Grow West Newsletters

Honoring Heroes with Holiday Boughs

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 16:22:36 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2026

Honoring Heroes with Holiday Boughs

The people and partnerships behind an annual act of remembrance

On a chilly morning last December, fresh evergreen boughs with bright red ribbons were placed on 38,000 gravesites at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery (SVNC) in the Dixon countryside.

It was the 20th year that the RememberAVet.net Wreath Project had led this annual remembrance initiative. The goal is simple: to honor every veteran laid to rest at the cemetery with a holiday bough. Thousands of volunteers, including Grow West employees, make it happen by coming together in a shared act of gratitude.

STARTING OUT AND SPREADING AWARENESS

Yolo County residents Susie and Curtis Stocking initiated the grassroots project after Curtis saw a news story about wreaths being placed on graves at Arlington National Cemetery. They thought it would be wonderful to do the same locally.

“When the cemetery officially opened in October 2006, we started talking to friends and family, plus a couple of Vietnam veterans we knew,” Susie said. “They all thought it was a great idea and wanted to pitch in. Everyone bought wreaths and brought them to the cemetery. We had 325 the first year.”

The following year, the number of gravesites increased to 1,300. To fulfill that number, the Stockings increased awareness via word of mouth, press releases and letters to local newspapers. The response was overwhelming with donations and volunteers. Silveyville Christmas Tree Farm in Dixon helped with collecting donations and producing the greenery for the gravesites.

After the second year, the Stockings worked with the nationally-based Wreaths Across America to deliver wreaths to Dixon. In 2010, they found a supplier in Oregon, Teufel Holly Farms, and that partnership continues today.

With the project growing in popularity – and the number of needed wreaths growing exponentially – the Stockings decided to transition to a nonprofit.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND THE KINDNESS OF VOLUNTEERS

Since the beginning, the Wreath Project has benefited from the generosity of community groups, businesses and individuals, including veterans.

“This is such a veteran-rich area, especially with Travis Air Force Base nearby, so we have a lot of local veterans who support the project,” Susie said.

Grow West’s early involvement is linked to Susie; she spread the word about the initiative with leadership and fellow employees while working at the Dixon wholesale office (formerly Tremont Supply) and the corporate office.

Volunteers are a vital part of all Wreath Project activities. As many as 2,000 people help unload and place the boughs in December.

“Grow West has been very generous over the years,” Susie said. “We had a fundraiser at Park Winters one year and Grow West was one of our biggest sponsors.”

The Wreath Project reflects Grow West’s values of community service and honoring those who served. Many employees donate money and/or time. In previous years, the Dixon retail office has offered trailers and staff to help unload and stage boxes of the wreaths at the cemetery.

Jessica Forster, North Valley accounting and senior management assistant at Grow West, has been one of the most active volunteers who has enlisted the help of her family, friends and colleagues. She started volunteering for the Wreath Project 12 years ago. For many of those years, her boyfriend’s family prepared and served the annual fundraising dinner, and she volunteered as part of the kitchen and serving crew. When the dinner moved to a catered venue, her role shifted to helping spread awareness.

Volunteers are a vital part of all Wreath Project activities. As many as 2,000 people help unload and place the boughs in December and additional volunteers participate on clean-up day in January. Recology provides dumpsters and hauls the boughs away for free.

Susie said they have received a ton of positive feedback and letters of appreciation from veterans’ families. “To see what the wreaths mean to them, to have their loved ones remembered in such a special way during the holidays, is really touching,” she said.

A feature of the project that’s especially heartwarming and moving for Susie is that families can choose to place the boughs privately a week before the official day.

Forster echoed the sentiment. “When I worked at our Dixon retail office, I had the opportunity to be one of the early pick-up locations for the families that wished to lay their own wreaths privately before the main event,” Forster said. “Working for a company that allowed me to do that was incredibly meaningful to me.”

THE YEAR AHEAD

The Wreath Project anticipates they’ll need 41,000 boughs totaling $410,000 for the Dec. 19, 2026 bough laying. To help with costs, two fundraisers are scheduled – the Tee It Up Golf Tournament on May 29 and the RememberAVet.net at Sunrise Event Center in Vacaville on Sept. 12. Donations are collected year-round and all funds are only used to fulfill the needs of the SVNC bough laying.

Growing Future Agriculture Advocates

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:38:52 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2026

Growing Future Agriculture Advocates

New executive director brings fresh vision to Ag in the Classroom

Ag in the Classroom Executive Director
Amanda Fletcher

The California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) is proudly celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Since its establishment as a nonprofit in 1986 by the California Farm Bureau, AITC has been a leader in increasing awareness and understanding of agriculture among educators and students.

Over the past 40 years, millions of children throughout the state have learned about food and agriculture in innovative and fun ways thanks to AITC. This success is due, in part, to its engaging resources, including lesson plans (aligned to state standards), What’s Growin’ On? newspaper, Knowin’ What’s Growin’ interactive website, farm-to-school materials, a story writing contest and school garden resources. Additionally, it offers workshops, a monthly newsletter, virtual California Farm Day and an annual teacher conference.

CHAMPION FOR AG EDUCATION

Leading AITC into a new chapter is Amanda Fletcher, who has a deeprooted enthusiasm for ag education. She grew up on her family’s ranch in Dixon, where they grew hay and sunflowers, and raised dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, meat goats, feeder pigs and meat rabbits. She was involved with 4-H, FFA, the fair industry and junior livestock auctions. These experiences inspired her to earn an ag education degree and teaching credential at Chico State.

Following graduation, Fletcher spent nearly a decade at Chico-based BidCal Online Auctions gaining valuable ag business experience, but had a strong desire to return to ag education. She joined AITC as an administrative coordinator in May 2023, then assumed the executive director position in January 2025.

“Ag in the Classroom’s mission has always resonated with me,” Fletcher said. “This role is a way to combine my love for ag education with the business side of the industry.”

VISION FOR THE FUTURE

Fletcher has brought a fresh vision and new energy to the organization. While honoring AITC’s four decades of achievements, she’s enthusiastic about future outreach and projects.

“In 2025, we reached more than 39,000 teachers, which translates to more than 1.3 million students,” Fletcher said. “But there are 6 million students in the state, so we have more work to do.”

Over the next 3-5 years, Fletcher aims to have an even stronger impact by updating and expanding their database, continuing to provide new curriculum and resources, and helping develop Career Technical Education (CTE) career pathways projects.

Improving regional outreach is also a priority.

“We have three program coordinators in Northern, Central and Southern California who intend to visit university credential programs to organize workshops and other events,” Fletcher said. “We also work with county Farm Bureaus and connect with regional groups to reach more teachers and students. It’s been great to see the positive reception. The number of people who discover Ag in the Classroom is incredible and they are so excited about what we offer.”

SHARED COMMITMENT TO EDUCATING YOUTH ABOUT AGRICULTURE

Another key factor in AITC’s success has been the support from California agricultural businesses such as Grow West, which has provided financial and in-kind contributions for more than 25 years. Industry partnerships and donations help AITC educate people about agriculture, which can then help preserve and protect California’s No. 1 industry.

“Grow West strongly believes in our mission and it values the importance of educating the next generation of ag advocates and supporters; it’s a strong partnership,” Fletcher said.

“Grow West is proud of its longstanding partnership with AITC,” said Les Lyman, owner and chairman of Grow West. “We have a shared passion and commitment to cultivate an understanding and appreciation of how important and all-encompassing agriculture is in our lives. We will continue to invest in the organization to help Amanda and her team reach even more teachers and students.”

While AITC relies on loyal supporters like Grow West, there is an ongoing need for additional industry partners and volunteers.

“The more we can work with California ag businesses and organizations, the better for the industry,” Fletcher said.

HOW TO SUPPORT AG IN THE CLASSROOM

Financial contributions
Sponsor projects and initiatives
Volunteer or speak at events
Classroom presentations
Field trips
Agriculture-in-action projects

Contact

Visit learnaboutag.org/ or scan the QR code
Call 916-561-5625
Email info@learnaboutag.org

From Family Roots to Public Service: Charlie Hoppin

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:28:59 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2026

From Family Roots to Public Service

How Charlie Hoppin and his family are shaping California agriculture

Photo: Vicky Boyd – Left to right: Casey, Charlie and Kelly Hoppin run a diversified farm and walnut huller in Sutter County.

As an oil truck driver delivering to farms and ranches, Charles R. “Ross” Hoppin Jr. saw the challenges farmers endured and discouraged his son, Charlie, from going into the profession.

The younger Hoppin ignored his father’s advice. He left California State University, Chico, shortly before graduating and started a livestock operation in Sutter County. He eventually moved to row crops.

Charlie admitted they struggled during the early years and said his wife Kathy’s teaching salary was essential in helping start the farm. But things turned around when he started growing seedless watermelons.

As Charlie built Hoppin Family Farms near Yuba City, he also entered public service, particularly with water and agricultural groups.

THE NEXT GENERATION

When his son and daughter, Casey and Kelly, were growing up, Charlie didn’t discourage them from returning to the farm, but he did have one rule. They must first do something off-farm to gain fresh perspectives.

Both children graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and eventually came back. Over the years, the crop mix also evolved. Gone are the seedless watermelons and processing tomatoes.

Today, the farm’s main crop is rice. Other row crops include wheat, safflower, white corn for tacos, and this year, sunflowers for oil. They also have walnut trees.

The Hoppins added a walnut huller and dryer in 2017, which Charlie said served two goals. The person who was hulling their crop was probably going to close shop soon, and he didn’t want to scramble to find a replacement.

Plus, Charlie joked, the huller was part of the farm’s succession plan to test the kids’ compatibility.

“It’s important that the kids are both f iscally responsible with money,” he said. “I think both of the kids are well prepared, and I think the walnut huller has helped with that. During the season, the two of them have to work together, and they each play a critical role.”

COMMUNICATION IS KEY

Grow West pest control advisor (PCA) Ian McCormack primarily handles Charlie’s rice fields, while PCA Katie Kett services his other crops.

After harvest, McCormack meets with Charlie to review the past season. When making crop decisions, Charlie takes a long-term approach, which he described as part of their personal sustainability philosophy.

“I think the way we look at it is the ground is an integral part of what we do, and we need to keep the soil healthy and we need to keep our trees healthy,” he said.

From their discussions, McCormack develops field plans for the upcoming rice season, expecting they’ll change as unforeseen pests or other issues crop up.

Irrigator Juan Alvizo is included in planning because timely water management, such as flooding fields before planting, lowering water for herbicide treatments or bringing up water afterward, is critical to maximize rice yield potential.

Much like a well-choreographed dance during pre-planting, Grow West delivers aqua ammonia tanks with the appropriate hoses and pumps. They also bring trailers of dry starter fertilizer and a fertilizer spreader to the correct fields.

“It takes a large amount of constant communication from people in the office and at the warehouse, and the service techs are paramount for us at Grow West,” McCormack said.

Casey praised Wyatt Jensen, field service representative with Grow West’s Yuba City location, for anticipating their needs.

“He’s almost like a secret agent – he doesn’t need to call,” Casey said, adding they text throughout the day. “He’s always a step ahead of me.”

As the rice crop germinates, McCormack begins scouting fields up to several times per week, depending on the growth stage. If he finds something of concern, he and Charlie discuss the best approach.

YEAR-ROUND THINKING

With at least one of Hoppins’ crops in the ground year-round, Kett has little downtime. walnut trees.

“Charlie is always thinking about things,” she said. “Even during the winter, we’re brainstorming things.”

As crop plans are finalized, Kett drafts pest management and fertilizer plans to optimize crop health and yield. Because every season is different, she chooses the best products based on economics and the particular situation.

“I’ve already checked with the office to see what we have in inventory, so I know what I need to bring in,” she said.

Winter wheat is planted in the fall, followed by corn, sunflowers and safflower in the spring. During spring, walnut trees also leaf out. Each crop requires different scouting approaches, such as monitoring for mites in corn or trapping for codling moth in walnuts.

“In row crops and walnuts, you’re constantly monitoring everything. Sometimes it’s every three days,” she said.

A LIFETIME OF PUBLIC SERVICE

Charlie got an initial taste of public service when he joined the Farmers’ Rice Cooperative board of directors in the early 1990s, eventually becoming vice chairman. He also served on the California Rice Industry Association board, the Sutter Mutual Water Co.’s board and the California State Board of Food and Agriculture from 2002 to 2006.

Charlie made headlines when then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed him as the first farmer to serve on the California State Water Resources Control Board in May 2006. He was appointed board chairman in March 2009 and served until he retired in 2013.

Although the water board faced many contentious issues during his tenure, Hoppin said the Yuba Accord is one he’s proud of. Described as a model settlement agreement, the accord balanced the water needs of fish and wildlife, irrigation, hydropower generation, recreation and other uses on the Lower Yuba River.

Charlie may not devote as much time to public service as he once did, but he still remains active in water issues, serving on the boards of Levee District 1 of Sutter County and the Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency.

Casey and Kelly have followed in their dad’s footsteps of public service, although both said they did so of their own accord.

Casey sits on the Sutter Mutual Water Company board, while Kelly serves on the Reclamation District 1500 board and the Sutter Yuba Community Foundation board, which provides grants and other funding for nontraditional needs.

Our People, Our Impact

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:17:04 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2026

Our People, Our Impact

Giving back beyond work

SERVICE AS PART OF THE GROW WEST IDENTITY

At Grow West, serving agriculture is only part of our story. The company’s true strength lies in our people, and many of those people spend their free time giving back to the communities they call home. From coaching youth sports and mentoring young leaders to volunteering as first responders and community advocates, Grow West employees are making a difference long after the workday ends. Their efforts reflect a shared belief that strong communities and strong agriculture go hand in hand.

COACHING CONFIDENCE AND COMMUNITY

For Woodland-based accounting team member Moni Ramirez, giving back means spending evenings and weekends as a volunteer cheerleading coach. Ramirez first got involved to support her daughter’s cheer journey, but the role quickly became much more. Over the past five years, she has coached athletes from ages 8 to 14, focusing on discipline, teamwork and self-confidence.

“I want to teach them pride, growth and work ethic,” Ramirez said. “It’s not just about cheer – it’s about showing up, supporting each other and learning to push yourself.”

To her, coaching goes far beyond routines and competitions.

“You never know what a child is dealing with behind closed doors,” she explained. “Being able to lift them up and empower them means the world to me.”

Ramirez said she also takes pride representing Grow West in her community.

“When I tell people I work for Grow West, it’s always a positive reaction,” she said. “It feels good knowing the company is growing the community right alongside me.”

MENTORING THE GAME AND THE NEXT GENERATION

At Grow West Trucking, dispatcher Shawn Miller gives back as a longtime Little League umpire. Miller began umpiring in 2008 after his children started playing baseball. Today, he serves as umpire-in-chief for West Sacramento Little League, recruiting, training and mentoring new umpires. He has also had the honor of being selected to umpire the prestigious Little League Western Regional Tournament.

“To be selected is a huge honor,” Miller said. “There are hundreds of people who apply. It’s something umpires work years to achieve.”

But for Miller, the real reward isn’t the spotlight, it’s the impact on kids.

“Little League isn’t just about baseball,” he said. “It’s about teaching life lessons – respect, leadership, teamwork and learning to win and lose gracefully.”

He also credits Grow West for supporting his volunteer commitment.

“My tournaments are during harvest, but management has always made it possible for me to go,” Miller shared. “That support means a lot.”

ANSWERING THE CALL

For PCA Todd Miller and Engineering Manager Jason Bonino, community service takes a more urgent form in volunteering as firefighters with the Sacramento River Fire Protection District. Miller has served since 1996 and is now a station captain, while Bonino joined in 2020 after moving to the area. Together they respond to medical emergencies, accidents, rescues and structure fires across a large rural coverage area.

“If I don’t do it, who else will?” Miller said. “In a small rural community, you have to step up.”

Bonino agrees, noting that volunteer firefighters are often the only immediate help available.

“We’re meeting someone on their worst day,” Bonino said. “It’s intimate and important work.”

Both said the experience has shaped them personally and professionally.

“You have to make quick decisions in the field as a firefighter,” Miller explained. “That carries over to my job as a PCA. You don’t wait and hope a problem goes away, you act.”

They also appreciate Grow West’s support.

“I’ve always felt encouraged to serve,” Miller shared. “Grow West understands the value of giving back.”

COACHING CHARACTER ON AND OFF THE FIELD

At the Walnut Grove retail location, PCA Brett Schmitz spends his off hours coaching high school baseball, a role he has held for more than a decade. Schmitz began coaching while attending Fresno State and has stayed involved ever since. What started as a simple desire to stay connected to the game he loved has grown into a passion for mentoring young athletes.

“Beyond wins and losses, I want players to learn accountability, respect and trust,” Schmitz said. “Those are principles they’ll carry with them long after baseball.”

Over the years, he has coached players at multiple levels, from Little League to travel ball to high school. While the age groups have changed, his approach has stayed the same.

“It’s about helping them get better as players and as people,” he explained.

Schmitz believes sports play an important role in building strong communities.

“They bring people together for a common cause,” he said.

He also sees parallels between coaching and his role at Grow West.

“Both are relationship-based,” Schmitz added. “You build trust, communicate and help people succeed. Grow West’s culture aligns perfectly with that.”

ADVOCATING FOR AGRICULTURE’S FUTURE

For North Valley PCA Alexis Harvey, giving back means stepping into leadership roles that support the entire agricultural community. Harvey serves on the Solano County Farm Bureau board of directors and the Dixon Resource Conservation District board and recently completed the California Farm Bureau Leadership Program Class of 2025.

Her path into ag leadership began naturally. Growing up in 4-H and FFA, earning a degree in plant science from Chico State, and helping grow her family’s commercial beekeeping business, Harvey has always been deeply rooted in agriculture.

“I was approached to serve because I represent multiple sides of the industry – crop protection and beekeeping,” she said. “These roles give me the opportunity to advocate for both.”

Through Leadership Farm Bureau, Harvey gained firsthand experience in state and national agricultural policy.

“The biggest thing I learned is that small voices can make a difference,” she explained. “If we don’t tell our story, someone else will tell it for us.”

Her involvement helps her better serve growers on a daily basis.

“These boards keep me connected to the issues that affect my customers – water, regulations, urban development,” Harvey said. “It all ties back to helping agriculture remain sustainable for generations.”

To her, community service is personal. “It means being there for my neighbors and friends,” she added. “These aren’t just customers, they’re relationships.”

Her message to others considering getting involved is simple: “Don’t wait for the perfect time. There is never a perfect time, but the experience is worth it.”

Alexis Harvey participated in Leadership Farm Bureau.

WHY IT MATTERS: THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT. GROWING COMMUNITY, GROWING TOGETHER

Whether it’s mentoring youth, protecting neighbors, officiating games or advocating for agriculture, Grow West employees share a common mindset: community matters. Every volunteer hour strengthens local schools, youth programs, public safety and the future of agriculture. These contributions create a ripple effect that benefits families, towns and the industry Grow West serves.

Growing together applies to more than crops. It’s about building stronger towns, schools and families. Every practice coached, every meeting attended and every emergency answered helps Grow West do more than serve agriculture; it helps grow the communities that make agriculture possible. And that, in the end, is what truly defines Grow West.

Partnering For Safety

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 23:50:14 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2025

Partnering For Safety

How MVP Safety Professionals supports growers through training and compliance

California employers are required to provide a safe workplace for their employees. This is no simple task for agricultural producers considering the extensive and constantly-changing safety regulations issued by the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA), California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), California Civil Rights Department (CRD) and Department of Transportation (DOT). It is imperative for employers to be in compliance with these requirements to protect employees, reduce accidents and avoid costly penalties and legal issues.

Since navigating the stringent regulations may pose some challenges and seem overwhelming, Grow West is committed to offering its customers and the industry members it serves the resources they need to be in compliance and operate safely. Through its valued partnership with MVP Safety Professionals (MVP), Grow West delivers on that commitment.

TRUSTED VENDOR

Headquartered in Woodland, MVP is a trusted vendor whose mission is to provide agricultural producers and affiliated businesses with regulatory compliance services, including comprehensive safety programs and customized training. Its efforts help ensure a safer and compliant operation that protects workers and the environment, while meeting state and federal regulatory requirements.

MVP was founded by Grow West in January 2011. Since then, the companies have worked together to offer convenient, accessible safety trainings in English and Spanish to California growers, farm managers and ag employees.

MVP Safety Professionals Manager Imelda Muzio

MVP’S VIP

The safety and regulatory expert behind MVP is Imelda Muzio, who serves as manager and a trainer. She joined the team in October 2011 as a bilingual ag safety educator and hit the ground running by studying up on Cal/OSHA, DPR, CRD, DOT and other regulations. She was promoted to her current role in 2014.

Muzio’s career has always been focused on providing services for growers. Prior to MVP, she worked for the California Farm Bureau and Sacramento County Farm Bureau in various roles. She earned a bachelor’s degree in occupational safety and health, is a certified safety professional and a certified professional in human resources. Her background, education and certifications have been integral to leading her team as well as conducting trainings and providing consultation services to her clients.

“I used to be the only trainer at MVP,” Muzio said. “Then the company continued to grow because of the increased regulatory requirements. I now lead a team of five trainers and an administrative assistant.”

Muzio understands the challenges of keeping up with regulations.

“Staying on top of changing regulations can be overwhelming for growers,” she said. “For example, every company now has to have a workplace violence prevention written program and provide annual training to its employees. We are constantly educating ourselves so that we are ready and able to provide the latest information to clients. Our well-trained team educates, but also provides assurance and peace of mind.”

MVP also stays on top of expiration dates for clients.

“Some trainings are annual and some are conducted every two or three years,” Muzio said. “Growers rely on us to keep them notified about expiration dates.”

Another benefit provided by MVP is when an accident occurs at an ag operation, they assist growers with the Cal/OSHA or DPR process.

“They appreciate our support and expertise,” Muzio said.

MVP team (L to R): Isabel Hernandez, Eric Mendoza, Joaquin Ayala, Yesenia Delgado, Imelda Muzio.

IN THE FIELD OR IN A CONFERENCE ROOM

MVP serves clients throughout the state – from Tehama County down to Santa Maria and Bakersfield. The majority of trainings are held at a grower’s operation. The team accommodates growers as best they can, which means some trainings may start as early as 6 a.m. or as late as 6 p.m.

The team fully understands scheduling according to the seasonal nature of agricultural work.

“Agriculture doesn’t run like other industries,” Muzio said. “Many employees are temporary. When the season ends, the bulk of employees are laid off. When it’s time for training, we have to wait until employees come back. When our clients have new employees, we return to the operation and train them.”

Some sessions – such as first aid/CPR, pesticide safety and respirator fit testing – are also conducted at MVP’s office (1000 N. East Street, Woodland). MVP offers train-the trainer courses on dozens of topics as well as food safety compliance assistance (consulting services for preparing growers for food safety audits). https://fs3.us/

Muzio said she enjoys helping clients navigate the ever-changing regulatory landscape.

“Walking away from an audit successfully, knowing that our clients can check that stressful situation off their list and continue to focus on what they love – farming – is the best part for me,” she said.

SAFETY PROGRAMS

Assistance in developing written plans/materials and organized filing systems, including:

Injury Illness Prevention Program

Heat Illness Prevention Program

Confined Spaces

Hazard assessment

Hazard communication

Lockout-tagout

Pesticide safety

Respiratory protection

TRAININGS AND CERTIFICATIONS

Heat Illness Prevention Program

Harassment prevention

English and Spanish

First aid/CPR/AED

Tractor/PTO safety

Forklift safety and certification

Confined spaces awareness

Hazard communication

Implement safety

Lockout-tagout

Pesticide safety

To Learn More

Contact Grow West or visit mvpsafety.org/ .

Under The Hood

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 23:19:46 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2025

Under The Hood

North Valley DOT Mechanic Scott Grunert, North Valley Operations Manager Eric Rush and North Valley DOT Team Manager Rick Rush.

DOT compliance across Grow West with trucks, tankers, trailers and other fleet assets

Safety is job one throughout Grow West. And nowhere does that ring truer than with the company’s DOT (Department of Transportation) teams that properly maintain service trucks, tankers, trailers and other fleet assets to ensure they are roadworthy while meeting state and federal standards.

Not only does regular upkeep catch problems while they are still small, but it also helps ensure vehicles, trailers and other transport are safe for operators as well as the community at large.

“There’s a big push to get everyone what they need, but we also have to be safe,” said Grow West Safety Manager Cole Trouberman. “It’s a big thing trying to make sure we’re providing good service to our customers and trying to be safe for our community members on the road.”

North Valley Operations Manager Eric Rush agreed. “We want everybody going home the same way they got here every day. That’s why safety is our biggest concern, and that’s why we put a lot of time and effort into it.”

The quest for safety extends beyond physical assets. It also includes weekly DOT team tailgate safety meetings, monthly safety meetings, and an annual daylong event for drivers and mechanics that is hosted by the California Highway Patrol (CHP).

As harvest winds down for grower-customers, Rush said the DOT teams’ work picks up. From August through February, “This shop’s busy season is their off season. Our slow season is when all of the equipment is in the field.”

A HEAVY JOB

The DOT teams are responsible for maintaining, inspecting and repairing larger trucks with a gross weight over 10,000 pounds, such as Ford F-450s and Peterbilt semis, that must carry a California DOT number. They also maintain other transport assets, such as trailers, tankers and tenders, all of which are affixed with DOT numbers.

The number of trucks and transport within each Grow West location dictates the size of its DOT shop or whether it outsources DOT duties, Trouberman said. The North Coast unit, for example, works with a local DOT provider.

At Maxwell, the DOT shop is responsible for just the location’s trucks and other assets.

Nowhere is the workload greater than at the North Valley DOT shop, which handles vehicles and assets from Yuba City, Pleasant Grove, Woodland and Dixon. Altogether, that’s more than 400 trucks, trailers, tankers, tenders and other assets, Rush said.

At one time, each of the four North Valley locations had its own DOT shop. But when the locations came under the Grow West umbrella in 2019, he said they consolidated the duties into a single DOT shop near Woodland to streamline operations and be more cost-effective.

Rick Rush, North Valley DOT team manager, worked for 30 years as a Chrysler mechanic before he joined what was then Growers Ag Service near Tudor in 2017, where he performed BIT inspections.

Eric Rush, who started in construction at a young age, eventually switched to working as a diesel mechanic for a Yolo County farming operation. He joined Grow West as a setup person and mechanic in Dixon in 2011 before the consolidation. Eric now manages North Valley operations. Safety also runs in the family as he is Rick’s nephew.

Scott Grunert, a North Valley DOT team member, ran a towing operation with his father and raced cars before he joined Grow West as a setup person in 2018. He moved over to the DOT shop in 2019.

BASIC INSPECTION OF TERMINALS

In addition to the company’s own vehicle service requirements, Grow West falls under Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations and the state Basic Inspection of Terminals (BIT) Program administered by the CHP.

Because Grow West only operates within California and operators only drive within 100 air miles of a terminal, Trouberman said the company doesn’t fall under federal regulations for long-haul or interstate trucking.

North Valley Operations Manager Eric Rush (left) and North Valley DOT Mechanic Scott Grunert are part of a team that keeps larger trucks and transport from four retail facilities safe and operational.

That said, Grow West still must follow several other federal rules administered by FMCSA. One is the daily vehicle inspection report (DVIR) for vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds gross or more, Trouberman said.

Each morning, drivers must complete a DVIR that involves walking around the vehicle or other transport to visually inspect for issues. Then they check tires and lug nuts, engine fluids, windshield wipers and connectors, such as trailer hitches.

“We’re able to catch issues as they arise rather than on a 90-day basis,” Trouberman said. “It’s way safer for everyone to find an issue when it’s small before it becomes a bigger issue on the road.”

At the end of the day, each operator completes the trip report, noting any problems they may have experienced, such as a strange sound or a slow tire leak. One copy of the DVIR is kept in the truck, while the other is placed in a “needs attention” box or another box if everything is fine.

“We really rely on our drivers to let us know, so we can get it fixed,” Trouberman said. “Depending on the issue, we may take it out of service. The safety of the vehicle is our ultimate concern. It will not be back on the road until it gets signed off on by the mechanic.”

Should CHP pull over the truck driver or conduct a roadside inspection, the officer typically asks to review the daily inspection book.

Eric Rush explains the 90-day inspection record keeping and the daily vehicle inspection report each driver must fill out.

BY THE BOOK

Under the California vehicle code, carriers must conduct their own BIT inspections at least every 90 days and complete a checklist that includes brake adjustments, brake system components and leaks, steering and suspension systems, tires and wheels, and vehicle connecting devices. As part of that, the DOT team must document the inspection date and any repairs performed, and keep the information on file for two years.

At the Grow West DOT shops, each type of truck or transport has a dedicated binder where all the reports are filed. Ken Bates, Grow West manager of safety and regulatory, works to ensure all paperwork is compliant, while Grunert and Rick Rush take care of the inspection work at the North Valley shop, Eric Rush said.

With more than 400 pieces of equipment that fall under BIT, Eric Rush said the North Valley DOT team has a huge undertaking. Broken down, Rick Rush and Grunert each average four 90-day BIT inspections every workday, 52 weeks a year.

That doesn’t count other work the team performs. Grunert, for example, recently removed rust and repainted a trailer that was looking tired. The team also works with Grow West’s engineering and/or fabrication departments when equipment parts need to be custom made.

During the in-person CHP BIT inspection, a CHP motor carrier specialist reviews maintenance and driver records to determine whether the company is complying with all state and federal regulations. In addition, the specialist will inspect a sample of vehicles based on fleet size.

If a terminal – in this case, the North Valley DOT shop – receives a satisfactory rating in every category, it won’t have to undergo another in-person inspection for 25 months. And Rush said he’s proud of the satisfactory rating Grow West continues to receive.

Protecting Next Season's Yield Starts Now

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 22:58:14 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2025

Protecting Next Season's Yield Starts Now

Almond sanitation tips to reduce the NOW population

Grow West PCA Dan Bonetti

Navel orangeworm (NOW) is public enemy No. 1 when it comes to almond kernel rejects and reducing grower returns.

To combat the larval pest, industry experts promote winter sanitation as the foundation of a strong year-round integrated pest management (IPM) program. But they say almond growers shouldn’t forget the other components, including reviewing grade sheets, timely hull split insecticide sprays, mating disruption if feasible and punctual harvest.

“I basically tell the growers I work with that winter sanitation is the most important management practice they can do for NOW,” said Dan Bonetti, a Grow West pest control advisor based at the Dixon branch. “It’s important for lowering that starting population in the orchard.”

The almond industry has set a goal of 2% or lower total reject levels from all sources, of which NOW accounts for the bulk. Currently, growers lose about $100 million annually just from NOW damage, according to figures from the University of California (UC), Davis.

Unfortunately, Bonetti said, some growers have cut out winter sanitation because of cost-cutting and current low commodity prices. A 2024 UC cost-of-production study for Sacramento Valley almonds on microsprinklers estimated winter sanitation runs about $174 per acre for custom shaking and sweeping.

The cost doesn’t include the grower shredding nuts on the ground.

But Bonetti said he’s found many of the holdouts change their minds after they get reports from handlers showing high damage levels.

“What it takes for these growers to start to sanitize is getting sticker shock on their grade sheets,” he said.

DOING THE MUMMY SHAKE

Winter sanitation involves removing mummies – nuts left on the tree after harvest – that provide overwintering food and habitat for NOW larvae. Left unabated, adult moths emerge from March to June, mate, and females lay eggs on remaining mummies, eventually producing a second moth flight.

By removing leftover nuts and then destroying them on the ground during the winter, Bonetti said growers significantly reduce the first and second NOW flights.

Joseph Connell, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor emeritus for Butte County, calculated just 30 infested mummies on one Nonpareil tree could yield 2.3 million larvae after three generations at harvest. That’s providing there was no natural mortality and no chemical control.

Winter sanitation involves removing mummies – nuts left on the tree after harvest – that provide overwintering food and habitat for NOW larvae.

Under the same 30-mummy scenario, winter sanitation alone would reduce the NOW population by 94%.

As part of navel orangeworm IPM, UC has set a winter sanitation benchmark of two or fewer mummies per tree. Bonetti said clients call him occasionally to look at their orchard to determine whether winter shaking is needed.

Depending on the variety and whether the area has boron issues, Bonetti said it’s frequently difficult to get a clean shake at harvest.

“As a general principle, everyone should be sanitizing because there’s no way everyone is getting a perfect shake,” he said.

ANOTHER REASON TO SANITIZE

Adding to the importance of winter sanitation is a relatively new pest, the carpophilus beetle ( Carpophilus truncatus ). About the size of a rice grain, adult beetles lay eggs on almonds at hull split. Both the adult and larvae feed on kernels and overwinter in mummy nuts.

“All the more reason to sanitize,” Bonetti said. “I think NOW is the reason to sanitize, and if you need more reasons, the carpophilus beetle is here.”

While some growers sanitize immediately after harvest, others will wait until after the holidays. Regardless, Bonetti said, the best time to sanitize is when they can.

Given the option, he said he prefers to wait until after a rain or higher humidity has moved in because the nuts seem easier to remove. Although wet weather may make it more difficult for equipment to get into orchards, the increased soil moisture reduces NOW survival on the ground compared to dry years.

Recently, a handful of studies have found that cover crops accelerate mummy nut degradation on the ground compared to bare orchard floors.

BLOW AND MOW

Removing mummies is just part of winter sanitation. Bonetti said growers also need to blow shaken nuts off of berms into orchard middles. No matter the ground cover, they should then disk or flail mow middles to destroy mummies on the ground.

Winter shaking should be completed before bud swell in February, with disking or flail mowing finished by March 1 before NOW emergence.

Leadership Profile: Transitions With Purpose

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 22:39:41 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2025

Leadership Profile: Transitions With Purpose

How Grow West supports leadership change without losing momentum

Maxwell Manager Greg Kamiensk i

Grow West has experienced numerous leadership transitions over the years, but the company has maintained a philosophy of thoughtful, people-focused leadership planning that keeps customer and employee relations at the forefront.

Regardless of the level or location, the goals are the same during transitions: honor relationships, preserve trust and set up the next leader for success. These require communication, training, support and respect.

Grow West Vice President of Human Resources Samantha Hanley said every transition is different and having a solid plan is vital.

“If there is a health concern, we may need to move quicker through a transition versus someone who plans to retire in five years,” Hanley said. “With managers moving towards retirement, we allow them to announce that they will be exiting at a specific date, who the new manager will be and the strategy. With a five-year plan, the incoming manager will have a quieter role and do more observing in the first year, then eventually move towards the forefront of the operation with the retiring manager less involved in the daily operations. The new manager will be responsible for working on budgets, performance reviews, employee relations, sales goals and reviewing the location P&L statements.”

Former Maxwell Manager Mike Griffith

CHANGES HANDLED WITH INTENTION

The manager transition at Grow West’s Maxwell location – from Mike Griffith to Greg Kamienski – is an excellent example of how leadership changes are handled with intention to ensure a new leader has time to shadow and learn as well as connect with team members, customers and community partners.

Griffith began his Grow West career in 2002, serving as the Maxwell branch manager since the location opened the same year. The transition process began in 2020 when Griffith announced his retirement plan and identified Kamienski as his successor. Kamienski had been with the Maxwell branch since 2005 after spending a year at the Walnut Grove branch. Prior to becoming manager, Kamienski served as a PCA/sales rep.

Griffith said the branch manager is like a coach who deals with a team with different personalities, wants, needs and goals. When he was considering his successor, Griffith knew he needed a coach that could continue to successfully oversee the team – and he was confident that Kamienski could fill the role.

Kamienski said he was surprised about being selected, but excited for the change.

“I was very knowledgeable about the chemicals, fertilizers, products and field work, but I wasn’t privy to the internal workings of the company and location,” Kamienski said. “I had an immense amount of support from Mike and the Maxwell team. We have a lot of good people here who helped make the transition a smooth one.”

COMMUNICATION AND CONSISTENCY

Fostering open communication and keeping a consistent routine were essential factors during the Maxwell transition.

Maxwell Branch

Griffith said he first had thoughtful conversations with individual employees – some of whom had been with the company longer than Kamienski – to articulate his reasons for selecting Kamienski.

“It was important for me to be honest and transparent,” Griffith said. “After those conversations, Greg had their support and still does. He was the right fit without a doubt and he’s been doing a tremendous job. He’s been great working with everyone on his team and he cares about them. The whole Maxwell team supports and respects Greg. One individual can’t run this business alone; Greg needs help from administrative roles to the service crew to sales reps, and he has that.”

Communication with team members and customers was also beneficial to ensure consistency and efficiency.

“We have meetings with our service crew and sales reps every Tuesday,” Griffith said. “Both groups are so important to keeping the branch running. The meetings are helpful to keep everyone on the same page and to give them opportunities to communicate needs, wants or concerns.”

Throughout the transition, Griffith also made it a priority to take Kamienski out to visit customers together.

“Our main focus was to ensure that things stayed consistent for not only the Maxwell team, but for the customers we service,” Kamienski said.

TRUST MATTERS

Trust was also a significant factor for the successful transition.

“It’s a two-way street: You have to be able to trust your employees and they have to be able to trust you and the decisions you make,” Griffith said. “Greg and I have a huge line of communication, even with the transition being complete. I still come in most mornings and I attend the Tuesday meetings. I want to make sure Greg feels like he can come to me when he encounters something new. Oftentimes I will give him my perspective, and he takes it into consideration. But the decisions are his to make now and I am here to support him.”

Kamienski said, “Mike and I have had a great relationship at work and outside of work. With that came the trust and communication that were important for the change to succeed.”

As vice president of human resources, Hanley’s role supporting the Maxwell and other transitions is to support the retiring manager, incoming manager and all employees involved.

Grow West Vice President of Human Resources Samantha Hanley

“While change is never easy and it can make employees apprehensive, the confidence that a manager has in their successor is of the utmost importance and it exudes trust to the other employees,” Hanley said. “Also, choosing someone who is familiar with the employees and location, and has tenure with Grow West, are key to continuing to make the location a success. Mike made the right choice in choosing Greg. He is easy to work with from an admin perspective and is always willing to listen, learn and ask questions. Greg’s easygoing nature has made it easy to support the leadership transition from my standpoint and for the employees.”

Maxwell Branch

From Farm To Film

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 22:15:48 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2025

From Farm To Film

Tara Beaver Coronado shines a spotlight on California agriculture

Tara Beaver

Earlier this year, winegrape grower and Grow West customer Tara Beaver Coronado traveled to Pauma Valley in San Diego County to film an episode about avocados for “Field Trips,” her YouTube series showcasing California agriculture.

The episode – California Avocados: Farming for the Future, which premiered in June – was among her favorites to film because she had never been in an avocado grove. She visited the Lyall family, a multigenerational farm family that started farming in the 1930s and began growing Hass avocados around 2005. From their high-density planting methods to water conservation and solar-powered systems, the Lyalls shared how they sustainably grow avocados while staying deeply connected to the land and each other.

“I love visiting farms, talking to the people and highlighting other farmers,” Coronado said. “I’m learning myself. I was so excited to walk through an avocado grove for the first time and learn how they are grown. It was also a great collaboration with the California Avocado Commission, which put me in touch with the Lyalls.”

Coronado does not have a degree or background in broadcast journalism. Rather, she’s a farmer (aka “farmHer”) who simply wants to educate others via videos about the vibrant world of California agriculture. She is genuinely interested in how other farmers farm and anything related to ag and food production.

When she contacts farmers about being featured on “Field Trips,” she tells them she’s a fellow farmer and that puts them more at ease. Her attire while filming is pretty much what she wears in her vineyards: boots, jeans or overalls, trucker hat and Carhartt shirts and sweatshirts.

Coronado’s engaging curiosity comes through in all of her episodes. And the personality you see on the screen is the same as the real-life personality: friendly, energetic, authentic and respectful. Her TV role model? Huell Howser. “He was so charismatic and he cared. I loved him and his folksy approach to interviewing people on ‘California Gold,’” Coronado said.

