Winter 2023 Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE:

CLIMATE-SMART AG GRANTS Four Morrison clients secure a total of $175 million in awards through the Partnership for

Climate-Smart

Commodities

grant

program.

BUILDING A STRATEGIC ROADMAP Morrison’s People Solutions Manager, Jeff Boian, talks strategy and the importance of planning ahead.

NAPA VALLEY FARMWORKER FOUNDATION Though most know Napa Valley as the

education, professional development, and

country’s premier winegrowing region

direct technical assistance to at least 21,000

with exclusive, award-winning wines and

farmers and farmworkers and provided

flowing hills of vineyards, many overlook

more than 3,000 hours of education and

the dedicated and industrious workforce

assistance. This has included bilingual

needed to achieve such excellence. Napa

courses,

mentoring

Valley’s

English

literacy

winegrowers

employ

9,857

more

about

Morrison

Grants

Services Consultant, Regan Penning.

MORRISON SNAPSHOTS The Morrison team has been busier than ever. Check out our highlights to see what we’re doing.

CLIENT CORNER

Spanish

approximately $15 billion in economic

in the workplace; leadership development;

activity in California alone. It is through

navigating the American school system;

the valiant efforts of Napa’s winegrape

health

farmers and farmworkers that this region

prevention; and soil health and irrigation

has gained the prominence and prestige it

assessments; among many others.

education

like

heat

illness

In response to COVID-19, the Farmworker Foundation

established

a

dedicated

One of the organizations fostering this

COVID-19 Task Force to meet the needs

workforce is the Napa Valley Farmworker

of the region’s winegrowing community

Foundation

Foundation),

providing critical information in English

a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization that

and Spanish to farmworkers and farmers

provides critical support to Napa Valley’s

through a video series and a podcast;

farmworkers

through

bilingual employer and employee resources;

educational programs and direct technical

no-cost health and safety kits; and no-cost

assistance. The Farmworker Foundation’s

personal protective equipment. In addition,

mission is to help Napa’s farmworkers

the

build critical life and career skills that

with the Boys and Girls Club of Napa

will help them successfully navigate these

Valley to provide two months’ childcare

challenges, knowing that the benefits of

to the children of farmworkers, awarding

this investment will ultimately flow to the

scholarships to fund childcare needs for 62

entire Napa Valley.

individual children.

Since its founding by the Napa Valley

Furthermore, in the wake of severe climate

Grapegrowers (a Napa-based, producer-

events like wildfires and extreme drought

There is always something new going on.

member

Get caught up with our latest client news!

Farmworker

WWW.MORRISONCO.NET

for

speakers; financial literacy and budgeting

contribution to the wider economy.

Learn

training

and

individuals on their farms, generating

has today, for its wines and its meaningful

GETTING TO KNOW REGAN PENNING

opportunities,

(Farmworker

and

farmers

organization) Foundation

in has

2011,

the

provided

Farmworker

Foundation

partnered

CO NTINUE D O N PAGE 4

NEWSLETTER | WINTER 2023

MORRISON CLIENTS SECURE

$175 MILLION IN CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE GRANTS

With the United States Department of Food and Agriculture announcing a historic $3.1 billion investment in 141 projects to advance climate smart practices on the nation’s farms and ranches, Morrison was thrilled to learn four proposals we prepared for our clients were successful for a combined $175 million

Award: $20 million

in total grant funding.

Morrison’s clients included the California Dairy

Research

Foundation,

Primary States Served: Arkansas, Arizona,

Award: $65 million

National

Primary States Served: Colorado, Kansas,

Sorghum Producers, Elevated Foods, and

New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and tribal

California State University Chico’s Center

lands This project will implement climate-smart

Each of the four projects will provide technical

and

financial

assistance

to

producers

to

implement

climate-smart

production practices on a voluntary basis on working lands; pilot innovative and cost-effective methods for quantification,

Florida,

Missouri,

Mississippi,

Georgia, South

Kentucky, Carolina,

Tennessee, and tribal lands This project will implement climate-smart

for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems.

California,

production practices across hundreds of thousands of acres of sorghum working lands, with the goal of reducing hundreds of millions of pounds of carbon emissions and developing markets for sorghum as a climate-smart commodity.

production practices, activities, and systems on a large scale across cropland planted to fruits and vegetables, with a particular focus on fresh fruit and vegetable crops. Partners propose to implement practices on hundreds of thousands of acres planted to fruit and vegetables in key growing regions across the United States, and extend the producer

monitoring, reporting and verification of

reach to urban farmers in Orange County,

greenhouse gas benefits; and will develop

California, and the Navajo Nation to meet the

markets and promote the resulting climate-

needs of small and underserved producers.

smart commodities.

