Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Jay Sayre, ag economist at UC Davis, to discuss how shifting global and domestic trade policies are impacting California's growers, consumers and export-driven ag economy, and what strategies can build long-term resilience. Check out a recent UCCE webinar from Jay for more on this topic.
Jun 27, 2025•29 min•Ep. 461
Jason Scott sits down with Zachary Fowler, co-owner of Fowler Brothers Farming, to discuss the importance of strong leadership, hiring the right people and maintaining a hands-on approach while scaling operations. Fowler emphasizes stress-testing decisions and fostering community collaboration to drive innovation in an industry often slow to change.
Jun 20, 2025•18 min•Ep. 460
Stanislaus County Farm Bureau’s Anna Genasci and JCS Marketing’s Kristin Platts sit down with Detectives Robert Domingos and Kyle Gomes from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Rural Crimes Division to discuss the current landscape of rural crime, how law enforcement agencies collaborate across county lines and practical steps growers and ranchers can take to protect their property and operations.
Jun 13, 2025•24 min•Ep. 459
Jason Scott sits down with Norm Davy, president and chief commercial officer of Tidal Grow AgriScience, to discuss how the company is helping ag retailers and growers overcome rising input costs, pest resistance and soil health challenges through U.S.-made, bioengineered crop input solutions. He also reflects on leadership, grit, sustainability and the future of agricultural innovation.
Jun 06, 2025•25 min•Ep. 458
Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Stephen Vasquez, Western Region Certified Crop Advisers chair, and Jason Scott, publisher of Progressive Crop Consultant , to discuss the upcoming Crop Consultant Conference on September 24th and 25th in Visalia and what consultants, grower applicators and industry professionals can expect from this event. Register today here . We are looking forward to seeing everyone there!
May 30, 2025•23 min•Ep. 457
Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Beth Vukmanic, executive director of Vineyard Team, to discuss the evolution of sustainability in the grape and wine industry, the SIP Certified program and how growers can leverage certification, education and technology to thrive in a changing ag landscape. Check out Vineyard Team's most recent article from the Sustainable Story series in Grape & Wine Magazine ....
May 23, 2025•13 min•Ep. 456
Jason Scott sits down with Gregg Doud, president of the National Milk Producer's Federation, to discuss the evolving dairy industry, highlighting rising global protein demand, the need for better ag education among policymakers and the importance of technology and sustainability. He emphasizes trade diversification, regulatory reform and industry unity while advising future ag leaders to focus on communication, risk management and strong mentorship.
May 16, 2025•32 min•Ep. 455
Stanislaus County Farm Bureau's Anna Genasci and JCS Marketing's Kristin Platts sit down with Dusty Ference, executive director of the Kings County Farm Bureau, to discuss their ongoing lawsuit against the State Water Resources Control Board. The legal challenge aims to prevent the Tulare Lake Subbasin from being placed on probation, a move that has already helped block costly state intervention and saved growers millions.
May 09, 2025•28 min•Ep. 454
Jason Scott sits down with Jared Plumlee, CEO of Capstone Ag Management, to discuss his journey from a family farming background to building his own ag management company. He also discusses his commitment to water strategy, personalized client service and creating a lasting legacy for future generations.
May 02, 2025•33 min•Ep. 453
Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Sarah Light, UCCE agronomy advisor, to discuss findings from a two-year study on using almond shell mulch in established alfalfa fields and how the practice can improve soil health, increase water infiltration and recycle orchard byproducts without sacrificing yield.
Apr 25, 2025•26 min•Ep. 452
Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Matt Plitt, president and CEO of Valent U.S.A., to discuss a forward-thinking approach to agribusiness, blending innovation, sustainability and community engagement. He emphasizes the importance of empathy and transparency in leadership, anticipating industry trends and aligning profitability with sustainable practices.
Apr 21, 2025•21 min•Ep. 451
Stanislaus County Farm Bureau's Anna Genasci and JCS Marketing's Kristin Platts sit down with Norm Groot, executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau, to discuss a recent Cal Poly study they commissioned to examine the true cost of regulatory compliance for California growers. Groot breaks down key findings from the report, putting real numbers behind the growing burden of compliance in the ag industry.
Apr 11, 2025•24 min•Ep. 450
Jason Scott sits down with Nathan Rosenburg, CEO of Farmblox, to discuss helping growers automate farm tasks and reduce labor through customizable, modular technology. Rosenburg also goes into the future of ag tech, advice for startups and the importance of younger generations in shaping ag's evolution.
Apr 04, 2025•28 min•Ep. 449
Jacquelyn Fernandes, territory manager at Nutrien Financial, discusses tips for grape growers to ensure their vineyards are positioned to withstand an economic downturn.
