Western Growers Elect New Chairman

Western Growers, which represents local and regional farmers growing fresh produce in Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico, announced this month that Ryan Talley will assume the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors. Talley is co-owner and farm manager of Talley Farms and will serve as Chairman for a one-year term, taking over for outgoing Chairman Ron Ratto, President of Ratto Bros.

“Ryan’s successful tenure at Talley Farms and his significant personal accomplishments make him the ideal choice to be the next Western Growers’ Chairman of the Board of Directors,” said Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif. “With his stellar track record on the board, there is no doubt in my mind that Ryan, along with the rest of the Western Growers Board, is poised to truly lead the organization and the fresh produce industry to even greater heights.”

Talley Farms is a diversified family-owned farming company, grower and shipper of bell peppers, cilantro, spinach, lettuce, Napa cabbage, avocados, lemons and grapes.

Talley earned his bachelor of science in business from Purdue University and subsequently returned to the farm to help write the computer programs Talley Farms currently uses for production, planning, their mechanic ship and the nursery.

“Western Growers has been a staple organization in the agriculture industry for nearly a century, and Talley Farms is proud to have been a part of its legacy since 1970,” said Talley. “I am both eager and honored to embark on this new role as Western Growers’ Chairman of the Board of Directors, working with the rest of the board to further our commitment to the industry.”

Talley was named as 2020 chairman during Western Growers 94th Annual Meeting in Maui, Hawaii. During the meeting, the board also selected Albert Keck of Hadley Date Gardens as senior vice chairman; Stuart Woolf of Woolf Enterprises as vice chairman; Carol Chandler of Chandler Farms as treasurer; and Vic Smith of JV Smith Companies as secretary.