a human-centered approach to service.
Rebrand The past year brought big change in the rebrand of Western Growers Assurance Trust (WGAT)—long recognized as the largest provider of healthcare benefits tailored to the agricultural industry—as Western Growers Health to better reflect our mission and expanded value proposition for agricultural employers and their workforces. This transformation, effective July 1, 2025, introduced a refreshed name and visual identity while reinforcing the organization’s deep heritage of serving farm owners, managers, seasonal employees and field workers with customized, reliable health benefit plans. Although the name and look have evolved, Western Growers Health maintains the same foundational commitment to innovation, personalized service and long-standing partnership with its members. The rebrand underscores a forward-looking approach that preserves WGAT’s decades-long legacy of bridging agriculture and healthcare, while highlighting its ongoing emphasis on member-driven solutions, clarity of communication and reinforced trust in the agricultural community.
Achievements in 2025 Another of Pinnacle’s most visible achievements in 2025 was the continued evolution of its Healthview technology platform. Enhancements rolled out during the year improved usability, accessibility and clarity for plan participants, enabling faster claims insight, easier benefit navigation and more transparent engagement with healthcare data. These upgrades reinforced Pinnacle’s position as a TPA that does not treat technology as an add-on, but as a core driver of member experience and operational efficiency. Client confidence remained a major win in 2025. Pinnacle continued to support a growing base of self-funded employers and broker partners seeking a TPA that balances financial stewardship with advocacy for plan members. Renewals, expansions of service scope and new client relationships throughout the year signaled trust in Pinnacle’s ability to operate as a long-term strategic partner—not just an administrator.
Healthcare Ensuring the Health of our Members’ Most Valuable Resource: Their Employees.
The year’s wins position the company well for 2026: • Technologically stronger • Operationally steady • Trusted by employers seeking clarity, reliability and care in healthcare benefits administration.
Western Growers Financial Services (WGFS) is pleased to report a year of positive changes. Kate Elmore McCutcheon, Vail Ranches, LLC in Brawley; Steve Mangapit, Western Growers COO; and Gary Burk, Gold Coast Packing were added to the Retirement Plan Advisory Board. WGFS bolstered the investment lineup by replacing mutual funds with exchange-traded funds, creating greater transparency and making investments easier to understand while lowering plan expense ratios. We added two satisfied customers, the Kern Water Bank Authority in Bakersfield, Calif., as well as the Water and Land Solutions in Los Banos, Calif., to the 40-plus companies WGFS is already managing. The total plan assets are now $160 million. The structure allows WGFS to offer members an institutional investment platform they could not get on their own. Mostly, we enjoy unburdening our member participants from having to hire their individual auditing firms and filing the 5500s, saving thousands every year.
$160 MILLION TOTAL PLAN ASSETS.
Financial Services Focused on Asset Management and Retirement Security.
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Testimonial The Kern Water Bank Authority was looking to improve its defined contribution retirement plan by offering our employees better investment selections and service while at the same time lowering the cost to both the employees and the organization. We had meetings with several providers but none of them could provide the level of service we were looking for while at the same time lowering the cost for the participants and the organization. At one of our board meetings, a Board member suggested that I reach out to Western Growers to see if they could help. Western Growers Financial Services was able to come up with a retirement plan solution that met our goals and exceeded our expectations. Our employees are very happy with the new plan, with several commenting that we should have done this 10 years ago. The transition was fairly easy and working with not only Western Growers Financial Services but Northwest Plan Services has provided additional benefits to our administrative staff. ” - JOE BUTKIEWICZ General Manager Kern Water Bank Authority
Social Media In 2025, WG had its best organically performing posts of all time on Instagram, X and Facebook. On Instagram there were 163,000 views of External Affairs VP Cory Lunde’s video discussing the disparity of Hollywood tax breaks in comparison to state support for agriculture. This was also our most-viewed post ever on X. On Facebook, a video of an electric weeder in action earned more than 610,000 views. Our
The onset of the broad adoption of artificial intelligence represents a new challenge for the WG Marketing and Communications (MarCom) team, as we navigate an era where there are more sources of information than ever – but the credibility of those sources is becoming even murkier. This year in the team’s main focus areas – Marketing, Media Relations, Social Media and Communications – our key goal has been to provide clear, concise, timely and forthright information for our members, consumers and allies in the ag space. Marketing Western Growers has a century of well-earned brand equity. At its core, the Western Growers name is the face of steadfast and unwavering advocacy, support and unity of those who grow and provide food to millions of people. The marketing team is focused on expanding the recognition of this brand sentiment to increase the industry’s influence in ways that give members leverage. We’re doing this by growing digital platforms, disseminating valuable resources and developing product lines with other Western Growers teams. Media Relations Of all elements of the MarCom landscape, Media Relations is the one most directly impacted by the advent of the AI era. Thousands of reporters have been laid off and legacy print publications have shuttered as aggregate copy propagated by AI becomes the new norm. WG has responded to this changing landscape by seeking out trusted partners in the media space to share our in-house content, including the syndication of our Voices of the Valley podcast to the AgNet West Radio Network and articles in the Western Grower & Shipper magazine to Produce News. In addition, we linked up WG’s subject matter experts with opinion writers at the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post to provide context on the immigration policy debate.
