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Do you want to go behind the scenes and learn about how the food gets on your table? Hear about the complex world of agricultural policy, food safety, crop protection, disease control and more from the most influential people working in farming. Be sure to tune in each week as we delve deeper into the inner workings of our food system.
160 Episodes
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In this episode, we talk to Students for Eco-Education and
Agriculture (SEEAG) and explore how the organization inspires a deeper connection to the agricultural industry by promoting a greater understanding of how food gets from farm to table.
SEEAG is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bridging the
gap between farmers and the community by educating students and the public about the origins of their food. Through interactive programs, farm tours and hands-on activities, SEEAG connects participants with local agriculture, fostering an appreciation for the farmers who grow and harvest the fresh produce that nourishes us.
In this episode, we explore the powerful connection between the food we eat, provided by the farmers who grow our food, and our overall health and wellness.
From fueling our bodies and preventing disease to supporting a balanced lifestyle, we discuss how nutrient-rich crops play a crucial role in our well-being with insights from our health and wellness expert, Beth Sims.
The next generation of ag leaders are playing an important role in shaping the future of farming.
California is one of the most vital agricultural regions in
the world, and these emerging voices are navigating an industry influenced by climate change and the need for sustainability, water and labor shortages and
advancements in agtech.
We explore the California Agricultural Leadership
Program and discussing the challenges and opportunities our future leaders are facing in the ever-evolving landscape of agriculture.
Featuring: Abby-Taylor Silva, Executive VP of the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation; Bryan Nickerson, Commodity and Supply Chain Services Director for Western Growers; and Cory Lunde, VP of External Affairs for Western Growers.
You may have never given today’s topic much consideration, but this is the episode you didn’t know you needed.
In this episode, Western Growers' Kara Timmins and Jeana Cadby talk with CDFA entomologist Dr. Jason Leathers and canine handler Michelle King to explore the exciting world of agricultural pest detection.
They’ll share why it’s so important travelers don’t pack a
pest and how we can all participate in protecting agriculture. We’ll even get to meet agriculture detector K9 Kernul, an eight-year-old chocolate lab who helps
protect California agriculture by using his nose to sniff out unwanted pests in unmarked packages.
Did you know that California produces more than 80% of the nation’s stone fruits? For those of you unfamiliar with the term, stone fruits are named after the large stone in their centers, or what we know as the seed or pit. These types of fruits include peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries and mangos.
In this week’s episode, Western Growers’ Julia Nellis and Michelle Rivera talk to special guest Chelsea Ketelsen, Vice President of Marketing from HMC Farms.
Based out of Kingsburg, California, HMC Farms is a leading grower, packer and shipper of stone fruit and table grapes.
Tune in this week as we peel back the farmer’s curtain. We uncover surprising facts and stories about your favorite fruits, tracing their fascinating journey from farm to table—and explaining why your nectarine might taste a little different each week.
When you think of olive oil, you may think of places like Spain, Italy and Greece. But did you know that California produces some of the finest olive oil?
In this week’s episode of Voices of the Valley, we pour over everything you wanted to know about olives and olive oil with Western Growers’ Michelle Rivera and Julia Nellis and special guest Vincent Ricchiuti from Enzo Olive Oil Company.
Based out of Central San Joaquin Valley, Enzo Olive Oil
Company’s mill is home to the award-winning, 100 percent estate-grown organic extra virgin olive oil.
Join us as we uncover the difference between virgin and extra virgin olive oil, proper packaging and storage and an olive’s journey from farm to table. You’ll also find out what things you should consider before purchasing olive oil at the store.
Did you know that California farmers produce nearly 75% of all cantaloupes grown in the US? That makes for a total of $300 million in nationwide market sales.
In this episode, we slice into everything you wanted to know about melons with Western Growers’ Michelle Rivera and Julia Nellis and special guest Garrett Patricio, President of Westside Produce and melon grower based in Firebaugh, California.
Learn about what goes on behind the scenes on the melon farm and the practices and strategies farmers are putting in place to ensure the safety of your cantaloupes as they go from farm to table.
You’ll also learn some pro tips on how to tell when a
melon is ripe for picking. If you’re someone who knocks or taps on melons in the grocery store, we have a surprising revelation for you.
In this episode, Western Growers Director of Communications, Ann Donahue, talks with Garrett Nishimori, Business Manager at San Miguel Produce.
Garrett grew up in a farming family in Oxnard, Calif. He left to attend culinary school, after which he became a chef in a two-star Michelin restaurant in San Francisco. He returned to the family farm 15 years ago. His unique perspective on the “Farm to Fork” movement provides a first-hand account on food waste prevention, the intricacies of the supply chain – and why consumers should all get to know where our food comes from.
Tune in to listen to Garrett talk about his family’s legacy, the July 2024 acquisition of San Miguel Produce by Grimmway Farms and how realistic FX’s “The Bear” is.
Cross-border health care is growing in popularity as Mexico increasingly provides innovative, technologically advanced medical services at a cost-savings for employers. In fact, close to a million Americans cross the border every year to receive medical care in Mexico.
In this episode of Voices of the Valley, Raquel Lugo, Senior
Director of Client Services and Mexico Operations at Western Growers Assurance Trust, joins Michelle Rivera, Communications Manager, to talk about cross-border
health care and the role it plays in providing accessible, convenient and high-quality medical services for those who grow and harvest our food.