LOVE FOR FARM LIFE

Coronado grew up on a farm in Walnut Grove, where her dad grew corn and alfalfa and was a land leveler. While she loved small-town farm life, she didn’t necessarily plan on following in his footsteps. She attended Chico State, but returned to Walnut Grove after her dad suffered a serious farm-related injury.

While working in a non-ag job for a couple of years, she spent a vacation harvesting corn with her dad. That was a light bulb moment when she realized that farming was the life and career she wanted to pursue. With the desire to learn more about farming (and growing non-grain crops), she enrolled in the Center for Land-Based Learning’s (CLBL) Beginning Farmer Training Program.

During the seven-month hands-on program, Coronado became interested in growing winegrapes and had to create a comprehensive business plan for her own vineyard. After graduating in 2015, her life was a whirlwind: she started leasing land from her parents, prepped the land, took viticulture and winemaking classes, got a loan, secured a 10-year contract with Gallo and launched Beaver Vineyards. She planted 50 acres of sauvignon blanc in 2018 and her first harvest was in 2020. Her vineyard is located about five miles from Grow West’s Walnut Grove location (her PCA is Brett Schmitz).

“It was a huge learning curve, but I was fortunate to connect with a lot of local farmers and others in the industry who helped me navigate everything,” Coronado said.

THE ROAD TO “FIELD TRIPS”

As Coronado was starting her vineyard, she started posting photos of farm life on Instagram to give updates to family and friends. She then began connecting with other farmers and people in ag on social media and discovered some farmers across the U.S. were doing YouTube videos.

“I started growing a little on Instagram,” she said. “Most of the farmers I was connecting with on social media and YouTube were from the Midwest and East Coast, but none were from California. A lot of them were encouraging me to also do YouTube videos.”

She posted her first YouTube video in June 2019. At first she just used her phone to film, then she bought a GoPro. She posted videos mostly about everyday life on her farm, but a few focus on the importance of mental health in agriculture. Her social media connections were helpful in growing her viewership, especially non-Californians.

Coronado said she started getting a lot of comments and questions from viewers about California agriculture; many were completely unaware about how vast and innovative the industry is. “That’s when I started thinking, ‘How can I show people what’s happening in other segments of California agriculture?’”

Thus began “Field Trips,” which premiered on YouTube on Aug. 29, 2020 and also airs on the AcresTV website. The series aims to educate consumers by taking them on a journey through the California farms and landscapes that produce food, fostering a deeper appreciation for the hard work behind it. For most of the episodes, it was just Coronado with her GoPro; she did 100% of the filming and editing.

“My goal is to connect consumers with farmers and agriculture through storytelling,” Coronado said. “By sharing where their food comes from, I can show viewers that all areas of agriculture are important. Family farms, urban farms, small farms and corporate farms, we’re all important and on the same team. I want to show that farmers and ranchers are doing everything they can do to ensure safe food and take care of their land.”

Coronado’s YouTube page has more than 180 ag-focused videos. After taking a break from “Field Trips” after the birth of her son, she relaunched the series in January 2025 – now with the help of a professional videographer/editor. Another favorite episode since relaunching the series featured Alexander Ag Flying Service. “Their story is incredible,” Coronado said. “My goal was to increase awareness about everything aerial applicators do; it’s an integral part of production ag and I want people to appreciate them as much as I do.”

FUTURE PLANS

Coronado’s appreciation and passion for agriculture motivates her to continue “Field Trips” for as long as possible. She hopes to release two episodes per month in the future. Upcoming videos will feature fish farming, a goat dairy, a flower farm, a multi-crop farm family, a pear farm and packing house and a PCA. She has a long wish list of other crops, including cotton, pistachios, artichokes and kiwis.

One of her main goals is to gain a bigger following. “I’d love to get in front of more people and increase viewership, because that means more people are learning about California agriculture,” Coronado said. “In my videos, I always ask the growers two questions: What do you wish people knew about California agriculture? And if someone wants to get into agriculture, what do you recommend?”

Coronado is grateful to her sponsors, Grow West and Bayer, that help fund her videographer/editor and other production expenses, and ultimately, help her spread the word about the people who grow our food.

WATCH VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE

youtube.com/@TaraBeaverCoronado

TARA IS LOOKING FOR STORIES!

If you are interested in being featured on “Field Trips” — complete the application form at tarabeavercoronado.com/fieldtrips

Drilling Down

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 21:58:58 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2025

Drilling Down

How regional challenges shaped a more sustainable way to grow rice

The California Rice Commission has promoted California rice as “The Environmental Crop.” An increasing number of producers in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta have taken that to heart and continue to transition corn and alfalfa acres to rice because of the myriad environmental and economic benefits it provides.

“There’s been a major expansion out here in the Delta with the help of The Nature Conservancy,” said Doug Grupe, a Grow West pest control advisor based at the Walnut Grove branch.

Grupe has been at the forefront of helping Delta growers and the conservancy’s farming arm, Conservation Farms & Ranches, transition to rice. Because of the Delta’s unique conditions, rice producers have had to adopt a drill-seeded cultural system more like what’s used in the South and Mid-South rather than the water-seeded practices of Northern California.

“We had to figure this all out ourselves; it’s been a learning curve,” Grupe said. “But we’ve got it down now.”

Earlier this year, The Nature Conservancy – in collaboration with the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy – launched the Delta Rice Conversion Incentive Program. The goal is to recruit growers of other crops, such as corn or wheat, to voluntarily convert to rice and manage fields as high-quality migratory bird habitat. In return, they receive a per-acre payment. Already, one of Grupe’s customers plans to transition 1,300 acres into rice over the next two years.

STATEN ISLAND EVOLUTION

Nowhere is this rice evolution more apparent than on Staten Island, where The Nature Conservancy, which owns the island, has converted over half of its 9,200 acres to the crop. And more are in the works, said Jerred Dixon, director and president of Conservation Farms & Ranches.

“When we started in 2018-2019, we had about 350 acres of rice,” he said. “Since then, we have about 4,500 acres converted and we have a push to get more farmers involved.

“For me, doing rice benefits the soil because I’m not losing elevation in the peat, and we’re not putting as much stress on the levees, mitigating flood risks.”

That doesn’t count the crop’s advantages for the thousands of birds that use the Delta year-round or spend the winter before they migrate back north.

Throughout the five-county Delta region, there are about 20,000 acres of rice, according to county crop reports. That compares to 485,000 acres planted statewide in 2025.

Dixon said he wouldn’t be surprised to see Delta rice production eventually reach 30,000-50,000 acres. Should that occur, yields could probably support establishing a local cooperative, rice dryer and mill.

UNIQUE DELTA CONDITIONS

Unlike traditional rice-producing areas in Northern California that frequently have clay soils, the islands of the Delta are composed of carbon-rich organic peat soils. Under aerobic or oxygen-rich conditions, peat soils quickly oxidize, resulting in land subsidence. This accelerated as islands were reclaimed by draining and levee construction, and row crops were cultivated.

In the developed islands of the central and western Delta, subsidence averages 1-3 inches per year, according to U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) figures. On Staten Island, Dixon said many of his fields are as much as 20-25 feet below sea level.

But flooded conditions, such as those used to grow rice, promote an anaerobic or oxygen-deficient environment. The roughly 4-12 inches of water maintained in season protect the peat soils from oxidation, slow land subsidence and mitigate soil carbon loss.

Reflooding rice fields after harvest continues the trend while also helping decompose leftover straw and providing winter waterfowl habitat.

Conservation Farms & Ranches Director and President Jerred Dixon showing freshly drilled seed.

PERFECTING DRILL SEEDING

Field preparation begins in early March after water is pumped off of fields and the field surface allowed to dry. Dixon takes a minimum-tillage approach, only lightly disking soil a few times to maintain organic matter left from the previous crop.

This differs from the deep ripping and chiseling that many Sacramento Valley rice producers use to dry out and prepare fields for planting.

One of the biggest differences with Delta rice is drill seeding, which is the same method used to plant corn, wheat and other row crops.

Sacramento Valley rice producers soak rice seed, and the pregerminated seed is flown on flooded fields. With typically windy conditions during planting, Dixon said any rice seed flown into flooded Delta fields would likely end up blown to one end of the field and result in clumping and uneven stands.

As an alternative, Dixon enlists a 30-foot-wide Great Plains grain drill to plant 150-170 pounds per acre of dry seed. The shallow discing and rolling of fields in early spring seals the soil to preserve moisture to germinate planted rice seed.

Dixon grows mostly M-206 medium-grain rice with a bit of M-105 medium grain. This season, he’s trying some high-yielding M-211 medium grain as well as about 20 acres of Koshihikari short-grain as an experiment.

Although the Delta has a long growing season, temperatures average a few degrees cooler than the Sacramento Valley, limiting rice variety choices. Many won’t reach full yield potential in the cooler production areas.

Dixon has seen his best yields when he plants early, on or before April 1, and averages about 95 100-pound sacks per acre. He likes to have everything in the ground by May 10, which allows him to finish harvest before Nov. 1.

DELTA CHALLENGES

Dixon applies granular nitrogen with the last pass of implements during field preparation and a liquid starter at planting. This is counter to Sacramento Valley producers, who typically shank in aqua ammonia just prior to flooding and water seeding.

As the rice reaches the three- to four-leaf stage, Dixon treats the fields with herbicides and then applies a permanent flood of 4-12 inches of water.

Watergrass tends to be the most troublesome weed, and Grupe said the regular program involves two applications of propanil. Weather, particularly wind and temperature, poses the biggest challenge in making timely herbicide applications.

“Sometimes you’re ready to spray and it’s in the 70s, so you know the propanil isn’t going to work,” he said.

This year in particular, Grupe said the 20-30 mph winds frequently grounded aerial applicators for 7-10 days.

“This year we got way behind and we never caught up.”

Weeds are one reason why Dixon uses a 5-year crop rotation to try to switch things up and bring in new chemistries.

“Sometimes it’s fallow, sometimes it’s corn — it just depends on how I have things set up,” he said. “We’ve already converted into a rotation of corn and then back to rice. It almost resets the clock for us on the herbicide rates.”

At panicle initiation — the transition from the vegetative to productive stage — Dixon has a plane fly on topdress nitrogen. Altogether, he uses about half the nitrogen of rice producers to the north because of the Delta’s naturally nutrient-rich soils.

SUMMER NESTING HABITAT

During the season, Dixon said the flooded rice fields offer “almost perfect” nesting and brooding habitat for several duck species, including mallards, gadwall and cinnamon teal. Black-crowned night herons, great blue herons and white egrets also frequent the fields.

“As we see it, the survivability of the broods we have had here are just tremendous,” he said, citing ongoing studies.

Another challenge with Delta rice comes when fields need to be drained to dry down plants for harvest. With moisture continuing to sub up, draining may take 1-2 weeks longer than the Sacramento Valley. Even then, rice plants may remain green, prompting applications of sodium chloride – sometimes referred to as salting the rice – to dry the grains in the panicle.

Dixon targets about 18% grain moisture for harvest. Because of slow grain drying, fissuring and cracking is reduced, resulting in better grain quality. Dixon said his milling yields average 68-72, which refers to whole kernels and overall rice, respectively. Head rice nets a significantly better price than brokens or pieces.

WINTER WATERFOWL HABITAT

Shortly after harvest, Dixon chops the rice straw, leaving the biomass on the surface, and refloods the fields for winter waterfowl and straw decomposition. He staggers water applications, beginning about Nov. 1 and finishing in late December, to provide an array of habitat for different species.

The GPS leveling used for rice fields also lends itself to flooded winter habitat management, he said. In the past, an unleveled 100-acre field, for example, might have only 10 acres around the edges that were suitable waterfowl habitat when flooded.

But using GPS leveling technology yields about 90 acres of suitable habitat in that same 100-acre example.

No combine is 100% efficient, and a small portion of the crop is spit out the back along with straw. The leftover grain provides nutrient-dense food for visiting ducks and geese.

Along the field borders, Dixon also plants corn and milo, which supply high-caloric food for overwintering waterfowl. He said it’s not unusual to see thousands of geese, including Aleutian cackling geese, on Staten Island. And night herons and white egret populations have exploded in the region.

“It’s just kind of amazing to see the kind of biodiversity we have seen. It’s just changed so much,” he said.

ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY

The Delta also is the wintering ground to about 25%-30% of the Pacific Flyway’s greater sandhill crane population.

Research conducted by Oregon State University and USGS found the long-legged birds prefer roosting in water depths averaging 4 inches. They also sought undisturbed flooded cropland sites.

“Sandhill cranes are very particular about the depth of water they like to roost in,” Dixon said.

White-faced ibis, on the other hand, like muddy edges of flooded fields or wetlands where they can probe for invertebrates. And shorebirds, such as plovers and stilts, prefer mudflats in which to wade and forage.

Dixon said the environmental benefits rice provides the Delta are just part of the overall sustainability equation. The crop also has an economic upside by offering potentially better grower returns than corn in most years.

“We get paid a lot more per sack, but there are good years and bad years,” he said about rice. “But corn has more bad years. We pour a lot of this money into corn and don’t get anything for it.”

Understanding Spray Days California

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 21:36:03 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2025

Understanding Spray Days California

Insights from CACASA and Sonoma County Ag Commissioner

A first-of-its-kind statewide notification system for restricted material pesticide applications on farms was launched by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) in March 2025.

SprayDays California – developed over the past four years with substantial input from the public – provides a website with transparent, accessible and timely information about the use of restricted material pesticides. These pesticides are subject to the state’s strictest regulations, including requirements on where they can be used, who can use them and how they can be used.

The California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association (CACASA), which is comprised of the state’s 58 county ag commissioners (CAC), reacted positively in support of SprayDays and the website. “We are hopeful the public will find this a useful tool for its intended purpose, which is to provide transparent information when it comes to the application of pesticides in California that are necessary for managing pests and ensuring a stable food supply,” said CACASA Executive Director Lindsey Carter.

REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS FOR GROWERS AND APPLICATORS

The regulations require the electronic submission of all notices of intent (NOIs) for the use of restricted material pesticides in production agriculture to CACs through CalAgPermits, or third-party tools currently used to submit NOIs to CalAgPermits. If a grower or applicator cannot submit an NOI electronically due to undue hardship (e.g., internet outage, limited access to electricity or a declared emergency), the CAC may authorize alternative submission formats, including allowing paper submission of NOIs. In such cases, the CAC will upload select NOI data into CalAgPermits.org on behalf of the grower or applicator.

Lindsey Carter

Q&A with CACASA Executive Director Lindsey Carter and Sonoma County Ag Commissioner Andrew Smith

Q&A with CACASA Executive Director Lindsey Carter and Sonoma County Ag Commissioner Andrew Smith

CARTER: CACASA worked with DPR to host four pesticide notification pilot programs in Santa Cruz, Stanislaus, Riverside and Ventura counties in the early development of the SprayDays system. We also worked with Tulare County in a beta testing of the SprayDays system prior to launch. We provided input and technical feedback to DPR as they developed the system, but we did not actively participate in all aspects of development. We also provided written comments to the regulatory rulemaking as well.

Andrew Smith

SMITH: There was a lot of discussion around how to identify a field that would be treated. Eventually, DPR decided to use the meridian, township and range. CACs were concerned that listing a specific address, acreage or field could lead to conflict surrounding an application.

How have CACs spread the word about the system within counties?

CARTER: Counties have provided flyers and information about SprayDays at community events, on county websites and social media and at stakeholder events.

SMITH: CACs have also presented on the system at workshops and annual trainings.

Will this change how growers and applicators currently submit NOIs to CACs?

CARTER: Per the website, the only change is that NOIs must be submitted electronically to the CAC through CalAgPermits except in cases of undue hardship. Growers who already use CalAgPermits to submit NOIs, or third-party tools currently used to submit NOIs to CalAgPermits, will experience no change to their process. In cases of undue hardship, CACs are working with those growers one-on-one to ensure they are in compliance with the regulation.

SMITH: This has also required proactive communication with growers and restricted material permittees on NOI submission, and in some cases requires adjustment of restricted materials permits and site commodities to ensure that only production agriculture NOIs are subject to the notifications.

Can you address the importance of timely and accurate NOI submissions to avoid compliance issues?

CARTER: Having timely and accurate NOIs helps speed up the process of NOI review and approvals by the county staff. Regardless of SprayDays, having accurate and timely NOIs is the best business practice to ensure that you are in compliance and that county staff have ample time to address any issues without impacting growing operations. This helps the grower as much as the county staff.

SMITH: County staff must review the environmental conditions of the area to determine the safety of the application and to mitigate adverse impacts to surrounding properties and crop commodities before approving an NOI. It is imperative that every permittee evaluate alternatives to the restricted material chemistry they intend to use to determine that the specific product chosen is most appropriate.

Do you anticipate an increase in public inquiries/concerns/objections that may hinder pesticide applications?

CARTER: We did anticipate this and stressed this concern in every public forum and comment period. However, thus far we have not seen or heard of applications being hindered or stopped by public inquiries. We have had increased questions and inquiries into the county office, but nothing disruptive that has been reported.

What are some strategies for effective communication between growers and CACs?

CARTER: When in doubt, ask your CAC or county staff member if you have a question about your application, NOI or any pesticide-related topic. Assuming or interpreting incorrectly can lead to hefty enforcement actions that don’t need to occur. Consistent communications improve your ability to remain in compliance with all laws and regulations.

SMITH: CACs and their staff also want to support understanding and be viewed as a resource to help people understand regulations and maintain compliance.

Anything else you’d like to share about SprayDays?

CARTER: SprayDays is another tool in the toolbox for the public to use. It is not all inclusive of every application and should simply be used by the public as an awareness tool of certain ag activities in their area. Not all applications will be referenced in SprayDays and not all NOIs listed in SprayDays will actually occur. With weather, farm needs and many other factors, applications may change in their size, scope and type. If any grower experiences a negative impact due to SprayDays increased public activity, please let your CAC know. If you see errors or technical glitches in SprayDays, share that as well.

SMITH: Also remember that all pesticide use reporting is subject to public records act requests and nearly all CACs respond regularly to public requests for information about pesticide use around them.

SPRAYDAYS WEBSITE FEATURES

A web-based pesticide map.
Option to sign up for email or text message notifications sent 48hours prior to the intended use of soil fumigants and 24 hoursprior to the intended use of other restricted material pesticides.People can register with multiple valid addresses (home, work,school, etc.).
Pesticide safety information, including reminders to stay awayfrom application sites (fields) and follow any posted warningsigns when pesticides are in use.
Notices that applications may begin within a four-day window ormay not occur at all.
Information on applications will be available for four daysfollowing the scheduled date and time of the planned application.
The intended date and time of the pesticide application.
The location of applications within one-square-mile sections,which aligns with the location information that is submitted bygrowers or applicators prior to the use of a California restrictedmaterial pesticide.
Information on the restricted material pesticides included in thesystem.
Context on how pesticides are regulated in California.
Application details such as pesticide product name, activeingredient, application method, number of treated acres and U.S.EPA registration number.

Blended For Impact

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 20:35:02 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2025

Blended For Impact

How Grow West Soils serves California growers differently

As manager of the Grow West Soils Facility near Woodland, Ian Murray is like a master chef, following one of more than 350 computerized recipes on file to make the perfect soil blend.

Grow West Soils Facility Located in Woodand

If, on the outside chance, Murray doesn’t have what customers need, Soils Facility Office Coordinator Aaron Johnson will work with them to customize soil blends that will. Johnson will even provide them 5-gallon bucket samples to take back to their operations to try. The customer may return, asking if Grow West could add 5% perlite or maybe 10% more sand.

“We’ll go back and get that formula exactly the way they want it,” Murray said.

The personalized service also is part of Grow West’s philosophy to partner with customers to help them remain sustainable and profitable.

“It’s the customization component,” Grow West North Coast Regional Manager Devin Gordon said about their customer support. “They could come to us and have a blend made. Maybe they want to try a little bit of fertilizer or tweak the blend.” The alternative, which doesn’t involve individualized attention, is to just buy soil “off the shelf.”

Murray agreed. “We’re able to customize it exactly the way they want and also have their custom soil in 1-yard, 2-yard or 3-yard totes.” In addition, the facility can load it in bulk into a truck or pack it in 1-, 1.5- or 3-cubic-foot white bags for greenhouses or nurseries.

ORGANIC MARKET EVOLVES

The custom soil blending facility was born about six years ago when Grow West identified a unique opportunity to better serve its organic growers. More than 99.9% of the ingredients that go into the blends are organic, Murray said.

The effort was further solidified through a partnership with GreenGro Biologicals to blend and package its Pride Lands-branded products, which are considered a premium line. That arrangement continues today.

Murray said during the past few years, Grow West noticed a change in the organic market as it became more competitive. As a result, some customers shied away from the more premium soil blends.

To serve more price-conscious customers, Grow West launched a full soil line under the Blue Creek brand about a year and a half ago. Murray pointed to Grow West’s strong buying power that allows him to source products and make blends that still meet their customers’ needs but at a lower price point.

BULK, TOTES OR BAGS

As with other Grow West blends, Blue Creek products are organic and available to commercial customers in bulk, totes or bags. Not only are they competitive in the current market, but Murray said they’ve also attracted the attention of hydroponic vegetable growers.

As part of Grow West’s continuing effort to address market needs, the company plans to work with distributors to launch Blue Creek-branded organic soil products in 1-cubic-yard bags into retail garden centers in the coming months. In the meantime, Johnson is working with the California Department of Food and Agriculture to secure proper registration for the roughly half dozen products. And Murray said more Blue Creek bagged soil blends are in the works.

From the start, Grow West has only sold its soil blends wholesale to commercial growers or to distributors, who then sell them to retail outlets. The company also has done custom packs of branded products for small-scale garden centers, but it has never sold directly to retail customers. And that will continue, Murray said.

HIGH-TECH SOIL BLENDING

Over the years, demand for Grow West’s custom soil products has grown, and with it the need to harness the latest technology.

Murray said he distinctly remembers when Grow West President and CEO Ernie Roncoroni and North Coast Regional Manager Gordon approached him about six years ago. At the time, Murray was working for another soil-blending company and Grow West was one of its biggest customers.

If Murray was interested in working for Grow West, he could run a planned state-of-the-art soil blending facility. “It made sense for me and my family,” Murray said.

The project came to fruition and the Grow West Soils Facility – with scalable custom soil blending – was completed near Woodland in 2023.

“We have a lot number for everything that gets built,” Gordon said. “The line is all automated. You put the mix into the line, the machinery takes over and the blend comes out the other end.”

When Murray described Grow West’s potential custom soil offerings, he didn’t just talk about tapping a few ingredients, either. He has four different biochars, four brands of coco coir, four brands of peat moss, two brands of perlite and three different sizes, compost from three different companies, not to mention humus, worm castings, sand and myriad micronutrients and biological products at his fingertips.

“Diversity is the key,” Johnson said.

SUSTAINABLE AND REGENERATIVE

More recently, Murray said he’s seen customers become more interested in regenerative and sustainable products. And a lot more ingredients are available now to meet those needs.

Peat moss, for example, is not as popular as it once was because it is harvested from bogs. As a result, some researchers have linked its removal to carbon emissions and wildlife habitat degradation.

Instead, some producers have turned to coco coir, a natural fiber extracted from coconut husks. About 95% of the world’s coco coir comes from India, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, and they sell the fibers to China to make doormats. The pithy leftover material is packed and sold to agricultural users who rehydrate it for use in soil media.

But Murray said much of that byproduct contains dirt and other contaminants. Instead, he sources Grow West’s coco coir from a company in the Philippines under contract with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for organic certification.

The company also processes it with agricultural and horticultural uses in mind, so it’s clean and contaminant free.

“A lot of the more sustainable products are handled a lot differently, which makes them better end products on our end,” Murray said.

Leadership Profile: Emily Garrison

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 20:20:22 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2025

Leadership Profile: Emily Garrison

Journey and Vision for Grow West

From receptionist to CFO, Emily Garrison has shown dedication, growth and leadership

Down the street from Grow West’s Woodland office is Nugget Market, a grocery store where Grow West CFO Emily Garrison first learned about the importance of exceptional customer service, quality products, teamwork and a family atmosphere.

Garrison began her two-year stint at Nugget while in high school. She started off as a courtesy clerk (fun fact: she won local and regional “bag-off” competitions, then placed third at nationals). She was then promoted to checker, worked in specialty grocery stocking shelves, product procurement and worked closely with vendors. These different opportunities allowed her to grow professionally and gave her insight into business operations and a positive workplace culture.

Grow West CFO Emily Garrison

“Nugget focuses on excellent customer service and that’s what they instill in their employees,” Garrison said. “Grow West is very much the same. Similarly, we want our customers to have the best experience and exceptional customer service while working with us. If they have an issue or concern, we are there for them. We want our employees and their families to feel the same great experience as our customers. We have to take care of all of them.”

That strong focus on people – and the sense of community and family – is what Grow West is all about.

“The company started out as mom-and-pop stores and those roots have carried through the decades,” Garrison said. “Even though we’ve expanded, there’s still a family feel. Plus, quite a few of our employees are related, which is a special aspect of our business.”

CAREER PROGRESSION

It is actually because of a family member that Garrison joined the Grow West team. In 2007, her sister, Grow West Vice President of Human Resources Samantha Hanley, encouraged her to apply for a receptionist position that the two shared while going through college. At the time, their dad was the wholesale manager at TSI in Dixon, which became part of the Grow West umbrella.

As a receptionist, Garrison worked on a variety of tasks, including assisting with accounts payable and invoicing. She eventually transitioned to the accounting team, taking on the role of accounting assistant then accounting manager. Later, Garrison moved up to controller. She said having mentors to assist her and provide in-depth training during her career progression was extremely helpful.

In January 2024, Garrison was promoted to CFO. “I had big shoes to fill, but was ready for the challenge,” she said. “I worked with the previous CFO for 11 years and we had a great working relationship. He gave me a couple of years’ notice about his retirement, so I was able to learn as much as I could from him during that time. He said he knew I could do the job, which definitely bolstered my confidence.”

Just as Garrison’s varied roles at Nugget opened her eyes to that business, her diverse experiences across Grow West departments have given her a comprehensive understanding of internal operations and customer needs.

“Over the past 18 years, I’ve helped with accounts receivable, accounts payable and learned about the general ledger,” she said. “There’s a lot of integration between other departments and accounting, so I’ve been fortunate enough to work closely with human resources, safety and regulatory, and procurement. Together we’ve been successful in implementing change within our organization.”

INITIATIVES AND ENDEAVORS

During the past 20 months as CFO, Garrison has implemented some key initiatives to benefit employees and customers. Those include improving communication and financial processes companywide.

“When I became CFO, I had to make a solid effort with team communication,” she said. “I started doing 15- to 20-minute Monday meetings with my staff so that everyone would be on the same page and transparent about what’s going on for the week ahead. That open communication definitely helped our team. Understanding everyone’s roles and responsibilities has been important. I also have an open door policy and want my team to know I’m here for them.”

In addition to weekly team meetings at the office, Garrison keeps in contact with location-based accounting teams. “Each location has an accounting staff,” she said. “A lot of the locations have been established for so long that they have things under control and they have their systems in place. But we work very closely with the location teams and offer support for anything they may need.”

Another initiative was inventory improvements. Last year, Garrison worked with the Woodland farm supply store to prepare it for a major inventory count, which involved organizing shelves and bar coding every item for easy scanning. This effort led to inventory counts at every Grow West location that has inventory.

“This was definitely a boots-on-the-ground endeavor that took a substantial amount of time,” Garrison said. “My goal was to make the inventory process as efficient and streamlined as possible. That meant taking time to understand our inventory processes and making appropriate changes. Almost all items in the stores are now scannable.”

An endeavor that has been beneficial to Grow West is Garrison’s participation in a CFO roundtable group. Dozens of ag business CFOs from across the U.S. meet quarterly – in person or via Zoom – to discuss business trends, good business practices, industry issues and effective strategies. “It’s very interesting learning about companies from other states. We discuss similar and different industry challenges, but we’re all connected through agriculture. This peer collaboration has been a great opportunity to bring fresh insight to Grow West.”

LOOKING AHEAD

In addition to implementing successful initiatives, Garrison is focused on the following goals:

CUSTOMER PORTAL FOR ACCOUNT ACCESS AND BILL PAYMENT

“I’d love for our customers to be able to go online to look at their account and invoices, to have that information at their fingertips,” she said. “We have to get past a few hurdles to roll this out smoothly. We are looking at the best way to integrate this and hope to launch it within the next couple of years.”

FOSTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR STRATEGIC GROWTH

This includes expansion, acquisitions or new service offerings – driven by customer needs and long-term sustainability. “I help ensure expansion is in line with Grow West’s values and long-term sustainability, that we have the internal support that’s needed and understanding how it will benefit our customers. As with previous acquisitions, we need to make sure it’s seamless for our customers and staff.”

STRENGTHENING CUSTOMER SERVICE

“There are always going to be challenges for growers and ag businesses. There are so many aspects of our industry that are unknown and we try to prepare as best we can. Every operational improvement at Grow West is rooted in better serving our customers, helping them succeed and showing that we’re all in this together. Customer service leadership is something I try to instill in my team. Building rapport with customers and fellow employees greatly enhances Grow West’s family-like culture. Get to know them. Ask them questions about their family and work – and remember those things. It makes people feel good.”

Garrison said she is grateful to Grow West for a career that has provided her with growth and leadership opportunities and the ability to support production agriculture.

“Ag has a special place in my heart,” she said. “I grew up around agriculture and it’s an amazing community. I love working in the industry, with our customers and staff.”

Rebuilding Hope

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 19:47:36 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2025

Rebuilding Hope

Grow West’s commitment to growing community

From the time its doors opened in 1964 until early 2022, St. John’s Retirement Village (SJRV) in Woodland was a beloved, joyous and indispensable living community for seniors. After a two-year closure, community members have been working hard to restore it to its former glory.

The mission of SJRV – which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable trust – is to provide elderly persons with housing facilities specifically designed to meet the physical, social and psychological needs of the aged, and contribute to their health, security and happiness.

Cottages on the campus of St. John’s Retirement Village.

On a stroll through the village in April, SJRV Board Chair Stan Levers – who has worked in agriculture, international trade and banking for 55 years – shared memories about the special atmosphere of the retirement community. His connection to the village is through family members; his dad and his wife’s uncle were on the board. His mom and sister were former residents. Through family and friends, he saw up close the wonderful aspects of SJRV and what it meant to residents.

“It was a nice, comfortable, secure place that fostered a sense of community and home,” Levers said. “There is a uniqueness of what St. John’s was in the past and what it will be in the future.”

The 14-acre campus includes independent living facilities, consisting of 30 cottages and 14 apartments, as well as a personal care unit (with medical care) and manors for those with dementia or Alzheimer’s. There is a large commercial kitchen, a small chapel and library, community buildings and patios. Tranquil streets and sidewalks are surrounded by beautiful lawns, trees and gardens.

In one of the community buildings, a giant multipurpose room with large windows and high ceilings had been the location for festive holiday parties, fashion shows and gatherings. Levers said it was a place for conversations with other residents, singing, dancing, playing games or music. Family members would visit their loved ones and participate in the activities.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

SJRV had served Yolo County for more than 55 years through the generous donation of land and funds from the Stoll Family. The village consistently had a waiting list. However, due to financial struggles, operational challenges and staffing issues stemming from the COVID pandemic, SJRV shut down in early 2022.

The board at the time approached Yolo County to see if it would buy the entire campus plus the 3-acre vacant parcel adjacent to the property on the north side. A deal was negotiated, and as reported in a Woodland Daily Democrat article, “The county had planned to use the property for low-income housing for CalWorks families and seniors, hospice and conservator placements, opportunities for intergenerational spaces, and adult day health care.”

When Levers learned that SJRV was being sold to Yolo County, he took legal action because he wanted to save SJRV as a retirement community. “The county eventually terminated the deal for several reasons,” he said.

A NEW CHAPTER

After the county deal was a no-go, five board members resigned and seven new board members took over on June 1, 2023. The new directors include Levers, Chuck Santoni, Bob Nakken, Peter Faye, Debbie Bruno, Tom Muller and Dan Parrish. While they faced an uphill battle with restoring SJRV, they were passionate about this important community project.

“I knew all of the new board members, each of whom are well-respected in the community,” Levers said. “It is a great mix of community professionals. Our board members are do-ers. It’s a working board that always wants to help.”

The 14-acre St. John’s Retirement Village includes cottages, apartments and community buildings surrounded by beautiful lawns, trees and gardens.

Muller, a Grow West customer who farms in Yolo County, volunteers for the board because he wants to continue the St. John’s legacy of a safe and dignified place for seniors to live. He credits the founders in the early 1960s for having the vision to create a community that served a wide spectrum of elderly residents with varying levels of needs.

Prior to SJRV’s closing, Muller used to visit friends, neighbors and his pastor at the village. Both of his parents stayed there for post-surgery rehab.

“We are bringing it back to life,” Muller said. “There’s a huge necessity for elderly care in Woodland. St. John’s is the perfect place and it has the potential to offer so many options – whether short-term or long-term, from independent living to dementia care. Restoring it is a great opportunity to give back to the community.”

He added, “I served on the Yolo County Food Bank board for 20 years. Food and housing are two of the most critical needs for people. It’s easy to ask folks to donate food, but it’s a bit more challenging to ask for donations for housing. We’re trying to do our best to spread the word and encourage people to donate.”

In addition to the board efforts, three volunteer service days drew hundreds of locals who helped clean up the landscaping and campus. On one of the days, Kiwanis Club of Woodland provided volunteers with breakfast and lunch during the clean-up.

“We still have a lot to do, but the mindset of our community is changing because of all of the positive volunteer efforts that have been put forth,” Levers said. “You could come up with 25 reasons why we couldn’t reopen the village, but that’s an easy out. We are committed to sustaining this unique connection to the seniors in our community. Although I’m an eternal optimist, a crucial part of our efforts is to get the community excited about our progress.”

SUPPORT FROM GROW WEST AND THE COMMUNITY

Grow West became involved with SJRV’s revitalization efforts through personal connections. SJRV board member Santoni mentioned it to his cousin, Grow West President and CEO Ernie Roncoroni. Following their conversation, Levers asked Roncoroni if Grow West would consider a financial donation to build a security fence on the north side of the campus.

“I eventually brought Ernie over to the campus and showed him the existing hog wire fence that was in bad shape and not secure,” Levers said. “Ernie indicated that he would need to speak with senior management to get approval. Five hours later he called me and said, ‘Stan: build the fence and come get our check.’ I was incredibly grateful.”

Grow West’s generous donation toward facility improvements is aligned with the company’s efforts to strengthen and give back to communities.

“Woodland has always been home to me, as well as to many of our Grow West employees and their families,” Grow West President and CEO Ernie Roncoroni said. “St. John’s has played an important role in our community, serving the families of several of our employees over the years. It’s important to see it return and continue that legacy of care.

Roncoroni shared his gratitude for SJRV. “My grandfather spent the final years of his life at St. John’s, and I’ll always be grateful for the dignity and compassion he received. The care he experienced gave our family peace and left us with lasting, meaningful memories.”

A donation from Grow West was used to build a fence along the entire north side of St. John’s Retirement Village. The new fence provided much-needed security.

Roncoroni said there are only a few elder care facilities operating in the Woodland area that provide this high level of service, and many of them are already at capacity. “It’s an honor for Grow West to support the reopening of St. John’s,” he said. “We see it as a local investment in the health, comfort and dignity of our community’s elders.”

Another local entity that donated to SJRV was Life Pointe Church, whose annual fundraising campaign benefited SJRV (they raised $92,000).

“I’m trying to encourage the community, including the ag community, to be like Grow West and Life Pointe Church,” Levers said. “Consider the history, the connections with family members, the future potential. I would love for any local citizen or local business to ask, ‘how can we help?’ Grassroots support and positive word of mouth makes a huge difference. Grow West came through for us when we needed it. My hope is that other businesses do as they did and provide support.”

Like Grow West’s donation for the fence, funds can be earmarked for specific projects. For example, supporters can adopt a cottage or apartment. The adoption will go towards the cost of renovations, cleaning and restoring the living spaces for future residents. Levers said there are plenty of projects for individuals and entities to fund. A sign and plaque will be displayed to acknowledge the donor’s support.

A HOPEFUL OUTLOOK

SJRV volunteers are examples of servant leaders who are working tirelessly to make a difference for seniors. They are on a mission to change the community’s mindset from hopeless to hopeful and reopen the doors to as many seniors as possible. The board also wants to reestablish its Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) state license by 2026. “We have seven current residents and space for many more,” Levers said. “The lights are on, rooms are clean and we’re ready to move people in.”

The Cost of a Hire

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 17:17:49 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2025

The Cost of a Hire

What it takes to build an agricultural workforce

The cost of recruiting and retaining employees goes far beyond just their weekly paychecks. In fact, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) estimates the average cost to replace a worker is 1.5 to two times his or her annual salary.

It’s not just the financial costs, either, but how it may affect co-workers who must take on added responsibilities until the vacant position is filled and the new person comes up to speed.

With that in mind, Grow West has adopted a multi-pronged approach to avoid having to replace an employee in the first place, said Grow West Vice President of Human Resources Samantha Hanley. “For us, retaining employees means we’re not having to find employees,” she said.

PREEMPTIVE APPROACH

The preemptive effort, which begins before hiring and continues even after the employee’s tenure, includes:

Smart hiring . Making sure to ask the correct questions during interviews, conducting the necessary pre-hire background checks on candidates and ensuring that job descriptions accurately depict what the job entails.
Offering referral bonuses to employees who refer a candidate for an open position and are hired. The new employee may have a better outlook on the onboarding experience and have a sense of belonging from the beginning.
Creating a benefit packet that is cost-effective for employees and a program that they will truly use. The company contributes a significant amount toward the employer-paid portion for medical, dental, vision and 401(k) matching programs.
Continually evaluate employee compensation , scanning both internally and externally to ensure that Grow West is competitive.
Allow for employee development through training, job shadowing and mentorship opportunities.
Formal annual performance reviews for all employees to evaluate goals, opportunities and feedback. Informal sit-downs between supervisors and employees are done frequently to address any urgent issues.
Exit interviews with all voluntarily resigning employees and follow-up on any issues that need to be addressed.

The investment in time and money appears to have paid off because employee turnover has hovered between 3% and 5% for the past 10 years or so, Hanley said. When construction is booming, turnover within the ag industry may be slightly higher because of higher-paying construction jobs.

Even with the low rate, Grow West continues to strive to minimize turnover, although sometimes it’s inevitable as with retirement or relocation due to a spouse’s career opportunity, she said.

Hanley pointed to the state Employment Training Panel, in which the ag chem retailer participated, for part of their success. The program helps employers train workers to retain quality jobs, increase competitiveness, enhance transferable skills, and improve productivity and quality. If employers conduct and document training, the state reimburses them for costs incurred.

TALLYING JOB SEARCH EXPENSES

The investment in time and money appears to have paid off because Grow West employee turnover has hovered between 3% and 5% for the past 10+ years.

Recruiting a new employee involves both hard and soft costs. SHRM in 2022 estimated the average cost of finding and hiring a new employee was $4,700, although it could go much higher depending on the position.

Of that, 30% to 40% were hard costs — or direct financial outlays for items such as buying help wanted ads and pre-employment screenings — and 60% to 70% were soft costs.

Hanley said quantifying soft costs, such as the time managers and others spend on panels interviewing potential candidates, is more difficult. She provided as an example the recent search to fill a newly created position within Grow West.

Vice President of Human
Resources Samantha Hanley

After screening applications, the pool was whittled down to 14 potential hires. During the first round of interviews, three panelists together spent about 1.5 days talking to the candidates before narrowing the field. Then the panel had to devote additional time to interview the finalists before making the ultimate choice. This was all time spent away from the panelists’ normal duties.

In addition, there’s the time to onboard new hires and the months spent training and mentoring them, Hanley said. Until the new hire comes up to speed, coworkers typically have to pick up the slack, which may involve additional tasks, inconvenience and/or overtime.

“We’re having to spend not just on a person who’s new to the organization but we’re also spending another person’s time to train them, getting them up to speed, moving equipment, safety training, onboarding, so there’s a time investment in the person,” she said. “I don’t think a lot of people take into consideration truly what that costs.”

