California
GrubMarket’s 2025 “Sustainable California” Initiative Supports the Restoration of the Los Angeles Environment following Wildfire Damage and Empowers California Farmers with Technology

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — GrubMarket, the AI-powered technology enabler and digital transformer of the American food supply chain industry, as well as one of the largest private food eCommerce companies globally, today announced that the Company’s Sustainable California initiative for 2025 aims to support the Los Angeles area with environmental restoration following the recent catastrophic wildfires, and help California farmers participate in the benefits of the digitalization of the American Food Supply Chain with access to technology that will improve their efficiency and sustainability of their farming practices. GrubMarket’s Sustainable California initiative reflects the company’s continued dedication to promoting sustainability in the farming environment and the welfare of the agricultural community throughout California.
Launched in March 2023, Sustainable California is GrubMarket’s multi-faceted, company-wide initiative with a mission to preserve California’s farming environment, empower farmers, and reinvigorate the state’s fragile agricultural ecosystem. Since its inception, the initiative has promoted organic farming practices, supported reforestation, and developed innovative technologies for a more resilient and sustainable food system. Sustainable California has sponsored the successful planting of over 100,000 trees in diverse regions throughout the state, supported California farmers seeking organic certification, and contributed efforts towards protecting the State’s soil, water, and farmlands to ensure future agricultural prosperity. GrubMarket’s commitment to meaningful environmental programs earned the company the 2023 Sustainability Initiative of the Year Award from the Business Intelligence Group.
In the wake of the recent, devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area, which burned over 40,000 acres and destroyed countless trees, GrubMarket’s Sustainable California initiative this year contributes to the restoration of the environment in the Los Angeles area, by sponsoring a reforestation project to plant at least 100,000 trees throughout the region in partnership with non-profit reforestation organizations. This endeavor aims to restore natural habitats, improve soil health and water retention, and ensure long-term sustainability for local agriculture. The reforestation process is both a major undertaking and a crucial part of a comprehensive response to addressing the impact of wildfires on the environment.
Additionally, to help support California farmers who are facing farming challenges associated with a deteriorating environment and striving to improve the efficiency, profitability and sustainability of their farming practices and operations, GrubMarket will provide free software subscriptions to all farmers based in California for the entire year of 2025. GrubMarket will offer its suite of AI-powered SaaS products, including;
- WholesaleWare ERP – the only Enterprise AI-enabled ERP solution for the industry, which assists farmers with efficient inventory and operations management.
- Orders IO – eCommerce technology that provides farmers with mobile apps and online ordering portals to increase their sales capacity and digitally transform the cumbersome offline ordering process.
- GrubAssist AI – Artificial Intelligence agents specifically aligned and trained for the agriculture industry, to help farmers expedite and enhance operational efficiency across tasks such as business analysis, inventory analysis, order entry, and cashflow analysis.
Offering these cutting-edge technology solutions at no cost this year will help California farmers streamline their operations and support them to continue to provide high-quality produce to California and the rest of the United States.
“The Los Angeles area is where hundreds of our employees live; it is also home to a number of our most iconic brands. We feel deeply for the families and communities that have experienced unimaginable hardships and tragedy from the devastating wildfires,” said Mike Xu, CEO at GrubMarket. “Through our reforestation project and technology support programs, we aim to help restore the natural environment, assist farmers in the face of unprecedented challenges, and uphold our broader mission to create a resilient and thriving farming community in California. We believe these efforts embody the very heart of our Sustainable California initiative. We are eager to help foster a more sustainable future for both our environment and local farming community.”
As GrubMarket continues scaling its business and advancing its technologies, it will continue to reinforce its commitment to ensuring a more sustainable future for California’s agricultural ecosystem. California-based farmers and growers interested in learning more about or benefiting from GrubMarket’s Sustainable California initiative, are encouraged to visit https://sustainability.grubmarket.com/or send a note to [email protected].
About GrubMarket
GrubMarket is the AI-powered technology enabler and digital transformer of the American food supply chain industry, as well as one of the largest private food eCommerce companies globally. As the enterprise AI solutions provider for the American food supply chain, a first mover in the tech-enabled B2B food eCommerce space, and a pioneer offering cutting-edge, AI-powered software-as-a-service solutions, GrubMarket uses technology to fundamentally transform the American and global food supply chain. GrubMarket has also been named to the prestigious CNBC Disruptor 50 list for two consecutive years. The company operates in all 50 U.S. states and has a global presence in Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, India, Mexico, South Africa, and Spain, with plans to expand further across the U.S., Canada, South America, Europe, Africa, and other parts of the world.
For Media Inquiries:
GrubMarket Media Team
[email protected]
(415) 986-0523
SOURCE GrubMarket