Almonds have been cultivated for thousands of years, and as it turns out, California is the largest producer of almonds globally, accounting for more than 80% of the world's almond production.
In this episode of Voices of the Valley, Stuart Woolf, President and CEO of Woolf Farming & Processing and Chair of the Western Growers Board of Directors, joins Western Growers Communications Managers Michelle Rivera and Kara Timmins to talk about the wonderful world of almonds!
A farmland landscape may not make many people think of a place rich in scientific research and discovery, but it should!
In this episode of Voices of the Valley Megan
Kavanaugh, VP of Science and Agronomy at Bio S.I., talks about the fascinating life that exists in the soil with Western Growers Jeana Cadby, Director of Climate and Sustainability, and Kara Timmins, Communications Manager.
Western Growers food safety scientists Sonia Salas, Associate Vice President, Science & Technology, and Joelle Mosso, Associate Vice President, Science Programs, discuss their perspective and insight when it comes to buying fresh produce for their children.
In this episode of Voices of the Valley, Katie Chiapuzio, Director of Environmental Science and Resources at Braga Fresh, joins Western Growers Jeana Cadby, Environment and Climate Director, and Kara Timmins, Communications Manager, to discuss the amazing nature of bees and how they contribute to agriculture.
In this week’s episode of Voices of the Valley, we’re breaking through misconceptions in agriculture with Coachella Valley farmer Celeste Alonzo.
Alongside her family, Celeste grows bell peppers and corn at Junior Enterprises. She joins Julia Nellis, Social Media Manager at Western Growers, to answer questions WG received on social media about farming.
Join us to gain a deeper understanding about the day-to-day intricacies of operating a farm, farmworker safety standards and protection, automation, organic and conventional produce and more.
Learn where your food really comes from. In the new
season of the Voices of the Valley podcast, you’ll hear about the successes and challenges the agricultural industry experiences every day to get the best food to you and your family. We’ll explore everything from agriculture misinformation, women changing the industry, fieldworkers’ stories, scientific developments and, of course, technological innovations.
In the first episode of this season, catch up with Western Growers Dennis Donohue, Center for Innovation & Technology Director, and meet Jeana Cadby, Environment and Climate Director, as they discuss how
agriculture is addressing its biggest challenges in both innovation and science.
The activity around supporting and strengthening specialty crop agriculture through Western Growers is bustling. Dennis and Jeana discuss how the organization and its team are actively addressing issues like automation solution, climate challenges, food safety developments, biological input innovation and more.
Join us as we explore this exciting industry.
Follow on Western Growers Science on LinkedIn here or
the Center of Innovation and Technology on X @wg_cit.
Dr. Frank Wong, one of Bayer's Industry Affairs Directors, discusses his shift in opinion about biological solutions on this week’s episode of Voices of the Valley. “I would say that [during] the last two decades of my career, I’ve always been really cynical about biologics,” Frank says. In this episode, he discusses how and why he’s a recent convert on the issue. In the end, he says, it all comes down to supporting and providing tools for growers.
With new regulatory pressures presenting themselves all the time on both state and federal levels, Frank discusses the need for options, but acknowledges it isn’t going to be easy. “It’s certainly challenging for maintaining tools that actually allow you to produce fruits and vegetables that you can sell and market…There needs to be a way to address those types of challenges,” he said.
Josh Ruiz, Senior Director of Ag Technology and Innovation at Duda Farm Fresh Foods, shares how he views challenges and opportunities in his role to be an actor of change in agriculture on this week’s episode of Voices of the Valley.
David Magaña is Vice President and Senior Analyst of Rabo Research in North America for fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts, and he shares his global perspective on the present challenges in agriculture on this week’s episode of Voices of the Valley.
Together with hosts Dennis Donohue and Candace Wilson, David discusses the global factors of water, land, logistics and inflation that put pressure on agricultural production, calling it “a massive collision of forces.” With rising consumer demands, growers have to manage the ─ sometimes contradictory ─ desires of buyers and consumers.
Adam Bergman ─ Managing Director, Clean Energy Transition Group and the Global Head of AgTech at Investment Banking, Citi ─ joins Dennis
Donohue and Candace Wilson on this week’s episode of Voices of the Valley.
The topic of agtech and cleantech to address issues like climate change is a global endeavor, Adam says. Countries like Israel, Brazil and the United States are all players in creating and utilizing sustainable agricultural practices, and a collaboration of effort toward a sustainable future is an asset.
And all roads lead back to the farmer. “The farmer of the future is going to be someone with an iPad in their hand,” Bergman says. But every agtech solution should be developed and brought to market with grower input to ensure value, usability and return.
Alex Cochran, Chief Technology Officer at DPH Biologicals joins Dennis Donohue and Candace Wilson on this week’s episode of Voices of the
Valley to discuss the realities and possibilities of utilizing biological solutions in agriculture.
In this episode, Alex shares his insight into how to optimize the benefits of biologicals, which, he says, starts with the relationship with growers: “The single biggest challenge that we have in the biological space today is around trust.” The answer to building that trust: high-quality science and aligning expectations.
Biologicals don’t function in the same way that chemistry does, and Alex takes time in this episode to discuss examples. Alex says: “The way I like to position biologicals is, they’re not chemistry. They are different. They behave differently. In some cases, they need to be handled differently, and that’s important for growers to understand from an education process.”
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