OVERALL COST

Once the person is hired, employers have to pay myriad expenses for state- and federally-mandated employee benefits, such as employer Social Security matching, state disability insurance, worker’s compensation insurance, unemployment insurance tax, 401(k) retirement plans, and bereavement and sick leave, among others.

At Grow West, the list also may include vehicles and vehicle-related expenses, cell phone reimbursement, employer 401(k) matching, profit sharing, partial employer-paid health insurance premiums, and dental and vision insurance, Hanley said.

In many cases, she said only 40% to 50% of the overall cost of an employee is the actual salary; the rest is company benefits and government mandates.

“There are a lot of things that are an employer expense because California is just a very friendly employee state,” Hanley said. “It really adds a significant cost, and I don’t think employees necessarily understand the total cost.”

If competitors approach employees with salary increases, there are a number of factors they need to consider. Hanley said she is always open to honest discussions with employees to spell out the costs of benefits and coverage that Grow West provides. That way, employees can make informed decision.”

From Rice Fields to Rivers

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 00:40:43 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2025

From Rice Fields to Rivers

California Rice Commission helping revive California’s salmon population

Work being done to set up a PIT-tag receiver station at one of the rice boxes providing fish passage.

The California Rice Commission (CRC) and research partners are finishing a plan to guide rice producers who want to provide juvenile salmon with food-rich, winter-flooded fields within the Yolo and Sutter bypasses. The goal is to fatten up the roughly 2-inch-long fish on zooplankton naturally found in the Sacramento River floodplain so they are larger and have a better chance of survival as they migrate to the sea.

If the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) accepts the plan as a conservation practice standard, rice producers may be eligible for cost-share funding to help implement it.

But Andrew Rypel, a University of California, Davis, fish ecologist leading the California Ricelands Salmon Project research, said the plan is not the lone silver bullet to help recovery of imperiled Chinook salmon runs. Instead, he sees it as part of an overall effort that also includes dam removal and habitat restoration.

“It’s pretty dark times for salmon right now,” he said. “There are a lot of reasons. It’s not just that they can’t get on the floodplains. They’re dealing with major factors like domestication with hatchery fish and pollution. So (the project) is one factor that can help.

“Again, it’s not going to save the day. But if you get enough of these strategies, you can put them together in a portfolio that will help.”

While Rypel said he is confident in the rice field practice, state and federal fishery agencies are concerned about how the practice could interact with federally and state-protected Chinook salmon runs, said CRC Manager of Environmental Affairs Paul Buttner.

“We believe we have enough science already to move forward into an initial implementation phase while they would prefer more studies before we do more widespread implementation,” he said.

GROW WEST STEPS UP

The California Ricelands Salmon Project involves more than six years of collaboration between the CRC and the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, which Rypel heads. The commission received two consecutive three-year NRCS grants beginning in 2018 to help fund the work.

Grow West became involved with the project because of its long-standing relationship with the California Rice Commission.

“It ties back to the community, particularly since rice is so big for the north state, for the customers we serve and for Grow West. It’s neat to see the rice industry making a devoted effort to focus on habitat, and this fits nicely into that.”

Grow West Vice President and COO Lucas Schmidt

As with most NRCS grants, Buttner said these required matching funds. Without additional financial support – such as from Grow West, which has been a donor since 2018 – he said the project wouldn’t have been as successful.

Grow West became involved because of its long-standing relationship with the CRC, said Grow West Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Lucas Schmidt. As part of its continued commitment to the Northern California community – as well as to CRC’s efforts to improve wildlife habitat – the Grow West management team decided to financially support the project from the start.

“It ties back to the community, particularly since rice is so big for the north state and for the customers we serve and for Grow West,” Schmidt said. “It’s neat to see the rice industry making a devoted effort to focus on habitat, and this fits nicely into that.”

Having watched what started out as a pilot project evolve into its current farm-scale status, Schmidt said he remains optimistic the research leads to a program California rice producers can use and support.

In addition to Grow West, current project sponsors include Corteva Agriscience, American Commodity Co. Inc., California Family Foods, California Rice Research Board, California Ricelands Waterbird Foundation, Lundberg Family Farms, Northern California Water Association and the Nigiri Project – Cal Marsh & Farm Ventures. Phase one sponsors included Almond Board of California, Conaway Preservation Group, NovaSource Tessenderlo Group, River Garden Farms, S.D. Bechtel Jr. Foundation–Stephen Bechtel Fund and Valent.

FLOODPLAIN FATTIES

Despite popular beliefs, Rypel said the Sacramento River is not teeming with food for young salmon. Historically, the river topped its banks during winter, inundating adjacent floodplains. The flooded areas were rich in zooplankton, microscopic marine organisms on which the salmon gorged before they migrated to the ocean.

As river levees were built, floodplains shrunk in size. But the Nigiri Project, started in 2011, found winter-flooded rice fields could mimic floodplain fish-rearing habitat. The project was a joint effort among the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, the California Department of Water Resources, the nonprofit California Trout (CalTrout) and private landowners within the Yolo Bypass.

Preliminary studies conducted during the mid-2010s found zooplankton in the winter-flooded rice fields were 53 to 150 times more abundant than samples from the neighboring Sacramento River. At the same time, researchers found hatchery-sourced juvenile fall-run Chinook salmon stocked in the rice fields grew two to five times faster than similar-aged fish in the adjacent Sacramento River.

CRC-UC PARTNERSHIP

CRC partnered with UC on the Ricelands Salmon Project in 2018 after a strategic planning cycle. The commission was already heavily involved with providing waterfowl habitat through timely winter flooding of rice fields. Having heard about the success of the Nigiri project, Buttner said, the board of directors wanted to expand their rice field habitat programs to include salmon.

“They showed very simply that salmon grow very fast in winter-flooded rice fields,” he said. “There’s no other habitat type in the Sacramento Valley that we’re aware of where they can grow as fast as in flooded rice fields. They’re literally swimming through their food, which is at very high densities. They just eat these bugs aggressively while in the rice fields.”

The Ricelands Salmon Project research targets natural-origin or wild salmon that volitionally – on their own – visit floodplains when the Sacramento River spills over weirs. This is known as the wet side of the levee. Of particular interest is state and federally listed spring-run and winter-run Chinook salmon.

The complementary Fish Food Program, conducted by CalTrout in partnership with CRC, involves winter-flooding of rice fields frequently on the dry sides of levees. After at least three weeks to allow the zooplankton to grow in the fields, growers drain the food-rich water into the Sacramento River.

The project is designed to augment the food supply during the December-April salmon out-migration. It is currently funded by California Natural Resources Agency and Bureau of Reclamation grants administered by Reclamation District 108. During the 2024-25 winter, more than 59,000 rice acres were flooded multiple times for fish food production, according to CalTrout figures.

PROOF OF CONCEPT

The Ricelands Salmon Project research was conducted in two phases, with the first three years – 2018-2021 – essentially a proof of concept, Rypel said.

Using small half-acre plots at River Garden Farms, they examined the best ways to manage post-harvest rice fields with fish survival in mind. The treatments included putting canals and/or ditches through the plots, dumping old Christmas trees, or disking and stomping leftover straw.

The researchers also examined optimum flood depth. They found 10 to 12 inches of water helped minimize salmon predation by wading birds. By comparison, rice producers strive for a 3- to 4-inch flood during the growing season.

When fish in the plots reached an average migratory size of about 70 millimeters – about 2.75 inches – the researchers implanted acoustic tags and released them into the Sacramento River to track survival downstream to the Golden Gate Bridge. They had to wait at least another month until fish in the river reached the same size and were large enough to implant the tags.

The plot-raised fish had twice the survival of the river-raised ones, although Rypel said it was difficult to untangle the reason.

“You want as big of salmon as you can and you want them as early as you can,” he said. “That’s what you get with the rice field strategy, so it appears there’s a real benefit to being big and early.”

EXPANDING TO A COMMERCIAL FIELD

During the second phase from 2021-24, researchers expanded their work to the Sutter Bypass and a commercial-sized 125-acre rice field divided into five checks or paddies. The researchers had designed specialized wooden boards that could be installed in concrete rice boxes leading into and within the field to hold water once flooding began to recede. Atop the stack of boards was one with a 2-inch deep V-notch that allowed water to flow into the field or between checks. About 8 inches from the bottom of the stack was a board with a 2-inch hole that provided fish free access out or within the field.

One question posed by the fishery agencies was whether the fish could easily swim through the boxes from the top of the field to the bottom and out to the river. Using 4,500 tagged hatchery fish, the researchers tracked fish movement and found they were not encumbered.

Ideally, the river would top the weirs shortly after New Years and spread out on the flood plain, including the rice fields. With boards in place, the fields would remain flooded until March 1 even if the river receded beforehand.

The researchers settled on the March date to evacuate resident fish from the field because previous studies showed the earliness helped maximum out-migration survival, Rypel said.

Fish Cage

During the 2021-22 drought year, the Sutter Bypass never flooded properly and the field didn’t experience an influx of wild-origin salmon. Instead, the researchers used hatchery-raised fish. The 2022-23 winter provided near-ideal conditions with flooding in early January. Wild-origin fish soon followed.

To determine species using the flooded rice field as well as residency time, the researchers placed a fyke net at the field drain to catch everything exiting. This net was checked daily in accordance with the project’s operating permits.

They found 17 unique species with the bulk being Chinook salmon. Other minor species included Sacramento splittail minnow, threadfin shad, sunfish, steelhead trout, golden shiner and goldfish. Predators included largemouth bass, Sacramento pikeminnow and black bullhead.

Previous work had found the bulk of the Chinook using the rice field were fall-run, followed by fall-spring hybrids, spring-run and to a much lesser extent, winter-run and fall-winter hybrids.

LOW SALMON NUMBERS PROMPT PIVOT

The Coleman National Fish Hatchery, located near Redding, is the primary source of hatchery-raised fall-run Chinook salmon for the Upper Sacramento River. Extremely low numbers of salmon returning to the hatchery to spawn in 2024 followed a similar scenario in 2023. The overall poor outlook for the fall-run prompted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to close the commercial ocean salmon fishing season for two consecutive years, 2023 and 2024, and likely for a third this year.

State and federal fishery agencies also did not renew the researchers’ necessary permits for the 2024-25 winter since their work involved threatened and endangered Chinook species. But that didn’t stop the research, Rypel said. They continued in small plots to double check a few questions that remained.

Among those was the predation rate within flooded rice fields. Using hatchery-raised salmon and predatory fish species, they examined mortality levels as they related to predator numbers.

During the cold winter months, the predatory bass were sluggish and weren’t a major threat to the resident juvenile salmon, Rypel said. As the water warmed, the bass became more active. The results reinforced the March 1 deadline to evacuate the fish from the floodplain before the predators became too aggressive.

Because they weren’t able to conduct full-field research in 2024-25, Buttner said he may seek a one-year extension on their NRCS grant.

Buttner said an alternative would be for CRC to apply for continuing funding under the NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) with a possible cap on the number of acres to be enrolled. This would provide additional time to further adaptive management during the first few years of the practice’s initial implementation. Under RCPP, NRCS works with partners, ag producers and private landowners to address local and regional natural resource concerns. Participants are eligible for cost-share.

Buttner is still developing a cost-share proposal but said it will likely be attractive to rice producers. Only about 30,000 acres of Sacramento Valley rice fields are located within the floodplain, and the goal is to have as many landowners as possible enroll in it.

“Only 6% of California rice acreage has the ability to enhance survival of natural-origin salmon — that’s pretty powerful,” he said. “It speaks to why we have such an intense interest to get things going to help these natural-origin fish.”

California FFA Honors Grow West

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 00:06:51 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2025

California FFA Honors Grow West

Company receives Distinguished Service Citation at March conference in Sacramento

L to R: Les Lyman, Johnny Council, Ernie Roncoroni, Lucas Schmidt and Samantha Hanley.

The California FFA recognized Grow West with its Distinguished Service Citation – one of the organization’s highest honors – during the 97th annual California State FFA Leadership Conference in Sacramento. As one of just three honorees this year, Grow West stood out for its unwavering commitment to supporting agricultural education, empowering young leaders and nurturing the future of California agriculture.

The Distinguished Service Citation is presented to organizations, agencies and businesses that have gone above and beyond in supporting FFA and advancing agricultural education across the state. With a legacy of involvement spanning more than seven decades, Grow West has firmly established itself as a true champion of the FFA mission.

“For over 70 years, Grow West has stood side-by-side with California FFA, advocating for agricultural education and providing opportunities for students to grow as leaders and professionals,” said a representative from the California FFA executive committee.

DRIVING CHANGE – ONE LICENSE PLATE AT A TIME

One of Grow West’s most impactful initiatives has been its ongoing support of the California Agricultural License Plate (CalAgPlate) program, a DMV-sponsored effort that funds agricultural education through the sale of specialty license plates. The program generates more than $200,000 annually for California FFA – money that directly fuels student development, leadership training and career exploration programs.

Since 2015, Grow West has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the initiative, purchasing more than 300 CalAgPlates for its fleet of vehicles. Today, over 200 active plates can be seen traveling across California, proudly showcasing the company’s belief in the power of agricultural education.

“Our partnership with California FFA is about more than sponsorship; it’s about building the next generation of agricultural professionals,” said Grow West President and CEO Ernie Roncoroni. “We believe in the transformative power of FFA, and we’re honored to contribute in ways that help students find their path in agriculture.”

A CULTURE ROOTED IN AGRICULTURE AND SERVICE

FFA’s influence doesn’t stop when the blue jacket comes off – and Grow West embodies that ethos. Grow West’s relationship with FFA extends far beyond any single program. The company consistently supports local FFA chapters through direct donations, livestock project purchases at county fairs and active participation in fundraising efforts locally and statewide. This hands-on engagement reflects a deep-rooted belief in giving back to the communities they serve.

Many of Grow West’s employees are FFA alumni, and that legacy continues as their children take up the blue corduroy jackets. For these families, the values of hard work, leadership and service instilled through FFA are not just remembered, they’re lived every day.

“At Grow West, FFA isn’t just a cause we support, it’s part of who we are,” Roncoroni said. “This recognition affirms our shared vision of a thriving agricultural future led by today’s youth.”

ABOUT CALIFORNIA FFA

The California FFA represents over 105,000 student members across the state and is committed to developing premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Through hands-on learning, leadership conferences and real-world experiences, California FFA prepares students to lead and succeed in a dynamic and vital industry.

CALAGPLATE

If you are interested in purchasing a CalAgPlate and supporting California agricultural education, click the button below.

Leadership Profile: Johnny Council

Sat, 01 Mar 2025 23:39:56 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2025

Trust is Essential to Our Success

How Grow West Continues to adapt and lead

David Horsager – the CEO of Trust Edge Leadership Institute, a trust expert and bestselling author of “The Trust Edge” – has written, spoken and advised extensively about how trust is essential for success and effectiveness among employees and companies. He highlights the advantages of building a high-trust culture because high-trust leaders and companies bring out the best in their people, drive success and get measurable results.

Grow West Vice Chair Johnny Council

Horsager wrote, “Without trust, transactions cannot occur. Without trust, leaders lose teams. Without trust, people lose sales. Without trust, organizations lose productivity, relationships, reputation, talent, customer loyalty, creativity, morale, revenue and results.”

Trust is threaded through each of Grow West’s five core values: integrity, respect, teamwork, relationships and work ethic. It has been fundamental for everything the company has done and continues to do with customers, employees, partners and communities.

Grow West Vice Chairman Johnny Council – who has worked in agriculture for more than 55 years (52 with Grow West and its predecessor companies) – firmly believes that trust is a foundation for how the company has been able to adapt, navigate industry challenges, remain a well-respected business and foster long-standing relationships.

THE POWER OF GOOD PEOPLE

“Good companies are built on good people and good relationships.” (Horsager)

“The way we built this company is with good people, and it has helped us be successful for many years,” Council said. “We are incredibly proud of our people. When we first merged with Les Lyman (the Simplot joint venture days), we had nine employees. We now have more than 300. We attract and retain the cream of the crop, offer competitive salaries and keep them educated. Our employees are purposeful, goal-oriented and keep a positive attitude. Loyalty and longevity are valuable.”

As one of the company’s longest-serving employees, Council said he’s been very fortunate to be affiliated with Grow West. “It’s hard to articulate, but we’re a family. We’re here to serve our customers, so the driving force in what we do is ‘What do our growers need?’ We have a passion for our business and agriculture, and our people love what they do. You can’t compete with that. We’re confident in what we do and in our reputation.”

Council said that numerous teams within the company allow employees to demonstrate leadership. For example, each facility has a team with a go-to person. There are leader meetings to ensure good communication between teams and departments. “We (Ernie, the Lyman brothers and I) let the teams run themselves,” Council said. “The teams are led by very sharp people. They are a real benefit for the company and there’s a lot of trust. But we’ll be there if and when they need us for advice.”

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

“We trust those who stay committed even in the face of adversity.” (Horsager)

Grow West and its customers have seen their share of adversity and uncertainty over the decades, dealing with droughts, market downturns, shifting regulations or labor issues. Grow West prides itself on being a leader and trusted partner that provides help and stability during crises.

Council highlighted some difficult times in recent years that tested the company and growers, but through which Grow West demonstrated adaptability.

COVID: “We got hit pretty hard with our employees and it definitely impacted the company. But everybody stepped up to the plate to help and do what they could do. Despite COVID-related setbacks, we wanted to do our best for our customers. We provided information to growers to assist them with their employees and we continued to get products to them.”

Water: “There have been so many issues with water, whether it’s drought and dry years, atmospheric rivers and wet years, water allocations, restrictions or regulations. Over the years, Grow West has tried to handle water-related obstacles with innovative strategies: irrigation technologies, moisture management, future planning, cropping changes, etc. We want our PCAs to be knowledgeable about water and irrigation because it helps them be an even more valuable resource for growers. Our acquisition of WaterLabs is an example of Grow West adapting. We saw the value for this business that is on top of new technology and can share their expertise and insights with our customers. Good irrigators and water experts have always been worth their weight in gold.

Economic Downturns: “They come and go. We are fully aware of the big ones, but we sometimes don’t pay as much attention to the small ones. Some bankers may not know much about farming, but they’ll tell you what you can’t afford with certain crops. Good relations between bankers and growers is key. What we’re going to see in the next year or so is some ground put aside and different ways growers can use capital and expense budgets. There may be cropping changes. We recommend planning for 2026 now; forecasting is important. Grow West is always here to help.”

PREPARING FOR 2025

Addressing current issues such as market volatility, regulatory pressures and employment challenges in the upcoming season, Council said, “We’re in a holding pattern right now. Wait and see. Money is tight; we see it and hear it.”

Council said that growers turn to the Grow West team more and more for critical information that will impact their production. “Our customers want to know about issues such as taxes on imports or regulations, since those can have a direct effect on our input costs. We vet the information as best we can and we share it with the growers to help them make informed decisions. We need to keep it straight and to the point. We have very sharp growers and they don’t want idle talk.”

INVESTMENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES EQUAL STRENGTH

“I credit the family for taking profits and investing them back into the company,” Council said. “It has helped build this company. We are very strategic with our planning and we are constantly looking for solid opportunities. The market drives change and we have to be ahead of it. Sometimes a team leader or employee approaches us with a great recommendation or insight that may work its way up and gets implemented.”

Another Grow West strength is its brick-and-mortar facilities. “We have warehousing capabilities (rail-in to our facilities in Dixon and Woodland) and distribution along the coast and valley,” Council said. “We move several hundred cars, which most retailers can’t do. We built the Woodland facility and made it available to some of our competitors. We provide excellent service and we have strong relationships with them. In addition, we have mixing and reacting – and all of the manufacturing assets – to take care of the north region.”

Council said that Grow West will continue to be a trustworthy partner through investment decisions, opportunities, innovative solutions and operational strategies “to ensure the company and customers are in great shape.”

Fostering Future PCAs Through Hands-On Experience

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 22:29:34 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2025

Fostering Future PCAs Through Hands-On Experience

Interns are encouraged to be proactive, independent and curious

At Grow West, we believe the best way to encourage the next generation of PCAs is by providing them with hands-on experience and meaningful real-world interactions. Our summer internship program, now entering its eighth year, is built on this principle, offering students the opportunity to gain practical insights into the PCA role while learning more about Grow West and the customers we serve.

This past summer, we were proud to welcome 10 interns into our 2024 program, hosted across several branch locations. Each intern brought fresh energy and enthusiasm, diving into diverse experiences that spanned across multiple departments, branches and responsibilities.

PROGRAM FEATURES

One of the key aspects of our program is ensuring that interns experience the full spectrum of what it means to be part of the Grow West team. From scouting fields with experienced PCAs to learning about operations, pest management and customer relations, the internship delivers a comprehensive real-world view of the industry.

FEEDBACK FROM THE INTERNS

For Grant Baldwin, a first-year intern based out of Walnut Grove, one of the most valuable lessons he learned was the importance of dedication and efficiency in every aspect of the job. “There are no shortcuts,” he said. “Everything you do, you have to do right for the grower you’re working with – they rely on that.”

In Dixon, first-year intern Adam Ritcher was drawn to the program by his interest in PCA work and a desire to gain field experience. “I’ve always been interested in PCA work,” he said. “I wanted to get more hands-on experiences in the field like a PCA would and saw that Grow West’s internship would give that to me.”

For first-year Walnut Grove intern Finn Danila, his passion for agriculture was sparked when Grow West PCA Thom Wisemen took him under his wing for a ride-along to show him the ins and outs of a PCA even before he applied for the internship. “I was immediately hooked!” Danila said, reflecting on the early mentorship that inspired him to pursue his internship.

The structured program begins with a full day of onboarding at the Woodland headquarters, followed by department tours and an assigned summer project. The goal is to provide interns with a robust, well-rounded experience. “By providing a well-rounded experience, the interns in the program have the ability to build relationships with not only Grow West employees but also our partners and suppliers,” Grow West Vice President of Human Resources Samantha Hanley said.

Interns are encouraged to be proactive, independent and curious as they learn the ropes.

For Rick Ramirez, a first-year WaterLabs intern, the internship left such a strong impression that he accepted a full-time position with Grow West’s WaterLabs team after graduating from Chico State. Reflecting on his experience, Ramirez said, “Being in the field is great because it’s hands-on and keeps you out of a desk all day. Everything about the internship – from the people to the work environment – made me want to stay. It was a perfect balance between time in the office and time in the field.”

They work closely with experienced PCAs, operations staff and customers to develop a better understanding of the industry. When asked what has brought him back year after year, second-year intern Joe Rosen said, “Grow West’s ability to show me that working with people you enjoy can make even the hardest days seem easy.”

We want to express our gratitude to all 10 interns who significantly contributed to a successful summer for Grow West. Their enthusiasm, fresh perspectives and hard work have left a lasting impact. We are excited to see what the future holds for these bright individuals as they continue their journey in agriculture.

WaterLabs intern Rick Ramirez presenting his Grow West internship project

LEARN MORE OR RECOMMEND A POTENTIAL INTERN

If you are interested in learning more about the 2025 Summer Internship Program or would like to recommend someone who would be a great fit, please contact Samantha Hanley at HR@growwest.com.

Rice Consultant of the Year Awarded to Gary Dodd

Sat, 04 Jan 2025 22:17:20 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2025

Rice Consultant of the Year Awarded to Gary Dodd

Photos of Gary Dodd and colleagues by Vicky Boyd.

The award recognizes dedication, leadership and innovation

For more than 50 years, Gary Dodd has provided advice and service to Northern California growers as a licensed pest control advisor (PCA). While the crops, inputs and technologies may have changed during his tenure, Dodd still follows a handful of guiding tenets. They are trust, integrity, maintaining a positive attitude, striving for strong customer service, nurturing relationships and taking ownership of problems.

L to R: Jon Munger, Lucas Schmidt, Al Montna, Gary Dodd and Scott Evans.

“One of the rules is you never say no,” said Dodd, who works out of the Grow West Yuba City facility. “That’s the key to this – doing what makes the grower happy. Sometimes it’s doing the little things. One of the most important things for our whole business is all about relationships.”

As he has mentored those who have followed in his footsteps, Dodd has shared his philosophy and said he teaches by example.

For his years of service to his growers as well as to agriculture, Dodd was recently named the 2024 Rice Consultant of the Year. Sponsored annually by Corteva Agriscience and Rice Farming magazine, the award recognizes the dedication, leadership and innovation of this crucial segment of the U.S. rice industry. Accompanied by Scott Evans, who nominated him, Dodd will be honored during a special recognition event in Memphis, Tenn., on Feb. 27. He also will receive a personalized Rice Consultant of the Year jacket and be featured in a four-page salute in the February issue of Rice Farming magazine.

Dodd, who is the eighth person to receive the award and the first California PCA to be honored, said he is humbled.

“I appreciate it in as much as it recognizes the lifetime I’ve put into this business, more than anything,” he said. “It’s satisfying that you did your job well, and you have growers that appreciate you. That’s because Grow West and growers had to send in their nominations.”

But Dodd is quick to point out the award isn’t an individual accomplishment and wouldn’t have been possible without the service team and office staff.

“To me, it really is recognition of all of the people who have made me successful, because without them, I wouldn’t be there,” he said.

MORE OF A BUSINESS PARTNER

Al Montna, an owner of Montna Farms south of Yuba City, has known Dodd for 43 years. The family farming operation focuses on producing specialty Japanese short-grain rice, which can be temperamental compared to many of the widely-grown Calrose medium-grain rice varieties.

Montna said Dodd’s contributions to their operation’s success are too numerous to count, noting his expertise and willingness to solve problems.

“Gary’s ability to navigate the vast changes in the rice industry, including new chemistries, varieties and resistance issues, has been remarkable to say the least,” Montna said.

L to R: Max Alves, Al Montna, Jack Alves, Gary Dodd and Gabe Divilles.

Jon Munger, Montna Farms vice president of operations, said they view Dodd as more of a business partner than a consultant.

“Without him being out there, our success is nowhere where we’d want it to be,” Munger said.

Bill Warnock, who manages cultural inputs for Montna Farms, has known Dodd since 1975 when they’d meet for breakfast at the old Dingville Diner. He said Dodd brings a positive attitude and is always willing to discuss field issues with you.

“He’s always excited to be out there in the field, happy to be out there no matter what the conditions are,” Warnock said.

Over the years, Montna and Dodd also have become close friends to where during some visits, they spend more time talking about families than the rice crop.

“Gary will forever have an open door at Montna Farms, and even in retirement, will always be welcome to visit and share his opinions on any issues we may have,” Montna said.

FASCINATED BY SMALL CREATURES

Dodd, who grew up in a military family, said he first became interested in biology after a high school science teacher had students monitor a piece of parkland for a year. Originally intending to study wildlife biology in college, he became fascinated with insects after taking a couple of agricultural classes. During summer breaks, he worked as a field checker for a large agricultural chemical chain.

He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in entomology from the University of California, Davis, and immediately started working for Growers Ag Service in Dixon in 1976. Back then, Dodd said service was mostly nonexistent. The market was controlled by a few independents as well as major oil companies that also had retail stores.

To differentiate themselves, owners Jim and Beverly Imbach partnered with Dodd to expand their business and introduce innovative ideas to the industry. They brought a new standard of excellence and service that emphasized personal relationships with growers and solving their problems.

Dodd credits the Imbachs and later, Les Lyman, with providing him the support critical to his success while allowing for personal growth and initiative.

Eventually Growers Ag opened a second store near Tudor – frequently referred to as Yuba City – that Dodd was sent to manage. The Tremont Group acquired Growers Ag in 1999, and it was rebranded as Grow West in 2019.

“I was running this store and doing all of my field work, and it just wasn’t working,” Dodd said.

He recommended that Scott Evans, who was a service manager at Tudor, be promoted to store manager because of his excellent people skills. After more than a year of mentoring, Evans took over and Dodd returned to the field.

“It turned out to be wonderful,” Dodd said, adding he and Evans share much of the same philosophy.

“One of the biggest things that Gary always created back in the day and something I learned is create a culture that people want to be part of,” Evans said. “It’s growers, employees, vendors, all across the board. You have to want people to want to be here.”

THE GROWTH OF SERVICE

In the early days, Dodd said ag chemicals such as Basagran and Ordram in rice were fairly straightforward and produced consistent results if used properly. Price was a driving factor, and there wasn’t much need for service.

As new products came to market that were more complicated to use, they required more decisions, carried more regulations, required more adjuvants, and carried more import restrictions or maximum residue levels. At the same time, many growers became larger and added more acreage.

This evolution also meant many growers relied more heavily on PCAs for information, and that’s where Dodd’s extensive knowledge and customer service came in.

“I don’t call myself a salesman,” he said. “I consider myself a consultant. I’m a problem solver.”

As sustainability efforts grew, driven in part by buyers, many growers also turned to PCAs for help.

“When you go to make a decision to use something, you’re taking into account 50 different inputs into that decision,” he said. They include soils, climate and water, not to mention the actual product.

As Dodd’s retirement nears, Grow West’s companywide succession plan has prompted the hiring of three PCAs he has begun mentoring. Dodd has slowly turned over responsibilities for many of the field and orchard crops he serves, but he’s still keeping some of his larger rice clients. Dodd also is available to help the new PCAs solve any issues they may have.

“It’s just the knowledge of 40 years and the relationships – these are things you just know you can’t put a price on,” Evans said.

Financing Options for Grow West Customers

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 22:00:12 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2025

Financing Options for Grow West Customers

Serving the needs of farmers and agricultural businesses

Excellent customer service at Grow West extends to financing solutions. Our team understands the importance of reliable financing for business efficiency and to sustain or grow your operation. To help our customers navigate financial challenges and increase purchasing power, we offer a financing program with two options – AgSource Finance™ and John Deere Financial – designed to meet the varied needs of farmers and agricultural businesses.

Jessica English

“Changes in crop input costs, fluctuating crop cycles and continued delays in crop payments can have a significant impact on a grower’s cash flow,” Grow West Director of Financial Services Jessica English said. “We want to provide an added value resource to help our customers during these cash flow fluctuations. By offering two financing options, customers are given extended terms and the time to collect crop payments.”

English said that over the past 20-plus years, the financing program has become an important part of Grow West’s vertically integrated service areas by enabling greater access to resources for customers. The program benefits Grow West’s service areas in these key ways:

Facilitating Growth: By offering essential financial support, Grow West enables businesses to expand their operations, increase production capacity and enhance their product offerings.

Risk Mitigation: It allows for the management of financial risks, ensuring that our customers have the necessary liquidity to handle fluctuations in the market or unforeseen challenges.

Enhanced Relationships: Offering financing helps to solidify strong, trust-based relationships between Grow West and its customers, as it adds value to the services Grow West provides beyond the physical products and services.

ABOUT

AgSource Finance focuses on crop terms. It provides an unsecured crop year term loan with a definite date of maturity. There are no prepayment charges, so customers can make payments during the term of the loan to keep their interest expenses down.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Customers who have been with Grow West for at least two years and have maintained good standing with their accounts from the previous crop year.

WHO IS THE PROGRAM SUITED FOR?

Customers seeking a term loan with a maturity date and extended payment terms. It is beneficial for growers who need crop financing with a repayment term of at least 90 days.

KEY FEATURES

• Annual Crop Year Loan: Provides loans specifically for annual crop year needs. The loans can be used to cover expenses related to the current crop cycle.

• Loan Amounts: The loan amounts range from a minimum of $10,000 up to $1 million, providing ample support for various farm sizes and financial requirements.

• Extended Terms and Low-Interest Rates: AgSource Finance offers extended payment terms with a low interest rate based on the prime rate, making it a cost-effective financing option for customers with large financial needs.

• Loan Maturity: The loan is structured with a definite maturity date; once the full loan amount is used, no additional credit will be available unless the loan is paid off in full. This structure is ideal for customers who need a clear repayment timeline.

HOW TO APPLY

• Request an application from Jessica English. Once completed, send to her via email, fax or mail. She will then follow up to discuss further.

• The loan is based on the customer credit score. The application is screened before submission. Once the application is received, the turnaround is typically very quick.

ABOUT

While AgSource Finance and JDF are excellent financing options, JDF stands out with its flexibility, revolving credit lines and availability to new and existing customers. The unsecured nature of these loans is another key factor.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Customers who have been with Grow West for less than two years and new customers.

KEY FEATURES

• Revolving Lines of Credit: This option allows customers to access credit as needed, offering more flexibility in managing cash flow throughout the year.

• Unsecured Loans: JDF offers unsecured loans, meaning no collateral is required, which can be advantageous for customers who may not have significant assets to pledge.

• Loan Amounts and Terms: JDF loans can vary in terms of loan amounts and repayment schedules, but they are particularly useful for those seeking short-term financing with manageable repayment terms.

HOW TO APPLY

Request an application from Jessica.

CONTACT

Jessica English, Director of Financial Services

credit@growwest.com

Office: 530-207-5520 / Fax: 888-590-7698

Celebrating 70 Years of Growth

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 21:47:14 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2025

Celebrating 70 Years of Growth

Harvey Lyman

With no background in farming, Berkeley-raised Harvey Lyman fell into the agricultural chemical industry rather serendipitously. After serving as a radar officer aboard ships in the Pacific during World War II, he returned to Northern California needing a job.

Initially, Harvey worked as a sales representative for Chemurgic, an ag chem and fertilizer business that had coined the Ortho name. Agricultural chemicals as we know them today were in their infancy shortly after the war, and the U.S. government even subsidized them to spur their production and farmer adoption.

Harvey then joined with five other partners to operate Ag Chemicals Inc. before eventually leaving and founding Harvey Lyman Chemicals across the river in Walnut Grove in 1954. He opened Harvey Lyman Agservice in Clarksburg three years later.

Thus was the start of what would ultimately grow over the past seven decades into Grow West. Today it boasts 16 core agricultural retail facilities along with satellite operations and a host of allied businesses, including trucking, WaterLabs, Mar Vista and MVP Safety Professionals safety and regulatory compliance.

HONESTY, INTEGRITY AND ETHICS

Throughout the years, the Lyman family has strived to promote the examples set by their father of honesty, integrity and ethics, said Les Lyman, the eldest of Harvey’s three sons.

“He didn’t lecture me on that,” Les said. “He behaved that way, and I immediately picked up on it. Talking to his peers and those in the community, they always said what a good and honest man he was and I just keyed in on that.”

The company also remains independent and family owned, something middle son Scott Lyman said Harvey would be proud of.

“I don’t think he’d be surprised at the success we’ve had,” Scott said. “As he was transitioning out of the day-to-day in his later years, he could see that Les had the leadership, team building skills and vision needed to continue growing the company.

“I don’t know if he envisioned Grow West becoming one of the largest independent ag retailers in California, but I feel he was comfortable and confident passing the torch. If he came back today, after reviewing the financials and figuring out our existing computer system, I think dad would ask Les and Johnny (Council) if we’re doing the very best job possible for our customers and employees. If he was satisfied with what he saw, he would trust his legacy was secure.”

FAMILY BUSINESS SUCCESSION PLANNING

To ensure the family business retains its independence and service-focused philosophy, Grow West has developed a succession plan applicable to board members as well as to key positions within the company.

Les remains the most involved in the business today as Grow West board chairman, although his brothers, Scott and Tom Lyman, are active owners and board members. Tom, the youngest son, also is being mentored to eventually become chairman, but he doesn’t see himself being as hands-on as Les.

Flagship location in Walnut Grove (photo of location circa 1957)

Les Lyman, Owner and Chairman

“My role will continue to be primarily as an adviser to the business and as a representative of the Lyman family,” Tom said. “I don’t anticipate being part of the day-to-day operations as my brother and father have in the past, but will rely on our talented and experienced management team to run our business as they do today.

“I’ll get involved as needed but anticipate that my primary role will be focused on strategic growth initiatives and making decisions that best serve the business and our family interests in the future.”

As part of succession planning, Les, Scott and Tom also have started educating what they call Gen3 – the 10 children among the three of them – about the family business.

“We also provide them with the history of the company and how our father started and grew the business with the hope of instilling the same sense of pride and obligation to continue his legacy that my brothers and I have for the company,” Tom said.

A PERIOD OF GROWTH

Growing up in what he jokingly describes as a “one-horse town,” Les said he had no intention of returning to the family business after he graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Armed with a degree in ag business management, he joined Shell Chemical as a sales representative, fulfilling one of his dreams.

“There was a whole world out there and I’ve always been a very curious soul who loved travel, new cultures and experiences,” Les said.

About five years later during a Christmas visit, Harvey approached Les about possibly returning to the family business and taking an ownership stake in it. Calling it intriguing, Les said he took his time to weigh the risks and opportunities before saying yes.

“I was in my 20s at that time,” Les said. “It would be stupid not to take this. You can work for yourself and basically not have to put up with all the corporate stuff. And if it doesn’t work out, I’m still young enough and I can still start anywhere.”

Harvey Lyman

Les took the reins in 1974 and started a period of growth and expansion driven by a strategic business plan. The first acquisition was Garden Way Nursery in 1977 in Rio Vista, which he describes as “intentional.”

A series of smaller acquisitions ensued, but the first large one involved Simplot’s Dixon fertilizer facility. With its rail siding, the Simplot Dixon facility was the launching point for the growth. It was followed by acquisitions of Agriform, Agro-Tech/AgUnlimited, Growers Ag Service and AgriSource Maxwell.

Newspaper Clipping

The Harvey Lyman companies, which belonged to Ag Source buying organization, and another buying group member were in desperate need of rail access so they could bring in fertilizer at more competitive pricing.

Les broached the subject to Johnny Council, who at the time was running the Dixon facility. “He said, ‘If you can put a deal together to buy this thing, I’ll go with you and bring all the people,’” Les said.

He made a pitch to Simplot’s top managers in Idaho for a joint venture, but it died. About two years later, Les repitched it and Simplot bit. The seven members of Ag Source took a 55% share in Tremont Supply Inc., with Harvey Lyman and Colusa County Farm Supply (CCFS) being the majority shareholders.

L to R: Tom Lyman, Les Lyman and Scott Lyman

A few years later, Simplot returned and said they didn’t like joint ventures and wanted to buy out the Lyman-led group. Les countered, saying they would buy out Simplot. The Idaho company said yes without blinking.

“We absolutely stole the company; Simplot wanted out that badly,” he said. “We were able to buy this huge asset.”

As the years went by, the other minority partners were bought out, leaving Lyman and CCFS. Originally known as Tremont Supply Inc., the business was renamed The Tremont Group, with CCFS a silent partner.

MAINTAINING AN ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT

Throughout the growth, individual dealership managers retained their autonomy and the entrepreneurial spirit Les witnessed before they were acquired. As an observer of his competitors, he would see a cultural change after a big box store – as he refers to a national or international corporation – purchased an independent dealership. The entrepreneurial spirit that was once there died as talent exited.

That was something Les said he didn’t want to occur under his watch. “We need to preserve that entrepreneurial spirit, so we’re going to be a company of policies not regulations,” Les said.

But having a host of differently named retail operations did create confusion within the industry, which didn’t understand they were all owned by the same company. In fact, the individual entities were at times viewed as mom-and-pop operations.

Under Grow West President and CEO Ernie Roncoroni, all of the Lyman-owned facilities from Maxwell to Stockton and along the North Coast were brought under the Grow West umbrella brand with a single logo in 2019.

“By consolidating our many independent retail locations under a single name, Grow West, we’re now able to clearly demonstrate the breadth and depth of our company to the industry and to better compete as a large, independent ag retailer, especially against larger corporate-owned entities,” Tom said. “The Grow West name represents quality, service and customer focus. Now all locations share and benefit from the strong brand that Grow West has established in recent years.”

DIVERSIFYING WHERE IT MAKES SENSE

As part of its growth plan and as a way to spread risks, Grow West also began to diversify into different sectors of the ag industry. Regardless of the service, Les said they all have a strong dotted line to their core business, but may be less vulnerable to the same economic swings. Individually, they also have to offer a potential bottom-line benefit and growth opportunity.