TikTok account is gaining traction with an audience that’s younger than our other social media platforms; in 2025, WG content was viewed there more than 500,000 times. Communications We’ve continued to enhance the Western Grower & Shipper magazine with additional columns that highlight insights and new voices from Western Growers experts. These improvements continue to resonate with the advertising community, contributing to another year of record revenue. We also added new voices and broadened the perspectives featured on our Voices of the Valley podcast, which now covers a wider range of agriculture topics for a consumer audience, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Looking ahead, we’re developing further enhancements for the Western Grower & Shipper magazine. These
Marketing and Communications A Trusted Voice in a Shifting Landscape.
updates will be ongoing as we work to expand our reach—not only strengthening communication with our members but also sharing the broader story of agriculture with consumer audiences.
Financial Management Western Growers successfully managed 35 PACA reparation actions, 76 sales consultation inquiries and two DRC (Canada) files, recovering a substantial sum exceeding $1.3 million in cash recovery for 24 Western Growers shipper members.
Educational Outreach Western Growers conducted 12 PACA sales training sessions, catering to a diverse audience, including shippers, brokers, distributors and produce associations. We also delivered crucial insights into fresh produce best practices and specific contract compliance methods.
Commodity & Supply Chain Management
International Leadership and Collaboration Ongoing collaboration between federal agencies and other grower trade associations across the U.S. and Canada strengthens international leadership and expands influence. These partnerships foster alignment on key issues, driving innovation and enhancing competitiveness on a global scale.
Providing Consultation on Produce Contracts, PACA Education and Collections Support.
Combating Unilateral Retailer Practices Western Growers led multiple grower coalition efforts to bring equality back to the buy/sell relationship, most notably combating Canada’s largest retailer, Loblaw, on egregious, imposed policies considered detrimental to the fresh produce shipper community.
Knowledge Dissemination Western Growers distributed monthly Produce Insights newsletters, distilling complex topics into easy-to-digest content. The articles covered essential industry best practices, including shipping and receiving, amending sales contracts and crucial steps to mitigate loss while safeguarding sellers’ PACA Trust rights.
The Compensation and Benefits Report continues to be an annual highlight with member company key executives looking forward to receiving the results of the survey. Pay and benefits trends are impacting budgets, particularly in competitive pay and health benefits expenses. This year, many jobs were added to the survey, mostly in the Plant and Office Jobs category, bringing the total number of all jobs surveyed to 130.
Bonus/Incentive Eligible Employees
77%
Executives
91%
Management
74%
Office Employees
55%
Field Employees
15%
Other
Most member companies participating in the survey are grower/shippers for vegetables, melons and other row crops at 45 percent of the data. This remains the only pay data source available for the fresh produce industry in California and Arizona. We learned that the bonus and incentive criteria breakdown are reported as follows: 47 percent discretionary, 42 percent based on company performance, and 28 percent based on individual performance.
Did pay ranges increase for 2024?
