While the pandemic certainly changed the course of the year, it has not altered Stemilt’s efforts to partner with the Washington Apple Education Foundation to award students of local agriculture families scholarships to pursue their secondary education goals.

“Stemilt’s founder and my grandfather, Tom Mathison, knew how important it was to invest into the up and coming generation, so he partnered with WAEF over 25 years ago to ensure students of Stemilt employees and other ag families in the area had the opportunity to earn college degrees,” said West Mathison, Stemilt president. “Today, we

On the cusp of the important season getting under way, Vanguard Direct announced the hiring of new positions in key sales and operations roles at the California and Pennsylvania offices. In total three new employees joined the Vanguard Direct teams bringing a variety of skills and experience in the produce industry.

Ethan Williams has joined the Bakersfield, CA, office in the role of senior sales associate. With experience in both traditional produce roles combined with vineyard account management positions, Williams brings over 11 years of sales experience to the Vanguard Direct team.

Jorda

Index Fresh announced Debbie Willmann as the director of sales. In her new role, Willmann will help manage the company’s existing domestic and international account base and set target growth goals, while expanding Index Fresh’s customer network.

“Debbie’s deep knowledge of the business gathered over three decades allows her to add tremendous value to our customers and the Index Fresh team. She will do a great job and I’m very excited to see her flourish in this new role,” said Steve Roodzant, president and CEO of Index Fresh.

She will also support Todd Elder, vice president of sales and

Courtney Lane of Zirkle Fruit Co. is the Washington Apple Education Foundation Individual Volunteer of the Year.  Her recognition was announced last week at a company production meeting held in Selah, WA.  While the meeting was pre-planned, the interruption from WAEF with the special announcement occurred as a surprise to her.

Lane has been a volunteer for WAEF for multiple years.  She focuses her WAEF attention primarily on assisting current WAEF scholarship recipients prepare to graduate from college career-ready.  This year she worked with WAEF students at a career exploration event

A coalition of California farm organizations and water districts has formally asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to appoint Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, as the new chair of the House Agriculture Committee.

In a letter sent to Pelosi last week, the 70 organizations said Costa “possesses the experience and leadership adeptness” to serve effectively as committee chair. The position opened last week when the current chair, Rep. Collin Peterson, D-MN, was defeated for re-election.

The letter cites Costa’s 16 years of experience representing an agriculturally productive congressional district in the

Moxxy Marketing has expanded its West Coast team, adding Project Coordinator Hailey Terrones, based in California, to support clients throughout Western North America, including the western U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Terrones’ passion for merchandising and branding, as well as her prior experience at Grimmway Farms’ TRUE Organic Juices, drew her to fresh produce marketing with Moxxy, filling a key project management role supporting the marketing agency’s agriculture-based clients.

"It is a natural fit that Hailey joined Moxxy during a time we’re expanding both our California- and Florida-based