“I also look at these things, can we scale it?” he said. “If we can’t scale it to where we can get substantial volume out of it, get it on its feet, get it profitable and start scaling it, then essentially I’m not interested in it.”

While not all have been successful, he said the bulk have penciled out. Among those that have paid off is WaterLabs, an orchard irrigation technology and consulting firm serving the northern Sacramento Valley that Grow West acquired in 2021. Les said he sees demand for irrigation advice only growing as producers face ever-increasing water regulations and declining supplies. Offering this service will enable pest control advisors to further partner with growers to provide a better understanding of irrigation and water-use efficiency.

Another is Mar Vista Resources, a joint venture launched in 2012 with two other partners in Corcoran. The operation produces specialty fertilizers and adjuvants used by Grow West as well as other dealers.

In addition, MVP Safety Professionals is a joint venture that provides consulting, worker safety training and regulatory compliance to agricultural and commercial businesses to keep up with California’s ever-changing regulatory landscape.

CONSOLIDATION ON ALL FRONTS

During his tenure, Les said industry consolidation has been one of the biggest changes, whether at the manufacturer, competitor or grower level.

“Take any sector of our industry – our customers are hugely bigger than they were on the average on an acreage scale,” he said. “And we’re dealing with the generational changes. In my world, it’s not uncommon to be working with the third generation since I started in the business. The generation that’s here now is working with technology. There was no technology when I started, and it’s a huge change.”

POSSIBLE STORM ON THE HORIZON

Although Grow West has been positioned to weather many of the industry’s financial challenges, Les said he remains worried about ever-increasing regulations and laws outside its control.

Comprising mostly city-dwellers, lawmakers could legislate ag chem dealers out of business during one session of the California Legislature. They could, for example, vote in laws mandating the western European agricultural model that eliminates synthetic chemicals. Or they could further tighten water-use regulations.

While remote, he said it’s still possible. “I worry about this – is this the wise thing to do to stay in this?” Les said. “That drove a lot of our friends out of the business that were independents. They didn’t like the risk or the future. If we can be the last one standing as an independent business, there’s opportunity in that, so we’ve chosen that path and we’ll take the risk.”

Les Lyman

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Most of what Les describes as low-hanging fruit as far as acquisitions has been harvested through acquisitions or attrition. If a dealership goes up for sale today, it may be snatched up by a big box store for an outrageously overvalued price.

That said, he doesn’t rule out possible mergers in the future providing they make sense to both parties. “Right now we don’t need to, but you never know,” Les said.

Les remains optimistic about the future and points to what he considers Grow West’s strongest asset – the “best darn people in the industry.”

“I’ve always tried to hire people better, smarter, more respected than I would consider myself,” Les said. “Be humble about it and be honest about it, but don’t be bashful about it. And those people do the same thing for their hires. I think what it’s done is it’s given us the best people in the industry, and when you have that for your primary asset and resource, you’re going to do well.”

By maintaining an entrepreneurial spirit and local decision making, he said Grow West remains nimble when it comes to competing with the big box stores. The large national chains are typically mired down in bureaucracy, and any local authority that may have been there at one time is gone.

“The result of that is opportunity for us,” he said.

Grow West

Looking Onwards to Growing in 2025

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 21:26:58 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2025

Looking Onwards to Growing in 2025

Strong relationships are key to success

Grow West is proud and honored to have more than 5,000 Northern California customers plus incredible industry partners. We are grateful for all of you.

It may seem like a monumental task to connect with so many growers and partners, but we don’t look at it as a challenge; we consider it a privilege. Relationships – one of Grow West’s five core values – are essential to our business. The best ways that we can maintain strong relationships are by showing you respect as well as communicating, collaborating and listening. These have always been a part of our culture and success.

Reflecting on the 2024 season, we can all agree that there weren’t that many bright spots. Together, we both felt the pressure, and we applaud your adaptability, hard work and perseverance to overcome any challenges.

Grow West President + CEO Ernie Roncoroni

Looking at 2025, we’re not expecting a rosy market, and honestly, it may be another tough year. But we try to stay as optimistic as possible. One positive factor is that you can count on us – because we are here to help you survive and thrive.

Whether we are hanging out with you at your barn or shop; in your truck, field or office; or talking with you on the phone – we want to clearly understand your situation, obstacles and needs. We want to find solutions and support you in any way we can. Let us know. Communicate with us. Our office staff, PCAs and field reps are ready to assist and ensure we are in alignment with you.

We encourage you to consult with your Grow West PCA ahead of the season. Early planning will help ensure a smooth and successful growing experience in the months ahead. On our end, we are taking proactive steps to prepare for the season and we look forward to sharing those with you.

At Grow West, we run a very lean company. We take pride in doing more with less resources and responding well to customers and issues. Thank you for choosing and trusting us as your ag service provider. We look forward to strengthening our relationships and exploring new opportunities together in the months and years ahead.

Ernie Roncoroni

Grow West President + CEO

Four Generations of Practical Innovation and Counting

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 21:17:17 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2024

Four Generations of Practical Innovation and Counting

Water has long been a contentious issue in California agriculture. Just as long-standing is the McKenzie family’s focus on innovation, especially as it relates to the smart, efficient use of the valuable resource on the rice acres now under the management of Brian McKenzie. He’s the fourth generation to tend his family’s increasing rice acreage in Placer, Sacramento, Sutter and Yolo counties.

Brian’s grandfather Ross McKenzie returned from his military service during World War II to farm with his father-in-law, Albert Scheidel, who then raised wheat and other dry-land crops. When rice grew in popularity in the Sacramento Valley, the family transitioned most of its acres to the crop. After working an off-farm job for a few years, Brian’s father, Chris McKenzie, returned to manage the farm in 1983 when his son was born. After working off the farm for a few years upon graduating college himself, Brian followed in his father’s footsteps.

“Farming had been in front of me all those years growing up, though I went and did something else after college,” Brian said. “After being away, I decided farming was the right thing for me. I realized it was what I wanted to do the rest of my life.”

A long history of practical innovation in rice production

That decision ushered in the latest generation of McKenzie innovation in the Sacramento Valley, largely around water use and efficiency. Brian’s grandfather was among the first farmers in the area to begin removing contoured levees on rice acres. This made both water use and equipment operation more effective, ultimately enabling him to become more efficient with the use of irrigation water. Two generations later, Brian admits his predecessors weren’t the only farmers to adopt the new management system. But both his father and grandfather were some of the first to bring wild rice production to the Sacramento Valley, allowing them to capitalize on a new crop for which demand grew quickly.

“We were some of the pioneers of wild rice farming in California after my grandfather and father were among a small group of growers who brought it in from Minnesota,” said Brian, who characterizes his own approach to innovation as “keeping up with the times.” “They basically established a wild rice market for California.”

Brian McKenzie (left) and Grow West PCA Drew Mullaney (right) work together to advance rice production practices on the McKenzie farm.

Brian’s close monitoring and prudent use of irrigation water — built on an ethic of innovation that stretches back to his grandfather — has equipped him to succeed where others have not, given the same amount of water.

“From stand establishment and weed control to the health and stature of the plant itself, water management is everything,” said Grow West PCA Drew Mullaney, an agronomic advisor to McKenzie. “Brian has really thought outside the box on how to get more out of his water on tough-to-farm ranches where others have struggled.”

Mullaney’s main role on the McKenzie farm is managing weed control and soil fertility.

“The day the water is introduced to the field, weed seeds begin to germinate. This immediately gives them a head start on competing with the rice. The faster you can get the water to the bottom of the field and begin sowing really sets the stage for how the rest of your growing season will turn out,” Mullaney said. “Most of our soils are very heavy in texture with very few nutrients. We apply macronutrients nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous every year. Occasionally, we will supplement zinc and other micronutrients, always aiming to replace what the previous year’s crop removed. The soils we work with are excellent at holding water, which is great for rice farming. But that’s about it.”

Innovating to make the most of irrigation water

Those challenges don’t stop McKenzie from consistently advancing his family’s rice production, both in terms of yield and overall acreage. His innovation starts before a grain of rice is even planted, with precision leveling that ensures inputs like herbicides and fertilizer are most effectively utilized by the rice plants across the entire field.

Precision leveling minimizes operating costs and maximizes crop inputs, ultimately increasing crop yields.

“Precision leveling is a big cost for growers due to the hours and equipment it requires; however, they are willing to make the investment as it pays back in crop yield,” said Mullaney.

Brian is quick to credit Mullaney with having a critical role in the success of their farm. The Grow West PCA and longtime partner in his operation has taken steps to increase profitability on every acre of McKenzie farms.

“Drew has helped us make this happen on several different ranches where others would say it’s impossible,” Brian said. “Others would say ‘it is what it is’ and would think there’s no way. But he’s helped us get the most out of our fields.”

Decision-making on new innovations

McKenzie describes his financial management strategy as fairly conservative, a philosophy he learned from his father. He’s not one to spend much time pondering a production management change or innovation on his family’s farm. Always with an eye on his farm’s bottom line, he makes quick decisions based on things like weather forecasts that help him maximize crop yield and quality no matter the environmental conditions. Ultimately, it’s all about flexibility and the ability to react quickly to maximize crop output in ever-changing environmental conditions.

“If we work our fields when there’s too much moisture in these heavy clay soils, it’s going to get hard and compact, we’ll see weeds get a jump-start and we’ll drive Drew and Grow West nuts trying to control them,” Brian said. “Long story short, it’s all about the weather; if I see a storm coming, I might switch everything we’re doing to get as much done in our 100 rice fields before it hits. We might say ‘Let’s pull everything back and get these 10 fields planted before it rains rather than keep going as scheduled and have to rework everything.’ We always work to play our options and make the best decision based on what’s happening in each field.”

Though he’s been able to continue the decades-long trends of practical innovation and growth on his family’s farm, Brian knows he’ll face some uncertainty moving forward, with suburban development continuing to exert pressure on his fields, especially those closest to Sacramento and the city’s airport. But he also knows all his predecessors have faced their own unique challenges in growing the family’s farm and he’s confident that though it may look different in the future, the McKenzie family farm will continue as one of the region’s innovative rice operations.

“My father taught me how to have short-term memory for some things but be able to access long-term memories of things that keep you motivated to advance the farm,” Brian said. “When you have a bad year, you just have to pick yourself up, figure out what you did wrong and do something different the next year. Farmers are resilient people for a reason.”

Farm Development Team Pivots to Vineyard Removal Innovation

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 21:08:13 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2024

Farm Development Team Pivots to Vineyard Removal Innovation

Being members of the Waterford High School Wildcats football team would wind up paying off big for brothers Zach and Garrett Fowler.

After graduating and earning a degree in agricultural business, Garrett went to work managing nut production and processing for their former high school football coach. Meanwhile, Zach was an aspiring firefighter who attended the fire academy and fulfilled his dream of fighting fires, a job that enabled him to operate equipment on their coach’s operation on his days off. Here they were, two young professionals who’d grown up in an agricultural area but didn’t themselves have deep farm roots, now working the land on a local farm operation owned by their football coach. It was a much different type of Xs and Os than on the gridiron. Then one day, it all clicked.

“I’d been working there for about a year. One day, my brother said ‘Why don’t we rent a backhoe and do some more work?’ A couple months later, we were doing some land development on 40 acres of new ground and we had people stopping and asking if we’d run dozers for them too. That’s how we started doing custom work: a dozer and a side job,” Zach said. “We’d split shifts and run 24 hours a day, then started slowly getting more jobs and acquiring more equipment.”

So were the early days of Fowler Brothers Farming , a partnership between the two brothers who today work with local growers for permanent and row crop development and management in addition to building their own acreage over time, now operated as Ag Land Partners. Their land development services now range from orchard and vineyard removal to deep ripping, chiseling, laser leveling and tree planting.

Though there’s been consistent demand for these and other land development services since the Fowler brothers started in 2012, one in particular has taken off. With the supply-driven slowdown in the wine grape market in much of the region in recent years, the Fowlers have seen demand for air curtain burning skyrocket. The equipment — unique in the region to the brothers’ business — was a more recent addition to their machinery fleet born out of innovation to meet a new need.

Fowler Brothers Farming (FBF) has sucessfully developed 15,000 acres across diverse soils and terrains in California. Photo courtesy of FBF partner Zach Fowler.

“We started getting calls from vineyard growers — two or three a week — wanting to remove vines at the beginning of 2023. But they couldn’t get a burn permit, so they would ask if we could grind them. Being farmers ourselves, we set out to find a solution and we found out about a company in Florida with air curtain burners or incinerator boxes. No one had tried it around here,” Zach said. “There were one or two in the state, and Cal Fire had them. We decided we wanted to try it out but we really couldn’t rent one. So, we bought one and had it shipped here in July 2023. It’s been a game-changer for us, and we’ve been running it nonstop since last July.”

Meeting vineyard removal demand with new tools

What the Fowlers have done to add air curtain burners to their equipment fleet embodies taking something of a leap of faith in an effort to “figure out a new way to do business,” said Grow West PCA Dan Bonetti. He works in Yolo, Solano, Napa and Sacramento counties and serves as the Fowlers’ PCA on the acres on which they grow their own crops.

The burners — about the size of a semi-truck trailer — are placed at the edge of a vineyard being removed. Once vines are taken out and placed in windrows, they’re loaded into the burner with a front-end loader. Incinerating the vines cuts the cost of removal and cuts the environmental footprint of the process to 2%–3% of conventional removal methods. State grant funding provides growers around $1,400/acre to use the air curtain burners for vineyard removal, with some of that money paying for the Fowlers’ work.

“They’ve capitalized on grant funding and are helping growers utilize that funding while making money on it too. The air curtain burner was part of their original plan; when land development work started to dry up, they pivoted,” Bonetti said. “What they do is pretty unique. I think it’s great to spotlight what people like Zach and Garrett are doing to innovate in a down market and figure out new ways to do business.”

What it takes to use an air curtain burner to remove a vineyard

FBF utilizes air curtain burners to eliminate agricultural waste, removing the need to grind, haul or open pile burn (photo courtesy Zach Fowler).

Today, the Fowlers have four air curtain burners that operate between Sacramento and Bakersfield. With up to 70,000 acres of grapes that may be coming out to balance out supply and demand so the market normalizes, the 6–8 acre/day pace means they’ll be busy for a few more years.

“Growers have to prove their properties meet the criteria for the state grants, then the customer has to prove they paid the contractor to get that funding,” Zach said. “It works out really well because an air curtain burner can work where other methods can’t. It has some big benefits for growers.”

The Fowler brothers have turned to a practical yet innovative solution to a problem growers have faced in recent years, and they’re likely to see a lot of business because of it through the next two to three years. It’s an example of “being on your toes” and being ready to pivot in order to generate new business in the land development sector. As vineyard removal work starts to slow down, Zach is confident he and his brother will find the next job to do for area growers.

“If we can build something together like this and help people out, it’s just better for the agriculture industry itself. I always encourage people to get involved and try new things,” Zach said. “If you’re honest and do good work, it should speak for itself. You’re always going to have naysayers. But if I can lay down at night and know I did the right thing that day, that’s what it’s all about.”

Practical innovation born of necessity

That sort of philosophy of innovation is to Bonetti what enables growers to make ends meet when markets aren’t as favorable for growers and businesses that support them.

“It’s not really a matter of throwing things against the wall to see what sticks. Make sure whatever you do works financially,” Bonetti said. “What the Fowler brothers are doing is practical innovation that’s meeting a need, even if it requires taking a bit of a risk. They’ve made a business out of something that wasn’t even in this part of the country before them.”

Grow West Partnership Fuels Innovative Seed Research at Woodland Facility

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 20:57:19 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2024

Grow West Partnership Fuels Innovative Seed Research at Woodland Facility

Producing seed for 40 crops — whether for large-scale commercial production or backyard gardening — is on its own a massive endeavor. Doing so while staying on the cutting edge with the latest genetics that can withstand a growing list of environmental stressors takes the job to new levels of complexity. When Sakata® Seed America, a global leader in producing a range of vegetable seeds, needed a new facility to anchor its seed research and production, it needed a mix of optimal growing conditions and the right people to operate and manage the entire process. So the company’s leaders looked no further than Woodland, California.

The Sakata Seed America Woodland Innovation Center features the latest technology in seed processing equipment and a farm shop (photo courtesy Adam Klingler).

Today, the Sakata Woodland Innovation Center houses most of the Japanese company’s seed research and development work. The 100-acre facility recently became the U.S. headquarters for the company previously based in Morgan Hill, California. A team of agronomists, site managers and field workers test dozens of crops and varieties to identify the highest-value innovations the company can deliver to commercial and hobby growers around the world. Breeders and the Woodland team test new varieties at the Sakata facility and once they’ve reached the necessary criteria, the seed is distributed to area growers to ramp up production for commercial growers. Then, it’s marketed through a network of more than 400 distributors throughout the U.S. and Canada alone.

Side-by-side seed research and production

The Sakata team in Woodland does more than just tend to a large number of crops. Breeders often want to see how different seed varieties will perform under ideal growing conditions. They also want to experience how different stressors will influence the quality and output of a crop. So as Sakata Seed Agronomist Adam Klingler will tell you, his job can be unique — and sometimes uniquely challenging.

“Breeders will tell me when they want us to plant a plot, then they may want to see it water-stressed or overwatered to give the crop powdery mildew so we can document how the crop handles it. Insect-wise, they may want to try biologicals or leave a crop untreated to see how the plant reacts. It can get tricky,” said Klingler, who’s been an agronomist at Sakata for around three years. “We produce the crops basically how a commercial grower would, so we do things that are most commercially viable and fit within crop budgets.”

That’s where Andrew Rumsey comes in. He’s a Grow West PCA who works with Klingler and Sakata Woodland Innovation Center Site Manager Garrett Fricke to manage both the 60-acre research portion of the farm as well as the 40 acres devoted to stock seed production. Whether for research or commercial production, Rumsey works alongside the Sakata team to ensure they achieve the right outcomes, whether it’s maximum seed production or a specific response to a pest or disease.

“The research side is all around genetics and plant breeding, seeing what works, taking quantitative measurements and cherry-picking the ones that might have promise in the commercial seed market. On the production side, we will grow stock seed that will be distributed to growers in the area to scale up on promising genetics, then grow seed to get in commercial growers’ hands and garden centers,” Rumsey said. “It’s definitely a worldwide brand, and it depends on a lot of Grow West customers who grow seed for Sakata. We know the genetic component of agriculture is a big part of the future, and many of the solutions to problems we deal with today will come from new genetics.”

Why Grow West and Sakata make strong partners in seed production and research

Grow West and Sakata Seed have a “connected relationship” in accomplishing the global seed producer’s goals. Rumsey sees his job to not just ensure maximum crop quality and productivity but also achieve specific outcomes. That may mean maximum production. It also may mean a crop that fails in the face of specific pressures. It makes the PCA in Rumsey sometimes cringe when he has to set up a crop to fail so breeders can move a step closer to an ideal variety.

Dealers, growers and retailers attend field days at the Woodland Innovation Center to view Sakata genetics (photo courtesy Adam Klingler.)

“My job is to serve the research. It’s different than normal PCA work, for sure. But in this case, the breeder or person doing the research is the lead and they’re telling us what they’re looking for. We observe and communicate what we find depending on the objective of the trial,” said Rumsey, who’s worked with Sakata since 2012. “Sometimes the research work is counterintuitive to a commercial seed setting. But in order to identify the best commercial varieties, we have to make sure they can withstand common stressors in the field.”

The 60-acre research portion of the Sakata facility in Woodland is broken up into 3 ½-acre parcels that are often broken up into smaller blocks housing different crops or varieties of the same crops. Some are planted during optimal timeframes while others are tested for hardiness when planted at less desired times. Other field operations like fertilizer applications are also conducted at different times to test crop response.

“Just on the stock seed foundation side, we have nine different crops in 80 plots across 40 acres. But on the research side, it’s a lot more complicated; we may have one block that’s beets, then next to it is a block of tomatoes, then beans, eggplant, then back to beets,” Klingler said. “On the stock seed side, all the watermelon, peppers and tomatoes are planted on specific dates. But on the research side, I may split a block of watermelon into three different planting timeframes. We have a whole range of planting dates, and I have to remember when I have applied nitrogen to each block so I don’t duplicate applications. That’s where it can get difficult.”

Communication drives seed innovation and production

Conducting those field operations is one thing, but documenting results is something totally different. It takes a lot of coordination between Rumsey, Klingler and the plant breeders involved. Communication is hugely important to ensuring accurate results so the optimal varieties are moved into commercial production.

Sakata Seed America develops new crop varieties ideally suited for a wide range of environments (photo courtesy Adam Klingler).

“Breeders are trying to achieve specific research objectives or are looking for a certain quality of seed. We are in constant communication on things like our plans for fertilizer and crop protection applications. And we conduct at least weekly visits to walk the smaller parcels and make recommendations depending on the field conditions and research objectives,” Rumsey said. “Sometimes these breeders want to see how genetics respond to specific pressures, whether disease or insect, so it’s different from the commercial world at times. Sometimes they want each variety’s performance to be a full expression of its genetic potential without outside pressures. We treat those blocks a little more aggressively with the idea that anything that comes from that trial will be truly representative of genetics.”

Looking ahead, Rumsey and Klingler — who along with Fricke are Woodland-area natives — expect the Sakata Woodland Innovation Center to continue growing both in size and the number of crops its team manages for both research and commercial seed production. An expansion of acres is already in the plan for next year. While Klingler and Fricke manage the seed varieties that are potentially commercially attractive to their breeders, Rumsey will continue to provide service as their PCA. While there’s a lot of growth in the plan moving forward, the way the Grow West and Sakata teams work together will remain rooted in innovation, collaboration and a focus on growers’ needs in the future.

“Scientists figure things out and cowboys make stuff happen. I’m a mix of a scientist and cowboy. We have to figure stuff out and make stuff happen here. Sometimes, there’s this push and pull between geneticists, breeders and the team managing the research plots,” Rumsey said. “We have to ensure we’re testing these crops in realistic growing environments because we want them to be successful in a commercial setting down the road. It’s all got to tie back to what the grower needs, and we have to keep that end-user in mind all the time.”

Aligned Ag Distributors™ ‘Levels the Playing Field’ for Grow West and Like-Minded Independent Retailers

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 20:04:29 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2024

Aligned Ag Distributors™ ‘Levels the Playing Field’ for Grow West and Like-Minded Independent Retailers

Efficiently navigating today’s crop input marketplace takes a global perspective. But making sure Northern California growers have what they need, when they need it and at costs that fit their crop budgets is very much a local effort.

At the convergence of these two worlds lies Aligned Ag Distributors™ (AAD). The organization connects those global product markets with growers’ local agronomic needs. Grow West and 11 other AAD owners — all independent, regional ag retailers and service providers around the country with the local expertise their customers demand — work together to create cost efficiencies in global crop protection, fertilizer and seed markets through collaboration, all while sharing innovative ideas that continue to raise the bar for grower service.

“Ag production is local; it’s all about the right seed, chemicals and fertilizer on every acre. But everything that supports that acre is global and complex. Aligned Ag Distributors has an innovative business model that leverages the extensive infrastructure of ag retail owners to operate as efficiently as possible for owners and suppliers,” said AAD President Mary Tolke. “To me, AAD is the vehicle that enables independent ag retailers to come together, act as one and stay focused on their growers while AAD handles supply relationships in these global markets.”

Unifying regional ag retailers around the country

Aligned Ag Distributors was founded in 2015 by Grow West and a handful of other ag service providers who faced similar challenges in maintaining relevant positions in increasingly competitive and complex global markets for the products their customers needed. Ownership in AAD provides Grow West market intelligence that enables its team to make informed purchase decisions that contribute to cost savings for the company and its customers alike, said Grow West President and CEO Ernie Roncoroni.

“As an organization, we are always working to make sure we’re making the best, most informed decisions we can for our customers. Aligned Ag helps us do that and, if we have to, pivot to a different product or partner if we need to,” he said. “This marketplace is not easy, but Aligned Ag has allowed us to be able to focus on our customers and take some of the research into smart buying decisions off our plate that we were spending a lot of time on before.”

Aligned Ag Distributors owners work together to evaluate and create business relationships with suppliers of key products for their customers. It’s a well-planned process that assesses suppliers on key elements like overall product portfolios, long-term availability and ease of doing business to ensure they’re forging long-lasting, productive business relationships.

Aligned Ag Distributors empowers independent ag retailers like Grow West to compete on a global scale while prioritizing local needs.

How AAD ‘levels the playing field’ for owners

This approach to supplier relationships, AAD market intelligence, and a focus on inventory and return on investment put Grow West and other AAD owners “on a level playing field” with larger competitors that would otherwise have a marketplace advantage with things like crop protection products and fertilizer. Combined with the local expertise of Grow West PCAs and other team members, it’s enabling the company to not just stay on the cutting edge with innovations that can advance production for grower customers but also focus on another area that’s foundational for Grow West: the vitality of its communities.

“Being part of Aligned Ag helps us be more competitive and relevant to growers. That, in turn, helps us do more to make sure we support our communities as much as possible,” Roncoroni said. “Our employees are so important to us, and being involved in the communities where we all live and work is a big priority for us. Being an AAD owner lets us do more for our communities.”

Aligned Ag Distributors continues to grow and evolve, though that process is deliberate and focused on not just a growing number of ag retailers. Instead, it’s about identifying the right like-minded independent regional companies who share the ethics of innovation and service to growers. Case in point: the organization added Carolina Eastern, Inc., as an owner this fall. Executive Vice President of the South Carolina-based company Butch Rodgers said he’s already seen the benefits of the decade-old organization to his company. Despite the geographic and cropping differences between South Carolina and California, he’s already connected with Roncoroni and other AAD owners in ways that will ultimately benefit the company his father co-founded in 1972.

As an Aligned Ag Distributors owner, Grow West collaborates with other independent, regional ag retailers to create new efficiencies in securing crop inputs for customers. It enables the Grow West team to focus more energy on local grower service.

“These AAD owners are independent business owners who share our philosophy. I think the knowledge we can gain from the relationships with the likes of Grow West is huge for us. It’s not a huge group of people, but these relationships will certainly give us an advantage in our market,” Rodgers said. “And I know I can pick up the phone and call [Roncoroni] anytime I want, and vice versa.”

Looking ahead, Roncoroni expects AAD to continue to deliver even more value to its owners while likely growing in the future with the addition of more new owners like Rodgers’ Carolina Eastern. But despite that change, the focus will remain on making sure owners are equipped with what they need to meet current and future customer needs.

“We will always act as one. We work really hard to stay transparent with key suppliers and work toward ways to be more efficient,” Roncoroni said. “While it may feel like we’re giving up some independence, we’re really making sure we cement ourselves a strong future. Working together, we will continue to stay on the cutting edge for our customers.”

Innovation and Independence

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 19:53:56 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2024

Innovation and Independence

Ever since 1951 when Harvey Lyman founded what would decades later become Grow West, independence and innovation have been huge parts of who we are and how we work. Whether serving our customers, supporting our employees or bolstering our communities, we take pride in being an innovative, forward-thinking and independent ag service provider.

Ernie Roncoroni, Grow West President + CEO.

Sometimes, though, we sacrifice a bit of our independence in order to better fill our role as innovator for our customers, employees and communities. That’s exactly why Grow West was a founder and remains an owner of Aligned Ag Distributors (AAD). We were motivated to stay relevant at the farm gate through improved cost efficiencies and shared innovation. In other words, we and 11 other similar ag service providers around the country share ideas and work together to ensure the highest levels of service and focus on who matters most to us all: our customers.

That sharpened focus because of our AAD ownership enables us to stay on the leading edge of tools and technology that can help us stay ahead of our customers’ ever-evolving needs. Whether it’s precision leveling for efficient rice irrigation, new tools for vineyard removal, or agronomic support for the cutting-edge Sakata Woodland Innovation Center (all of which you’ll read about later in this issue), we prioritize ways to innovate for our growers and partners. Our ownership of AAD, which you’ll also read about later, helps make that happen.

Rest assured that Grow West will always be your local, independent ag service provider. Working with partners like AAD and our fellow owners, we’ll be able to continue raising the bar for the innovative products and services our growers need. In this issue, you’ll read about several scenarios that demonstrate the Grow West commitment to innovation to advance Northern California agriculture.

Thank you for your continued partnership with the Grow West team. Have a safe and bountiful fall!

Best,
Ernie Roncoroni
Grow West President + CEO

California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Delivers Ag Literacy and Inspiration to Students Statewide

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 19:48:37 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2024

California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Delivers Ag Literacy and Inspiration to Students Statewide

California Ag in the Classroom “went viral” before “going viral” was even part of the average American’s vocabulary.

Long before social media, Judy Culbertson was part of the program that would soon become a model of sharing information and experience with those who would otherwise never have such opportunities. In the early 1980s, Culbertson started taking the farm to the classroom. More than four decades later — and with support from Grow West since day one — that effort and the organization supporting it continues to gain steam. Today, the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom is connecting more students and teachers than ever with California’s number-one industry of agriculture.

“Our first signature activity was San Francisco Farm Day, where we had 10 groups of farmers from 10 different counties go to San Francisco to show farm animals and share presentations. We reached 10,000 kids that day,” Culbertson said of the first formal event in 1980. “Soon, the Glendale Unified School District called and wanted to have an event there. So we expanded to Southern California. We were quickly telling ourselves the equivalent of ‘this thing’s going viral.’”

Agriculture as a teaching vehicle around the state

That’s how California Ag in the Classroom shot out of the gate. Underpinned by the basic idea of instructing urban teachers and students about the importance of California agriculture, Ag in the Classroom set out to spread the word and grow the organization born out of the California Farm Bureau Federation. But it wasn’t just a group of people with a passion for sharing ag literacy with students. Culbertson saw the organization as a way to integrate first-hand experience from the state’s farmers into K-12 curricula around the state.

Judy Culbertson (left), California Foundation for Agriuclture in the Classroom past executive director, Karen Ross (right), Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, presenting at the 2024 Ag Day at the Capitol.

“We don’t want agriculture to be a whole separate subject. Agriculture fits nicely in all subject areas — math, science, nutrition, English and social studies. Teachers are so busy that they don’t have time to learn all about agriculture to take to their students. And many teachers are early in their careers and have never been on a farm, just like their students. We want to make it easy to incorporate agriculture into everyday learning,” said Culbertson, who retired from her executive director position at the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, in April 2024. “Teachers can talk about how weather affects crops in science classes. They can graph the growth of crop plants in math classes. They can read some of the many books about agriculture in English classes. They can talk about nutrition, food and its origins in health classes. There are so many ways to apply agriculture to basic class work.”

How Grow West is involved in California Ag in the Classroom

Efforts like these were a natural fit for Grow West, who has been a financial supporter of California Ag in the Classroom from day one. Longtime friend of Culbertson’s and Chairman of the Grow West Board of Directors Les Lyman — who says the company’s been involved in Ag in the Classroom “as long as we’ve been in business in California” — gradually grew his support for the effort to educate students about agriculture with a single goal.

“We are changing both students’ and teachers’ perspectives on how their food and fiber is produced and where it comes from. It’s not just off the shelf of a grocery store,” Lyman said. “At Grow West, we share Judy’s enthusiasm and energy for the program.”

Why agriculture is so important to early education

Culbertson has led extensive efforts both in and out of the classroom. She recalls when ranchers have driven cattle trailers across the Oakland Bay Bridge and when teachers have taken students on field trips miles outside their urban neighborhoods. Combined with an array of classroom resources — all available to teachers and schools free of charge — like a student newspaper and downloadable posters and information, these farmer-student interactions have helped many of the state’s 7 million students learn about agriculture. Such ag literacy yields a new, realistic and more positive perspective.

“As students grow up, they can either be fed misinformation about agriculture, or good, solid information from us,” Culbertson said. “If we’re not there to share information and help create appreciation and wonder about food, students won’t pay any attention and will grow up thinking their food comes from the grocery store. They won’t know about the importance of sustaining our farms and farmland and why that is so critical to the future for all of us.”

California Ag in the Classroom is part of the national network of similar state organizations with a common mission to equip teachers with resources to integrate agriculture into everyday classwork. Like in other states, the California program relies on support from agricultural organizations. While it’s unique in how it’s operated through an independent foundation whereas other state groups operate through organizations like Cooperative Extension, California Ag in the Classroom derives physical and financial support from partners like Grow West who share its passion for ag literacy.

Grow West’s role in California Ag in the Classroom

Culbertson (right) talks with Michael Marks (left), “Your Produce Man” with the California Department of Public Health, during 2024 Ag Day.

“The focus may be on the kids, but the teacher’s more important from the standpoint of integrating ag literacy into the long-term educational process. Whether they incorporate that into their next syllabus or they just know more about it, they’ll always have that knowledge,” Lyman said. “That education is pretty important when you see that kind of response and commitment coming from the urban teachers when they see how farms produce what we’re eating and wearing. California Ag in the Classroom is doing a good job of making that happen, and that’s why we have financially supported the organization since it started.”

The future of ag literacy in California

Looking forward, Lyman and Culbertson agreed the mission of California Ag in the Classroom will continue to grow in importance, even in smaller communities around the state. But Culbertson — who still has contact with some of the first students involved in the programs she started over 40 years ago — said with support from Lyman, Grow West and others in the industry, the “small but mighty” organization will continue to grow and evolve as needed to keep spreading ag literacy around the state.

“With all of the innovation in agriculture today, we have new opportunities to engage students in our industry at a time when we need more people entering agricultural careers,” she said. “With support from people like Les, who supports us without having to even ask, we will continue to reach beyond our agricultural world and provide solid information so that ag literacy continues to grow in our state.”

California Ag in the Classroom partners have a range of options to support the organization and its work, from providing financial contributions to hosting or volunteering at special events. To find out how you can get involved in California Ag in the Classroom, go online to learnaboutag.org/help .

Weather the Wine Grape Market Storm with Attention to Smart Crop Inputs and Market Presence

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 19:39:13 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2024

Weather the Wine Grape Market Storm with Attention to Smart Crop Inputs and Market Presence

The outlook is bearish for the 2024 Northern California wine grape marketplace. Such economics may have growers thinking of ways to cut costs to keep their operations viable until more favorable market prices return. The right strategy depends on the specific market outlet and location, general grape supply and demand, and incremental steps growers can take to manage costs without making wholesale changes that could endanger contracts with wineries.

We talked to three Grow West team members — PCA and CCA Andy Wilson in Sonoma, PCA Bruce Gradek in Sonoma and Geyserville and North Coast Regional Manager Devin Gordon — in the North Coast region to get a feel for what goes into those strategies and how growers can endure the current economic cycle so they’re well-positioned when markets improve. Though the effects of bearish market conditions are inevitable for growers, there are a few viticultural and marketplace adjustments that can make it a little easier to weather that storm.

Q: What are some things growers can do to manage costs in what’s expected to be a down year?

A: Many North Coast wine grape crop protection applications are necessary to meet the quality standards of the region’s wineries and can’t be cut entirely. But things like mechanization to supplement or replace human labor and incremental changes in application timing can displace or lessen some crop input costs.

“Herbicide applications are a lot less expensive than controlling weeds by hand. Look at ways to mechanize operations from canopy management to how you harvest,” Wilson said. “Anything that can save on labor can help, because labor hasn’t gotten any cheaper.”

Grow West PCA and CCA Andy Wilson walks his growers’ vineyards to ensure wine grape quality standards are being met.

Fungicides — and their costs — are and will continue to be a necessity. But working with their PCAs and other trusted crop advisers, growers can optimize products and applications to maximize their efficacy and cost efficiency, Gordon said.

Growers can look at ways to generate incremental savings by applying lower-cost fertilizer products or adjusting things like application timeframes. But with some products, Gradek recommends exercising caution in switching just to cut costs.

For growers for whom dusting sulfur is an option, multiple applications can be utilized to save on cost. With a lot of attention on fungicides as a potential cost savings, choosing specific products by cost alone may compromise previous resistance management efforts. It’s important to mix or rotate chemistries,” Gradek said. “Though some may cut corners on cultural practices like suckering and leafing, neglecting the canopy environment often leads to increased pathogen issues.”

Growers can also choose to forego things like planting cover crops and post-harvest fertilization, Gradek added. Passing on those may have longer-term impacts on soil health and vine productivity, so he recommends weighing those decisions carefully so they justify the cost savings in both the short and long terms.

Q: How should growers balance efforts to manage costs this year with attention to future years’ productivity?

A: Many larger producers already remove and replant as much as five percent of their total crop given vineyards’ productive life cycles and depreciation on a vineyard’s overall productivity. In theory — if doing so won’t dramatically impact vineyard delivery commitments or production in general — replanting even more in an economically bearish year is one way to help sustain output in future years.

“I have customers who have decided just to remove vines that don’t meet quality standards for what their market value is this year,” Wilson said. “They’re doing that based on things like a variety in the wrong spot, the age of the vineyard or the presence of disease, all of which impacts quality.”

Added Gradek: “As we pivot more into mechanization, older blocks typically need to be replanted to better accommodate machinery. Because of the current market conditions, some are choosing to redevelop now.”

“Growing Cabernet in Lake County, you’re dealing with something wildly different than Cabernet in Napa County in terms of farming costs. Regardless of the program the fruit is going into, quality standards still need to be met. In a market like this, the trick is to trim costs as much as possible without compromising winery demands or expectations,” Gradek continued. “It’s going to be a year when growers are going to be extra-careful in doing what the wineries want.”

Q: How should wine grape growers adjust their expectations for a challenging year like 2024?

A: Markets are all cyclical, and while the outlook is not the brightest for the North Coast wine grape market this year, it will eventually cycle back higher. Until then, growers can focus on what they can do to ensure they meet any contractual obligations with wineries knowing that the region will remain the producer of some of the highest-quality wines in the world.

“There are plenty of renegotiations of current contracts going on and I think some growers can position themselves for when the markets turn around in the next couple of years,” Wilson said. “You don’t want to neglect the crop to the point at which your fruit quality is compromised because you don’t want to give wineries a reason to not take your fruit this year and beyond.”

The Role of ResponsibleAg in the Grow West Safety Culture

Sun, 02 Jun 2024 19:31:01 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2024

The Role of ResponsibleAg in the Grow West Safety Culture

Everyone who sets foot on a Grow West location goes home at the end of the day in as good or better shape as when they arrived. That’s the goal of and inherent drive behind the Grow West safety culture. Regulatory compliance is important, but the inspiration and necessity behind it — the safety of Grow West employees and customers alike — is why the company participates in and leads the work of ResponsibleAg , including audits that ensure facilities are staying on top of all potential safety issues.

The Owensboro, Kentucky-based organization was born when the Agricultural Retailers Association and The Fertilizer Institute came together to strengthen ag retail facility safety nationwide after a Texas fertilizer plant exploded in 2013. Organizers — including Grow West Vice Chairman Johnny Council and Vice President for Regulatory Affairs David Ito — saw the need for a new initiative that could help develop new nationwide standards to contribute to both safe operations and strong regulatory compliance.

Those standards and the audits that ensure they’re being followed weren’t intended to penalize ag retailers for safety oversights. Instead, they are meant to alert location managers like Grow West’s Tim Johnson of areas where the Talmage and Lakeport locations he manages can make changes to improve safety even further. For Johnson, it was an educational process that helped him make his facilities safer through action and overall safety awareness and vigilance.

“I was relatively new to Grow West when our audit took place, and I learned a lot about our facilities in the whole process. We were able to review processes, equipment and facility designs to ensure maximum safety,” Johnson said. “The ResponsibleAg audits help us stay ahead of potential regulatory issues and, more importantly, enable us to keep our focus where it should be, taking care of our customers and employees.”

Best practices, not penalties

The ResponsibleAg audit process focuses primarily on best management practices. Along with MVP Safety Professionals , an organization co-owned by Grow West that provides safety training and compliance services to Northern California ag producers and affiliated businesses, ResponsibleAg and its audits are part of the Grow West safety culture Ito helps oversee. Requirements for ResponsibleAg audit compliance are based on federal and state regulations, so they enable location managers like Johnson to take corrective action before compliance issues arise. Each Grow West location has a safety committee that regularly monitors safety practices and ensures all regulatory requirements are met. Those committees ladder up to a state-level committee with Western Plant Health, then to the national level with ResponsibleAg. The Ag Retailers Association (ARA) also supports the work of ResponsibleAg.