Top 5 methods to successfully fill open positions
Human Resources Helping Members Stay Informed and Compliant on Workplace Issues.
72% Internet Job Boards
25% No
65%
75% Yes
Referrals
Former Employee 51% Company Website 49% Internal Transfers / Promotions 54%
Regarding annual merit increases, 87 percent of member companies reported offering them, and 13 percent reported that they did not. This shapes the belief that performance management is becoming increasingly important in member companies. We learned recruiting continues to be a challenge, as such bonus for referrals is becoming more common.
3.2% Median percentage change in salary structure
*Examples of some of the valuable insights provided in the Compensation and Benefits Report.
2025 was another year marked by growth , empowerment and meaningful progress for the Western Growers Women Program. This year focused on elevating leadership skills and strengthening the connections that unite women across the industry, supporting both professional advancement and personal development. Jenny Garley, a 2025 WG Women Program graduate said it best: “It’s inspiring to see how collaboration turns knowledge into action. The collective wisdom and professional experiences shared by this group allowed trainers to ground education in real- world practice.” The WGW Program now encompasses 114 participants from 79 member companies. Through partnerships with Western Growers University, the Western Growers Government Affairs team, the Arbinger Institute, the Peter Barron Stark Company and Dr. Tina Huff using the Birkman Method Assessment, the WG Women Program continues to equip women with the tools and confidence needed to step into leadership roles throughout the fresh produce industry. 2025 Highlights January 2025 Participants traveled to Washington, D.C., to advocate for the fresh produce industry. February 2025 Dr. Tina Huff led a “How to Juggle Multiple Hats” workshop. March 2025 Western Growers University’s Priscila Cisneros, Learning and Development Manager, presented a virtual workshop, “Effective Employee Performance Management.” April 2025 The second annual WGW Leadership Retreat was held in Pismo Beach, Calif.
May 2025 Two WGW Program graduates were selected to attend the Western Growers Board of Directors Fly-In in Washington, D.C. June 2025 The Western Growers Government Affairs team led a virtual workshop focused on Federal Policy. September 2025 Participants attended a virtual workshop on “Building Highly Motivated Teams,” led by Dr. Tina Huff. October 2025 Peter Baron Stark presented on “Negotiation Skills” in Salinas, Calif. November 2025 Five participants completed all offerings over a two-year period and graduated from the WGW Program. They were recognized for their accomplishment at the 99th Western Growers Annual Meeting.
Western Growers Women Professional Development and Networking for Women in Agriculture (WGW).
Western Growers Women LinkedIn Group Members
122
Featured Session A Featured Session on “AI: Food Safety’s Friend or Foe?” offered a deeper look into how AI is reshaping food safety, which featured four expert voices from across the industry, moderated by Western Growers’
The 99th Western Growers Annual Meeting attracted a record number of attendees, with more than 500 of the specialty crop industry’s top business leaders participating in dynamic networking events, educational breakout sessions, thought-provoking keynote speakers and nautical-themed parties amid the beauty of the legendary Hotel Del Coronado in Coronado, Calif. Kickoff Keynote The first full day of the Annual Meeting featured Bryan Stern as the Kickoff Keynote. Bryan Stern is known for his extraordinary work in crisis response worldwide. With over 25 years in the U.S. Army, Navy and the Intelligence Community, he has led more than 700 missions and rescued over 7,100 people from conflict zones including Ukraine, Afghanistan, Russia, Haiti and Gaza. PAC Lunch The PAC Lunch was focused on conversation between WG President and CEO Dave Puglia and Eli Lake of The Free Press, a veteran journalist with extensive experience reporting on foreign affairs and national security, for an engaging and thought-provoking conversation on national and geopolitical affairs. AgSharks ® AgSharks ® returned this year, and the sharks were hungrier than ever. Precision irrigation system Lumo was selected as the Audience Choice Award winner during the pitch competition.
