News Releases

For Immediate Release: Aug. 23, 2019 Contacts: Robert Sakata 303-947-3097 rtsakata@aol.com Marilyn Bay Drake 303-594-3827 admin@coloradoproduce.org The Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (CFVGA) Tuesday welcomed Sen. Cory Gardner to tour Hungenberg Produce, Greeley, followed by a discussion with northern Colorado growers on the challenges facing their operations. While the tour emphasized Hungenberg Produce’s highly efficient carrot processing facilities and the measures taken to ensure food safety to the consuming public, the conversation following the tour quickly turned to financial viability, agricultural labor, trade and water.

For Immediate Release: Aug. 2, 2019 Contacts: Robert Sakata 303-947-3097 rtsakata@aol.com Marilyn Bay Drake 303-594-3827 admin@coloradoproduce.org The Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (CFVGA) supports the proposed rule changes to improve the H-2A temporary agricultural labor certification program. Publication of the proposed changes were published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration and Wage and Hour Division July 15 with an invitation for the public to comment by Sept. 24.

For Immediate Release: July 12, 2019 Contacts: Marilyn Bay Drake 303-594-3827 admin@coloradoproduce.org The Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (CFVGA) will provide produce-focused food samples and direct consumers to Colorado-grown produce July 20-21 during the Slow Food Nations Taste Marketplace. The event takes place at Larimer Square in downtown Denver and is expected to attract 25,000 visitors, two-thirds of which are local.

For Immediate Release: Mar.14, 2019 Contact: Marilyn Bay Drake 303-594-3827 admin@coloradoproduce.org SWIIM, a water accounting system with its on-farm grower dashboard, was the judge’s top pick at the Second Annual Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association’s (CFVGA) Tech Pitch. The competition, which featured four of the best applicants from a field of highly qualified companies, was the culminating event Feb. 26 at CFVGA’s Fifth Annual Conference, attended by some 300 growers, allied industries and other produce enthusiasts. Coming in first by audience vote was GeoVisual, a production forecasting technology aimed at helping farmers know how much produce they have in each field. Both companies are Colorado-based.

For Immediate Release: Mar. 13, 2019 Contact: Marilyn Bay Drake 303-594-3827 admin@coloradoproduce.org The Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (CFVGA) has partnered with the Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado State University and Rocky Mountain Farmers Union to provide Produce Safety Alliance courses that satisfy the Food Safety Modernization Act’s (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule requirement. Two grower training opportunities remain prior to growing season, April 4 in Colorado Springs and April 9 in Greeley.

For Immediate Release: Mar. 12, 2019 Contact: Marilyn Bay Drake 303-594-3827 admin@coloradoproduce.org Some 300 growers, allied industry companies and other produce enthusiasts heard from top notch speakers, attended educational workshops, visited with 48 exhibitors and networked with fellow growers and potential buyers Feb. 25-26 at the Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (CFVGA) 5th Annual Conference.

For Immediate Release: Feb. 15, 2019 Contact: Marilyn Bay Drake 303-594-3827 admin@coloradoproduce.org Dr. Michael Bartolo, director of the Colorado State University Arkansas Valley Research Center, Rocky Ford, Colo., has been selected the 2018 Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association’s (CFVGA) Robert Sakata Member of the Year. He will be honored Feb. 26 at an awards luncheon that is part of the association’s fifth annual conference at the Renaissance Denver Stapleton.

For Immediate Release: Jan. 21, 2019 Contact: Marilyn Bay Drake 303-594-3827 admin@coloradoproduce.org The Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (CFVGA) is pleased to have keynoter Dr. Stephanie Mercier bring attendees the latest developments on agricultural trade and unpack elements of the 2018 farm bill impacting produce growers during its fifth annual conference. Her address will be in the morning of the second day of the conference on Feb. 26, at the Renaissance Denver Stapleton Hotel. Mercier is a senior fellow at the Farm Journal Foundation, who served from 1997 to 2011 as chief economist for the Senate Agriculture Democratic staff. Prior to this she was team leader for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Trade Policy and Programs within the Economic Research Service.

For Immediate Release: Feb. 11, 2019 Contact: Marilyn Bay Drake 303-594-3827 admin@coloradoproduce.org The Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association’s Fifth Annual Conference will feature David Magana, senior analyst, RaboBank, who on Feb. 26 will discuss trends, threats and opportunities in global and fresh produce markets. The Fifth Annual CFVGA Conference runs Feb. 25-26, at the Renaissance Denver Stapleton Hotel.

For Immediate Release: Jan. 17, 2019 Contacts: Robert Sakata 303-947-3097 or rtsakata@aol.com Marilyn Bay Drake 303-594-3827 or admin@coloradoproduce.org The Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (CFVGA) urges produce growers and others involved in any aspect of the produce industry to attend the Colorado Farm Show Produce Day Jan. 29 at the Weld County Fairgrounds in Greeley. Produce Day is hosted by CFVGA in conjunction with the Colorado Farm Show.