The proposals submitted by Morrison will collectively serve more than 500,000 acres of farmland across 15 states, resulting in greenhouse gas emission reductions of more than 1.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Award: $4,999,800 Primary States Served: California This project would work collaboratively with

Morrison is proud to have worked with these

regional small and historically underserved

extraordinary partners, whose project details

producers to launch the North Valley Food

Morrison Managing Principal Toni Scott celebrates the

from the USDA Partnerships for Climate

Hub for Climate-Smart Agriculture. The Hub

announcement of Elevated Food’s grant award with

Smart Commodities are included below.

plans to provide farm-to-fork integration through marketing and sales support for project

climate-smart

consolidating

commodities

transaction

costs,

by

creating

Steve Brazeel, Elevated Foods Founder and CEO (left); and United States Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie (right).

a one-stop shopping platform for buyers and a marketplace for growers to post and

Morrison

promote their products. The project plans

writing

to support producers in implementing a

clients for USDA programs. For more

variety of climate-smart cover crops; no-

information on how Morrison can help

This project will build climate-smart dairy

till

nutrient

your business or organization secure

markets and provide financial incentives

management; enhanced efficiency fertilizers;

state or federal grant funding, please

for dairy producers to adopt climate-smart

planting for high carbon sequestration rates;

contact the Morrison Grants Team by

manure management practices to reduce

and soil amendments. An incentive payment

email at grants@morrisonco.net or call

methane emissions, leveraging matching

is planned to be offered for each producer

us at 530-893-4764.

funding from non-federal sources.

implementing an advanced practice.

Award: $85 million Primary States Served: California

or

minimum-till

practices;

has

extensive

successful

experience

applications

for

STRATEGIC PLANNING:

A ROADMAP FOR ORGANIZATIONAL DIFFERENTIATION, AGILITY, AND EXECUTION

Strategic planning involves making choices – sometimes difficult ones – that will shape the future of an organization. All organizations – big and small – are faced with making these decisions in one way or another. Peter Drucker

In today’s Internet age, you can find pretty

So what exactly is strategy, and how does an

said, “If you want something new, you have

much anything online. It’s easy to waste

organization plan for and ensure its strategy

to stop something old.” Porter echoes that by

countless hours scrolling through cat photos

is agile and executable? To answer this, we’ll

saying, “The essence of strategy is choosing

and squander even more time scrolling

look to Michael Porter, writing for Harvard

what not to do.” What choices are you and

through Instagram, only to realize that

Business Review (1996), where he states there

your organization currently facing? Are there

everyone else’s life is better than yours and

are three underlying strategic positions that

practices that you need to decide to no longer

that you must have the latest fill-in-the-blank

organizations need to be aware of:

carry out? Are there items you need to decide

1. Strategy is the creation of a unique and

to no longer produce or grow or focus on? How

item that the algorithm gods strategically placed in your feed. You can find a recipe for

valuable position, involving a different set

the world’s best pumpkin pie and can even find what exactly is in mincemeat pie.

You can also find all sorts of quotes about

of activities 2. Strategy requires you to make trade-offs in competing, including choosing what

strategy, like: “You have to be fast on your feet and adaptive or else a strategy is useless” and “Strategy is a pattern in a stream of decisions.”

not to do 3. Strategy involves creating ‘fit’ among a company’s activities

You can even find strategy-adjacent quotes

might these decisions impact your future? How might these choices help you to differentiate your organization from the competition? It’s in these differences that customers decide who/what is better for them.

While the future is unknown, it is essential that organizations make every effort to make strategic choices and plan for what

like “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll

Complementing Porter’s three underlying

could be the next phase of their operations.

get run over if you just sit there.”

strategic positions listed above, A.G. Lafley

John Kotter says, “Leaders establish the

and Roger Martin, in their book Playing to Win:

vision for the future and set the strategy for

How Strategy Really Works (2013), indicate that

getting there; they cause change.” Change

“strategy is an integrated set of choices that

is disruptive … and essential. How is your

uniquely positions the firm in its industry

strategy preparing for you for change, for an

so as to create sustainable advantage and

unknown future?” Are you and your leaders

superior value relative to the competition.”

talking about strategy enough to help cast

“According to research … 85% of executive

Lafley and Martin elaborate more by stating

vision and inspire employees to carry it out

leadership teams spend less than one hour per

that “strategy is a coordinated and integrated

into the future?

month discussing strategy, and 50% spend no

set of five choices: a winning aspiration,

time at all. The research also reveals that, on

where to play, how to win, core capabilities,

average, 95% of a company’s employees don’t

and management systems.”

