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For any questions about tickets or pricing, please contact
Cheryl Hall at chall@wga.com
Schedule subject to change
Check-in with Western Growers staff to collect your badge and Annual Meeting materials
Aloha! The Welcome Reception is the first of many opportunities to make meaningful connections with friends and colleagues.
For any questions about tickets or pricing, please contact
Cheryl Hall at chall@wga.com
Schedule subject to change
Check-in with Western Growers staff to collect your badge and Annual Meeting materials
Board Members, WG Members, and Invited Guests.
Temple Grandin, PhD
Mary Temple Grandin is an American academic and animal behaviorist. She is a champion of the humane treatment of livestock, autism rights and inclusive neurodiversity by employing her gifted insights from her personal experience with autism and visual thinking. She will provide insight into how different ways of thinking can help solve problems that your industry may face.
American Academic and Animal Behaviorist
Mary Temple Grandin is an American academic and animal behaviorist. She is a champion of the humane treatment of livestock, autism rights and inclusive neurodiversity by employing her gifted insights from her personal experience with autism and visual thinking. She will provide insight into how different ways of thinking can help solve problems that your industry may face. As a faculty member with Animal Sciences at Colorado State University, she was named as one of the top 10 college professors in the United States in 2020. She is the author of more than 60 scientific papers on animal behavior, and more than a dozen books on animal behavior and autism, including her latest NY Times bestselling, book, Visual Thinking (2022). Dr. Temple Grandin's remarkable influence in autism advocacy and farm-animal welfare continues to grow. This world-renowned and celebrated animal scientist has used her amazing talent in the classroom and research laboratories at Colorado State University to conduct research that translates to better industry practices and to train a new generation of scientists. Through her outstanding research and personal triumph, Dr. Grandin has enlightened the world about the humane handling of food animals and the unlimited possibility of the human spirit.
Temple Grandin, PhD
Temple Grandin, PhD
American Academic and Animal Behaviorist
Michael Shellenberger
Michael Shellenberger, leading investigative journalist and Founder and President of Environmental Progress, will be joining the Western Growers Annual Meeting as a guest speaker at the annual PAC Luncheon.
Environmental Progress, Founder & President
Michael Shellenberger, leading investigative journalist and Founder and President of Environmental Progress, will be joining the Western Growers Annual Meeting as a guest speaker at the annual PAC Luncheon. Shellenberger is the best-selling author of San Fransicko: Why Progressives Ruin Cities (HarperCollins 2021) and Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All (HarperCollins 2020). Apocalypse Never has been translated into over 15 languages. He is founder and president of Environmental Progress, an independent nonprofit research organization that incubates ideas, leaders, and movements. Michael is a Time Magazine "Hero of the Environment," and Green Book Award winner. And he is cofounder of the California Peace Coalition, an alliance of parents of children killed by fentanyl, parents of homeless addicts, and recovering addicts. Along with his journalistic accomplishments, he is a leading energy expert who testifies and advises governments worldwide, including in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. He is an expert on climate change, energy policy and the environment. He is known for his thought-provoking and controversial ideas and his willingness to challenge conventional wisdom. Shellenberger ran for California governor as an independent in 2022.
Michael Shellenberger
Michael Shellenberger
Environmental Progress, Founder & President
Seana Day
Eric Morgan
Kyle Cobb
What impact will artificial intelligence (AI) have on WG member operations and supply chains? How will AI improve and potentially accelerate automation and biological solutions, and are there over-hyped solutions that are unlikely to emerge? What impact will increased investment in AI in non-ag fields have on agriculture solutions?
This year’s Party with the Partners is all about the “Aloha Spirit” as we celebrate Western Growers’ loyal members and industry partners. Under the beautiful backdrop of Kauai, this memorable event will be filled with delicious refreshments, live music, networking opportunities and new games and activities for all.
For any questions about tickets or pricing, please contact
Cheryl Hall at chall@wga.com
Schedule subject to change
Check-in with Western Growers staff to collect your badge and Annual Meeting materials
Western Growers presents AgSharks® — our groundbreaking collaborative forum to advance agricultural technologies for the fresh produce industry. Watch as cutting-edge startups pitch their technologies, venture capital fund veterans look for investment opportunities, and Western Growers members vie for the chance to test the new tech in their fields.