“When I came into this business 40-plus years ago, we didn’t have regulations like we do today. Now, between our own safety teams and ResponsibleAg audits, we can create a knowledge base for everyone, so they know what needs to happen from a safety standpoint. It’s all about risk mitigation. That’s the goal for everybody,” Ito said. “In a nutshell, we’re really looking out for our customers, employees, the environment and the communities where we work and live.”

What’s covered in a ResponsibleAg audit

Each ResponsibleAg audit is thorough and in-depth, focusing on everything that could potentially lead to personal health and safety risks. For Grow West, that means a close examination of everything from fertilizer and chemical storage and distribution systems to buildings, vehicles and electrical wiring. Each audit covers both facilities and equipment as well as behavioral safety for workers. The audit checklist is broken into 17 sections for inspection and includes a listing of all maintenance records and worksheet in which each facility’s employee training programs are listed. Finally, the document includes a list of best management practices for each category examined during an audit.

Grow West employees Ken Bates (left) and Jake Laux (right) review a safety checklist during a ResponsibleAg audit.

The last portion of the checklist is what elevates the ResponsibleAg audit process compared to similar exercises. Sharing those best management practices when an audit is conducted enables auditors like Grow West Safety Manager Cole Trouberman to facilitate quick corrective action whenever an audit uncovers a potential compliance issue.

“An audit calls out regulatory compliance, but it also addresses things like employee training, then goes into the details on how to best train employees so they operate safely,” Trouberman said, adding audits are typically customized for each facility based on its specific service and product offerings. “The audit process helps paint a clear picture of how regulations and safety are tied together. Because ResponsibleAg is an industry-led initiative, it is practical and based on a lot of collective industry experience.”

How a ResponsibleAg safety audit happens

Trouberman said the ResponsibleAg audit process is about observing and listening. By asking open-ended questions about specific things like how fertilizer is stored, he’s able to not just point out any concerns but provide constructive feedback that leads to improved safety.

“I always start by listening. Sometimes there’s hesitancy to make changes, but we can help prevent safety issues by being proactive rather than reactive,” he said. “I always try to be completely transparent and communicate all of my knowledge of the regulations, but we also work really hard to boil down those regulations so it’s clear and easy to understand why they exist and what they mean to operational safety.”

What’s a ResponsibleAg audit like for an ag retail facility manager? The organization’s not the only auditor for such facilities; Johnson is also audited by the Mendocino County Health Department and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as by some crop protection product manufacturers. So, while he’s no stranger to the process, the relatively new manager quickly saw major differences between those other audits and the one conducted by ResponsibleAg.

“It’s a little scary to have an auditor come. I worry about whether there are things I’m not aware of that we need to be doing. We learn from the process and take the right corrective action,” Johnson said. “The ResponsibleAg audits are rigorous and help educate us on what we can do better. It helps us stay on the straight and narrow.”

The long-term benefits of ResponsibleAg safety audits

The completion of corrective measures to improve facility safety is the benefit to an ag retailer going through the ResponsibleAg audit process. But longer-term benefits further stretch the more immediate objectives. For Johnson and other Grow West location managers like him, the ResponsibleAg process starts building the foundation of safety accountability and self-regulation. That often means subsequent audits uncover fewer compliance issues. That’s a big reason for the strength of the Grow West safety culture; at every level of the company, safety is made an even higher priority than it would have been without the ResponsibleAg audits.

Grow West’s safety committee hosts site visits throughout the year to identify improvements and observe any new safety methods that might be applied across Grow West operations.

“These audits allow us to proactively self-regulate much better than before. At the end of the day, we are held accountable, and the ResponsibleAg auditor tells me if I’m doing a good job or not. When you know an audit’s coming, you start thinking about whether you’re on the right track,” Johnson said. “Everyone gets it and understands what we need to do to do things as safely as possible. That’s where we start to build that safety culture.”

It’s that culture — one that’s been built over the years at Grow West and continues to advance — that enables Johnson, Trouberman, Ito and everyone else at the company to fulfill the basic safety mission.

“Our biggest priority is making sure our employees go home just the way they came that day because they have people who depend on them not just at work but at home too. That’s so important,” Ito said. “We just want to make sure that they’re going home to their families or loved ones.”

Talk to your local Grow West location manager to find out about the ResponsibleAg audit process.

Safety is Fundamental to the Grow West Culture

Sat, 01 Jun 2024 19:16:55 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2024

Safety is Fundamental to the Grow West Culture

There’s a lot of uncertainty around northern California agriculture this summer. But we know one thing for certain: We take operational safety and regulatory compliance very seriously for, among others, one huge reason. As Vice President for Regulatory Affairs — a job in which I help lead company-wide safety efforts — I want what we all want: That every Grow West team member goes home every day in the same condition as when he or she arrived for work that morning.

Dave Ito, Grow West Vice President for Regulatory Affairs.

That’s what drives our safety culture at Grow West. For the 40+ years I’ve been working in ag retail, I’ve watched regulations change and grow. Keeping up with those changes hasn’t always been easy over the years; that was especially true before ResponsibleAg came along to help provide Grow West and other ag service providers the knowledge and tools we all employ to keep our employees, customers and communities safe every day.

While they sometimes seem burdensome, we know at the end of the day, safety rules and regulations serve important roles. Our dedication to staying ahead of those regulations is for another good reason: Prioritizing safety and compliance is just one way we are looking out for our customers, employees, the environment and our communities.

That’s the Grow West safety culture in a nutshell, and our deep involvement in ResponsibleAg — an industry-led initiative promoting best management practices and regulatory compliance among the nation’s ag retailers — is part of how we maintain that culture. We’ve built upon ResponsibleAg participation, specifically its audit program (about which you’ll learn more later in this issue of Growing Together) to create a culture of continuous improvement and self-regulation that makes our facilities some of the safest ag service locations in the country. Even though we have our own ResponsibleAg-certified auditors on the Grow West team, we’re not stopping there. We know maintaining safe facilities is an ongoing effort.

ResponsibleAg audits go beyond just regulatory compliance and focus on best management practices that help keep our facilities safe. They help us ensure the health and safety of our employees, customers and community members. It’s just one thing we’re doing to enable everyone to not just survive but thrive both now and for generations to come.

In this issue, we’re going to talk about a few other ways we’re doing that, like equipping growers to get through a tough economic cycle so they’re positioned well when markets improve. We’ll also talk about Grow West’s support of California Ag in the Classroom in advancing ag literacy among the state’s teachers and students so they become supporters of agriculture through information they can apply to their classwork today. They’re all actions we can take to ensure what’s good today is even better tomorrow.

Thank you for being a Grow West partner, and we look forward to continuing to keep our operations safe for our employees, customers, communities and everyone in northern California.

Best,
David Ito
Grow West Vice President for Regulatory Affairs

Q&A: Solano County Ag Commissioner Ed King

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 19:11:56 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2024

Q&A: Solano County Ag Commissioner Ed King

Ed King, Solano County Agricultural Commissioner.

Solano County is home to a diverse, unique geography stretching from the Bay Area and Delta into the Sacramento Valley. The small county is home to a range of microclimates that make it ideal for a wide range of crops like wine grapes, small grains, livestock, tree nuts and much more.

We recently sat down with Solano County Ag Commissioner Ed King to discuss how he and his office work to help growers keep their crops healthy and productive while facing pressure from things like pests and ever-changing regulation.

A: We’re always absorbed in early pest detection and pest exclusion work trying to provide a first line of defense for growers and the environment. Last year, we had a record bad year in California for fruit fly detections. Active quarantines are still in place now and we’re only about two months out from the start of this year’s detection trapping season. We’re always on high alert, but given the severity of the problem last year, we’re not expecting any miracle improvements out of the gate this year. It’s poised to be an intense year for fruit fly trapping, control and possibly additional quarantines. That’s the highest concern locally now.

It’s not uncommon that we have fruit fly detections that trigger quarantines. Ag Commissioners and the California Department of Food and Ag are successful in eradicating these detections in time, but the severity, extent and massive number of detections we’re having now puts us in uncharted territory. We’re also dealing with invasive pests like glassy-winged sharpshooter in Solano and surveying for spotted lanternfly. The glassy-winged sharpshooter infestation we are trying to eradicate is a major challenge and takes up a lot of resources. Sharpshooters are good vectors of the bacterium that causes Pierce’s disease in grapevines, but they also infest a broad range of host materials like citrus trees in suburban settings around Solano County.

Q: What are some of the big issues facing Solano County agriculture?

Q: What kind of pressure are growers in your area under?

A: Growers face overwhelming challenges. Pressures come from every direction. In California, we have an extremely robust — the most robust — pesticide regulatory system in the country. We work with growers very closely to keep them up to speed, coordinating and cooperating with the constantly evolving regulatory landscape in California. Grow West is a great intermediary. Their pest control advisers are in the know and very well-connected in working with us and directly with growers as well.

Q: What do you think will happen with pesticide regulations in California a year from now? Five years from now?

A: Our state department of pesticide regulation is sponsoring an endeavor now to transition California to what they are terming “sustainable pest management.” Ultimately, this is likely going to reshape the pesticide regulatory system and pest control tools available to growers in California. This is just getting started, so it’s something we’re going to have to watch play out over the next few years.

We will likely see efforts to phase out certain products, but hopefully simultaneously phase in new products and chemistries as well, which is a tall order. It’s much easier for the regulatory system to cancel existing products than it is for the industry to bring about effective new chemistries that will meet a standard of safer pest management.

What we really need is resources to gradually evolve pest management systems instead of prematurely taking away tools and overregulating growers. We need a paced and well-planned transition to safer pest control systems with ample research and investments to give growers better tools to ultimately secure our nationwide food system, our local economies and national security.

Q: What is your favorite part of your job?

A: I enjoy working with the community, connecting with growers and my fellow ag commissioners. Together, we can make sure we have a uniform pest management system throughout the state. It’s a team effort to keep up with regulatory changes. We have a very tight-knit state association of ag commissioners, and our collaboration makes all this possible. It’s a diverse and great job.

Sweet Corn’s Just One of the Stars at Davis Ranch

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 19:05:44 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2024

Sweet Corn’s Just One of the Stars at Davis Ranch

Davis Ranch had, in some ways, a literal storybook beginning. Rick Grimshaw’s great-great-great grandfather traveled at times with the ill-fated Donner Party on his way to California during the early Gold Rush in the 1840s. A century later in a trek straight from The Grapes of Wrath, Ed Davis traveled halfway across the continent during the Dust Bowl from western Oklahoma in search of prosperity in the Sacramento Valley’s oil fields, a trip during which “he, his father, uncle and all the family members got on a two-ton truck and drove out here from Oklahoma, fixed 21 flat tires and had their dog run away.”

Davis Ranch, Sloughhouse, CA.

Davis didn’t last in those oil fields, so he turned to agriculture, ultimately laying the groundwork for what is Davis Ranch today. Generations later, his successors got their introduction to agriculture in tomato production. What was once a job for young Grimshaw — then a “kid with big plans” — turned into a homecoming of sorts later in his own career as a heavy machinery mechanic and maintenance technician when he became the primary operator of the farm covering land that had long been owned by both his and the Davis family.

Davis and his family, including sons Jim and Don, had spent decades building up the ranch — including a roadside stand where the family sold its trademark product, sweet corn — and diversifying its production to a range of vegetable crops. And Grimshaw was never far off.

“It’s been a progression over the years. Ed started out with two acres of corn and a table with signs. Ever since then, they’ve continued to grow and diversify,” said longtime Walnut Grove-based Grow West Service Manager Gary Fenocchio, who’s worked with Davis Ranch since the early 1980s. “I have watched it develop so much over the years, and it’s been a long progression. They are such friendly people, very kind, and deserve all the credit for being progressive and making smart decisions to be such a self-sufficient operation.”

Growing a farm business together

In 1992, Grimshaw and his childhood friends the Davis brothers became business partners when they bought what would soon become Davis Ranch, combining its output with the 70 acres his own family owned near Sloughhouse. Since then, they’ve taken the operation in different directions — building upon a strong foundation with different crops and markets, some that have worked and others that haven’t — as a way to continue to evolve and change, ultimately alleviating the pressure that growers like them normally face in finding success in growing from year to year and generation to generation.

“I was starting to look for a job somewhere else and Ed Davis said he wanted to retire but couldn’t if he didn’t have somebody to help run the operation. He said he’d give me one third of it if I would pay him for the equipment and run the business,” Grimshaw said. “I kicked it around a bit and thought ‘I don’t have anything to lose. Why not?’ So we bought it from Ed and named it Davis Ranch.”

Sweet corn was and remains a mainstay at Davis Ranch. Fenocchio describes the operation’s acreage as mostly sandy river bottom ground that in years like 2023 is prone to flooding. He provides Grimshaw, Davis and their team anhydrous ammonia, starter fertilizer and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) 32 that’s sidedressed on corn and other vegetable crops.

“We plant in stages, about every two days. That enables us to harvest when the quality is highest,” said Grimshaw, whose Grow West PCA Brett Schmitz describes as the “true boots on the ground” at Davis Ranch. “Sweet corn can go from perfect to too old in a hurry, so this way, we can offer the best quality for the longest period of time.”

As one of the region’s only roadside stands offering sweet corn, Davis Ranch is a popular location for not just travelers who happen upon the roadside stand but also as a local, cost-efficient source of the food staple.

Davis Ranch customers browse produce offerings at farm stand.

“Everyone wants quality, dependable produce. Once their customers get used to stopping there on their way home from work, they know they’re going to get a quality product with good service and a nice atmosphere,” said Fenocchio, who’s worked with Grow West since 1979. “They have a fantastic location and they have a great reputation for quality produce. Word gets around.”

Diversifying production to meet local demand

Ed had already added different produce to the farm’s staple of sweet corn like tomatoes, cantaloupes and watermelons, as well as Christmas trees, prior to Grimshaw and Ed’s two sons taking over the operation. Continuing to make such changes to meet local demand was nothing new to Ed’s sons who sought to continue the already decades-long legacy of providing a range of fresh produce for local buyers.

“We started testing the waters, adding squash, cucumbers and green beans, then fall produce like pumpkins. We did add onions and potatoes for a while but didn’t have the equipment to harvest them. It just made us realize we had a niche with sweet corn and a few other products,” Grimshaw said. “Then about 10 years ago, my business partner Jim Davis’ wife started a nonprofit to get people to come out and hand-harvest produce to get it out of the field and to food pantries and churches.”

That nonprofit gave Grimshaw an idea, one that is today a major part of the Davis Ranch business. A U-pick operation kills two birds with one stone; first, it helped minimize fruit and vegetable waste from spoilage in the field. It also added a new revenue stream with a few simple additions. During each growing season, Davis Ranch opens to customers who drive over vehicle scales to weigh their vehicles, then pick produce themselves. They’re charged on a per-pound basis after crossing the scales again upon leaving. U-pick customers must buy a minimum of $100 in produce, with the average buyer spending between $100 and $180.

“I got to thinking that we should be getting something out of this! The amount of produce we sold that first year really opened my eyes. It really took off, and it’s a big part of our business now,” Grimshaw said of the Davis Ranch U-pick operation. “There are times when traffic is bumper-to-bumper, and we might have 400 to 500 cars a day during the busy times.”

Why the Davis Ranch U-pick operation works

In addition to trimming waste and opening up new revenue for Davis Ranch, the U-pick operation serves a massively important purpose for local residents. The local area’s large concentrations of first-generation immigrants from countries like Russia, Ukraine and Vietnam represent a major market opportunity for Davis Ranch. Those segments of the local population now have access to fresh ingredients that are staples in their home countries, all at low costs. Though the Davis Ranch U-pick does have frequent visitors who buy smaller amounts, they more so use the experience to educate young people on the origins of food.

U-pick customer drives over scale to weigh pounds of produce picked.

“These first-generation immigrant families who come out often can and preserve what they pick, so they can save a lot of money and get exactly what they want. We also have a lot of people who just want to show their kids where their food comes from,” Grimshaw said. “We have had some cars come out and pick eggplant, and when they leave, they have eggplant in every single nook and cranny of their cars.”

Reflecting on the past and future of Davis Ranch

Grimshaw admits there’s been a lot of trial and error in the years he’s worked at and managed Davis Ranch along with his business partners and workers. Both he and the Davis family have faced tragedy. The premature loss of predecessors and those who would have become successors of the business have caused abrupt changes in how the business has changed and evolved over the years to remain a release valve on the pressure that normally accompanies a diversified family operation. Despite such forced changes, Davis Ranch stakeholders have been quick to make the changes necessary to alleviate the pressure to grow farm productivity and continue to meet customer needs.

“We went full-face stumbling into this. We knew we had a niche with the farm stand and were able to build it up from there,” Grimshaw said. “We’ve been through tragedy, but this place has been in our blood. We know the area really well and are able to stay flexible to do what we need to do to raise what people buy here.”

Davis Ranch produce stand – a local staple in Sloughhouse, CA.

Now, Grimshaw and the Davis brothers have crossed a different milestone in their journey at Davis Ranch. Recognizing it was time for a new generation to take its reins, the trio sold the operation in 2022. Buyer Eduardo Gomez, along with business partner Ricardo Zepeda Gomez, is no stranger to Davis Ranch, having been working in agriculture in the Sloughhouse area for decades, most recently in the seed corn business. In their first year managing the business, they will take the reins and continue the legacy started by the Davis family on Grimshaw land decades ago.

“Eduardo and Ricardo are gung-ho guys. While they will be running the operation, we’ll be here to help with whatever they need,” Grimshaw said, looking ahead to the 2024 growing season. “It was destined to happen. I just want it to keep going. I don’t want it to change. We just needed some new blood to make this thing go.”

Find out more about Davis Ranch .

Weed Control Outlook: The Right Product, Right Place, Right Time

Sun, 03 Mar 2024 18:52:01 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2024

Weed Control Outlook: The Right Product, Right Place, Right Time

Whether in perennial crops like walnuts or annuals like rice, the weed pressures facing growers are like a plane taking off every spring. The runway from which that plane points skyward — in this case, recent weather and environmental conditions — has everything to do with its velocity and ability to get a strong start toward its destination. Heading into the 2024 growing season, that runway’s been a smooth one, meaning weeds could be poised to exert a lot more pressure on growers this season, putting a premium on effective weed control strategies.

There’s no one-size-fits-all remedy for easing that pressure and effectively disarming weeds from robbing perennial and annual crops of quality and yield potential. But with the right products, their timely applications and guidance from PCAs, there are steps growers can take to manage weeds so they don’t get in the way of optimal crop performance.

Though the solutions vary by crop, weed history, environmental conditions and specific microclimate, there is an overarching theme that will likely propel a “bigger weed year” in 2024 compared to the last few years, according to Grow West Technical Service Manager Layne Wade. The moisture pendulum swung from too little to too much last year, and now that things are generally more stable on the water front moving into this spring, the recipe is right for increased weed pressure.

Layne Wade, Grow West Technical Service Manager.

“Last year was weird because we had so much water at times that we didn’t have a lot of weed germination. This year will be a bigger weed year because we don’t have that oversaturation,” Wade said. “It’s been slightly warmer too, versus cooler temperatures we had last year. And in annual crops under irrigation, we’re kind of laying the groundwork to generate our own weed issues.”

Consider well-timed pre-emergence herbicides for annuals and perennials

Pre-emergence residual herbicides are part of the foundation of strong weed control programs in both perennial and annual crops. Knowing the right specific product to apply and when exactly to get it out into your fields, orchards or vineyards should be top of mind when making the right pre-emergence herbicide decisions, Wade said. Though growers may be thinking about ways to cut overall input costs this year, pre-emergence herbicides with strong residual control should not be one of those cuts given the season-long difference it can make in keeping weeds knocked down.

“Pre-emergence herbicides are one major pressure-reliever. Pre-emergents are one of the things you should always think about adding to — not cutting from — your crop management strategy,” Wade said. “If you apply the right pre-emergent at the right time the first time, you will be good for months and maybe the whole season. If you don’t, you’ll have to attack weeds with contact applications throughout the year.”

But pre-emergence residual herbicides are a lot more expensive than other herbicides, right? Though the product itself may cost a few more dollars out of the gate, pre-emergent cost savings start to add up quickly when you think about opportunity costs and the expenses associated with contact herbicide applications in season.

“Contact products may be half the price of a pre-emergent, but you have to have labor to apply it. And if you apply it three times, you also have three times the labor expenses,” Wade said. “By minimizing or eliminating emergence and weed competition early on — in perennial or annual crops — you’re going to support your crop from day one.”

What’s the right pre-emergence herbicide for your operation? Consider your crop mix, specific weed pressures, soil type, environmental conditions, available labor and overall crop protection budget in reaching the right decision.

“You’ll put a pre-emergence application on at various times for perennial crops. Regardless of the crop, it must be something that fits with your operation. We are also seeing a trend toward more split applications,” Wade said, adding a pre-emergent can be applied anytime from early December to before planting as long as there’s the right amount of rainfall to incorporate the product into the soil for maximum efficacy.

Rotate chemistries

There’s a lot to think about in applying the right herbicide, pre-emergence or otherwise. For perennials, the specific chemistry, target weeds and crop structures should all be considered in making the right choice. Your Grow West PCA is your best ally in diagnosing these key variables for perennial crops.

“The chemical characteristics of an herbicide are critical to its overall use pattern, and PCAs know those characteristics well. In a perennial crop, you typically want the pre-emergent herbicide to stay in the upper 3 inches of the soil, with the longevity that matches the germination patterns of common weeds,” Wade said. “You don’t want it leaching down to the roots of the trees. That’s a function of the chemistry, its interaction with soil and water, and how it’s broken down. It also changes depending on the water source, location and architecture of an orchard because how much light hits the ground can change an herbicide’s longevity. Knowing these things with perennials is important.”

Because of the frequency of herbicide applications in perennial crops in successive years, it can be easy to overuse one specific product, mode of action or active ingredient. The same is also true in annual crops like rice because the presence of water limits the number of effective herbicides. Still, it is important to rotate products with different active ingredients to help maximize both short-term weed control and long-term efficacy.

“A large part of managing a rice crop is dealing with weeds. In rice, weeds are always a threat because of the flooded conditions that often encourage germination, and it may take three or four sprays to control them. That can enable weeds to select for resistance if the same chemistries are applied too much,” Wade said. “I’ve seen some rice fields that have been abandoned because of weed pressures. You can avoid that by applying various combinations around seeding with the intention of getting longevity of control.”

It will be especially important to pay close attention to both short-term efficacy and the residual endurance of every herbicide this year given recent lessons learned, according to JJH Solutions LLC PCA, plant physiology Ph.D. and California Weed Science Society (CWSS) Director Josie Hugie. Though the supply chain situation isn’t as dire as it has been in recent years, the right herbicide decisions should consider product availability and resistance management.

“With active ingredients being burned out because of resistance in crops like rice, this is no time to ignore rotating chemistries appropriately. You have to manage programs so you don’t lose chemistry efficacy quickly,” Hugie said. “We need to keep the attention on control strategies instead of doing the same thing every year. When supplies were short a couple of years ago, everybody panicked about what they could buy and resistance management practices weren’t consistently a top priority. That can lead to dangerous practices when there are shortages and you don’t have many product options. We can’t let our guard down.”

Engage your PCA to make the best weed control decisions

Wade expects weeds like marestail, Bermudagrass and Johnsongrass to be among the major species growers face in 2024. But that won’t be the case everywhere; he recommends accounting for past weed pressures in planning for any herbicide applications or cultural practices to keep them at bay this year, especially given 2024 is starting with near-ideal conditions for weed growth. Your PCA can help audit your past weed pressures and make effective treatment decisions that fit within your budget for this year’s crops.

“Your PCA knows there’s not a general cure-all for weeds across the board. It’s site-specific. You need to have that expertise and understand how the weed history will impact inputs for that site,” Wade said. “You’re going to spend money on weed control, but your PCA can help be efficient with that spending so you’re applying what’s necessary and not being wasteful.”

If you haven’t already, get in touch with your Grow West PCA to start laying the groundwork for your weed control strategy in 2024.

Preparing Tomorrow’s PCAs Today

Sat, 02 Mar 2024 18:39:50 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2024

Preparing Tomorrow’s PCAs Today

The pest control adviser (PCA) plays an integral role in every crop operation in northern California. That role is anything but static; while there are fundamental building blocks for what makes a good PCA, the what, why and how of the job change often — sometimes multiple times during a single growing season. Along with experience and expertise, that puts flexibility high on the list of key attributes that enable today’s PCAs to alleviate the many pressures their growers face in every crop.

Ruthann Anderson, CAPCA CEO/President.

Those attributes are just part of the equation. Equipping current and future PCAs with the tools they need to maintain and evolve the level of service to growers implicit to the PCA role is the heart of Ruthann Anderson’s job. The California Association of Pest Control Advisers (CAPCA) CEO knows the toolbox necessary for every PCA to work effectively is ever-changing. It requires a close, almost predictive eye on what growers need and how PCAs can continue to meet those needs, all while staying ahead of evolving regulatory requirements while growing the output of crops vital to the food supply.

That’s a lot. The number of balls to juggle at once has never been higher for PCAs, Anderson, the CAPCA team and industry teammates like Grow West. That’s why the statewide association is eager to work with partners like Grow West Chief Operating Officer and Vice President Lucas Schmidt.

“A lot of our work is standing back and taking a moment to ask what the PCA role will look like in 10, 20 and 50 years. Then, we think about the tools and functionality we need the PCA license to provide so we maintain the highest level of professionalism among licensed PCAs,” said Anderson, who’s served numerous roles at CAPCA, the association representing the state’s PCAs and the PCA license in general. “That’s why CAPCA works so closely with Grow West; they’re a great resource for us in helping prepare current and future PCAs to continue to be qualified and maintain their trusted adviser roles in this evolving space.”

Looking back and looking forward

The effort to evolve the PCA’s role is more than just looking ahead. It starts with a clear assessment of skillsets of today’s PCAs that often differ from their predecessors. It’s also a profession in which institutional knowledge is massively important. Decades and generations of experience and accumulated expertise comprise the foundation of every PCA’s effectiveness in his or her job. With a major generational shift underway, recognizing how new PCAs work differently from their predecessors and preparing to meet future demands of the job are both important today, with so many intergenerational transitions underway.

“There’s a stereotype that PCAs are part of our industry that just make program recommendations and walk away. But in reality, PCAs make very prescriptive recommendations based on what they see in the field and what crops need. That is the power of the PCA: the ability to apply expertise and experience in almost surgically precise recommendations,” Schmidt said. “The business has changed, and while agronomy is still key, becoming a successful PCA requires budgetary acumen and the knowledge of how to do things economically based on intimate knowledge of a grower’s operation and business.”

CAPCA’s role in its 50th year

In its 50th year, CAPCA has a specific role in nurturing that change and maintaining the foundation of professionalism for the state’s PCA licenses. Ensuring PCAs remain relevant to their customers is a matter of connecting the role to both the grower level and federal/state regulatory environment. With so many daily duties, it’s difficult for PCAs to get involved in policymaking in Sacramento or Washington, D.C. That’s where CAPCA steps in, ensuring they have a representative in regulatory discussions that shape their license.

“They don’t have the luxury of time to leave the field because they’re out working with growers. We recognize the historical role of CAPCA being created 50 years ago to represent PCAs in policy discussions,” Anderson said. “We are able to tell the story of PCAs and how they continue to make informed recommendations and navigate the complexities of agriculture while overcoming the public perception that PCAs and growers are doing whatever they want. It’s all about raising awareness of what they do, how they do it and why it matters.”

Equipping PCAs for key agronomic decision-making

While maintaining awareness of the PCA’s key role in sustaining and growing agriculture’s productivity and environmental stewardship on the policymaking side, CAPCA’s work is equally vital in preparing PCAs for the jobs that are massively important to the state’s largest economic driver. Though it’s geared toward a single mission — cementing PCAs’ roles as the trusted advisers on whom so many California growers depend — preparing current and future PCAs for their jobs is a multifaceted endeavor.

Ruthann Anderson presenting at Spray Safe Outreach event. Photo courtesy of CAPCA.

“Pulling together all the complexities — from following changing pesticide regulations to thinking holistically about how to best work with growers — has enabled us to connect the PCA license to all of the core things we believe are important today and will be tomorrow,” Anderson said. “Then, we apply those things and how they’ll evolve to the PCA license so growers know they will always have a trusted adviser who can make decisions to support successful agronomic performance and harvest. Growers are always involved, but we want to ensure they know their PCAs can always help make important, balanced decisions that enable them to do what they do best.”

Building the diverse, evolving PCA skillset

That’s as complex a task as it’s ever been. Changing product availability and efficacy calls for an unprecedented level of focus on every acre, as well as the tools and technology growers can use to optimize every agronomic scenario. The PCAs of today and tomorrow will be pushed to maintain diverse technical expertise for a higher number of products and technologies, and more importantly, how they’re optimally applied in each field, orchard or vineyard.

“I think that PCAs should already have technical expertise, but I think it’s going to be stretched even further in being able to really read findings and ascertain the viability of a product or technology. With the trend of softer chemistries, beneficials and biologicals, there isn’t a broad application silver bullet so there will be even more emphasis on PCAs understanding the ground you walk, the microclimates you’re in and being able to translate opportunities to best serve each specific plot of land,” Anderson said. “I really envision things becoming more hyperlocal. With that hyper-specific focus, I expect the PCA’s relationship with the grower and the time invested with that grower and operation will increase. I think that the work of the PCA has to be more integrated across the whole farm in the future to maintain production under growing and changing regulations.”

How Grow West prepares new PCAs

Putting these changing skills into action is something Schmidt knows will continue to be part of his job and others at Grow West. That’s why he and other Grow West leaders are leveraging their close relationship with CAPCA in leading the effort to integrate new PCAs in a deliberate strategy that both builds upon institutional knowledge and develops relevant new skills.

“Being a good listener and having a strong work ethic and the willingness to learn are all so important. Communication and relationship management are huge parts of the PCA’s job, and that’s changing rapidly. Depending on the customer, a PCA may be communicating face-to-face, by phone, or via text or email,” Schmidt said. “Having a strong transition period is essential as long-standing PCAs retire. Transitioning in new PCAs in a deliberate process helps ensure they develop the right skills while gaining the institutional knowledge of their predecessors so they can best help growers manage all the pressures they face.”

Easing Pressure for Our Grower Partners

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 18:27:53 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2024

Easing Pressure for Our Grower Partners

The world can feel like a volatile place right now. Global events continue to exert pressure on supply chains for some of the crucial crop inputs that our customers depend on. When that pressure gets too tight, shipping can be disrupted and costs take off. We feel those impacts quickly. While we anticipate some brief supply hiccups this spring, I’m confident that we are positioned to be able to get product where and when our customers need it.

Robbie Malm, Grow West Director of Procurement & Supplier Relations.

Our experience living in a “supply-constrained” environment has taught us a lot over the past few years. We’ve invested a tremendous amount of time and energy to more strategically forecast product supply and demand. Today, that means keeping a close eye on the global markets for crop protection and fertilizer products. It also means discussing plans, agronomic programs and objectives with our growers, then adjusting how we lock in what our customers need.

As we head into the 2024 growing season, we know there’s a lot of pressure on every one of our customers. Having the right products to raise bountiful, high-quality crops shouldn’t contribute to that pressure. So we’ll keep working to make sure we’ve got what our customers need when they need it.

None of us is perfect, but we are committed to maintaining a laser focus on our ability to say “we have it” whenever a Grow West customer contacts their location to get the products or service for the next trip through the field, vineyard or orchard.

In this issue of Growing Together, you’ll see other ways we’re working with customers and others in the ag world to help alleviate some of the pressure on our industry, whether caused by weeds and pests, regulations or anything in between. You can count on Grow West to always work with our customers to overcome the pressures they face.

Best,
Robbie Malm
Grow West Director of Procurement & Supplier Relations

Mural Restoration Revives Artful Ag Tribute

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 18:10:43 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2024

Mural Restoration Revives Artful Ag Tribute

It’s that cathartic moment that’s familiar to many in northern California agriculture. The feel and scent of productive soil between your fingers as the sun peeks over the horizon to start another day of growth in one of the richest agricultural regions on earth. It’s an experience close to Colleen Gnos’ heart, so when she was commissioned to capture that moment in a 60-foot mural entitled “Gazing Into Infinity” on the side of the Grow West Inland Terminal facility in Woodland, she knew exactly the feeling behind the moment the massive painting would capture.

Colleen Gnos, fine artist, muralist and sculptor.

“Dad used to take off at 3:00 in the morning every summer day. When I was 8 or 9 years old, I would go with him to check fields. I’d watch him scoop up a handful of soil and smell it right at sunrise,” said San Luis Obispo-based Gnos, who grew up in agriculture in the Woodland area. “This mural gave me the chance to celebrate growing up a farmer’s daughter. It gave me the chance to celebrate agriculture as the industry that drives the area.”

Gnos was originally commissioned to paint the mural in 2012 after the new Inland Terminal building was constructed and, through a community arts program, earmarked for an art installation of some kind. Gnos’ brother had long purchased fertilizer from the plant and helped connect the artist and musician with the Grow West team to start the project.

Gnos finishing the remaining touches of the mural at 65 ft from the ground.

After creating seven different versions of her inspiration for the massive painting, Grow West leadership picked what Gnos considers the most “emotional piece” from the options presented, and she got to work, completing the first version later that year and refreshing it in 2019. Then, when a January 2023 storm damaged the building, around one third of the mural was lost. So Gnos got back to work again in summer 2023 to repaint her “celebration of agriculture.”

Painting a mural 60 feet wide is not an easy task, especially when it’s 65 feet off the ground. Armed with around 30 gallons of paint in 81 different colors and specialized brushes, primer and clearcoat to protect the mural, she got started on the process she said mirrors the experience she shared with her father in his fields as a child.

“It’s so quiet up there at 5:00 in the morning,” Gnos said of the boom lift that took her around 65 feet up to begin the mural restoration. “The only time we could do it was late July and early August, the hottest time of the year. It’s hard work. But it’s all about creating something that bears witness to the majesty of nature and the hard work of agriculture.”

Repainting the mural took Gnos just over 30 working days. For her guide, she used a smaller mockup of the picture with a grid superimposed over it; each inch on her mockup translated to three feet on the wall of the Inland Terminal building.

“You wash and prime the wall, then create the grid with a contractor’s chalk line, all 20 or 30 feet at a time so the chalk line wouldn’t break or sag in the middle,” Gnos said, adding her husband Che Miller played a huge role in helping her complete the mural. “About half the time, I was wondering what I was doing. I often got overwhelmed. But you have to surrender to the process,” Gnos said. “Just show up and do the work, and it works out. It’s intimidating, but I think that’s why we do it. It feels really amazing when you can accomplish something like that.”

Now that the Inland Terminal building mural is complete, Gnos said she hopes “Gazing Into Infinity” not just contributes to the local art scene, but also serves as a reminder to residents and visitors alike of the importance of agriculture to the Woodland area, including the role of Grow West and its team.

“There are a lot of disconnects between the general public and agriculture. I hope this can help elevate where our food comes from and generate some appreciation for the families who make it their lives,” Gnos said. “I want it to honor agriculture.”

2023 “Gazing Into Infinity” mural before and after Gnos’ repaint.

Christmas Toy Drive Rallies Communities and Delivers Smiles

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 18:02:10 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2024

Christmas Toy Drive Rallies Communities and Delivers Smiles

Harvey Lyman started what would later become Grow West in 1951. But three years before that, he was instrumental in building the foundation for what’s today one of the company’s most important community events. It’s one close to the heart of Harvey’s son and current Grow West Chairman Les Lyman, or as he calls himself this time of year, “backup Santa.”

The elder Lyman was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Walnut Grove in 1948. The Rotary International organization, first started in Chicago in 1905, brings community leaders together who share a single goal: humanitarian service that addresses the challenges in each club’s community and around the world.

Grow West North Valley Sales Manager Gary Silveria has been dressing up as Santa since the inception of the toy drive to deliver Christmas gifts to the children of Walnut Grove Elementary.

That’s exactly the legacy that Les Lyman and others at Grow West are doing. Abroad, the Rotary Club of Walnut Grove supports a dental clinic in Baja, Mexico, that serves local residents of small villages and surrounding remote areas. But the club’s more local effort is one that brings out the spirit of the holiday season in everyone from Grow West who participates. That includes Lyman, who serves as the backup to North Valley Sales Manager Gary Silveria, who has long served as Santa Claus in delivering gifts to children in the community at the Walnut Grove Elementary Toy Drive. In its 14th year, the toy drive delivers smiles and makes good on the original Rotary International charge of service to the community and the Lyman family.

“It can get awfully hot in that Santa suit. And we may not have a sleigh and reindeer, but a red ATV works pretty well for us,” Lyman said, crediting Silviera’s “heavy lifting” for the toy drive’s success over the years. “The Christmas toy drive is for me the right thing to do for our business and in our community. It’s so gratifying to be able to participate and see the excitement on these kids’ faces. For me, the toy drive is personal.”

Each year, the Walnut Grove Elementary Toy Drive provides Christmas gifts for between 150 and 170 students from preschool to sixth grade. Grow West Director of Financial Services Jessica English plays a hugely important role: armed with a spreadsheet of children’s names and gift preferences, she personally shops for many of the children. She’s one of Santa’s helpers. Like Lyman, it’s not just part of her job. It’s part of her.

“This is where I grew up and went to school. These are my roots. So it’s awesome to work for a company that really gives back to this community and gives me the opportunity to give back too,” said English, adding her own daughter attended the very school where the toy drive happens. “This time of year can be a real struggle for a lot of families in our community, so we are just thankful that we get to do what we can for these kids in our community.”

With a population of 1,288 and most residents professionally connected to agriculture, some in Walnut Grove struggle to provide for their families during the holidays, especially underserved members of the community. The toy drive offers a boost to parents and provides an opportunity for them to partner with Grow West and the elementary school in wrapping and distributing personalized gifts to their children. In some cases, it’s the only Christmas gift these children will receive.

The holiday cheer from the toy drive in recent years has spread to neighboring communities, where similar holiday activities have been established for students at other elementary schools.

“It’s incredible to see how something so simple can impact so many,” English said. “We never anticipated for the toy drive to have this kind of reach. But seeing our communities rally together during this time of year is heartwarming.”

As Grow West gears up for another holiday toy drive in Walnut Grove, Lyman said he and others at the company are reminded of their partnerships with customers, local organizations, businesses and industry members that have provided something so memorable and valuable to the communities in which they live and work.

“Regardless of whose idea it is, we’re proud of the partnerships built and how we work together,” Lyman said. “What we do through this toy drive truly makes a difference in the lives of others. It’s an honor to be a part of the partnerships that make it all happen.”

Partnership Adds Economical New Control and Resistance Management in Bacterial Disease Fight

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 17:57:13 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2024

Partnership Adds Economical New Control and Resistance Management in Bacterial Disease Fight

Fire blight is a bacterial disease that can quietly infiltrate a pome fruit orchard and inflict massive short- and long-term damage, and there aren’t a lot of ways to prevent or control it.

But with well-informed guidance, the right combination of cultural practices and rotating crop protection products, growers can manage bacterial diseases and help manage resistance that can render any control measure ineffective. It’s just one case in which working with the right experts in the field, specifically Grow West PCAs with intimate knowledge of each orchard and its susceptibility to such diseases, can set up growers for successful, productive and high-quality crops year after year.

Caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora , fire blight is one of a group of bacterial diseases that under optimal conditions can infect trees in early spring, especially when the bacteria overwinter in or near orchards. When perennial cankers become active due to warming temperatures in the early season, bacterial reproductive cells can move to tree buds, flowers and later, fruit itself. Given favorable environmental conditions, this process can damage the tree’s economic potential by destroying developing branches and fruit. Once a tree is infected, fire blight’s life cycle is difficult to disrupt and it will likely overwinter again and continue its life cycle until growers or orchard managers can take corrective measures. That normally means removing diseased wood and plant tissue by pruning and burning.