While these may be catchy, they’re not all that helpful when it comes to implementation of an organization’s strategy. Catherine Cole, writing for Harvard Business School (2020), noted:

understand strategy at all.”

At Morrison, our focus has always been on recognizing, respecting, and meeting the needs of our clients. We have assisted many

Cole describes strategic planning as being

with

Think about that: 95% of employees don’t

the

helping to meet the needs of organizations as

understand strategy at all! While this is

using

astounding, it should not be all that surprising

a

if executive leaders rarely discuss strategy.

traditional

Cole continues by saying, “It’s no wonder,

convinced that strategic planning helps an

then, that 90% of businesses fail to meet

organization chart a direction that includes

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

their strategic targets. Before an organization

becoming better than the competition, Porter

Jeff Boian is a manager at Morrison

can reap the rewards of its business strategy,

sees things differently; he argues, “Strategy

working

planning must take place to ensure its strategy

is about setting yourself apart from the

practice. To get in touch with Jeff,

remains agile and executable.”

competition. It’s not [emphasis added] a

reach out to him by email at jboian@

matter of being better at what you do – it’s

morrisonco.net or by phone at (530)

a matter of being different at what you do.”

809-4679.

“ongoing

organizational

available

business’s

knowledge

intended thinking

to

process

document

direction.” might

of

have

strategic

and

long-term

planning,

they plan for a successful future.

While you

in

our

People

Solutions

NAPA VALLEY FARMWORKER FOUNDATION, CONTINUED

conditions, the Farmworker Foundation has

management to address drought concerns,

strong support of the winegrape growing

worked tirelessly to provide both immediate

and a Climate Workshop Series available in

community,

relief and education to help combat long-term

English and Spanish with expert speakers

encourage growth, and change lives.

climate impacts. For example, the Farmworker

from University of California, Berkeley. All

Foundation responded to the 2020 Glass

of these programs continue to be in effect

Fire that burned more than 67,000 acres

today.

and caused an estimated $1 billion in losses for the Napa wine industry by distributing 25,000 N95 masks to protect farmworkers during harvest, supporting a farmworker wage replacement program, and distributing step-by-step guidance on dealing with smoke exposure and smoke taint testing for crop insurance claims, among many other efforts.

They also launched educational programs on wildfire recovery and prevention, irrigation

works

to

open

doors,

Morrison is deeply honored to have worked with both the Napa Valley Grapegrowers and Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation

This work of the Farmworker Foundation

to help the organization secure more than

continues to be critical to the success of

$1.5 million in grant funding to advance

the overall agriculture industry. Their

their

dedication and skill is highly valued

years. The testimonies of lives changed

in a community that sets the standard

through their important work is a source

for

world-class

of great inspiration for us as we continue

and

produces

Through

viticulture

practices

and

programs

over

the

wines.

to collaborate on meaningful projects

opportunity,

that benefit Napa Valley farmworkers and

world-renowned

education

educational

the Farmworker Foundation, with the

farmers.

MOR R I S ON S NA PS H T S

ACCOUNTING DISCUSSION GROUP

NEW MORRISON SIGN

Morrison hosted the Accounting Discussion

Morrison is very excited about our latest

Group organized by Butte College Accounting

addition to the office. Thanks to the hard

Instructor Beth Dunn. The conference room

work of Sandy and her team at Magoon

was at full capacity as attendees discussed

Signs, we are pleased to show off our newly

employee retention efforts, remote work, and

renovated monument sign! Haven’t seen it

of course, accounting! Thanks for putting this

yet? Stop by and say hi!

As we continue to settle into our new home,

amazing group together, Beth!

MORRISON CHRISTMAS PARTY The

RUN FOR FOOD The tradition continues another year as the Morrison team volunteers for the Run For Food’s packet pick up on Thanksgiving week. Fleet Feet hosted once more in downtown

Chico

as

our

staff

helped

runners pick up their packets. The annual Run For Food supports The Jesus Center, one of Morrison’s very own clients!

Morrison

team

enjoyed

food

and

festivities at the annual company Christmas celebration. Lunch was served at 5th St. Steakhouse followed by a hot cocoa bar, white elephant gift exchange, and board games in Morrison’s new conference room.

Oh and don’t forget the trivia and Lego building contests. What’s a Morrison event without a little competition?

TEAM MEMBER PROFILE

GETTING TO KNOW

REGAN PENNING

Q&A WITH REGAN IF YOU COULD HAVE A SUPERPOWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE? If I had a superpower, it would definitely be teleportation. I love to travel and experience new places, but I am not a fan of airports, TSA, or crowded airplane seats. I suppose the ability to fly would be a close second.