California
Pac-12, Mountain West file motion to pause California poaching penalties case, enter mediation

The Pac-12 and Mountain West appear closer to resolving their legal fights over the latest conference realignment and more than $150 million in subsequent fees.
On Friday, both conferences filed a motion to stay their case in California, in which the Pac-12 sued the Mountain West over the $55 million in poaching fees owed to the Mountain West over the Pac-12’s additions of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State. Those moves were announced last fall and are set to happen in the summer of 2026.
“Today, at the request of the Mountain West Conference, the Pac-12 has agreed to file a mutual 60-day order to stay in the case to discuss mediation options,” the Pac-12 said in a statement. “It is important to state that we are in the early stages; no mediation dates have been set, and mediation is still uncertain. The Pac-12 remains confident in our position that the Poaching Penalty will be declared invalid and is committed to defending our stance.”
In late 2023, the Mountain West, Pac-12, Oregon State and Washington State signed a football scheduling agreement for the 2024 season. OSU and WSU lacked options following the set departures of 10 Pac-12 schools. As part of the agreement, the Pac-12 agreed to a set of escalating poaching fees if it added some, but not all, Mountain West schools. After the Mountain West and Pac-12 couldn’t reach an agreement for 2025 last summer, the Pac-12 added five Mountain West schools.
The Pac-12 filed its lawsuit against the Mountain West last September, arguing that poaching fees and agreement were forced upon them at a vulnerable time. The Mountain West said the conference and its two members made the agreement freely and made no objection at the time. In December, the Mountain West filed a motion to dismiss the case. That hearing is set for March 25, but the joint motion filed Friday asks to vacate that hearing and stay the case for 60 days.
Friday’s filing also noted that a separate case in Colorado involving Boise State, Colorado State and Utah State against the Mountain West over exit fees is also set to go to mediation. In that case, the three schools are challenging their Mountain West exit fees, which could range from $19 million to $38 million each.
“Plaintiff and Defendant are diligently working to schedule a mediation that could resolve this matter in its entirety,” the California filing reads. “In light of the parties’ agreement to engage in a global mediation with the parties involved in the related state court matter, the most efficient course is to stay this case in its entirety while the parties devote their efforts to resolving their disputes.”
Required reading
(Photo: Ray Carlin / USA Today Sports)
California
California regulator mulls State Farm's request for 22% premium hike for homeowners after LA fires

California
Rain, snow, and hail fall across Central California

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) — Heavy storms moved their way across Central California Thursday, bringing snow to the higher elevations and rain and hail to the Valley.
Hail pelted palm trees in Merced and slowed down traffic in Lemoore.
Joe Lopez captured this video of the hail pellets hitting his windshield as he left NAS Lemoore this afternoon.
“I didn’t expect it to that magnitude cause there was probably an inch or two on the ground,” said Lopez. It looked like snow had fallen cause it wasn’t very hard, but it was sticking to the ground.”
The pellets collecting on the roadway forced some drivers to pull off on the side of the road, including Lopez.
“I had to stop because it got even worse where you couldn’t really see very much and traffic was stopping,” said Lopez.
In Madera, thunderstorms brought pouring rain in the afternoon, creating small puddles in yards, and soaking plants.
An ABC30 Insider captured lightning streaking above rooftops from heavy dark clouds.
The heavy storms also soaked backyards in Northwest Fresno.
The drenching still came as a welcome to a parched valley after a drier winter.
“I was kind of nervous because I know my dad’s a farmer, so I know he depends a lot on water,” said Lopez.
In Coarsegold, Donna Miller said her pal Itty Bitty enjoyed catching fresh snow in the afternoon.
Breaks in the storms brought welcome rainbows.
Before night rain fell once again.
For a moment, clear skies shone bright over Bass Lake, highlighting the fresh snow coating the shore.
For news updates, follow Kate Nemarich on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Copyright © 2025 KFSN-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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