But controlling fire blight and similar bacterial diseases is about more than just keeping your eyes peeled for their signs, treating them and removing diseased tissue. It’s about year-round awareness, action and a key distinction that should guide every grower’s bacterial disease management program. Prevention and control are two different outcomes, especially for any disease that can quickly and easily turn into a major problem in which complete prevention is often not an option.

Fire blight is a common and frequently destructive disease of pome fruit orchards, killing entire limbs or trees in some cases.

“Bacterial disease control implies there’s a certain level of inoculum of that organism in a crop, so the job becomes trying to minimize its damage. Prevention is keeping the organisms from the crop so you’re never having to control it. That’s really the goal, but these pathogens are so adaptable that prevention isn’t really possible. So control becomes necessary,” said Grow West Technical Services Manager Layne Wade. “And that takes the right mix of crop protection products and cultural practices in making the right recommendations for growers.”

That’s the exact scenario facing pear, cherry and wine grape grower Jeff McCormack of Walnut Grove. His pear crop was destroyed by fire blight in 2015, and since then, he’s been “keeping his guard up so it doesn’t happen again.”

For McCormack, prevention is a ship that’s already sailed and it’s a matter of controlling fire blight. That effort requires him to make orchard sanitation, cleanliness and attention to crop protection programs year-round priorities. Treatment with the right antibacterial applications and cultural practices like removing infected wood round out his approach to keeping fire blight at bay on the orchard his family’s managed for over 120 years.

“I’ve been keeping my guard up since the last blight epidemic. It took a ton of time and energy to get back where we want to be in terms of production and I sure don’t want to see that happen again,” McCormack said. “Blight management is a matter of staying on top of it.”

That starts well before the growing season begins. Knowing it overwinters and can come on strong if left untreated, McCormack starts his fire blight management program in mid-February with applications of copper to hit any blight spores that have overwintered in his orchards. He follows that up with rotated streptomycin and kasugamycin applications beginning in March.

For McCormack, it’s a solid strategy that responsibly leverages the latest tools and products at his disposal. What makes it work? Copper has long been a component of most effective blight management programs. But with any such crop protection strategy, the overreliance on a single active ingredient or chemistry can lead to resistance in the targeted pests, diseases or weeds. In the case of bacterial disease specifically, that can be especially dangerous given the small number of effective management options. McCormack is constantly aware of resistance management in how he selects what he applies every growing season.

“Resistance management is important. If I’m out there spraying something that’s not working, what’s the point? I’m just wasting a lot of money,” he said.

That’s why a kasugamycin-based bactericide has been such a welcome addition for McCormack since the chemistry adds a new tool to control or manage fire blight. KASUMIN® Bactericide is the only Group 24 bactericide with kasugamycin as its active ingredient and introduces a unique mode of action with no cross-resistance. It’s tank-mixable so it can be easily integrated into a McCormack’s diversified application strategy for controlling fire blight.

Symptoms of fire blight can appear as bacterial ooze from twig cankers, blackened leaves, flowers and fruit, or red-streaked bark underneath the wood.

KASUMIN’s availability comes at a critical time for California pome fruit and tree nut growers. Newer varieties have raised the bar for overall yield and quality but at the same time, some have shown greater susceptibility to bacterial disease like fire blight. The combination of increased likelihood of infection and resistance as well as limited comparable controls make KASUMIN a welcome addition for effective control of diseases that show increasing signs of resistance to streptomycin and copper.

“KASUMIN came in at a time when resistance to other materials had been building, especially with fire blight in apples and pears and bacterial blast in almonds. There are isolates that are resistant to copper all over the state,” Wade said. “Some of the newer varieties of almonds and pome fruit are more sensitive to bacterial infections than others. As our industry develops more varieties like them, we’re finding new bacterial impacts that we haven’t faced before. KASUMIN has been very effective. It’s been huge for us, especially given that these crop industries have been here 100 years and there are only three or four products registered for bacterial diseases.”

The cost to effectively manage bacterial diseases like fire blight — whether that means prevention or control — is a major factor driving how growers integrate products like KASUMIN into their programs. Just how proactive a grower is with managing such diseases is a big part of the economic discussion.

“A lot of what goes into deciding whether you’re going to spray for bacterial diseases is usually around the environment or economics. If economics means the price of the commodity doesn’t justify it and you can’t afford it, you may not spray. But once you see the damage bacterial diseases cause, you really can’t afford not to do it,” said Katie Driver, walnut grower and technical services manager for UPL, manufacturer of KASUMIN. “Some of the economic decisions that go into the application decision are your orchard’s breakeven price and how much you can afford to spend before you can absorb a loss. Sometimes it just doesn’t pencil to do it.”

The age of an orchard is a big part of that decision-making process, Driver added. “If your orchard is older, you may choose not to spray. If it’s earlier and you want to be overly proactive, you’ll obviously choose to spray. It really comes down to these factors: the age of trees and your breakeven. Those are the two questions you have to ask yourself before you make an application.”

Making a cost-effective, balanced decision like that takes teamwork. That’s the approach Wade takes to the orchard whenever he’s working with a grower, whether it’s to prevent or control fire blight or any similar crop disease.

“Our approach is very collaborative with the growers. We are focused on what we do best and we can only do that by being partners with our growers. We don’t just look at growers as customers per se, but as partners,” Wade said. “I know I personally have such a respect for how difficult crop disease management is, and we try to do everything we can to help them in their operations and make it profitable for them.”

Talk to your Grow West PCA today to start planning your 2024 bacterial disease management program.

Building Tomorrow’s Ag Community Leaders Today

Sat, 02 Dec 2023 17:48:18 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2024

Building Tomorrow’s Ag Community Leaders Today

As an agricultural service provider, Grow West occupies a specific, defined position in the northern California almond supply chain. But to be its best, the Grow West team knows that takes a broader perspective that stretches beyond the gates of its 18 retail, farm supply and wholesale manufacturing locations and its customers’ almond orchards.

Pictured left to right: Justin Hill, Temblor Brewing Company; Dominque Camou, Famoso Nut Company; Don Bynum, Temblor Brewing Company; Lucas Schmidt, Grow West; Mike Lahti, Temblor Brewing Company. Photo courtesy of the Almond Board of California.

Maintaining a holistic understanding of and strong network within the entire industry are big reasons why Grow West is a proud supporter of the Almond Board of California Almond Leadership Program. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Lucas Schmidt — one of the program’s alumni — knows a comprehensive understanding of the whole almond industry is the foundation of effective service and products for Grow West’s almond grower customers.

“When you sit down and look around that room on day-one and see people representing so many different facets of the almond industry — including some of the best people in the industry — you know that you are part of something that is going to create real value at the farm gate,” said Schmidt, a member of the program in 2019. “Every participant gets educated on the entire industry instead of looking at it from his or her own narrow area of focus.”

Started in 2009, the Almond Leadership Program brings together a diverse group of California almond industry stakeholders ranging from producers to lenders. The program helps participants build relationships with other almond industry leaders, develop communication skills, prepare for future leadership roles and learn the intricacies of all sectors of the almond supply chain.

“The program is meant to develop new leaders and give class members a sneak peek of all facets of the almond industry. A huge component of the program is networking. Class members get a really good overview of program areas on which the Almond Board focuses,” said Almond Board of California Industry Relations Specialist Rebecca Bailey. “There’s also a mentorship component. Every participant is paired with a mentor who’s gone through the program and can provide guidance throughout the year as they advance their leadership capabilities. It’s a really unique component of the program.”

Gaining an industry’s worth of experience

Each year, 18 individuals are selected for the yearlong program after a rigorous, competitive application process. The program comprises monthly meetings and seminars during which class members network and share insights on and research underway in their respective segments of the industry.

In addition to a fundraising component — Schmidt’s class raised $50,000 for FFA Foundation scholarships and volunteered at a children’s hospital — each class culminates with the presentation of research projects that demonstrate participants’ advanced expertise in the industry and the different priorities for the Almond Board of California. The class votes for one project to be featured at the annual Almond Conference .

Dom Camou (left) and Lucas Schmidt (right) presenting their Almond Leadership fundraising project on the steps of the California State Capitol building.

Schmidt’s project — an almond beer he and classmate Dominique Camou, a southern California almond processor at Famoso Nut Company, LLC, developed in conjunction with Temblor Brewing Company in Bakersfield — was selected as the 2019 class’s top project. Schmidt said the partnership forged in the process demonstrates the strength of the Almond Leadership Program’s networking component.

“Dom and I met for the first time at our first Almond Leadership meeting and as we got to know each other, we thought ‘Why don’t we work together on this?’” Schmidt said. “We didn’t know each other beforehand, and we are still close to this day.”

Why this matters to Grow West communities

The experience Schmidt and other participants have gained in the Almond Leadership Program helps broaden industry expertise beyond normal boundaries. Schmidt said the Almond Board of California’s investment in the program’s participants helps elevate the entire industry.

“If you can invest in younger leaders in the long term and they continue to work in the almond industry, you’re lifting the whole industry. Everyone who participates is much more educated on the entire industry instead of looking at it from their specific, narrow area of focus,” Schmidt said.

Specifically, that often means participants go on to take on larger leadership roles in the industry, Bailey said. But while they contribute to some of the highest levels of industry leadership, that same ethic is applied at the local community level where almond growers and Grow West customers can benefit from the experience participants glean from the leadership program.

“They go on to serve in their own communities as well as our boards and committees. Whether it is an irrigation district, water board or 4-H club, they often take their connections made and expertise developed in the program and turn it into a new way of serving the almond industry on multiple levels,” said Bailey, adding that Schmidt’s participation in the program has helped boost Grow West’s commitment to supporting local and regional FFA.

The 2024 class of the Almond Leadership Program will begin meeting shortly after the start of the new year. To stay informed about what’s happening in the program, including fundraising events and how to get involved in the future, go to Almonds.com/almondleadershipprogram .

A Different Kind of Off-Season Heading into 2024

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 17:39:10 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2024

A Different Kind of Off-Season Heading into 2024

As we reach the end of 2023, you can almost hear agriculture’s collective sigh of relief around the countryside as we look forward to what we hope will be a more balanced growing season in 2024. This year saw a return of much-needed moisture, and it’s been amazing to see the difference a more supportive, cooperative Mother Nature has made for the Grow West team, our resilient customers and the communities we all call home.

Samantha Hanley, Grow West Vice President of Human Resources

As we turn the page to 2024, challenges remain. But generally, renewed optimism has brightened the outlook for northern California agriculture in the new year. At Grow West, that optimism is much more than just a mindset as we move into the new year. It’s how we’ll pivot to make sure we remain a pillar of strength for our customers, workforce and communities.

A return to adequate water allocations means crop output and quality will likely get back to “normal.” That, in turn, means growers will be hiring more seasonal labor, buying more crop protection products and fertilizer, and generally getting back to “business as usual.” Improved water allocations and a resulting longer growing season than we’ve seen in the last four or five years will also affect how long operations will have additional workers in the area. That means they’ll be investing more in their communities on homes, vehicles and even the basics like groceries. All of those things contribute to the vitality of our Grow West communities, and that’s good for all of us.

All the while, we’re planning on making similar changes like hiring more interns and working with our employees and others in our communities to get more people involved in agriculture. We’ll also pour more of ourselves into local, regional, state and national agriculture organizations and events. As optimism returns and abounds among growers and others in the industry, we expect to see a lot more familiar and new faces in 2024!

Just like our grower customers, we will be spending the off-season planning ahead for the next year. While we’re happy and relieved to see prosperity returning to northern California agriculture, we know it won’t be without challenge in 2024. But no matter what lies ahead, you can count on Grow West to be poised with the service and products you need to put success within your reach.

Here’s to a safe, bountiful and prosperous 2024!

Best,
Samantha Hanley
Grow West Vice President of Human Resources

Prepping the Next Generation of the Grow West Team

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 16:47:00 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2023

Prepping the Next Generation of the Grow West Team

Success in today’s ag retail business depends on the ability to take care of customers with the right products and services with little or no disruption. Maintaining that continuity over time takes the right people.

The Grow West team focuses on cultivating the future leaders of the company with that customer-first continuity goal in mind. In the range of internship opportunities at Grow West, the youngest members of the ag service provider’s workforce can gain valuable experience as they step into key roles in making sure its customers can count on the level of service to which they’ve become accustomed.

“We have young people step in to become sponges and soak up all the knowledge from our more experienced PCAs so they can continue building relationships with growers,” said Walnut Grove-based Grow West PCA Brett Schmitz. “The experience in service and knowledge that our interns get helps them be there for our growers and continue to provide the service they rely on.”

What it takes to be successful as a Grow West intern

Schmitz is one of the Grow West team who represents the company at area university events to connect with prospective interns. But universities are just one source of interns and young workers. That’s why the Grow West internship program is open to a range of students regardless of where they are in their education. While education is important, how a young person contributes to the company’s ethic of strong customer relationships is an even bigger deal to Grow West North Coast PCA Sandy Henson-Valera.

Grow West North Coast PCA Sandy Henson-Valera (right) pictured with intern/employee Cole Brown (left).

“We tend to have long-standing personal and professional relationships with a lot of our clients. When we see a young professional who wants to get involved in agriculture and find out how to fit into those relationships, that’s a terrific opportunity for both us and our clients. You may start as a Grow West intern and have little or no experience in agriculture, but before you know it, you have started a successful career in agriculture.”

Cole Brown is on that path right now. Starting as a warehouse assistant in 2020, Brown’s done about every warehouse task from “shuffling boxes around” to mixing fertilizer blends and managing their delivery to growers. It started off as a way for the 2020 high school graduate to make ends meet after being laid off from another job because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shutdowns made college courses difficult, so he took the Grow West warehouse job, worked his way up and after completing the required classes will earn his PCA license this fall.

“He’s old-school and communicates very well with our clients,” Henson-Valera said of Brown, who’s also fluent in Spanish. “He has the kind of skillset and attitude that makes him the kind of young person we want to keep. He’s driven to be successful and wants what’s best for the client.”

What’s unique about the Grow West internship program

PCAs like Schmitz and Henson-Valera look for a few common characteristics when selecting interns to both gain valuable professional experience and contribute to customer operations. They agree there’s no special sauce to generate success as a Grow West intern. It takes both working alone effectively, as well as collaborating with a larger team. Agronomic knowledge is normally learned on the job.

“If you’re eager to learn and excited to contribute to what we do for our clients, I can teach you what a bug is, how many is too many, what it’s supposed to look like and what it is we’re supposed to be doing in each field,” Henson-Valera said. “We all have our own ways of working, but we don’t keep them siloed. We work collectively in sharing solutions. That takes effort, but it helps build interns’ skillsets and still enables us to take care of our clients.”

Students and young people who serve as Grow West interns get a lot of unique experience in return. Schmitz said it’s less about specifically preparing them to work with only Grow West and more about providing a range of experiences while enabling them to contribute real value.

“It’s unique in how they get to see a lot of farms, different crops and styles of farming,” he said. “Our interns can take that experience to any job, whether it’s with Grow West or not. It’s important for us to get our interns in front of customers so they get real-world, farm-level experience.”

Brown approached his early-career work at Grow West with a straightforward approach: Continue to get better and always put the customer’s needs first. It’s helped him step into roles he wouldn’t have thought possible as a high school student just a few years ago.

“When I become a PCA, I am going to continue to work on my ability to communicate with our current customers because I know they’re going to pass their operations on to the next generation at some point, and I want them to continue to work with us at Grow West,” Brown said. “Looking back on all the jobs I’ve gotten to do here, I realize now that it’s all helped me understand the work we all do much better. You have to have respect for everyone involved in this work. Keep working and progressing. Be open to learning new things.”

Contact your local Grow West location to learn more about the company’s internship program and how you or someone you know can participate.

Captive Insurance and Why It Works for Grow West

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 00:39:37 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2023

Captive Insurance and Why It Works for Grow West

Maintaining continuity in ag retail operations depends on workers having the support and benefits they need to do their jobs, day-in and day-out. Insurance also provides protection for the company and its assets. But that protection is getting expensive and creating a lot of headaches for company leaders and employees alike.

Grow West has employed a unique strategy to make sure that protection and assurance is available to the company and its workforce, all at lower price points than policies available from increasingly costly insurance marketplace options. Captive insurance has created financial efficiency, flexibility and business continuity for the ag service provider and its employees.

How captive insurance works

Grow West employs captive plans for property, general liability (including workers’ compensation and automotive liability) and employee health insurance. Such plans pool the financial resources of a group of similar companies — one of Grow West’s captives has more than 40 members — to collectively fund insurance coverage for participating companies. A company must meet thresholds for financial performance to access a captive. It also must have the internal resources to manage the program for its employees.

Captive insurance is not self-insurance and it’s not the open insurance marketplace. It’s a hybrid program that offers the full marketplace’s coverage options as the building blocks of specific policies participants need. Being part of a captive presents companies the size of Grow West new insurance options and often lower costs that would ordinarily only be possible for much larger companies. When premiums paid into the captive are higher than the claims paid out, that money is invested on behalf of member companies.

“It’s not easy to do as a standalone unless you’re a very large company,” said Grow West President and CEO Ernie Roncoroni. “It’s worked well for our business. There are some minimal administrative hurdles to overcome, but they’re not as large as you might think once you get the process started.”

A big reason why captive insurance is a good fit for Grow West and similar companies is how it helps manage risk. A participating company must be financially viable to earn membership. But given its ability to contribute its share to the captive group, a member company opens up a lot of flexibility in coverage plans and helps manage costs over time, according to Grow West Human Resources Vice President Samantha Hanley.

“Captives are more long-term plans that help hedge against market risks. Members are all sharing risks in a captive. You know the insurance policies are going to be there. You know you’re going to have good coverage and the ability to design your own plans,” Hanley said, adding Grow West began working with captive insurance in 2004. “We have plan flexibility and can select who and what we want. With plan design and network access options, you can choose whatever plan design you want and what you want to cover.”

Why there’s so much need for captive insurance choices

Grow West’s workers’ compensation, general liability and auto captive, Terra, is administered by Alternative Risk Underwriting (ARU) in Schaumburg, Illinois. The proprietary program started in 2002 is designed to protect its members from insurance marketplace volatility, providing stability in what’s become a major cost for companies like Grow West, according to ARU Vice President Ramon Robles.

Grow West Trucking shop technician Jose Cuellar is one of many employees covered by the benefits of captive insurance.

Members of the Terra captive become network members with the same insurance companies as they would if they were buying insurance on the open marketplace. But they now have greater control over what otherwise could cause health insurance costs to spike because of general market conditions. This enables them to offer quality insurance plans that meet employees’ needs.

“Right now, we’re experiencing one of the most difficult markets in a generation,” Robles said. “The need for programs like Terra stems from the need to control costs and have more stability in such a volatile marketplace. In the standard marketplace, you don’t have that control and the market can push for increased rates even if you are performing well. With this captive, Grow West can control their insurance costs.”

Entering a captive amounts to “betting on yourself” as a company. It does require a little more work at the company level, as you’re normally controlling an insurance plan’s administration, including handling claims, losses and investment.

“If you perform well and have the right safety practices in place, then in the long term, you’re a candidate for a captive,” Robles said. “We look at loss experience in determining whether it will work. But if you’re a profitable risk for the insurance company today, chances are you’ll be a good fit for a captive.”

The work required to maintain captive insurance

There is more hands-on work involved with maintaining captive insurance coverage. Claims over a specified dollar amount are reviewed thoroughly to determine the most practical steps forward, whether it’s liability litigation/protection or referring employees to medical specialists after health insurance claims.

But because participating companies are handling claims and managing those other processes, they can be much nimbler because they’re not waiting on corporate claims adjusters and administrators.

“I would say that direct involvement in the claims process is worth it in the long run because it’s shortening the overall time that claims are open,” Hanley said. “It provides us a way to maintain continuity in insurance coverage for our employees because everything is handled much more quickly. We’re not waiting for a larger insurer to come out. Anytime we need a claims adjuster or administrator to come out, they’re working only for the captive and its members, so they work quickly too.”

The Grow West team is also involved in leading the captives in which they participate; Roncoroni sits on the board of directors for Terra, and other company leaders are involved in safety regulation at the captive that ladders up to requirements for participating companies. In their roles, the Grow West leaders help shape best practices that contribute to sustained cost efficiency and coverage quality of the captive’s policy options.

“When we saw higher distracted driving claims a few years ago, we installed dash cams on all our vehicles and offered distracted driving classes. By participating this way with the captive, we were able to identify a risk trend and a strategy for reversing it to reduce costs for all captive participants,” Hanley said. “We have a seat at the table to talk about employee safety and loss prevention and evaluate what we’re doing as a company to raise awareness and reduce losses.”

That participation has had benefits beyond Grow West’s human resources management. Company leaders’ participation in leading its captives helps build a culture of safety, Roncoroni said. It takes work, but in the almost 20 years since working with captive insurance, it’s been worth it for Grow West.

“We’re actively involved with the captives, other companies, best practices and training programs. It takes more work than just sending a check to an insurance company,” Roncoroni added. “Being in captives has made us a better company. I’m not saying that all of this just magically happens, because it does take work. But this has taken Grow West to a new level.”

Talk to Hanley if you’d like to learn more about captive insurance and how it can work for your company.

Postharvest Soil Health Focus: Two Strategies for Annuals and Perennials

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 00:32:38 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2023

Postharvest Soil Health Focus: Two Strategies for Annuals and Perennials

With most 2023 crops out of the field or orchard and as attention turns to planning for 2024, soil health should be high on growers’ postharvest to-do list. But with about every year-round agronomic decision, make sure you’re timing any soil health-focused input so it’s cost-effective and sets up every acre for success next year.

In many ways, that means completely different management strategies for annual and perennial crops. But there are two areas on which growers should focus after harvest, according to Grow West Technical Service Manager Layne Wade.

“Generally, you want to prioritize soil minerals and biology in making sure you’re setting things up well for 2024,” Wade said. “Compost or humic acids help get carbon out there to feed microbes and increase biological life in the soil. The fall postharvest period is also a good time to apply minerals like potassium to row crop acres because it doesn’t leach as much as other minerals. That’s the mineral we see applied most often in the fall after harvest, including in orchard crops.”

Adding a soil inoculant like those offered by leading biologicals manufacturer Prime Dirt can help make those postharvest applications more efficient by improving nutrient cycling, enhancing soil structure and increasing root production. Specific to inputs like humic acid, Prime Dirt products include ingredients that facilitate more efficient microbial breakdown of organic and inorganic matter in the soil — namely nutrients and minerals — to more effectively feed both annual and perennial plant roots in the soil biome. This translates to more efficient plant uptake and equips plants to better weather environmental stressors like drought.

Different strategies for annual versus perennial crops

Wade recommends thinking differently about each nutrient you’re considering applying to annual row crop acres in the fall based on its characteristics, namely how long it takes to first oxidize in the soil, then how long it remains plant-available into the 2024 growing season. Nitrogen, for example, oxidizes quickly, is highly water-soluble and binds weakly to soil particles, so it’s more prone to leach out of the root zone. Potassium, on the other hand, is a cation that binds more tightly to soil, so it is more likely to remain in the area it is applied, maintaining availability for future root uptake. Potassium can also be applied via buried drip irrigation systems, making its application an easy addition to your postharvest to-do list.

“Effective fall soil amendment and fertilizer applications are a balancing act of managing cost, plant uptake, regulations and how nutrients move in the soil once applied,” Wade said. “Don’t automatically assume you need to apply everything in one fall application. The most cost-effective postharvest strategy accounts for optimal application volume in the right time window.”

Here’s where postharvest soil and crop health application similarities between annual and perennial crops end. Normally, once nutrients are balanced in annual crop acres, they’re fairly well set up for the following year, with a few exceptions for pre-plant nutrient applications to optimize soil conditions. But postharvest soil health management on perennial acres requires attention to key times in plant or tree nutrient uptake to set up the crop for success in the following year.

Why permanent crop root flushes mean so much to effective fall applications

It’s all about root flushes, the biannual events when perennials like tree crops and vines experience a period of root growth, and this is a time when nutrient uptake can be maximized. For mature grapevines it normally happens first just before or during bloom, then secondarily it occurs again after harvest. For bearing tree crops such as almonds and walnuts, the initial seasonal root flush occurs around one month or so after flowering in addition to the postharvest secondary root flush. That makes postharvest applications an efficient time for targeting soil and root health, according to Wade, who said he “spends time with a shovel each season to decide when root flush is happening with perennials.”

“Roots of bearing perennial crops aren’t constantly producing new ‘flushes,’ they alternate growth habits with leaves and crop development. With the crop harvested, roots start flushing and growing since a majority of the energy in those trees and vines can go down into the roots. With this flush of growth, the roots are more absorptive and they expand to pick up carbohydrates and available nutrients from the soil for the dormant season,” Wade said. “The efficacy of postharvest applications is impacted a great deal by how well you time them with your perennial crop root flushes. You’re more likely to have what you apply make it to those roots and into the plants when you match their applications with root flushes.”

The cost benefit of well-timed fall applications

Timing applications around root flushes may be a different strategy to many, Wade admits. But it’s a way to get precise with postharvest applications, often using existing drip or sprinkler irrigation systems to apply some nutrients, biologicals and soil amendments. It also helps growers get more bang for their fertilizer buck and set up their perennial crops for a quick start the following spring.

“You can do things the way you always have because it’s inexpensive and what you’re used to doing, but your plants may not be absorbing what you apply,” Wade said. “We’re going to be in a much better place with perennial crops if we’re targeting those times when roots are better able to absorb the nutrients you apply.”

The best way to confirm when your perennial crop roots are flushing is conduct root digs and look for any changes in root size and condition. Doing so will help ensure fall applications are effective, whether they’re minerals, nutrients or biologicals like Prime Dirt soil inoculants. Talk to your Grow West PCA to find out where your crops stand today.

Western Plant Health and Grow West Team up to Push for Smart Ag Regulation

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 00:27:29 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2023

Western Plant Health and Grow West Team up to Push for Smart Ag Regulation

Healthy Plants. Healthy People. Healthy Planet. Those six words serve as the mission statement for Western Plant Health (WPH). It’s a brief, concise and to-the-point statement that intentionally highlights what’s become the calling card for the organization representing 90% of the fertilizer and crop protection companies in California, Arizona and Hawaii that Renee Pinel leads.

Renee Pinel, Western Plant Health President + CEO

“We have to be clear that we are about sustainability, stewardship, production and economic stability,” said Pinel, who’s served as WPH’s president and CEO since 2006 after 15 years as its legislative and public policy director. “We need to speak outside of what our members are comfortable with. We’ve converted our message to something the public and lawmakers in Sacramento understand. We’re all about what keeps our people, planet and plants healthy.”

Grow West contributes to that effort as a WPH member. Vice President and COO Lucas Schmidt also currently sits on the WPH board of directors. Effective communication through its partnership with WPH enables Grow West to both provide input into practical regulation for agriculture but also bolster the communities in which it works. Success in contributing to practical ag regulation provides assurance that Grow West will be able to continue to support its communities and evolve its service offerings for its grower customers with continuity and without regulatory disruption.

“This kind of collaboration makes us all better. For me, it ties back to our communities when we talk about things like how ag regulation affects how we operate and how our work supports our communities,” Schmidt said. “Our partnership with WPH is just one way we work with experts and leaders in our field for everyone’s benefit.”

What Western Plant Health is all about

The idea that the trade association representing the vast majority of the region’s fertilizer and crop protection companies is committed to environmental stewardship is an odd notion to many outside of agriculture, Pinel admits. Though productive dialog with lawmakers often starts from a defensive position for WPH, they’re critically important conversations to have, now more than ever. Especially coming from the organization whose mission includes promoting a healthy business environment, consumer education, environmental stewardship, agronomic best practices, and meaningful public policy on agriculture and the environment.

“The automatic assumption is that if it’s a pesticide, you’re harming people or damaging the environment. And with fertilizer, people don’t often understand that it makes plants grow and isn’t harming the water supply and environment in general,” Pinel said. “While they’re not always easy conversations, we have the opportunity to focus on connecting with people whose legislative actions could otherwise make life difficult for farmers.”

Those regulatory conversations don’t end with state legislators. Environmental groups often pit agriculture against the very ideals that are fundamental to WPH’s mission of preserving the environment and growing ag productivity. But Pinel sees WPH’s influence as most important in showing those two goals aren’t necessarily far from one another.

“Environmental groups are playing four-dimensional chess with multiple messages. So we have to do the same and always think ahead. If the public wants softer chemicals, then the state must have practical mechanisms in place in the regulation process that enable our members to research, produce and provide those chemicals,” she said. “We want to make sure regulation provides a pathway for the state and our members to access sustainable products. That requires a big-picture, sophisticated mindset.”

Grow West hosting former California Department of Pesticide Regulation Director Teresa Marks as part of a WPH regulatory tour.

Putting strategy into action for California agriculture

Tactically, that mindset means sometimes applying arguments that agriculture’s opponents or misinformed influencers use against WPH, its members and the ag producers they serve. That process often yields just as much or more common ground than it does opposition.

“Rather than us all talking at and past each other, we explain what our opponents need to do to achieve what needs to happen to reach practical goals for agriculture and the environment. Sometimes that means using their arguments against them,” Pinel said. “We’re never going to change 43 million Californians’ minds, but with the right messaging, we can reflect what they want and they can see that Western Plant Health and our members are trying to help create a healthier world for all of us, not just trying to sell pesticides and fertilizers.”

That’s not always easy. The common ground at the feet of the traditional battle lines between agricultural and environmental interests is often difficult to uncover. She recognizes growers have jobs to do. So she wears the mantle of accountability in leading that dialog.

“I do make a point of going to public hearings that are filled with environmental justice and anti-pesticide groups screaming at me. But I make a point of being there because I don’t expect the farmer to stand up in that and feel like he or she is being personally targeted,” Pinel said. “Recognizing other people’s messages is part of our message. We’ll continue working to help policymakers think objectively moving forward.”

Opportunities like these have real impact at the retail and farm levels. Schmidt said he’s able to integrate messaging tactics to key ag stakeholder groups that are normally used by industry opponents. Doing so helps him create a level playing field on which he can practically answer questions that are sometimes based on assumptions or misinformation.

“How are those with opposing viewpoints and goals being successful? What messages are they sharing with farm workers, for example?” he said. “Learning these things helps us find the right channels and information to share that will help us all get better as an ag community.”

Why Grow West is so important to WPH’s work

As a WPH member, Grow West and its customers benefit from the influence the organization has on state policy. Schmidt’s team also contributes to the WPH mission in leading by example.

“They have the technical knowledge that helps us maintain the continuous drumbeat of where we need to be as an industry,” Pinel said. “They have their own stewardship program that assures everyone that they’re going to continue to prioritize the environment in everything they do. And they’re never afraid of anybody walking onto one of their facilities to see that priority in action. They’re one of the leaders in adopting the kind of progressive mindset we need to advance western agriculture.”

“We’re always happy to collaborate with WPH’s leadership to make sure we provide the appropriate experience on the retail or production ag side, whether it’s a group of lawmakers from Sacramento or Washington, D.C.,” Schmidt added.

Planning Ahead Forges Confidence and Continuity

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:18:41 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2023

Planning Ahead Forges Confidence and Continuity

Our customers depend on us for uninterrupted, consistent service that evolves as they do. Doing that depends on our ability to plan ahead and invest strategically in infrastructure and tools to put those plans into action. It’s all fundamental to our ability to maintain continuity in the services and products we provide our customers year after year.

Ernie Roncoroni, Grow West President + CEO

We recently completed construction on a 12,000-square-foot chemical warehouse, for example. We knew we’d need to grow our capabilities on this front several years ago, so we started planning for the expansion of our Woodland facilities that will enable us to distribute products to every Grow West location.

The facility will directly influence our ability to get products to our customers quickly and efficiently. We’re now positioned to take even better care of our customers’ crop protection product needs. It’s more than a new building. It’s the hub of a system that accounts for each step in the process of doing and providing what our customers need. It’s all the product of a lot of planning that will mean continued availability of crop protection products and services.

But our business continuity planning goes beyond brick-and-mortar investment and planning. In this issue of Growing Together ® , you will read about how we work to maintain that continuity, from the work our agronomy team does with customers to ensure a smooth transition into the 2024 growing season — regardless of delays to planting and harvest — to how we leverage captive insurance for our employees’ benefits so every member of the Grow West team can approach each day with confidence. You’ll also read about how we’re ensuring future business continuity for Grow West and our customers through our partnership with Western Plant Health and our internship program that’s preparing the next generation of ag leaders.

In the end, that is what planning and continuity means to me: a way to maintain confidence among our customers and employees alike. Doing so will enable them all to do what they do best. They can be confident in knowing we’ll be busy planning for the next piece of the puzzle that, when put together, shows a picture of successful, bountiful Northern California agriculture.

Best,
Ernie Roncoroni
President + CEO

Seasonal Labor is the Engine that Drives Grow West and its Customers

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:13:14 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2023

Seasonal Labor is the Engine that Drives Grow West and its Customers

Seasonal labor is fundamental to California agriculture. That’s why planning and budgeting for it at Grow West — in the field, on the road and elsewhere — happens well in advance and is virtually a year-round effort. It takes attention to sustaining and building upon the relationships so important to the ag retailer and service provider’s ability to maintain the right workforce at the right times and in the right places.

Seasonal labor is sometimes relegated to temporary job status that stigmatizes what’s an important part of the engine powering agriculture in places like the Sacramento Valley. Grow West Human Resources Vice President Samantha Hanley knows well the importance of and challenges inherent to seasonal workers to her company and its customers. That’s why she treats seasonal workers just like she does any other full-time member of the Grow West workforce.

Samantha Hanley, Grow West Vice President of Human Resources

It’s an issue close to Hanley’s heart; she’s the fourth generation of her family who’s helped connect seasonal laborers with the right jobs to workers’ and employers’ mutual benefit. Eighty years ago, her great-grandparents provided education, lodging and seasonal ag jobs around Solano County, including their own tomato farm.

Provide what seasonal workers need to be successful

Hanley knows the critical roles skilled, well-prepared seasonal workers play in an ag business, whether a retailer like Grow West or one of the retailer’s customers. It’s shaped the strategy she leads in making sure Grow West has the seasonal workers it needs to perform some of its major duties at the busiest times of the growing season.

“I always approach it as a relationship even if you’re bringing someone on for a one-year seasonal job. Be mindful of how you’re hiring, when you’re hiring and the relationships that you’re building,” Hanley said. “Treat your seasonal employees very similar to how you treat your regular full-time employees.”

Planning and budgeting for seasonal labor at Grow West includes jobs like seasonal warehouse personnel, wholesale plant operators, interns, Class A over-the-road truck drivers and other machinery operators. When preparing budgets for the year ahead, Hanley carefully considers not just cost, but projected need based on range of variables like recent crop production, weather conditions and water allocations. Variables like these contribute to accurately budgeting and planning for seasonal labor, even months before it’s needed.

“We compare hourly labor from the last three years, including overtime we’ve paid, so we know roughly what we’ll need in the coming year and budget for our seasonal labor needs,” Hanley said. “We also plan based on what we know our customers will be planting. Last year, our seasonal labor decreased significantly at some locations because of water allocations. We must be mindful of what our customers are doing and make sure we have the right resources allocated for them.”

Preparing seasonal workers for their specific jobs is massively important to avoiding liability at the busiest times of the year. Grow West has some seasonal workers who have been with the company for more than 20 years, so they have close relationships with the location managers with whom they’ve worked all that time. That makes it easy for them to “ramp up” to their jobs. Others may require more in-depth training.

“Take the extra time to make sure that they’re trained, because you want to make sure they’re prepared so they can be productive in the time they’re working with you,” Hanley said. “Your full-time employees may have a full month to get ramped up into the busy season versus your seasonal workers who jump right in when you bring them in. You have to make sure they’re prepared ahead of time.”

Work together with industry partners

While strong relationships contribute to longstanding seasonal worker agreements, so do industry partnerships. Grow West has several seasonal workers who are also part of the labor force for a local tomato processor and packer who transports tomatoes from the field to canneries. Some workers split time between the two, providing consistent seasonal work at times when both companies need it most.

“I can name at least three or four seasonal workers who have been with us for 20 years. Many have been with us at least five years. A lot of times, what starts with word of mouth turns into family members joining us later on,” Hanley said. “We also have relationships with trucking companies and processors. We have some workers who will work seasonally out of our Maxwell location for a few months then join Morning Star for jobs like tomato harvest. Strong industry partnerships help.”

Improvements in rainfall and snowpack runoff have growers transitioning back to more “normal” cropping plans after drought-driven cutbacks in recent years. It’s a clear signal that seasonal labor will be in higher demand. Because of its leadership team’s planning and budgeting, Hanley said Grow West is prepared for the 2023 growing season.

“Because we’ve had a very wet year, we knew as far back as January that we’re going to have more water allocated. By February, we had a better idea of our seasonal worker numbers. A lot depends on what our customers are doing,” Hanley said. “We’re fortunate to have relationships and connections with many of our seasonal workers. And we treat our employees well. When you do that, people want to come back and work for you.”

Water Supply and Demand Calls for Increased Vigilance, New Service

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 00:06:04 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2023

Water Supply and Demand Calls for Increased Vigilance, New Service

Recent years of drought had some growers’ water allocations plummeting. As rainfall and melting snowpack begins to replenish this massively important and dwindling resource, growers may be facing altogether different yet familiar challenges. A Grow West service is arming growers with the tools and knowledge to overcome them.

What WaterLabs provides growers

WaterLabs helps growers optimize irrigation with a suite of services that enable them to apply just the right amount of water to their crops. A combination of soil moisture probes, pressure bombing and a mobile application that provides real-time crop water data enables WaterLabs to help growers hit the water bullseye in their orchards.

Grow West PCA, Rachael Wilson, checking a soil moisture probe.

Founded by Grow West PCA Nathan Azevedo, WaterLabs is equipping growers with precise crop water data — both quantity and quality — that’s integral to informed irrigation scheduling and water management decisions. Today, Azevedo and Grow West PCA Rachael Wilson manage WaterLabs and its services for growers.

The potential for increasing water challenges prompted Azevedo’s initial exploration six years ago into what would become WaterLabs, now part of Grow West. Azevedo, Wilson and the WaterLabs team now offer irrigation consulting, technology and practical know-how for growers facing moisture extremes. It’s a toolset that provides new ROI through precise orchard irrigation management.

Overcoming past, present and future water challenges in orchards

Whether the yield-limiting factor is too little, too much or simply poor-quality water, the WaterLabs system provides growers the data they need to optimize growing conditions.

Now, the issue is starting to transition to excess moisture that’s created altogether different hurdles like high humidity that makes the perfect environment for pests and disease. Azevedo, Wilson and their team will be watching for those latter challenges throughout this growing season, especially as irrigation water becomes more available than it has in the last two years. Water quality will also be an issue throughout 2023.

“We’re running into quality issues like high bicarbonates and calcium that contribute to poor water penetration,” Wilson said. “So even when a grower can irrigate, the water may just sit on top of the soil because of poor quality.”

How pressure bombing helps

Pressure bombing can enable a grower to see a clear picture of the water stress a tree’s experiencing, whether too much, too little or because of a quality issue. It enables growers to make management changes to help overcome the water challenges they face, which may be altogether different than in the last few years. The WaterLabs service contributes to consistent, reliable water management service for Grow West customers. It’s connecting water with the other pieces of the crop production puzzle growers assemble every season.

“We’re seeing situations where there’s high humidity in the canopy and it’s causing issues like rot,” added Grow West PCA Steven Perry. “Without the right irrigation and timing, the fertilizer you’re putting on gets wasted and trees aren’t taking up water or nutrients. We’re seeing trees starting to become more susceptible to pests too. Pressure bombing is a good first step in resolving these types of issues.”

CAWG and Grow West Team up to Elevate Winegrape Advocacy

Sat, 03 Jun 2023 23:58:57 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2023

CAWG and Grow West Team up to Elevate Winegrape Advocacy

Winegrapes are a massively important crop for a lot of Grow West customers. Their production is also highly regulated. Supporting growers in navigating the dynamic landscape of regulations, promoting sustainable production practices and ensuring access to essential resources — including labor — is where the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) comes in.

