Western Growers 2012 Legal Updates Webinar Series begins this month with programs occurring throughout the year. Sponsoring attorney experts will help members stay updated and informed about the most pressing legal issues relevant to your business. Register

We are now accepting participants for the 2012 Western Growers' Professional Compensation and Benefits Survey for growers, packers and shippers who make wage and benefit decisions. Sign Up

The Science and Technology Lunch & Learn webinar series is on the 1st Wednesday of every month. Find out the latest information on the Food Safety Modernization Act, food safety developments, traceability, sustainability, water quality regulation, nutrient management and a number of other mission-critical concerns to you and your business. Register

Immediate and long-term solutions to California’s need for a reliable water supply have been identified. Follow the latest developments in our challenge to ensure our farms have the water needed to grow the food people eat. Learn More

Ag Practices Come Under Increasing Buyer Scrutiny

It’s no secret that people increasingly want to know more about where their food comes from and how it’s distributed, according to an Ag Alert article by Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif and Paul Wenger, president of the California Farm Bureau Federation. With that, there’s an increasing focus on sustainability.

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New School Lunch Standards Double Fruits, Vegetables

New school lunch standards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture double the amount of fruits and vegetables required for student meals. This represents the first time in 15 years the school meal standards were raised. The new rules, announced yesterday by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and First Lady Michelle Obama, are part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act signed into law Dec. 13.

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WG Joins Arizona Immigration Reform Effort

Western Growers joined a coalition endorsing the Arizona Accord—an immigration reform effort announced this week. The accord is modeled after the Utah Compact developed in 2010 that led to that state’s guest worker law allowing illegal immigrants to pass a background check and pay a fine to obtain work permits. The Arizona Accord supports focusing law enforcement resources on criminal violations instead of immigration enforcement, keeping families together, acknowledging the role immigrants play in the economy and treating immigrants humanely, The Arizona Republic reports.

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