Jim Carroll
Don’t know much about artificial intelligence (AI) but wish you did? AI is already arguably the most disruptive technology in human history, but what will it mean for agriculture and the future of food production? During the Chair’s Luncheon, world-renowned futurist and AI expert Jim Carroll will deliver compelling insight into how AI is transforming our industry and what your company can do to stay ahead of this emerging megatrend.
Keynote Speaker
The future of farming is happening faster than we might think. Through the power data analytics and machine learning, AI has many potential applications for agriculture ranging from crop monitoring and management to precision farming to autonomous robots and vehicles. And the role of AI-powered systems in agriculture will only continue to accelerate. Spending on AI in agriculture was $2 billion in 2022 but is expected to grow to $75 billion by 2025. During the Chair’s Luncheon on Tuesday, Nov. 14, world-renowned futurist and AI expert Jim Carroll will deliver compelling insight into how AI is transforming our industry and what your company can do to stay ahead of this emerging megatrend. Carroll has spent the last 30 years on the leading edge of emerging disruptive trends and innovation, sharing his crystal ball with leading organizations like the World Bank, Walt Disney, NASA, Microsoft and Mercedes Benz, as well as familiar industry faces such as Nutrien, Farm Credit and Syngenta. Carroll has been featured in a number of international media outlets including the BBC, Reuters and AP news, and was named one of the top sources for innovation insight by Business Week. He was also a featured expert on the prime-time CNBC series, “The Business of Innovation.” Carroll is a prolific author, penning books like, “Now What: Reinvention and the Role of Optimism in Finding Your New Future;” “Think Big, Start Small, Scale Fast” and “Surviving the Information Age.”
Jim Carroll
Jim Carroll
Keynote Speaker
Family Games are back!
Grab the whole family, gather up your team and get ready for lots of fun and laughter during the Western Growers Hawaiian Family Games. All ages and skill levels are welcome.
Join us for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as we take advantage of one final opportunity to socialize with our Western Growers family before heading into the capstone event, the Award of Honor Dinner Gala.
Tom Papa
This year, Western Growers will present the 2023 Award of Honor to D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of California CEO/President and Chairman of the Board John D’Arrigo. The Award of Honor is Western Growers’ highest recognition of achievement and is given to individuals who have contributed extensively to the agricultural community.
Comedian Tom Papa will perform during the entertainment portion of this year’s Award of Honor Dinner Gala. One of America’s top comedians, Papa will provide an evening of laughter and entertainment. Mark your calendars for November 12-15 and get ready to laugh with Tom Papa at the Western Growers Award of Honor Dinner!
Stand-up comedian
With more than 20 years as a stand-up comedian, Tom Papa is one of the top comedic voices in the country finding success in film, TV, radio and podcasts as well as on the live stage. He is a regular guest on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast and the late night TV shows. On May 12, Tom released his second book, You’re Doing Great!: And Other Reasons To Stay Alive, a collection of essays on how people really live in modern America and what’s truly good and wonderful about our lives. Tom’s first book, Your Dad Stole My Rake: And Other Family Dilemmas, was released on June 5, 2018 from St Martin’s Press, making “Summer Must Read” lists from Parade Magazine to The New York Post. The comedic book takes a hilarious look at the host of characters in our families with bizarre, inescapable behavior. On February 4, Netflix premiered Tom’s fourth hour-long stand-up special, Tom Papa: You’re Doing Great! A hilarious rebuttal to our current cultural feeling of dread, Tom wants you to remember that you’re doing great; life isn’t perfect, it never will be, and that’s OK. Tom’s new podcast, Breaking Bread with Tom Papa, premiered on May 12 and features Tom and his guest for an hour of eating, drinking and enjoying life. Listeners are invited to take a seat at the table as Tom and his guests celebrate the true meaning of breaking bread with insightful, revealing and always funny conversations.
Tom Papa
Tom Papa
Stand-up comedian
For any questions about tickets or pricing, please contact
Cheryl Hall at chall@wga.com
Schedule subject to change
Whether you're a seasoned golfer or just getting started, the Growers Cup promises an unforgettable day of golf amidst breathtaking views. It's not just a tournament; it's an opportunity to connect with your fellow conference attendees, forge new friendships and enjoy some friendly competition.