It’s why Grow West and CAWG partner on some of the biggest issues affecting the region’s winegrape growers. Collaboration between the ag service provider and trade association ultimately creates a straight line from the vineyard to the legislative chambers where regulations are assembled and enacted. Not all boots may be in the dirt, but CAWG and Grow West’s partnership helps ensure universal understanding of what works and how to best support the industry.

“What I admire about Grow West is their commitment to community involvement. It strengthens the industry as a whole,” said CAWG President Natalie Collins. “CAWG shares that motivation of connecting with growers in their communities.”

The association nearing its 50 th anniversary was forged out of the need for a unified front on behalf of winegrape growers facing evolving regulatory pressures. Environmental sustainability has long been a common focus for many growers. Ensuring that message reaches the halls of the statehouse in Sacramento and the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., has long been a major focus for CAWG.

Representative Zoe Lofgren of the 18th District meets with CAWG Board Members at her office in Washington, D.C. (photo courtesy Natalie Collins).

“The impetus for creating CAWG was the real need for a collective voice,” said Collins, a Lodi native. “Doing business in California is challenging. But our resilient growers persistently strive for innovation and adaptability to stay ahead in this ever-changing environment.”

Mike Boer has been a big part of that voice for decades. The Grow West North Coast Sales Manager has served two nine-year terms on the CAWG Board of Directors — with another similar stint planned soon — and is the current chairman of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) board.

The wine industry veteran who’s been part of state and federal regulatory conversations since the 1990s works to inform policymakers of the practical implications of the regulations they enact. Most recently, labor and environmental sustainability have been the regulatory hot buttons. Boer is a vocal advocate for regulation that’s practical and feasible for growers at the vineyard level.

“You just need to take one trip to D.C. or Sacramento to get an idea of how the system works. If you don’t become a part of how things are molded, you’re going to get run over by the will of people who don’t understand your needs,” Boer said. “It’s not a flashy job, but the fact of the matter is it’s very important to be part of the regulatory process. You have to let your opinions be known so your needs are considered.”

State- and federal-level regulatory efforts

Supporting practical regulation is a battle CAWG fights on two fronts. Collins describes federal regulatory work as “bigger-picture issues” while state-level regulation focuses more on issues specific to California’s unique circumstances and regional considerations.

On the federal level, CAWG leaders have worked to address labor needs by connecting with lawmakers to support efforts to ensure businesses can navigate the H-2A Temporary Agricultural Worker Visa program to fill the vital vineyard jobs around the state. CAWG has been actively involved in securing federal funding for wildfire smoke research, driving funding for mechanization and automation research, and actively working to improve the federal crop insurance program for winegrape growers.

Such action helps ensure growers have the assurances they need to continue to optimally operate their vineyards. The resulting confidence enables growers to devote energy toward technology and things like sustainability initiatives that are skyrocketing in importance to consumers and wine sales. The commitment to create a sustainability program that garners support from both growers and wineries has contributed to bolstering the industry’s reputation and has aided in state-level legislative action work today.

“Sustainability has really mainstreamed. The CSWA sustainability certification program requires constant improvement at the vineyard level,” Boer said. “It’s about how you treat your neighbors and land, as well as what materials you use for pest control and how you manage the vineyards and your people. It’s very thorough and it’s one thing winegrape growers have been doing since the early-2000s to differentiate themselves as stewards of the land. Now that it’s become so popular, some wineries are paying vineyards a premium for being sustainable.”

Why CAWG and Grow West’s partnership is so important

Successfully contributing to regulation that doesn’t disrupt winegrape production has a range of benefits from the vineyard employee to the wine consumer. Winegrapes are a key crop for many Grow West customers, and sharing what will work — and sometimes more importantly, what won’t — with CAWG leaders who have direct access to the lawmakers behind industry regulation ensures growers have a seat at the table, according to Grow West Vice President and COO Lucas Schmidt.

“We’re trying to help lift up key associations like CAWG who are fighting for growers. These are the types of innovators who help move the industry forward by advancing key initiatives for growers,” Schmidt said. “But it’s also bigger than that for us. It’s a big part of our work to support communities by supporting not just our growers today but their families and others who will be the industry’s next generation. Whether it’s marketing or regulatory work, we are all aligned to support winegrape growers.”

In its unique perspective as a key partner to winegrape growers, Grow West is essential to CAWG’s work on the regulatory side in contributing to productive regulatory conversations, Collins added.

“We were created by the grower, for the grower. The stronger our voice is, the more successful we’ll be in advocating for the industry, and we need support in that effort,” she said. “Grow West is a trusted industry supplier and can influence a lot of decisions among growers, and they play such a huge role in what we do with their knowledge of what’s happening in vineyards every day.”

CAWG’s work moving forward

Labor will continue to be at the top of the list of issues facing CAWG and its constituents moving forward. With labor scarcity and an aging workforce creating a significant gap in new entrants, technology is rapidly becoming a larger part of the conversation to help mitigate the impact of this shortage.

Environmental sustainability will also stay high on that list, with growers adding more practices that both conserve resources and contribute to value-added, high-demand consumer wine labeling. Water management is another issue Collins said will continue to be on CAWG’s regulatory radar moving forward. Success in the association’s advocacy efforts on these fronts will continue to depend on grower engagement.

“Get involved. Have your voice heard. We’re only successful at CAWG by hearing what’s important to growers, their pain points and their challenges, day-in and day-out,” Collins said. “We’re an innovative industry, but we can only advocate for growers successfully if we know their challenges and successes.”

Futureproofing Produce Logistics with Partnerships, Planning

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 23:52:26 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2023

Futureproofing Produce Logistics with Partnerships, Planning

It takes a lot of manpower, machinery and logistical support to get fresh produce from the orchard to the consumer. Especially with the scale of production, storage and processing in Northern California, that’s no simple task. Getting the job done and staying ahead of what could become the next supply chain logjam takes an evolutionary approach rooted in strong relationships, progressive planning and enterprising budgeting.

That’s why the leaders of Grow West Trucking — today making up what was once three local trucking companies — prioritize what they see as necessary parts of futureproofing the business. They provide logistics services for producers and packers of key crops in their region. It’s a business in which change is one of just a few constants, with success often defined on a daily or weekly basis given the just-in-time nature of produce transportation and logistics today.

“The markets are always shifting. It’s continuous for us,” said Grow West Trucking Division Manager Joe Carrasco. “It’s all just-in-time. We do a lot of planning in the offseason for what we think will happen based on our team keeping us in the know. We may meet with customers six times before the season even starts.”

Partners teaming up to meet evolving needs

Grow West recently partnered with Hammer Transport and Clark Trucking Services, Inc., to grow its trucking capabilities. They’re all longtime players in the region’s produce transportation game; Clark began hauling tomatoes for Del Monte in the early 1960s. Today, Grow West Trucking also hauls for Pacific Coast Producers (PCP), a Lodi-based grower-owned cooperative that fulfills private-brand canning fruit and tomato contracts.

Grow West Trucking Operations Supervisor, Matt Freitas, prepping a truckload with Del Monte employee.

Decades later as contracts and output transitioned from tomatoes to other crops — namely peaches and pears — Clark adapted to continue its service to local growers, cold storage facility managers and processors. Now as part of Grow West Trucking, leaders like Operations Manager Mark Kaye are continuing that evolution to be even better partners in performing a critical function.

“There are some standard processes and practices from the past that are inefficient today. Those are things we are always working to change,” said Kaye, former general manager at Clark Trucking Services. “We’re always looking to improve our service and efficiency.”

Why relationships matter in the produce value chain

Accomplishing that goal requires strong relationships and communication with some faces that are familiar to Carrasco, Kaye and others on the Grow West Trucking team. Even though the companies fulfilling stone fruit contracts may change, many of the people who make it happen haven’t. Kaye said he relies on many of the partners with whom he’s worked for years to get information that can contribute to smart planning and budgeting decisions.

“The relationships we’ve forged over the years have certainly helped us know where we’re headed,” he said. “It’s really just communication with our partners in the field; when it comes down to the busy season, we are constantly communicating so we know how much tonnage they’ll be buying in a year. That way, we know what it will take to haul it.”

Grow West Trucking provides logistics throughout the growing season, starting with fertilizer and crop protection product delivery all the way to hauling harvested produce to grading stations, then cold storage or canneries. The timing of different field and orchard operations — especially harvest — is a major variable Carrasco and Kaye consider in planning to ensure the right number of drivers and trucks are available when they’re needed.

Those operations are anything but consistent; in 2023, for example, many operations have been delayed, extending the timeframe for maximum fleet availability to ensure produce reaches its post-harvest destination when it needs to. It’s just one way longstanding relationships and partnerships with growers come in handy.

“This year’s going to be crazy, because a lot of crops got started really late. We may have a short window to get everything done,” Kaye said. “Strategic partnerships are important in situations like this year. We have relationships with growers and in many cases, our drivers know the growers.”

Partners evolving together to get the job done

The partnership between Grow West Trucking and PCP exemplifies the kind of collaboration that’s necessary in such an ever-changing business environment. Michelle Copeland is in frequent contact with Carrasco and Kaye’s team to ensure the right pieces are constantly in place to get produce to the market. It’s part of the PCP pear district manager’s routine, and it helps her maintain the flexibility to react quickly to changing market conditions, something that happens regularly despite her thorough long-term planning.

“We’re a cooperative, so we’re constantly working with our growers to determine how many tons they plan on. Our field department tracks when orchards were planted and when they’ll be harvested or replanted. It’s a continuous moving target, and we always have a five- to 10-year plan in place based on production estimates from our growers’ plans,” Copeland said. “Tonnage numbers are always changing with different commodities. We are always planning for cold storage and daily production requirements. It’s a lot of cogs in the wheel to line up.”

Part of what makes the relationship between Grow West Trucking and PCP so productive is the shared ethic among Carrasco, Kaye and Copeland. They all know planning and budgeting is important, but so is flexibility. Copeland said she knows even her best-laid plans can change. She knows the same is true for the Grow West Trucking team, so she accounts for that in her own planning.

“We have worked together for so many years that if they’re having an issue with not having enough drivers or too many growers have asked for extra loads that weren’t originally scheduled, I am confident that we can still come up with a solution even if it’s not what we originally planned on,” Copeland said. “We’re good at bouncing ideas off one another.”

Futureproofing produce transportation and logistics

Looking ahead, Carrasco anticipates the volume of Northern California produce to stay relatively constant in the next five years, but he expects peach tonnage to displace other crops. He also sees food safety and regulation driving changes in how he and Kaye manage the Grow West Trucking fleet.

Finally, labor constraints will drive new technology so he and all other industry partners in the local produce value chain can do what they do best, and more of it. With all of these trends already underway, Carrasco expects the relationships and planning that are part of every decision and operation will continue to serve Grow West Trucking well.

“We’ll have to have more trucks. But since we know our growers and their needs so well, those partnerships will become even more important as we continue to evolve,” Carrasco said. “We’ll continue asking ourselves what we did well this year and what we can do better next year.”

We Take Planning and Budgeting Seriously; Here’s Why

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 23:40:53 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2023

Growing Together Summer 2023 - We Take Planning and Budgeting Seriously; Here’s Why

Planning and budgeting are year-round processes for us at Grow West. It’s never far from the top of my mind.

As an ag service provider, our planning means a lot more than crop protection products and fertilizer. It extends to every product and service we offer our customers, as well as what every Grow West employee needs to best do his or her job. In reality, it’s about planning, executing and being agile enough to adjust when even the best-laid plans need to change. It’s all unified by a common goal: Taking the best care of our customers that we can.

Lucas Schmidt, Grow West Vice President + Chief Operating Officer

Relationships and knowing customer goals and expectations are huge

That’s why we put so much work into identifying then meeting and, whenever possible, exceeding customer expectations. The best way to do that is through strong communication. Only through strong relationships with customers can we know where we best fit into their businesses, how we can help them most, and what we need to do to align with their goals. That process starts with communication.

Whether it’s something short-term like locking in fertilizer deliveries or a long-term goal like building a large warehouse to improve crop protection product storage, every step in our planning is rooted in what we need to do to be the best ag service provider we can be. Sometimes plans have to change; for example, we may have to add equipment, people or processes to maintain our unique level of service to growers. That’s why we have to stay agile with how we build and carry out our plans.

Planning and budgeting are team efforts

The Grow West planning and budgeting processes start and end with our customers’ goals. When we sit down and go over customer budgets, historical production and projected needs, we can fine-tune plans and budgets together so every decision is agronomically and financially sound, even if it means having to resort to a Plan B. Sometimes an agronomic solution doesn’t fit a customer’s budget. But by reviewing needs and evaluating our service costs, we can always arrive at a solution together.

As you plan and budget to make sure you get the most from the crops you raise, you can count on Grow West to be doing the same. We’re right there with you. When you’re ready to sit down and have that conversation, we’ll be ready. In the pages that follow, you’ll see more about some of the specific ways we at Grow West approach planning and budgeting with customers, employees and other ag stakeholders.

Best,
Lucas Schmidt
Vice President + COO

Attention to Employee Benefits Fuels Workforce Performance

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 21:25:44 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2023

Growing Together Spring 2023 - Attention to Employee Benefits Fuels Workforce Performance

Maintaining the right workforce in California agriculture is an ongoing process of evolution and change. A major part of continually solving that equation lies in offering employees the right benefit choices and participation options. Because workforce needs change so frequently based on things like general economic conditions and agricultural supply and demand, it’s a year-round process for Samantha Hanley at Grow West.

Pictured left to right: Grow West Vice President of Human Resources, Samantha Hanley, and
Human Resources Generalist, Tina Garcia.

There are normally clear signs that indicate whether the Vice President of Human Resources and longtime Grow West team member is offering the right benefits — whether insurance or financial savings options — to meet the needs of the 350-plus-member Grow West team. If she picks up on one of those signs that the company’s options aren’t meeting employees’ needs, Hanley acts quickly because she knows that there’s a straight line between such company benefits and the performance of the workforce.

“A lot of employers offer benefits but don’t educate their employees on what will work best for them. It’s like ‘here’s your open enrollment period, now choose,’” Hanley said. “We go through every option so everyone understands the costs and how things work. We want them healthy, want them engaged and serving our customers and want to make sure they have the best tools and resources so they can be on the job.”

Benefit management is a year-round process

It’s with that mutual benefit in mind — for Grow West’s productivity and its workforce’s financial, physical and emotional health and wellness — that Hanley spends most of the year identifying the right insurance and retirement savings programs for the company’s workforce. She knows a combination of low utilization of company-offered programs and high absenteeism means she’s not presenting the right employee benefit options. That’s why she works with specialized benefits suppliers to identify the right plans and programs for the diverse Grow West workforce. It’s an ongoing process that evolves and changes frequently.

“We plan all year-round. January 1 is the start date for our insurance policies, and we’re working throughout the year, whether meeting with our benefits suppliers, hosting educational sessions for our employees, making selections and working through open enrollment, which happens in November. It’s constantly on our mind,” Hanley said. “We make sure everyone on the Grow West team knows we offer benefits and that they have a lot of options at their disposal.”

Hanley and her team’s attention to things like plan utilization — whether for health insurance or retirement savings — helps keep down costs and ensure Grow West offers benefits that will contribute to a fully functioning workforce.

“When workers are informed about their benefits options, they can really evaluate what they need and plan for how much they need to save and spend on health care costs. We may not think offering a dental plan is that important, but if your overall health suffers because of a dental issue and you don’t have coverage, it is going to affect your ability to work,” Hanley said. “If you start seeing high absenteeism, there may be a correlation to the plans you offer. We evaluate our staff’s needs, account for their feedback on what we’re offering and make adjustments.”

Offer options and keep costs down

Current economic conditions — namely inflation — exert financial pressure on many employees, adding to the need to examine closely the plan design for both savings and insurance benefits. The use of these benefits often influences the general health, happiness and job performance of the team members. When money is tight, it’s common to see a decline in voluntary participation in benefit programs like retirement savings and health insurance. That’s why Hanley spends so much time ensuring plans are designed so they’re financially viable for every employee.

“You sometimes start seeing people passing on voluntary benefits as inflation increases. If we provide a cost-of-living increase of three percent but benefits go up in cost by seven percent, that’s going backwards,” she said. “We must be mindful of expenses and account for them in plan design. There are ways to help with that instead of saying ‘take it or leave it.’ We work year-round to offer a diversity of plans, options and levels of participation.”

Hanley cites the addition of employer-paid dental and vision insurance plans offered to Grow West employee benefits as a case in which a plan can help offset rising general coverage costs. The company also offers flex spending and health savings accounts, and diverse retirement savings options including Roth and traditional 401(k) plans.

Listen to your workforce

Regardless of the specific employee benefit, Hanley said there are three things she considers in identifying what will be most cost-effective and functional for the entire Grow West team:

Account for overall utilization rate . Check regularly to ensure benefits are being utilized. If participation rates are falling, it’s a sign the benefit should be re-examined. Under-utilized benefits often aren’t cost-effective on a company-wide basis.
Verify employees know their options and plan design . Review plan designs regularly to ensure they’re easy to understand for the entire workforce. Clearly spelling them out often leads to higher benefit utilization.
Create opportunities for employee feedback . Whether it’s having informal conversations or developing a formal process of forms and meetings, accounting for employee feedback is massively important to a company’s ability to offer well-designed benefit plans.

Contact Hanley at shanley@growwest.com if you’re interested in learning more about how you can optimize benefits for your employees.

Processing Tomato Update

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 21:12:14 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2023

Growing Together Spring 2023 - Processing Tomato Update

The lowest production in more than 30 years and resulting tight supplies have processing tomato prices on the rise heading into the 2023 crop year. If you’re considering planting processing tomatoes to capitalize on these prices, lay the right agronomic foundation to ensure a successful crop once you’ve identified the most practical yield, quality and revenue objectives and crop input budgets necessary to accomplish your goals.

The California Tomato Growers Association (CTGA) announced earlier this year that negotiations with the state’s major tomato processors yielded prices almost one third higher than last year. Current premiums range from $3 to $18/ton for late-season delivery on a tonnage basis.

“CTGA considers $138.00 to be a fair and reasonable base price for the industry, growers, and processors alike,” according to a CTGA report. “This represents a 31.4% increase from 2022. The Board also felt it was important to set the price to provide the growers certainty for 2023.”

In the last two years, processing tomato acreage was just shy of 230,000 acres, the lowest since 1988. Lower yields have contributed to falling supplies and increased demand. CTGA officials blame disease, drought and poor irrigation water quality for the drop in output. Annual production has been around 11 million tons after output peaked in 2015 at 14 million tons on just shy of 300,000 acres.

Here are a few key agronomic variables to consider if you’re adding processing tomatoes this spring, according to a university report from University of California, Davis Extension Vegetable Specialist Tim Hartz.

Watch the mercury . A warm-season crop sensitive to frost damage, tomatoes germinate best around 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Daytime temperatures between 77 and 95 degrees are ideal for many growth stages, provided adequate moisture. Below 50 and above 100 degrees, the crop’s output and quality suffer.
Consider your soils . Soil type has a lot to do with when you should plant processing tomatoes. Sandy soils are preferred if you’re planting early because they warm up more quickly and promote early growth. Heavier soils are more productive, especially with later plantings and given adequate drainage.
Provide the right water source . Sprinkler, furrow and drip irrigation can all provide a tomato crop the water it needs, but the efficacy of each type depends on the crop’s growth stage. Sprinklers are best for early stand establishment, while furrow irrigation is best later in the season. Drip irrigation is effective season-long, but its efficacy depends on soil types, topography and water quality.
Supply the right fertility . University research shows maximum yield is obtainable with up to 150 pounds of nitrogen per acre, though rates as high as 250 pounds/acre are common. Application rates for other nutrients like phosphorous and potassium depend on soil residue and general growing conditions.
Control pests, weeds and disease . Integrated pest management guidelines can help ensure you’re deploying the right cultural, mechanical and chemical means to control common pests. Consult your Grow West PCA to determine the pests you’re most likely to encounter and the optimal control methods.
Harvest and handle the crop . Processing tomatoes rely on mechanical harvest when about 90% of the crop is ripe. Time harvest operations and consider adding a fruit ripening agent to hit the right window. Once harvested, make sure bulk loads are evaluated and graded before processing to ensure maximum value.

Once you’ve accounted for these agronomic variables, it is important that you review your production goals and budget objectives to ensure the appropriate activities align with your plan. Reach out to your Grow West PCA and/or agronomy team as you execute 2023 cropping plans.

Growing a Taste of the Mediterranean

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 21:08:37 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2023

Growing Together Spring 2023 - Growing a Taste of the Mediterranean: Olives represent crop diversification opportunity for Sacramento Valley growers

Diversifying in agriculture is often accelerated by a myriad of variables. Sometimes it’s to meet growing market demand. In other cases, it’s to capitalize on land or resources ill-suited for other operations.

Olives for oil production in the Sacramento Valley check both boxes. In the decade since high-density olive groves began moving into the area, the crop has shown promise for growers with the right land, equipment, infrastructure and market opportunity. Diversifying into olive production is today a real possibility for growers in the right situations.

“There was a push here about 10 to 12 years ago to establish high-density olives, and there was a lot of excitement about it,” said Yuba City-based Grow West PCA and CCA Matt Lagorio, who works with some of the first growers to bring olive production to the Sacramento Valley. “You can do pretty well financially with them sometimes when other crops aren’t performing well.”

Olive ranch in the Sacramento Valley. Photo courtesy of Capay Valley Ranches.

Capay Valley Ranches is one of the region’s olive producers that has evolved to meet increasing consumer demand for locally grown, high-quality olive oil. The ranch today comprises 1,700 acres of owned and leased land planted to medium- and high-density olives. The Capay Valley Ranches team also has milling capabilities resulting in a fully integrated operation.

“Production of olive oil is growing in California, and there’s a lot of opportunity. We have international brands and producers who want to grow here,” said Capay Valley Ranches Sales and Marketing Specialist Denise André. “Consumers are more conscientious about what they are buying. That’s driving demand for both local production and higher quality oils.”

Why olives? Why here?

The Sacramento Valley isn’t a region known for raising olives, a crop more common in places like Italy, Spain and Australia. Diversification was an early driver of the region’s olive planting because the trees thrive in soils and growing conditions that would limit the output and quality of other popular crops in California, according to Capay Valley Ranches Manager Joe Armstrong.

“Olives tend to grow better in marginal soils,” said Armstrong, who manages Capay Valley’s production. “With olives, we’ve found that managing growth is hugely important. You don’t want massive trees. They’re not deeply rooted trees, and they do well in marginal dirt. We’ve had olives planted in good ground right next to marginal ground in adjacent blocks, and the marginal ground seems to create more consistent yields.”

Olives for oil are planted and managed in both medium- and high-density systems, with the latter mirroring a vineyard. The crop is inherently drought-hardy and excels in a Mediterranean-type climate and range of soil conditions. In the recent drought years, those planted in heavier clay soils have fared better than those in lighter, high-pH “marginal” soils. Like any crop, olives — whose annual cropping schedule coincides closely with that for almonds — need water. Making sure the crop has the right amount of irrigation water is sometimes a balancing act with other perennial crops.

“Most of our perennial crop ground has wells or good water rights. That water will go toward the most profitable perennial tree crop,” Lagorio said. “But in areas where they face drought, olives can be a good fit on perennial crop acres.”

Top olive crop management concerns

Agronomically, olives face a few common fungal and bacterial disease pressures like olive knot and Verticillium that require close scouting and control via chemical, cultural and mechanical means. Insects like black scale and olive fruit fly can also cut crop yield and quality.

“Olive knot will attack any open wound on a tree, so its infection usually happens late in the cropping season from mechanical pruning or harvest operations. Proactively applying copper and zinc sulfate helps control it,” Lagorio said. “We always go through after mechanical operations and apply a protective spray to prevent disease. Olive fruit fly isn’t a concern in all olive varieties, but black scale is more common across all olives.”

Generally, Lagorio said herbicides used in almonds are normally effective if labeled in olives too, with similar application timeframes.

“We usually apply a pre-emergence residual herbicide in the fall and one or two contact applications for weed control,” he added. “We also apply foliar and micronutrients including zinc, calcium and boron around bloom. As far as soil-applied fertilizer, it’s usually about 50 pounds of nitrogen and 80 pounds of potassium if the grower is anticipating an average yield of five to six tons per acre.”

Getting started with olives

In addition to having the right land to support the crop, olives require specific machinery for operations like pruning and harvesting that can be expensive. Though some producers have been successful in retrofitting other machines to work in olives at a lower cost, many harvesters can have a price tag around $500,000.

“Pruning and harvesting are usually custom-hired to outside entities,” Lagorio said. “One of my larger growers has a modified grape harvester and they’ll harvest the crop themselves and for other growers since a harvester is such a big investment.”

Because olives are raised in part of larger vertically integrated systems, they’re normally contracted in multiple-year increments. That’s a call for keeping a close eye on crop inputs like fertilizer and pesticide that can fluctuate in cost if you’re looking to diversify into olives.

“If you’re on a fixed five-year contract, you need to make sure you’re keeping a close eye on input costs, especially with the kind of inflation we have today,” Lagorio said. “Make sure you can still make money with your contract. You can make money if you raise a good crop.”

Interested in growing olives? Talk to your Grow West PCA to answer key agronomic questions and ensure it makes sense on your operation.

Rice Growers Lead Efforts to Preserve, Build Avian Habitat

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 19:29:52 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2023

Growing Together Spring 2023 - Rice Growers Lead Efforts to Preserve, Build Avian Habitat

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series discussing Grow West’s affiliated industry partners and why the partnerships are important to agriculture and our customers.

Discussion and resolution of sometimes contentious issues relating to our natural surroundings often pit agriculture and environmental interests against one another and position them at opposite ends of the table, even in the presence of common ground between the two “sides.” Thus unfolds the process of reaching some kind of agreement on issues on which one side invariably feels slighted.

Waterfowl habitat in the Sacramento Valley is not one of those issues. In fact, it’s a model for the opposite: Traditionally opposing interests working together toward a common goal of sustaining natural habitat and the quantity and quality of water on which they – and its human, aquatic and avian residents – depend.

There’s a fundamental reason for such strong alignment. Aquatic and migratory birds depend on rice fields and the grain and water they contain. The preservation of that habitat is often part of the broader conversation about the convergence of agricultural and environmental interests. Agriculture — specifically rice production — is the foundation of sustaining avian habitat in the Sacramento Valley. Grow West plays a key role in maintaining the balance necessary for all species — flora and fauna — to thrive.

Paul Buttner, California Ricelands Waterbird Foundation Executive Director and California Rice Commission Manager of Environmental Affairs.

The story of that balance — and the farmers, ranchers and industry partners like Grow West that work together to maintain it — is not often adequately told, especially in the urban areas most Californians call home. That’s where Paul Buttner and his organization, the California Ricelands Waterbird Foundation (CRWF), come in. The group borne out of the California Rice Commission (CRC) in 2015 where CRWF Executive Director Buttner has worked for over two decades is spreading the word about the natural symbiotic relationship between the state’s rice fields and avian populations. It’s also leading farmer-driven efforts to sustain valuable habitat while ensuring the landscape can support the crop on which so many growers depend.

The 501(c)(3) leverages federal, association and industry funding and sponsorships to develop and execute conservation projects that bolster bird habitat in and around rice acres. The work demonstrates the coexistence of the crop and a diversity of birds that call the same land home. It also supports the resilience of the ecosystem by directly funding work to balance natural resources. Though an independent organization, CRWF depends on administrative and financial support from CRC.

“We are a very grassroots, rice-industry-focused conservation organization that takes financial contributions and apply them directly to conservation projects. Because we have significant administrative support from California Rice Commission, we’re able to essentially put funding right on the ground,” Buttner said. “That makes us unique; it’s also significant to our ability to make a real difference in establishing and maintaining critical bird habitat.”

Bidding for birds

The Bid for Birds program exemplifies CRWF’s work and grassroots foundation. The organization leverages support from grower contributions and sponsor partners — including Grow West — along with state and federal funding to establish conservation projects that build habitat in ways that work with rice production. Because of CRC’s in-kind support, administrative costs are low for CRWF, so the organization can put most funds toward habitat projects.

“The Bid for Birds program speaks to the unique ways we work with growers. In most cases, it’s a competitive bid process and we inform growers about what types of habitat we’re looking for based on environmental conditions, then growers submit bids,” Buttner said. “Those bids are evaluated based on cost and the quality of habitat they create, then we distribute funding via a contract with growers. Growers build the habitat and we inspect it periodically to make sure they’re in compliance.”

Those efforts have paid off. Since its inception, Bid for Birds has led to a five-fold increase in the avian habitat built or restored. The partnership has been especially valuable in bolstering the state’s drought resilience.

“Because of the infusion of state dollars, we went from less than 10,000 acres of habitat projects each year to over 50,000 acres in the last couple of years. We have put over $13 million on the ground for drought resilience in partnership with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR),” Buttner said. “The vast majority of this funding goes directly to growers taking steps to build resilient habitats for shorebirds, ducks and other species. It’s been a really nice example of what we can do working together and putting conservation dollars on the ground.”

A program with a range of benefits

Hans Herkert is one of the rice farmers who’s participated in Bid for Birds. With a few adjustments to how he manages his fields around Colusa, he’s been able to provide valuable habitat to migrating shorebirds. Financial support from the CRWF program has enabled him to create habitat and a feed source where they would normally be absent.

Hans Herkert (left) and Luke Matthews (right) from the CRWF discussing conservation planning for the upcoming habitat season. Photo courtesy of Paul Buttner.

“We’re required to have fields covered with one to four inches of water, the perfect amount for multiple species of shorebirds to benefit as they’re migrating or getting ready for migration,” Herkert said. “They aren’t feeding on grain because it’s already been used up by waterfowl over the winter. But the water causes other organisms to thrive, so they’re scavenging for bugs.”

Though water’s been in short supply in recent years in his area, Herkert said between CRWF funding and the agronomic benefits of his specific project, it’s a practical use of natural resources with a range of benefits.

“From an agronomic standpoint, we see more decomposition of crop residue so it ties up less nitrogen in the ground that our rice crop can benefit from next year,” he said. “The biggest benefit is the habitat we’re providing to the birds. Because of Bid for Birds and how we’re flooding fields when we normally wouldn’t, we’re seeing so much more activity on the land and our crop benefits. We already have the land and space, and by just introducing water, it completely changes how the wildlife utilizes the landscape.”

Why California rice growers?

The Sacramento Valley’s rice fields are a unique combination of agricultural productivity and habitat that make growers like Herkert perfect partners in sustaining habitat and rice production. Rice fields provide optimal habitat and feed supplies for migratory birds, especially with the development of the state’s soil and water infrastructure.

“Over 90% of California’s original wetlands are gone, and Pacific Flyway wildlife has adapted. Around half a million acres of rice fields now serve as surrogate wetlands, and half of everything that ducks eat in the winter comes from those rice fields,” Buttner said. “Growers would love to collect every last grain, but when harvesting, there’s always some waste grain in the field. That grain is an extremely important nutrient resource for wintering ducks.”

Herkert already has plans for continuing with Bid for Birds based on the success of his recent efforts. For him, it’s all about positively influencing the land with a fairly minor adjustment to how he grows rice.

“It’s such a good opportunity. It’s not a huge money-maker or profit center for the farm, but it’s a diversification into something that really maximizes the benefits to the habitat we can create,” Herkert said. “That’s really exciting and fulfilling to me.”

Promoting grower benefits to the non-farm population

Connecting CRWF and CRC’s collaborative work on programs like Bid for Birds, Buttner said, will hopefully bring downstream benefits from policy and regulatory standpoints.

“Most of the residents of California aren’t connected to agriculture, so if we’re going to be truly relevant to them, we need to demonstrate that we are taking good care of the water resources out here in the Sacramento Valley. Cleaner air, water and wildlife are what we are all about,” he said. “All of these environmental benefits don’t happen without water. We can enable Californians to understand all the benefits of what we’re doing together to help maintain reliable water supplies for our crops and the wildlife they support. In a state with a lot of competing interests and demands for water, I think we have to continue to demonstrate the value of our programs and the positive difference they make to our state’s water supply.”

Grow West President + CEO Ernie Roncoroni (left) and Vice President + COO Lucas Schmidt (middle) touring waterbird habitat projects with Hans Herkert (right). Photo courtesy of Paul Buttner.

The partnership with and support from Grow West enable Buttner and CRWF to do what they do in sustaining habitat and demonstrating the effectiveness and importance of their efforts. A multi-year, ongoing sponsor of the foundation, Grow West’s contributions are matched with state funding and grower contributions that enable CRWF — with support and direction from the California Rice Commission — to continue to raise awareness about farmers’ roles in sustaining the state’s water supplies and wildlife habitat. It’s a massively important message to share with all Californians.

“The California Rice Commission and sponsors like Grow West provide the funding to lay the foundation necessary for our efforts to be successful,” Buttner said. “Everyone contributes and works in concert with one another for the benefit of rice growers and the environment.”

Keep Business Diversification Grower-Focused to Stay Relevant in Ag Retail

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 19:16:38 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2023

Growing Together Spring 2023 - Keep Business Diversification Grower-Focused to Stay Relevant in Ag Retail

Grow West leaders have long viewed diversification as a contributor to long-term success for the agriculture service provider and its customers. How, why and when the Grow West team diversifies must follow strict guidelines to identify the right products, services and partnerships to continue the approach that’s been in the company’s DNA since day-one.

“There isn’t a day when we don’t think about our people and ask ‘How do we do more of this?’” said Grow West Vice President and COO Lucas Schmidt. “We are always thinking about the ways we can work more efficiently and in ways that add more value for our customers.”

Smart business diversification leverages existing company personnel, expertise, assets and strengths in sensible directions that create opportunity and value for customers and revenue for a company.

“We look at opportunities that make sense and have the potential to generate customer value and sustainable financial performance,” said Grow West President and CEO Ernie Roncoroni. “It helps us strengthen our company by catering to what we think our team is capable of executing and how that aligns with our customers’ future needs.”

Partnerships that matter to Grow West customers

That philosophy is reflected in three recent partnerships that complement and augment Grow West’s capabilities in serving its customers. Mar Vista Resources sources raw materials around the world and manufactures crop protection and nutrition product packages specifically for Grow West customers. Grow West also collaborates with WaterLabs , an irrigation consulting business providing management recommendations for a range of crops based on real-time data. In its partnership with Inland Terminal , Grow West has a state-of-the-art liquid and dry fertilizer storage facility that facilitates efficient delivery to customers.

These partnerships all reflect the Grow West commitment to smart diversification for the ag service provider and its customers, Schmidt added.

“It goes back to a customer’s basic crop production or management need, then ties back to the supplier in an existing or completely new space,” he said. “Other diversification opportunities cater to strengthening ties to current and future customers in the ag space based on longer-term trends.”

The partnership between Grow West and Inland Terminal serves as a model for diversification opportunities.

Diversifying for short- and long-term benefits

Timing is a big part of successful business diversification. Sometimes a proven history of performance, quality or service to Grow West customers is more important than a “brand new technology venture that’s something really exciting,” Roncoroni said. Rushing to the “next big thing” is not part of the Grow West approach.

“We want to be able to utilize our existing people and talent as we grow or diversity. It’s also got to be economically sound and work with what we’re already doing,” Roncoroni added. “We don’t look at diversification quarterly or yearly. We look at things in terms of years or decades, because we want it to contribute to the long-term success of our customers.”

Well-timed diversification of products and services also is sometimes a year-to-year thought process. That’s true for ensuring annual investment aligns closely with what the ag service provider’s customers need, according to Grow West Procurement and Supplier Relations Director Robbie Malm.

“No two years are the same. Every year, growers face a new set of issues so we are constantly trying to evolve and adapt to changing times so we provide what they need,” Malm said. “That sometimes means learning from previous years’ lessons, applying them to forecasting and diversifying the products we offer as we reinvest in the business.”

Malm cites the rainfall in early 2023 as a driver of diversification in crop protection product options this year compared to recent drier years. “With increased precipitation, we will have more rice, dryland cereals and wheat acres this year. That changes the types of crop protection products and fertilizer our customers will need. So we have to be prepared,” he added.

Focus on people, not the ‘shiny object’

The entire Grow West team contributes to successful diversification, an approach Schmidt said has yielded gains throughout the organization’s history. The partnership with WaterLabs, for example, was borne out of a business idea from a Grow West PCA.

“It’s easy to get focused on the next shiny object that may not bolt on well to what you do or fully maximize your team,” he said. “It starts with people with passion, expertise and a history of customer support who feel comfortable bringing up ideas and having a voice to go to company leaders and offer an idea that contributes to how we service our customers. We have a lot of smart people and we deliberately work to maintain a forum for all employees to share ideas. New concepts and solutions don’t always have to come from our company’s leadership.”

Partnerships, not takeovers

A major part of what makes a successful collaboration to grow the company’s portfolio lies in the mechanics of the relationship formed by that collaboration. For Roncoroni, it’s about partnerships first, acquisitions second.

“We take the approach of creating partnerships with other companies when we diversify. We seek strong, enduring relationships instead of competing with them,” Roncoroni said. “We are partners first and foremost, and that’s why I think we’ve had some good success in diversifying what we offer our customers.”

Answering the right questions, aligning with existing organizational strengths and focusing efforts on what’s best for growers will continue to drive Grow West’s efforts to evolve through diversification.

“As long as we prioritize our customers and employees in finding the right opportunities, we can continue to evolve Grow West to make sure we’re around for our customers for a long time as they adapt too,” he said. “We will keep evolving our business to make sure we’re always relevant to our growers.”

2023 Crop Planning: Consider 2022 assessments, market opportunities in innovating next year’s crops

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 19:05:41 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2023

Growing Together Winter 2023 - 2023 Crop Planning: Consider 2022 assessments, market opportunities in innovating next year’s crops

It’s the off-season. Crops are harvested and planning for 2023 is underway. Make sure you replicate this year’s successes and avoid this year’s failures by focusing on the ways you can build on what’s worked and fix what hasn’t. Watching key market trends, adding steps like field-specific evaluations and assessments, then making informed crop and input decisions help you best lay plans for next year.

“It’s very important to conduct evaluations of each field, considering things like varieties, treatments and inputs specific to every piece of ground,” according to Grow West Technical Service Manager Layne Wade. “Write them down and consider them specifically in terms of how you can be more efficient and productive next season.”

Regardless of the crop mix, such assessments are key to your ability to make informed decisions for the 2023 crop year. Take those observations specific to every field, vineyard, orchard, grove or greenhouse and resulting insights on what worked — and what didn’t — in 2022 and apply them to this checklist as you develop your 2023 crop management to-do list:

Crop yield and quality
Management systems and strategies, including IPM programs
Specific crop inputs applied throughout the season
Environmental conditions that impacted crop performance

Think about these conditions and variables in an overall financial context, specifically the ROI of crop inputs and their influence on yield and quality. Wade also advises thinking about other financial variables like crop insurance programs employed and their contributions to overall revenue.

Have the conversation with your PCA

Once you can tell the story of your 2022 crops with these types of agronomic and financial performance information, get in touch with your Grow West team, starting with your PCA. The conversation is especially important moving into next year, with expected logistical disruptions continuing to influence available supplies of things like crop protection products.

“PCAs play a major role in planning pest and fertility management and the economic levels of those programs,” Wade said. “Supply chain issues will continue to be an obstacle, so you need to have a plan and place orders ahead of time. This is very important in having the materials you need to maximize performance and ROI. Keep in mind that lower-cost product alternatives don’t always contribute to better, cost-effective management. A thorough assessment of past performance comes into play in helping determine what is best.”

Field-level trends to follow in making 2023 crop plans

Given the changes in some export markets in the last year, Wade advises ensuring you’ll have the same necessary market access or the ability to make necessary changes to ensure that access continues in 2023. Much like in 2022, accounting for available water and securing adequate labor to conduct key operations for whatever crops you grow and how you will manage them will again be major factors in planning your 2023 crop year.