Mar 28, 2025•10 min•Ep. 448
Jason Scott sits down with Rob Clayton, senior vice president of retail North America at Nutrien Ag Solutions, to discuss the company's role in grower profitability and sustainability, the impact of soil science, automation and AI, and the importance of adaptability in business growth. Clayton also emphasizes coaching, communication and continuous learning as keys to success.
Mar 21, 2025•37 min•Ep. 447
Stanislaus County Farm Bureau's Anna Genasci and JCS Marketing's Kristin Platts sit down with Central Region FFA officers Gabrielle Furtado and Gianna Genasci to discuss how FFA has shaped their leadership, skills and future goals. Tune in for a conversation about the impact of agricultural education and the opportunities FFA provides.
Mar 14, 2025•20 min•Ep. 446
Jason Scott sits down with Tom Gauthier, CEO of AgTechLogic, to discuss how precision spraying and data-driven solutions are transforming agriculture, the power of 'prescriptive' agriculture, building a strong ag tech team and why growers should embrace emerging technologies.
Mar 07, 2025•23 min•Ep. 445
Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Cam Camfield, founder and CEO of Stratovation Group, to discuss new critical specialty crop grower insights for the future of biological products, including innovation and adoption.
Mar 01, 2025•17 min•Ep. 444
Jason Scott sits down with BeeHero CEO Omer Davidi to discuss his transition from cybersecurity to agriculture and how BeeHero is optimizing pollination with technology. He shares lessons from past ventures, insights on ag-tech innovation and the challenges of rising costs and labor shortages. Davidi highlights the role of IoT in farm management, the need for sustainability incentives and strategies for scaling a business in a changing industry.
Feb 21, 2025•30 min•Ep. 443
Stanislaus County Farm Bureau's Anna Genasci sits down with Bryan Little from Farm Employers Labor Service to break down new and updated labor regulations impacting agriculture in 2025, how ag employers are navigating already enacted rules and what’s ahead for the industry.
Feb 14, 2025•36 min•Ep. 442
Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Brittney Goodrich, previously with UC Davis and now with the dept. of agricultural and consumer economics at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, to discuss the economic outlook and other considerations for the 2025 almond pollination season.
Feb 07, 2025•23 min•Ep. 441
Jason Scott sits down with Huma CEO Lyndon Smith in this new CEO-to-CEO podcast series to discuss his incredible journey from growing up in the company to leading it through bankruptcy and into global success. Lyndon shares insights into Huma’s growth strategy, including major acquisitions, international expansion and its role in regenerative agriculture. He explains the biostimulant movement, the industry's evolving regulatory landscape and how Huma is working to improve soil health and nutrien...
Jan 31, 2025•24 min•Ep. 440
Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Western Plant Health Association President Renee Pinel to discuss DPR's current stance on 1,3-Dichloropropene and what could happen if growers are further restricted from this control option.
Jan 24, 2025•18 min•Ep. 439
Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Foresight Agronomics' Dr. Layne Harris to discuss demystifying biologicals, the importance of mode of action and observing crop responses to ensure effective product selection and utilization.
Jan 17, 2025•20 min•Ep. 438
Stanislaus County Farm Bureau’s Anna Genasci and JCS Marketing’s Kristin Platts sit down with Jaclyn Bennett, general manager of Parabug, at the 2024 California Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Monterey to discuss how the company's innovative drone-based technology is transforming pest management by efficiently delivering beneficial insects to crops. Farm Bureau Annual Meeting highlights are also discussed, including the importance of CE sessions, grassroots advocacy, and the inspiring achievements...
Jan 10, 2025•20 min•Ep. 437
Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Srinivasa Rao Peddinti, postdoctoral researcher with the Dept. of Land, Air and Water Resources at UC Davis, to discuss the role of precision agriculture in optimizing orchard water management in California. Check out Srinivasa's article in the January/February 2025 issue of Progressive Crop Consultant magazine for more on this topic.
Jan 03, 2025•25 min•Ep. 436
Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Ali Hill, ag economist and assistant professor at UC Berkeley, to discuss implications of changing U.S. and Mexican farmworker demographics on U.S. crop production.
Dec 27, 2024•21 min•Ep. 435
Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Robert Verloop, executive director at the California Walnut Board and Commission, to discuss the return of the upcoming California Walnut Conference in January and a couple walnut industry updates.
Dec 20, 2024•19 min•Ep. 434
Kristin Platts and Stanislaus County Farm Bureau's Anna Genasci sit down with Sean Runyon, agricultural commissioner/sealer of weights and measures for the Merced County Dept. of Agriculture, to discuss pesticides, the statewide notification system, California's Sustainable Pest Management Roadmap and more.
Dec 13, 2024•41 min•Ep. 433
Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Stecyn Maldanado, Seeds for Bees manager with Project Apis m., to discuss cover crop benefits to soil health and key interactions with soil microbes.
Dec 07, 2024•19 min•Ep. 432