<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sacramento, CA-</span><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">By Eric Anderson<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">3.15.13</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>This week, the Western Growers Board of Directors held its spring meeting in Sacramento, focusing on immigration reform, responses to nitrate in drinking water, labor union legislation, the federal Food Safety Modernization Act, the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, the state water bond and several other matters.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><img class="small-cropped-image" src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacySmallCroppedImages/ricardo-lara.jpg" alt="03/15/2013 - marnin blast -images" />Directors held a reception with the Latino legislative Caucus following meetings with legislators in the state capitol. Caucus Chairman Ricardo Lara (Senator, D-Long Beach) applauded WG members for their perseverance in providing healthy and nutritious food for the world despite a challenging regulatory environment.<img class="small-cropped-image" src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacySmallCroppedImages/luis-alejo.jpg" alt="03/15/2013 - marnin blast -images" /> Caucus Vice Chairman Luis Alejo (Assemblymember, D-Watsonville) also addressed the group, noting the critically important role agriculture plays for his constituents, according to a release.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Guest speakers during the directors’ meetings this week included Felicia Marcus of the State Water Resources Control Board, recently named Chairman of the agency. Assemblymember Marc Levine (D-San Rafael) spoke to the group Wednesday. Levine defeated incumbent and fellow Democrat Michael Allen (author of AB 1313, last session’s ag overtime bill) in a highly-charged campaign that included independent expenditure activity by a group of agriculture organizations in support of Levine. That independent expenditure committee, Family Farmers Working for a Better California, was strongly supported by WG and its members. Levine emphasized his desire to create a healthier economic climate by bringing a more balanced public policy approach to legislation. Karen Ross, Secretary of the Department of Food and Agriculture, joined the group Wednesday night, describing her highly active coordination with state regulatory agencies that impact agriculture.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www.wga.com/" target="_new">Western Growers </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