Joelle Mosso, AVP, Science Programs. Chair’s Lunch and Keynote
During the Chair’s Lunch and Keynote, WG Chair Stuart Woolf took the reins to reflect on his past two years of service, thanking WG members, the WG Board of Directors, sponsors and industry VIPs for their dedication to advancing the specialty crop industry. After his remarks and luncheon, Woolf conducted a Q&A with American economist Jeremy Siegel, Russell E. Palmer Professor of Finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and discussed the state of the economy and the impact of the current Administration’s policies on the U.S. and the world. Award of Honor Dinner Gala The Award of Honor Dinner Gala focused on
Annual Meeting The Premier Industry Networking and Educational Event in Agriculture.
the many achievements of Stewart Resnick, Chairman, President and Co-Owner of The Wonderful Company. Comedian Aaron Weber, a Grand Ole Opry regular, closed out the evening, unleashing roaring laughter with his wit and humor.
A number of attendees extended their stays the following morning, opting to play in the Growers Cup presented by Western Growers Health and the Western Growers Pickleball Classic .
Diamond Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors Baker Tilly BASF Braga Fresh California Transplants Calpine Containers
Keithly Williams Seeds Muzzi Family Farms Nichino Niqo Robotics Smurfit Westrock SPRX Toro Petroleum True Organic Products Vektor Logistics Western Precooling
Ecorobotix Enza Zaden Fennemore
Fisher Phillips H2 Organizer Harris Farms Jackson Lewis
Annual Meeting Sponsors Help Shape the Future of the Fresh Produce Industry.
Platinum Sponsors Bank of America Pinnacle Claims Management Inc Quinn Company Syngenta Western Growers Health Specialty Silver Sponsors alliantgroup BMO CopperPoint Insurance Companies Denham Plastics Emerald Packaging Empire Farm Labor Contractor Fifth Third Bank International Farming International Paper
Gold Sponsors Anthem Corteva Rabo AgriFinance UMB Bank
Industry Partners Barkley Ag Enterprises Cal.net D’Arrigo Bros New York Dickerson, Peatman & Fogarty Feeding San Diego Gowan Company Green Rubber – Kennedy Ag Grimmway Enterprises HeinzSeed JRG Attorneys at Law King City Nursery Law Offices of Shawn Caine MIXTEC Group The OccuNet Company Pacific Ag Rentals Penny Newman Grain Company Rain for Rent
Rosasco Law Group Sakata Seed America Southern Valley Chemical Co
Sturdy Oil Company Teleos Ag Solutions Tiverton Advisors Verdant Robotics
PGIM Real Estate Resolution Economics Tri Counties Bank TriCal US Bank Vālenz Health Wells Fargo Western Growers Financial Services Westlake Pipe & Fittings The Zenith
Nelson Irrigation Ocean Mist Farms
Executive Committee
2025 Directors
CHAIR
STUART WOOLF Woolf Farming & Processing Fresno, Calif.
GEORGE ADAM Innovative Produce Santa Maria, California CHAD AMARAL D’Arrigo Bros. of Calif. Salinas, Calif. KEVIN ANDREW Illume Agriculture Bakersfield, Calif. ROBERT BARKLEY Barkley Ag Enterprises Yuma, Ariz. STEPHEN BARNARD Mission Produce Oxnard, Calif. BARDIN BENGARD Bengard Ranch Salinas, Calif. SOREN BJORN Driscoll’s Watsonville, Calif. GEORGE BOSKOVICH Boskovich Farms Oxnard, Calif.
RODNEY BRAGA Braga Fresh Family Farms Soledad, Calif. STEVE BRAZEEL SunTerra Produce Costa Mesa, Calif. JOHN CHANDLER Chandler Farms Selma, Calif. LARRY COX Coastline Family Farms Brawley, Calif. STEPHEN DANNA Danna Farms Yuba City, Calif. THOMAS DEARDORFF II Deardorff Family Farms Oxnard, Calif. TIM ESCAMILLA Bolthouse Fresh Foods Bakersfield, Calif. KRISTEN SMITH ESHAYA JV Smith Companies Yuma, Ariz.
DAVID GILL Rio Farms King City, Calif.
HAROLD MCCLARTY HMC Farms Kingsburg, Calif. CANNON MICHAEL Bowles Farming, Los Banos, Calif. HEATHER MULHOLLAND Mulholland Citrus Orange Cove, Calif. DOMINIC MUZZI, JR.
