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 t ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read 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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

Undersecretary for the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Christine Birdsong joins Dennis Donohue and Candace Wilson on this week’s episode of Voices of the Valley to discuss her role and initiatives to support California agriculture on key points like sustainable pest management, water (whether drought or flood), supply chain difficulties and an aging workforce ..read more

Ian LeMay, President of the California Fresh Fruit Association, joins Dennis Donohue and Candace Wilson on this episode of Voices of the Valley to discuss navigating current challenges in fresh produce agriculture to reach a bright and exciting future. LeMay shares his thoughts about the two biggest challenges that fresh fruit farmers in California face: labor and water. “Transition is the word of the day,” said LeMay. “In termsof issue areas…truly has been agriculture labor. Our roots run extremely deep in that area, in positive ways and negative. To this day, as our commodities still holisti ..read more