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Upcoming trade missions to Mexico and Taiwan this year aim to help California exporters expand their market reach.

The California Fresh Fruit Association hired Clayton Smith as director of government relations. The Bureau of Land Management is moving California state office executive Joe Stout to the agency’s top career position in Washington. Longtime California Citrus Mutual president Joel Nelsen died unexpectedly July 1. 

The California Agricultural Leadership Foundation hired Anna Nicholson as alumni engagement and event manager. Gino Dicaro has departed from the Wine Institute to join the Golden State Water Company as public policy and government relations manager. John Harris, one of California agriculture’s most influential leaders, passed away on July 3. 

California legislators competed in the Great Tomato Challenge, sponsored by Agri-Pulse, to see who could grow the biggest and best looking tomato plant over an eight-week time period and the winners' prizes were donated to food banks of their choice. 

President Donald Trump’s 90-day delay on adopting reciprocal tariffs on a slate of countries is set to end on Wednesday. Absent another delay from the president, or a flurry of eleventh-hour deals, some of the U.S.’ largest trading partners could face additional double-digit tariffs later this week.

John Harris, a farmer, cattle rancher, horse breeder, philanthropist and visionary businessman, passed away this week. 

President Donald Trump promised again that his administration is working on a way to protect the ag workforce from his deportation program by making farmers responsible for longtime workers.

House GOP leaders overcame Republican objections to Senate provisions on SNAP, rural hospitals and other issues overnight Thursday to clear President Donald Trump’s massive spending and tax package for his signature. The bill will provide $66 billion in new spending for farm programs, the largest infusion of new money into farm programs since 2002.

The concept builds on Western Growers’ Agtech Initiative from more than a decade ago, which was based on the view that technology startups need grower input about field-level challenges.