CRAIG READE Bonipak Produce Santa Maria, Calif.
VICE CHAIR
ROB YRACEBURU Wonderful Orchards Shafter, Calif. NEILL CALLIS Turlock Fruit Company Turlock, Calif. DON CAMERON Terranova Ranch Helm, Calif.
BOB GIRAGOSIAN Kern Ridge Growers Arvin, Calif. BRANDON GRIMM Grimmway Farms Arvin, Calif. JOHN JACKSON Beachside Produce Nipomo, Calif. TRACY JONES Booth Ranches Orange Cove, Calif. A.G. KAWAMURA Orange County Produce Fullerton, Calif. J.P. LABRUCHERIE LaBrucherie Produce El Centro, Calif. STEPHEN MARTORI III Martori Farms Scottsdale, Ariz.
KYLE RICHARDSON Garry Richardson Farms Bakersfield, Calif. SONNY RODRIGUEZ The Growers Company Somerton, Ariz. BRUCE TALBOTT Talbott’s Mountain Gold Palisade, Colo. BRUCE TAYLOR Taylor Farms Calif. Salinas, Calif. MIKE WAY Prime Time International Coachella, Calif.
TREASURER
Leadership 2025 Board of Directors
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Muzzi Family Farms Moss Landing, Calif. TOM NUNES V The Nunes Company Salinas, Calif. STEPHEN PATRICIO Westside Produce Firebaugh, Calif. JOHN POWELL, JR. Peter Rabbit Farms Coachella, Calif. RON RATTO Ratto Bros. Modesto, Calif.
E.C. MEMBER-AT-LARGE
CATHERINE FANUCCHI Tri-Fanucchi Farms Bakersfield, Calif.
E.C. MEMBER-AT-LARGE
RYAN TALLEY Talley Farms Arroyo Grande, Calif. ALBERT KECK Hadley Date Gardens Thermal, Calif.
PAST CHAIR
PRESIDENT AND CEO
DAVE PUGLIA Western Growers Irvine, Calif.
Annual Meeting CORY LUNDE
Human Resources KAREN TIMMINS
Science DE ANN DAVIS
Clunde@wga.com | 949.885.2264
Ktimmins@wga.com | 949.885.2295
Ddavis@wga.com | 949.885.2205
Commodity & Supply Chain Services BRYAN NICKERSON Bnickerson@wga.com | 949.885.4808
Innovation WALT DUFLOCK
Western Growers Health STEVE MANGAPIT
Wduflock@wga.com| 949.345.5997
Smangapit@wga.com | 949.885.2222
External Affairs CORY LUNDE
International Trade TRACEY CHOW
Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology WALT DUFLOCK
Directory Current Staff
Clunde@wga.com | 949.885.2264
Tchow@wga.com | 202.296.0191
Wduflock@wga.com| 949.345.5997
Government Affairs, DC DENNIS NUXOLL
Legal and H-2A Services JASON RESNICK
Western Growers Financial Services MATT LEWIS
Dnuxoll@wga.com | 202.296.0191
Jresnick@wga.com | 949.885.2253
Mlewis@wga.com | 949.885.2379
Government Affairs, State (CA) MATTHEW ALLEN
Media, Marketing and Communications ANN DONAHUE Adonahue@wga.com | 949.302.7600
Western Growers University TERESA McQUEEN
Mallen@wga.com | 916.446.1435
TMcQueen@wga.com | 949.885.2277
GAIL DELIHANT
Gdelihant@wga.com | 916.446.1435
Membership BRYAN NICKERSON
Western Growers Women Program CIERRA ALLEN
Government Affairs, State (AZ) ROBERT MEDLER
Bnickerson@wga.com | 949.885.4808
Callen@wga.com | 949.885.2279
Rmedler@wga.com | 949.308.5658
Pinnacle Claims Management STEVE MANGAPIT
Smangapit@pinnacletpa.com | 949.885.2222
WESTERN GROWERS ASSOCIATION Phone: 949.863.1000 | Fax: 949.863.9028 info@wga.com | wga.com
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