WHERE IS SOMEWHERE YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN BUT HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO? Since the first time I discovered it in an art book in my dad’s library, I have wanted to go to the Sistine Regan Penning serves Morrison clients in

director, Regan oversaw all media and

areas of grant writing, grant administration,

marketing efforts as well as mobilization

and project management. She brings her

of college students into community and

skills and experience in communications to

global outreach initiatives. She has served

effectively serve clients seeking competitive

in

grant funding through the United States

training, mentorship, and team debrief and

Department

evaluation roles.

California

of

Food

and

Agriculture,

Department

of

Food

and

Agriculture, California Energy Commission, and other granting agencies.

The

leadership

missions

development,

training

volunteer

program

for

Guatemalan teens Regan co-founded in

Chapel in Vatican City. I’d love to take a renaissance art pilgrimage across Italy. I also had the bad luck that my one visit to Paris coincided with a strike at the Musée d’Orsay (where all the great impressionists like Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh can be found), so I definitely need to teleport back there for a day or two.

2001 has trained hundreds of underserved

DO YOU HAVE ANY HIDDEN TALENTS?

Prior to her role at Morrison, Regan worked for

youth, many of whom now serve throughout

Speaking of art, I enjoy drawing and

over ten years as director of communications

Central and South America.

painting and have taught art classes.

at Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in Chico, California,

after

years

Guatemala

in

previously City,

serving

nine

Guatemala,

in

bilingual communications for the same nonprofit

organization.

As

communications

Regan studied Public Relations and Spanish at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, and Biblical Studies at the University of the Nations.

My favorite medium to work in is oils; I like the challenge of painting portraits and using color to kindle emotion and imagination. I love to sing and act and have been on stage with our local community theater, the Chico Theater Company. Being in the spotlight with a great song is a phenomenal (and somewhat terrifying) experience that I hope to repeat again soon!

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT MORRISON? The best thing about Morrison is its people. There is a high level of trust among team members, and for good reason! They are amazingly talented, kind, and a joy to work with. I also love the variety of work that we do, and the opportunities to learn new things all the time.

1385 Ridgewood Drive Chico, CA 95973 5 3 0 - 8 9 3 - 4 7 6 4 • W W W. M O R R I S O N CO. N E T BUSINESS & ACCOUNTING ADVISORY • PEOPLE SOLUTIONS • GR ANTS FOLLOW US

C L I E N T CORNER The Morrison Client Corner is a regular feature of our newsletter.

If you’re a client of ours, we’d love to stay up to date with what is going

Here, you’ll find updates on what a number of our clients are up to,

on within your organization and invite you to share your highlights

their achievements and milestones, and the generally great things

in this space. Feel free to send any press releases, newsletters, or

happening in their companies or organizations.

happenings to Susanna at ssteffen@morrisonco.net.

BRAD MOORER TAKES THE HELM AT MBG

EMILY ROONEY – PROFILE IN LEADERSHIP AWARD

CHICO STATE’S 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FARM

Brad Moorer continues his commitment

The California Agricultural Leadership

For over six decades, the University

to excellence at MBG Marketing as

Foundation Profiles in Leadership Award

Farm has played a significant role in

the newly appointed President/CEO of

was awarded to Ag Council President

the Chico community, from its diverse

the company. As the former CFO/VP of

Emily Rooney in early October. Emily is an

crops and livestock to its educational

Value Added Business, Brad has taken

accomplished alumnus who has continually

benefits and global industry research.

care of customers and growers alike

shown a devotion to her community as

On

for more than 12 years. Formed in 1936,

well as a commitment to the future of

marked the farm’s impact during its

MBG Marketing is a producer owned

agriculture in California. She has worked

60th anniversary celebration. Tours

blueberry marketing cooperative which

with

including

were offered to guests via wagon ride,

has quickly gained a leadership role

the FFA Foundation, Valley Children’s

led by the Chico State Agricultural

in the Michigan blueberry industry.

Healthcare,

California

Agricultural

Ambassadors. Dinner was served as

With more than 300 growers, it is the

Leadership

Foundation,

California

exciting renovations were revealed by

largest marketer of fresh and processed

Farmland Trust, and National Council of

President Hutchinson and Dean Stock

cultivated blueberries in the world.

Farmer Cooperatives. (Did we mention she

for the new Agriculture Training and

Morrison is proud to congratulate Brad

also launched Ag Council’s Capitol Farm

in his new role with this remarkable

Connection

Research Center that will be built at U.S. POSTA the Farm.

PAID

organization.

Emily, we are thrilled for you!

multiple

organizations

podcast?)

Congratulations

November

5th,

the

University

FIRST CLASS M

CHICO, CA PERMIT NO

WELCOME NEW CLIENTS

WWW.MORRISONCO.NET

NEWSLETTER | WINTER 2023