“Picking crops and varieties that use less irrigation seems to be a priority. Labor is a very real issue as well, and some of these vine and seed crops require a tremendous amount of hand labor that is extremely time sensitive, and it can be difficult to cover the acres needed in an appropriate amount of time,” according to Woodland-based Grow West PCA Joe Malm. “Growers are paying close attention to weed management. Allowing weeds to get out of control in a crop for one year certainly can have implications 2-3 years down the road, and with the extreme labor costs for weeding crews, growers are really going the extra mile to diligently manage for the future.”

Market dynamics to keep an eye on

This combination of marketplace awareness and having the right products in-hand — whether familiar standbys or new tools like biologicals — will be especially important, for example, in the wine grape sector in 2023. Statewide annual output driven largely by drought has been below 2.2 million tons since 2019. But that’s expected to change, and it will be important for growers to watch market demand for signs of the most potentially lucrative varieties, then renew or extend contracts to lock in prices in case a “supply glut” develops and prices decline.

Once those pieces are in place, Grow West PCA/CCA Mike Boer said growers should focus on specific ways to sustain production in what is likely to be another dry year. That may mean considering new innovations to help overcome challenges like drought.

“The most significant innovations for 2023 and likely beyond will address drought tolerance, stress resistance and irrigation efficiency,” said Geyserville-based Boer. “Soil-applied biologicals and nutrients, as well as variety genetics, irrigation and weather-sensing technology and equipment are things to think about in the next year.”

If you’re considering changing crops to better utilize things like irrigation water, think beyond just the tools and inputs you need to raise them. In Kevin McCosker’s area around Lodi, the Grow West PCA has a lot of customers who raise forage and row crops that are marketed to the area’s dairies. Though they will sometimes make feed ration adjustments to take advantage of favorable market prices, larger dairies also contract feed supplies well in advance. Staying attuned to this type of local market dynamic can help fuel informed crop rotation decisions where growers have multiple annual crop options.

“Dairies are going to always have their plan as far as corn, forage and alfalfa. They really don’t skew from that very often. Silage corn, a three-way barley/wheat/oat mixture and alfalfa are all viable options depending on local demand,” McCosker said. “Water is the number-one variable, and seed companies are introducing modified seed that is drought- or salt-tolerant. They’re helping farmers plant a crop that can mature successfully being irrigated four times versus six. Paying close attention to nutrient management is critical too. Knowing where your ground has the highest nutrient- and water-holding capacity allows you to potentially manage in zones and in some cases can drive new variety selections and advance yields.”

Walnut orchard going into dormancy.

Choose innovations wisely

Adapting to challenging growing conditions isn’t easy. Things like drought and meager product availability often drive the opportunity to innovate and find new solutions. But that thought process shouldn’t be one of simply finding an alternative to a mainstay. Rather, it should sustain market-ready production in the short term and lay the foundation for improved crop output and quality further down the road. That sort of new thinking is most successful when it diverges from simple purchase decisions to the application of field-level data and observations from 2022 to operation-wide applications in 2023 and beyond.

“Change is hard for all of us, but we are good at adapting,” McCosker said. “Yes, there are some scenarios that will be hard to adapt out of, but things like planting cover crops, applying fertilizer at different stages and planting different crops to take better advantage of irrigation water are all things we can do to adapt and continue to increase yield.”

Talk to your Grow West PCA to start making your 2023 plans today.

Industry Engagement is Vital During Unsteady Times: Massive farm-level change clarifies need to engage next generation of growers

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 18:57:07 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2023

Growing Together Winter 2023 - Industry Engagement is Vital During Unsteady Times: Massive farm-level change clarifies need to engage next generation of growers

Don Bransford thought he had seen it all.

A third-generation farmer in Colusa, California, Bransford and his wife and business partner Diane oversee an operation that includes about 1,800 acres of rice and 200 acres of almonds in the Sacramento Valley, a region that supplies the U.S. with most of its sushi rice.

Normally a hub of activity as well as a symphony of wildlife noises for most of their 42 years running the farm, no amount of planning could have prepared the couple for 2022.   

Don Bransford, owner of Bransford Farms.

“The troubling aspect of this is it’s not a fire. It’s not a flood,” Bransford said. “Visually, most people don’t see anything, but my fields are tilled. So there are 1,800 acres of bare dirt.”

It’s just one of the reasons the rice grower and longtime Grow West customer has prioritized industry engagement and leadership locally all the way to the federal level. Though there’s much that’s out of his control — like the multiyear drought that led to some tough decisions in the last year — there’s a lot that he is willing and able to do.

Speaking on behalf of his industry and fellow farmers takes him out of the fields he loves so much. He has long seen his engagement in regulation and policymaking as vital to the industry’s future whether in times of general prosperity or — more as is the case in late 2022— when challenges sometimes seem insurmountable.

From higher education to rice fields

The 1980s was a tsunami of bad news for many in agriculture. Interest rates rose to a high of 21.5% in 1981. In response to the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan, President Jimmy Carter halted grain shipments to the USSR. After record production, there was a glut of farm commodities, and prices sank. Land values plummeted as much as 60% in some parts of the country. In 1984, farm debt hit $215 billion. Farm foreclosures soared.

It was in this economic climate that Don Bransford left the life of a college professor for the uncertainty of farming.

“The interesting thing is my first rice crop was planted in 1980. And we had record prices for the rice crop and I thought ‘Wow, this is a pretty good deal,’” said Bransford.

Reality reared its ugly head in year two.

“All hell broke loose and we went from three lucrative markets to zero markets,” Bransford said. “The rice price was $14.00 and went to $7.00 and the ground that was selling for $4,200 based on that pricing went to $2,000.”

Cyclical moves like that are what contribute to agriculture being a profession not suited for the faint of heart. But Don and Diane — eternal optimists — never questioned their choice or looked back.

“Life is a journey. There’s always some good that comes from each of your experiences,” said Don. “They may not all be good, but we’ve been very happy with the choice we made.”

A lifetime of engagement

In the corporate arena, it may be viewed as a return on investment. On the farm, one may be tempted to call it “giving back.” But in an agriculture community of approximately 4,000, Don has taken it to the next level.

His service to agriculture and his community is wide-ranging; he currently serves on the Board of the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District and is the past Chairman of the California Rice Commission, the California Rice Producers’ Group and the Northern California Water Association. He was also appointed to the State Board of Food and Agriculture, the Bay Delta Advisory Council of CALFED and to the State of California, Governor’s Advisory Drought Planning Panel. In addition, he’s testified before the U.S. Congress on Farm Bill matters. Don’s engagement stretches beyond agriculture, too, as he also served on the Colusa Unified School Board for 33 years.

Why devote so much time and energy to such a range of organizations touching on both his community and agriculture? Don sees part of it as a function of age.

“Engagement is important. I’m a little older. I worry that the younger farmers; they obviously are trying to build businesses but I’m not sure they all see the importance of this engagement. If they want long-term success, they’ve got to figure out how to engage. Maybe it’s the old guy’s responsibility to figure out a way to help them engage,” Bransford said. “That’s my concern for agriculture because hired experts are fine, but at the end of the day you’ve got to have farmers in the room to intelligently talk to legislators and regulators. I just think that makes a big difference.”

Bransford overlooking his rice fields, what once was a hub of wildlife activity.

A tireless advocate for California agriculture, Bransford believes that for many consumers, there is a disconnect concerning the origination of their food.

“For many people, food comes from a grocery store. We need to help them understand we’re not using all the water, polluting the environment. It’s becoming more and more important to educate the public that it takes water to grow food. We produce the safest food in the world, and we don’t want a country of imported food.”

Grow West plays an important role in engagement on multiple levels to help the impact of California agriculture, according to Bransford. This includes sponsorship of the California Farm Water Coalition , a non-profit organization that works to help consumers, elected representatives, government officials and the media make the connection between farm water and the food supply. 

Water is increasingly the target of state and federal regulation that limits availability for growers like Bransford, with both short- and long-term implications. Drastically shortened water availability for agriculture has real implications for Grow West and its grower customers in the short term. But in the long term, those ramifications of things like year-over-year moisture shortfalls broaden the influence of uninformed policy targeting agriculture.

“I think with the recession and the price of food, people are waking up and seeing supermarkets are not as stocked as they used to be. It’s all about drought and not being able to produce the commodities that we do,” he said. “The impact on fresh produce, that’s going to really take a hit.”

An Uncertain Future

Legendary underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau once said, “we forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one.” It’s a sentiment not lost on any farmer. 

“We’ve had two years of precipitation in the last three years, so we’re one full year behind and that’s caused a huge dent in the supply coupled with the warming climate.”

Irrigation canal that once had surface water deliveries flowing through to rice growers like Bransford.

 In a normal dry year, under the terms of a deal with state and federal water agencies, Bransford would receive a 75% supply of water from the Sacramento River. This year, he could only be guaranteed 18%. Without a reliable supply of water, he had no choice. For the first time in over 40 years, Don Bransford made the difficult decision to forgo a rice crop and fallow his fields.

A report from the University of California Merced found that the 2021 drought cost over 14,300 jobs in the state, with economic losses totaling $1.7 billion. The costs from this year’s drought are expected to be 50% higher.

Bransford describes the outlook as “dire.”

“In some respects, this is like the market crashing. You’re rolling along and you’re doing fine and then the next day the market crashes. Then all of a sudden, you may be overextended,” he said. “You say ‘Well, you know, I’m not going to do that again.’ And I think most of us are probably going to weigh more heavily on where our investments are in terms of ‘Do I need that new piece of equipment? Or should I buy a used piece of equipment instead?’” 

Unsettling quiet

In previous years, the Bransford farm provided habitat for a stunning array of wildlife. The flooded fields and the waste grain were critical for the winter survival of migrating birds.

Rice fields that would typically serve as wintering habitats for wildlife.

In a normal year, there can be upwards of 230 species of wildlife — birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles — inhabiting Bransford’s rice fields. The Sandhill Cranes usually stop in the fields in September.

Not this year.  

“There is nothing. I have roosting poles out on my land for hawks. No hawks. I’ve not seen a coyote. I’ve not seen a fox. I’ve not seen a skunk there. There’s nothing, and certainly no snakes. Hopefully, the impacts will not be lasting but only time will tell.” 

This silence tells Bransford that beyond the lack of wildlife activity this year, the multiyear drought facing his area will have other effects even when more “normal” conditions return. Water availability and environmental stewardship will continue to be hot-button issues. And it will be up to future agricultural leaders to stay engaged in the regulatory and policymaking processes to meet the challenge head-on in changing what they can and working around what they can’t.

“I think there’s always going to be pressure to use less water and how the water’s distributed. The environmental stewardship this state prides itself in will always create pressure in agriculture,” Bransford said. “My concern on that is agriculture’s engagement, and I don’t think we will make headway unless we engage and do so in a new way. You have to pick and choose your battles, but you have to take the time and know you’re going to have an impact. You just have to stay at it.”

The Recipe for a Strong Family Business Succession Plan

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 18:34:34 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2023

Growing Together Winter 2023 - The Recipe for a Strong Family Business Succession Plan

Maintaining a family agribusiness in California today is no easy task. Risk factors like high land and input costs, water availability, regulation and consolidation all pressure local, independent businesses. That pressure ratchets up at key times in a business’ life cycle, like when transitioning it to the next generation.

Lois Lang, Psy.D., succession readiness specialist with Evolve Partner Group.

It’s against this backdrop that the Lyman family — led by brothers Les, Scott and Tom — enlisted Lois Lang to help assemble a business succession plan that maintained Grow West as an independent family business. It’s an often complicated planning process that combines the mechanics of business operation with sometimes sensitive family relationships. Overcoming the hurdles this combination can throw up starts with a clear, shared vision for the future of a business as well as the acknowledgment of the inevitable.

“You have to determine the next leaders, then plan on the transfer with the family. Mixed into all of that is the fact that eventually a family business member will be passing. That’s the crux of succession planning in my mind,” says Lang, a succession readiness specialist with Evolve Partner Group in Stockton. “It’s hard to look at our own mortality in such a business-related process. It takes maturity and a lot of discipline.”

Succession planning is sometimes an emotional process

A Psy.D. in industrial organizational psychology and MBA, Lang has worked with many farm and agribusiness families to build succession plans. She knows well that agriculture is unique in the emotional ties created by working the land or supporting others in doing so. Strong succession planning for a farm or agribusiness shouldn’t spurn those ties but integrate them into building a “healthy” process for all involved.

“The big question to ask in looking at any business is ‘Are you truly letting go?’ You have to be ready to look at the business and its future,” she says. “A lot of farmers aren’t very communicative, but it’s really important that the whole family — mom, dad, kids, cousins, their spouses — agree and have the same ethics when it comes to sustaining a business.”

Common traits of effective succession planning

Lang says effective succession plans have a few common characteristics:

A shared vision . Sometimes a difficult step in the process, it’s important to enter into succession planning with agreement among family members and stakeholders.
Realistic expectations . Lang says her goal with any family business succession plan is to “help sustain family wealth and security.” All stakeholders should agree on how they define success, and in some cases, that may involve making a tough choice about the future of a family business.
Discipline. It’s sometimes easy for emotion to guide the decision-making process in assembling a farm or agribusiness succession plan. Have the discipline to first build a strong plan, then follow it over time. Changes can and should be made over time as the business evolves, but in doing so, stick to the original succession vision. On-going estate, tax and business planning require discipline to implement.
Not basing decisions on “what dad or grandpa did before me.” Especially in agriculture, this mindset can make it tough to successfully pass a family business to the next generation. Think about the best strategy and tactics for your family, not what your predecessors did in the same situation.
Clear roles and responsibilities. Every family business stakeholder should have his or her defined role in both the business and succession process. Some may not be as directly involved in the business as others or have different responsibilities altogether. Clearly defining these roles early on is fundamental to the success of a transition to the next generation.
Teamwork. This extends beyond family members. Lang sees herself as one member of a team of specialists who can deliver on the components critical to any effective succession plan. Legal, tax, business and financial specialists are also members of the team family business owners should involve early in the succession planning process.

Grading the Lyman family business succession plan

Lang has helped assemble scores of family business succession plans with a range of effectiveness and ease of implementation. Working with families is challenging at times and rewarding at others, and she says the Lyman family has been in the latter category. She attributes that to their approach to not just Grow West as a business, but their lives and family legacy in general.

“They’re not ostentatious and over the top. They’re very thoughtful and want to make sure their children and spouses are prepared to continue managing the business with the same kind of mission and values their fathers and grandfather did,” Lang says. “The next generation is made up of very mature, successful people who aren’t sitting around waiting for something to happen. For me, this has been a great one.”

If interested in exploring your business succession plan, Lang can be contacted directly with questions at Evolve Partner Group .

A Family Affair: Succession planning builds a firm foundation for Grow West’s future

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 18:21:43 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2023

Growing Together Winter 2023 - A Family Affair: Succession planning builds a firm foundation for Grow West’s future

Harvey Lyman started Ag Chemicals Inc. in 1951 with hard work and an inherent respect for agriculture and the families who made it their livelihood. The predecessor of the current generation of Grow West leadership instilled that ethic into Les, Scott and Tom Lyman. Today, his three sons are driven by those same ethics in leading the company as owners and board members.

Les is the oldest of the three brothers who today is integral to Grow West’s daily operations. Continuing his father’s legacy of service in agriculture has never been far from the top of his mind since he joined his father’s company full-time in 1974. For the last decade, that’s meant the development of a family business succession plan.

“By the time my dad passed away, all the important things were protected, but some of the things weren’t, so we had to sell assets to pay taxes,” says Les, current chairman of the Grow West board of directors. “I burned into my brain right then and there that if I wanted to keep this business, I didn’t want to stick anybody with a tax bill.”

The Lyman brothers. From left to right: Tom Lyman, Scott Lyman, Les Lyman.

Why succession planning is so important

From day-one, the Lyman brothers knew their succession plan wasn’t just for their own family. Grow West has around 350 employees today, and Scott — two years younger than Les — said he and his brothers were compelled to both protect their assets and demonstrate their long-term commitment to the company’s employees and local presence.

“We feel a responsibility to all of our employees,” Scott says. “We’re not intending to sell out, take our money and fall into all of the consolidation that’s happening in agriculture right now. We all know we have a responsibility to our employees and customers.”

That responsibility is huge to the Lyman brothers both today and in moving the ag retailer into the next generation, says Grow West President and CEO Ernie Roncoroni.

“Our customers want to know that they are investing in and working with someone who’s going to be here tomorrow,” Roncoroni says. “I truly believe that Les and his brothers view this as their father’s company, their family’s company, and it’s their job to shepherd it to the next generation.”

Adds Scott: “We want customers and employees to see our commitment to this transition. It gives them stability that they want to hitch their cart to this company, and they can trust us and trust that Grow West will be around.”

The right team is critical to a rock-solid succession plan

Lois Lang enables the Lyman family to get that job done. The succession readiness specialist with Evolve Partner Group in Stockton is the key team member the brothers called upon to help develop their succession plan. She brought a combination of skills ranging from business planning to psychology to the process of identifying the right succession strategy.

“Les and his brothers have been extremely disciplined, and that’s the crux of succession planning in my mind. You must have a clear vision and objective,” says Lang, an MBA and Psy.D. in industrial organizational psychology. “Recognizing our mortality is not something anybody wants to talk about, but it’s part of the succession planning process.”

Lang sees balance between business and personal issues as a component of many effective succession plans. Doing so depends on open communication and alignment of values and goals. That wasn’t a problem for the Lyman family.

“From day-one, we’ve never had significant issues and we’ve all gotten along,” says Tom, the youngest of the three Lyman brothers. “We were all motivated by and committed to the common goals of serving our customers and preserving the family business.”

How to integrate the next generation

A big part of the Lyman family’s process was to recognize the involvement of the next generation, or “generation three.” Les wanted to integrate business education into the process to prepare his successors as future owners of the family company.

“Even if they’re not actively involved in day-to-day work, they’re going to have to be educated on what it takes to be a responsible owner,” says Les, who describes the family’s succession plan as “aggressive, well-consulted, thought-out and in-process.”

Tom’s quick to point out that his generation’s successors won’t be somehow anointed as business leaders without the work required to prepare for their evolved roles in Grow West’s future.

“We’ve made it clear to them that their name won’t guarantee an executive role in the business. Our expectation is that they prove themselves and work through the process,” Tom says. “There will be no crowning of a successor that’s not earned.”

Specific strengths of the Lyman family succession plan

It’s just as important to instill the passion the Lyman brothers share for agriculture and paving the future for Grow West as a family business.

“Our father embodied leadership, stability and responsibility. You can’t afford to lose those things,” Scott says. “We are working to instill these principles as we maintain our family’s connections to agriculture and our customers.”

Tactically, that involves frequent face-to-face meetings involving all family business stakeholders. That’s not easy for the Lyman family that has members scattered around the country.

“We’ve had some virtual meetings, but it’s so important to get everybody together and build relationships face-to-face,” Tom says. “As we pass the baton to them, the chances of long-term success will be better because they have strong relationships.”

Lang says she’s witnessed a lot of “craziness” in some family business succession planning processes. That’s not been the case with the Lyman family. She grades them highly for prioritizing personal, transparent communication as they evolve their succession plan.

“They’re very mature, successful people in their own rights who have successful careers,” Lang says of the successors’ generation. “They’re not sitting around waiting for something to happen. They are really looking at the business and how to continue what grandpa started.”

Outside the family, having the right people in clearly defined roles is important, especially in impressing those requisite qualities to the succeeding generation. That group is something Les has worked hard to maintain.

“You don’t have to go to this mountaintop by yourself. Don’t hesitate to get others involved,” Les says. “We have a management team that I’ve taken very careful steps to assemble who are extremely competent, and we have some succession built in there.”

Value of the succession plan to Grow West employees and customers

That management team led by Roncoroni is critical to the family’s ongoing succession plan in other ways.

“We want the next generation to feel they can trust Ernie and his team to be stewards of the business, trust them to make good decisions and oversee things to make sure that we’re doing it with the right structure, ethics and philosophies that our father instilled in us,” Tom says.

Roncoroni knows he needs to maintain a level of separation between family matters and those directly affecting the Grow West business, and his role is shaped by that acknowledgment.

“I am purposefully staying away from the succession planning process because that’s not my role. My role is to run the company on a day-to-day basis and I report to the board,” says Roncoroni, who became Grow West CEO in 2017. “I have passion and am honored to work for the family, but I make no bones about it that I’m not family. I’m here to do a job on behalf of the family and respect whatever they decide.”

Longtime Grow West employee and current Vice President of Human Resources Samantha Hanley sees practical benefits of this mutual respect and trust daily. The Lyman family’s long view gives her confidence that Grow West will continue to live up to its reputation among current and future employees, something that’s ultimately good for the retailer’s bottom line.

“The Lyman family genuinely cares about their employees. In turn, that’s why the employees care about the company,” Hanley says. “The family’s commitment to the company is important to us from an employee recruiting and retention perspective, and it helps us maintain our competitiveness from a human resources standpoint.”

Those tangible benefits will continue well into the future because the Lyman family has accounted for them in how the company operates today and how it will in the future, according to Grow West Vice President and COO Lucas Schmidt.

The start of Ag Chemicals Inc. Pictured: Previous employee of Harvey Lyman.

“The Lyman family takes great pride in being present, and that helps us manage the day-to-day functions of Grow West. I saw that prior to even joining the company,” says Schmidt, the team’s “newcomer,” having been with the company for five years. “They’re also forward thinkers who take the appropriate steps to support and enable us to do our jobs, today and tomorrow.”

Les knows the succession planning work isn’t complete. He and the entire Grow West family — whether named Lyman or not — will continue to take necessary steps in the future to ensure Grow West is in the best position for when the generational transfer time arrives.

“I hope when it’s time for me to pass along decision-making duties — if I don’t die with a thump — the family is reasonably prepared to assume the roles they need to in order to do my job as an owner,” Les says. “You have to be ready to make changes if tax laws or regulations change. Be aware of your assets and what you have. If your long game is to transfer it to your family, go out and get started. Then maintain that vision.”

Engaging Your Team in a Time of Workforce Changes

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 18:10:08 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2022

Growing Together Summer 2022 - Engaging Your Team in a Time of Workforce Changes

The labor situation continues to cause pain for a lot of companies right now, and it presents specific challenges to ag retailers. Overcoming those challenges takes new ideas and an evolved approach to attracting and retaining top talent for just about every position from the office to the field.

Pictured left to right: Grow West Human Resources Generalist, Tina Garcia, and Vice President of Human Resources, Samantha Hanley.

Realistic work experience requirements from the employer and similar realism in the job candidate’s expectations for filling a vacant position are hugely important in building and maintaining an effective, high-performing team. What’s considered “realistic” on both fronts has changed, especially in the last two to three years, according to Grow West Human Resources Vice President Samantha Hanley.

It’s a cause for an evolved approach to assembling the right team, something that’s always high on Hanley’s daily priority list. It requires breaking the sometimes generations-old mold for personnel management.

“We’re always reviewing job descriptions and requirements to make them more realistic. With increased wages and benefit costs, we’re re-evaluating the definition of what makes someone an ideal new hire,” said Hanley, who’s based in the Grow West Woodland headquarters. “Sometimes, that means hiring someone who has a good foundation and can be trained for a specific role. We are looking more at skills and knowledge versus education and formal training alone.”

Why transparency matters when discussing benefits

Sometimes a job candidate or experienced employee sees current or prospective basic wage or salary and considers that the only important number. Benefits like health insurance, retirement savings and profit-sharing are increasingly important things to account for in total compensation.

That acknowledgement is important not just during the recruiting and job-seeking processes, but also with existing team members. Transparency with benefits, their cost to the employer and value to the employee is key to a productive relationship between the two, whether it’s a job candidate or seasoned worker.

“We create total rewards statements so everyone sees the total cost of their benefits. People tend to look at just the dollars they make, but when you start laying out company benefit, all of a sudden they see what they are actually getting,” Hanley said. “Being transparent about these benefits helps showcase what a company is really investing in its workforce. And when it comes to interviewing new candidates, realism and transparency make it so you’re not wasting anybody’s time in the process. You want them to apply for the job and realistic pay, and you want to be realistic in what you can offer them.”

Evolve to stay competitive in the labor market

The labor marketplace is always changing; while it’s challenging employers like Grow West right now, it’s possible to attract and retain top talent by staying attentive to and evolving with the general market trends. In Grow West’s territory, one trend Hanley watches isn’t even in agriculture. Construction companies compete with ag businesses for many jobs, so when home-building and commercial construction is booming, it pulls potential job candidates away from Grow West. The opposite is true when building slows.

“You have ebbs and flows to watch in so many other markets. When we start seeing housing slump and mortgage interest rates rise, construction slows. When that happens, we start seeing an influx of job candidates since they are very complementary skillsets for a lot of our positions,” Hanley said. “Staying on top of trends like that helps us plan things like employee recruitment that help us maintain the right workforce.”

Aligning with the right people and organizations can also help you evolve in the right ways to maintain a productive labor force. Industry associations like Western Growers can provide resources on things like property and casualty insurance, medical benefits and salary guidance to help assure you’re offering employees the right incentives and evolving to stay ahead of the HR curve. Such membership arms ag businesses with up-to-date industry information and enables us to listen to workers’ needs with an informed ear.

“We always ask what employees are looking for when it comes to compensation and benefits, and most importantly, whether they’re happy. It gives me an idea of how we need to evolve to continue meeting their needs,” she said. “Just listening, then adjusting things like holiday pay, performance incentives and benefits really makes a big difference.”

Engage with community to increase awareness

While there are cases when job applicants are simply seeking improved wages, Hanley said part of her strategy for attracting and retaining top talent revolves around the Grow West commitment to being engaged in the communities it calls home. That presence — whether helping out with local high school activities and food drives or simply having the Grow West brand being visible around town — affirms the company’s commitment to the communities it calls home. While that’s fundamental to the entire Grow West family, it also demonstrates to job candidates that being part of the company goes beyond a simple wage.

“We attract a lot of potential employees just because they’ve seen our name around the community. Along with maintaining low employee turnover and a safe work environment, that’s something that definitely helps us evolve to attract and retain talented workers,” Hanley said. “I think when you sit down and talk about these things with employees, they realize these things have value in what we can offer them.”

Contact Hanley at shanley@growwest.com if you’re interested in learning more about how you can evolve your business operations to optimize labor.

Changing Techniques to Address the Battle for Water

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 17:51:36 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2022

Growing Together Summer 2022 - Changing Techniques to Address the Battle for Water

As the landscape of California has changed over the years, one topic remains at the forefront of every grower’s mind: water. Grow West is developing partnerships to provide innovative, evolving solutions to the omnipresent problem.

Prior to the recent five-year drought (2012-2016), water supply allocations were not as concerning for agricultural contractors in areas north and south of the Delta. By 2014, this changed significantly. A drought state of emergency would be declared as well as the passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) in 2014. SGMA would establish a framework to protect groundwater resources for the long-term, placing importance on recharging basins. However, what the act didn’t foresee is the return of widespread drought conditions, a significant decrease in runoff since the 2017 water year and no rain on the horizon in 2022.

The domino effect water has presented to all residents in California is substantial. However, the changing water landscape also brings opportunity to evolve and innovate for a better tomorrow. Grow West PCA Nathan Azevedo recognized an opportunity to address water challenges by changing the perspective of water management for crops. A Maxwell native and fourth generation farmer, Azevedo was privy to the impact water allocations placed on rice growers in his community. “Three or four years ago, we had plenty of surface water and the irrigation district was lenient on how much you could use. Now, they’re checking meters and charging exactly what you use,” said Azevedo.

Azevedo watched as agricultural technology companies from Silicon Valley began to extend their irrigation management offerings to his neighbors. “These companies would initially set you up with water management tools, but if you required further assistance or had technical issues, you were on your own,” he said. The lack of service support and water would lead to the inception of Azevedo’s company, WaterLabs, an irrigation consulting business providing management recommendations for a variety of crops based on real-time data from the field and backed by University of California research. His goal: provide an integrated water management program focused on the long term.

Grow West PCA, Rachael Wilson, and WaterLabs intern, Jonathan Rodriguez, checking soil moisture probes.

Maximize ROI through an arsenal of water management tools

As Azevedo began to explore water management tools, he realized an integrated approach would be required to yield accurate data and provide the most return on investment for the grower. “Water is king, it’s everything. For example, if you stress your trees, it impacts nut size, growth, nut fill and your fertilizer applications,” said Azevedo. “On the other hand, too much water can create a higher disease environment and increase pest pressures.”

Water requires balance, which makes the integrated approach necessary to maintain stability in farming decisions. This balance includes using the right amount of water at the right time and understanding how your irrigation system applies water.

There are several tools within the water management space to determine when to apply water and how much. Two of the tools that WaterLabs incorporates into their management programs are soil moisture probes and pressure bombs. Soil moisture probes provide measurements of moisture at varying depths in the soil. Data pulled from the probe shows when the irrigation system is turned on/off and where water infiltration has occurred. The probes present a precise indication of how much moisture is in the root zone. Pressure bombing can also help determine and monitor crop stress. Essentially, the device is a ‘blood pressure test’ for tree leaves. Testing a leaf in the pressure chamber will show how much water the tree is pulling from the soil and provides a baseline for creating an irrigation schedule tailored to each block. By calibrating soil moisture probes to pressure bomb readings, you can estimate when and how long irrigation is needed to prevent or encourage crop stress (specifically during hull split).

WaterLabs combines the data sets from these tools into a summary report growers can easily understand. Grow West PCA Rachael Wilson utilizes the reports to consult customers on irrigation schedules and crop stress. In reviewing the summary reports, she has witnessed growers change their perspective around water management, “Most growers are over or under irrigating and don’t realize it until they see the data from these tools. Utilizing water management tools has helped some of our customers see 20-40 percent water savings. That’s money back in their pocket that can be rerouted to other farming inputs.” Growers can utilize summary reports to show their water usage and initiative in managing water in the face of SGMA and other regulations.

Wilson performing a pressure bomb.

A dynamic year requires a change in perspective

In a growing season impacted by early frost events, reduced water allocations and inflation, Wilson is working with growers to modify their water management programs to meet stringent crop needs and budgets. With lighter crop loads in almond orchards, growers may be stressing their trees more than usual before harvest. Wilson is there to help monitor this stress and ensure the trees remain fruitful for the following season. She explains to address these changes it’s important to remain open-minded and be flexible. Having discussions around the investment and long-term benefits of water management is part of this.

“Change is hard. We all like to live in our comfort zone of how things have always been done in the past, we eyeballed what our water usage was. Now, we have the option to incorporate new water management strategies to apply water more efficiently,” said Wilson. Water management doesn’t just consider water usage, it also examines crop health and orchard/vineyard longevity. The full scope of water management must evolve to include an understanding of water quality.

WaterLabs partners with Apollo Ag Technologies to prioritize water quality with customers. This year, several growers within the Sacramento Valley are using groundwater to irrigate for the first time and its water quality is typically poor when compared to surface water. Water quality can directly impact distribution uniformity (DU), soil quality and fertilizer applications. For example, 90 percent of nitrogen uptake is through water. If your water quality is poor and you’re not irrigating correctly, your fertilizer application efficiency is significantly reduced.

Steven Perry, Grow West PCA, reiterates the importance of water quality with his customers. “We often irrigate too much or too little before realizing our water quality is what’s impacting soil penetration. Just because we have moisture doesn’t mean it’s necessarily available to the plant. Water quality determines the usefulness of our field inputs.”

In their partnership with Apollo, WaterLabs can offer DU testing, irrigation system flushing and line clean out options to growers. The Grow West team is also available to take water samples to diagnose and address water quality issues.

Adapting to change by evolving as your growing partner

The water challenges in California are not going anywhere any time soon. But with an innovative team on your side, addressing the changing landscape can be easier. To be a better partner for growers, Grow West acquired WaterLabs in 2021 to grow and evolve current water management strategies and strive for continued improvement.

“Water management is like a puzzle,” Azevedo said. “You can’t see the complete picture without taking into consideration irrigation technologies, scheduling, water quality and crop nutrition. If we can help our growers address these changes and ease into an integrated approach, it’s a win for both of us long term.”

The Grow West team is committed to providing the full service of WaterLabs. Therefore, we will continue to look for new innovations that improve irrigation efficiency while providing ease of use for growers. As WaterLabs has been integrated into Grow West’s services, the PCA team has shown interest in the capabilities water management offers. “With the changes in water impacting crop production and health, it’s caused a lot of people in the business to reassess how they irrigate,” said Perry. “PCAs are working closely with Rachael and myself to make adjustments to their growers’ water management programs.”

Grow West’s service area is unique. As such, the approach taken focuses on service and detail. Our team of experts will continue to target your specific crop needs through these changes so we can evolve and adapt, together.

‘Keep Chugging Along’: Potter Valley wine grape grower defies early critics, embodies evolution

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 17:31:48 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2022

Growing Together Summer 2022 - ‘Keep Chugging Along’: Potter Valley wine grape grower defies early critics, embodies evolution

Guinness McFadden, McFadden Family Vineyard & Farm Proprietor.

From the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York, to the University of Notre Dame and the U.S. Navy overseas, including the Mekong Delta during the Vietnam War. That was Guinness McFadden’s path — about as long and meandering a journey possible, literally and figuratively — to becoming one of the most innovative growers in the Potter Valley of Mendocino County. He navigated much of that journey from behind the wheel of his British racing green 1962 Jaguar Mark 2 sedan.

He’s still got that Jag that even accompanied him to Europe during his military service there. The now 60-year-old automobile serves as a reminder of the three-word mantra that’s driven his operation since the first days when he learned of vacant agricultural land in Potter Valley.

“Keep chugging along,” said McFadden, whose McFadden Family Vineyard & Farm was established humbly in 1970 and today produces unique red, rosé, sparkling and white wines. The self-professed outsider was first bitten by the agriculture bug when pursuing a graduate degree at Stanford University alongside many of his Navy veteran friends and former colleagues. The young veterans were from all over the country but shared a common mindset: none of them saw the transition from military service to corporate America to be much of a savory idea.

“After serving in the Navy for nine years, I went to Stanford Business School, so that’s what got me to California. Probably two-thirds of my class at Stanford were former Naval officers like myself, and we didn’t look too fondly on the notion of a corporate existence,” McFadden said. “Most were like me: going to business school to delay the inevitable decision we’d all have to make.”

So when the chance opportunity arose to begin what has become a multi-generational vineyard and herb farm, he jumped at it.

“One of my classmates was from Texas with an ag background. He came to school one day with a United Farm catalog and there was a place for sale in the Napa Valley for a potential vineyard,” McFadden said. “I liked the notion and went and looked at it. Then, I quit Stanford and started looking for more ground to plant vineyards.”

McFadden pictured with his farm pup, Annie Oakley, in his 1962 Jaguar.

An ‘up-and-down adventure’ in defying critics

It was far from a storybook beginning.

“I didn’t know what I was doing. And I was the first outside guy,” McFadden said of the early days of his operation. He taught seventh and eighth grade at a local school to save money he’d later invest in establishing grapes. Other local growers had doubts. Many thought his specific location would not yield quality, high-demand wine.

“When I did start raising a crop, there weren’t a lot of people who thought the grapes would be any good,” McFadden said in recalling the early days. “Finally, once I started harvesting and delivering, people said they were pretty good.”

Undeterred by his early critics who questioned his establishing grapes in an area known to be difficult to consistently raise the crop because of frequent frost, McFadden’s first 23 acres would be the foundation for the now 160-acre vineyard (the entire farm covers more than 500 acres) that feeds Blue Quail, the label he established in 2003. Today, the range of Blue Quail wine includes Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Rosé, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.

“I learned from immersion and experimenting. I developed a trellis system by modifying previous ideas. With things like that, I’ve been pointed in the right direction by others. I can’t say all ideas we’ve tried have been mine to begin with,” McFadden said. “I have done a lot of things that haven’t turned out well at all. I’ve tried a bunch of stuff because I thought it’d be worth trying. You don’t hit a home run every time you get up to bat. It’s been an up-and-down adventure.”

Though he was able to continue to grow and evolve from day-one, McFadden said it took over three decades before he looked back and thought “I’ve made it”.

“When I produced my first wine label in 2003, it was 33 years after I started this farm. I knew by then that the stuff I was growing was good,” he said. “Since then, we’ve gone on and continued to expand what we put in our own label. I think it’s shown that my initial risk was well-taken.”

A spirit of innovation and evolution

It’s his willingness to swing for the fences — occasionally driving in runs via singles or doubles when he couldn’t quite connect on a long ball — that’s characterized McFadden’s operation from the early days. When he’s seen a need to evolve, he’s evolved. And in just about every case, those evolutionary steps have involved more than what’s grown on his farm. To McFadden, the people are what makes his operation.

“One of the things I’ve done that’s been helpful is to find other things to do outside of the actual time when we are working in the vineyard. Having the same people working the soil and working the vineyard year after year is helpful, and year-round work is important to making that happen,” he said. “So, we started growing herbs thinking if this land is good for growing quality grapes, it means the same climate would produce an herb with high essential oil values, and that’s what makes a quality herb.”

McFadden and his foreman of 47 years, Jose Medina.

McFadden’s team also grows plants and assembles them together for wreaths that are marketed at Williams Sonoma stores in the U.S. It’s another output he added in recognition of the importance of maintaining a consistent, loyal workforce. As he’s evolved his operation over the years, he’s done so with an eye on taking care of his employees, knowing their absolute essential roles to his success.

“Labor is such a critical issue here, and in recent years, there have been a lot of ups and downs,” he said. “We have a core group of 10 to 12 employees, and my farm foreman has been here for 47 years. The next guy in seniority has been here for 35 years.”

Ask McFadden his secret in managing his workforce, and he’s quick to tell you he doesn’t have one. It’s more a matter of mutual respect and the practical application of experience in working together, something he learned during his military service.

“I learned in the Navy to listen to the people who work for me. That’s how I run my farm,” McFadden said. “I may not speak to my foreman for days, yet things keep chugging along. He’s always driving around seeing what has to be done, and I rarely countermand what he says he wants people to do. When we have a problem, we look at it and fix it.”

Evolving with an eye on his natural surroundings

It was that practical approach to every part of his operation — and his appreciation for the resources at his disposal — that started McFadden on a path that’s seen him change how he produces and consumes energy in raising crops on his diversified operation. A chance recommendation by an irrigation drip system salesman in in the late-1970s led to the establishment of a hydroelectric power installation on the Russian River, which runs through McFadden’s operation.

Medina checking berry quality.

He converted an outdated dam into a modern power-generating structure in 1980, then began adding solar panels about 20 years later. “I never bought any drip systems from him, but the next thing I know, I have a plant that utilized a six-foot fall in the river with a dam upstream from it. Now, we have a 16-foot fall and produce power for our house,” McFadden said. “I became intrigued with solar and about 25 years ago, we put in a bunch of solar panels.”

Though still “on the grid,” he said between the solar and hydroelectric installations, the operation is essentially self-sustaining on energy. In fact, the 300 solar panels and dam generate enough power for 100 other area homes.

Why evolve and change?

It’s a question many growers may ask themselves when facing challenges that require major change. For McFadden, it’s been simple. Change isn’t always easy, but the willingness and ability to evolve have been fundamental to his operation ever since he first steered his Jaguar Mark 2 westward.

“I’m not into giving advice because I’m not qualified to do that. Ever since the first couple of chances I took, I have tried to always evolve in ways that if everything falls apart, it’s not going to be a terminal blow to the farm,” he said. “Early on, I didn’t have much to lose anyway, so I wasn’t very cautious. I’ve tried to be a little more conservative and deliberate as I go along and consider ways to evolve this operation. Just do what you think is right and do it as well as you can. Keep your eye on the marketplaces for what you want to grow, watch your costs and go from there.

Port of Long Beach Evolving to Snap Supply Chain Logjams

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 16:54:31 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2022

Growing Together Summer 2022 - Port of Long Beach Evolving to Snap Supply Chain Logjams

The Port of Long Beach is a massive hive of around-the-clock activity that connects U.S. consumers to the world marketplace, including ag products like grain, fertilizer, crop protection products and machinery. And in the last few years, it’s been a critical pivot point in supply chain disruptions that have challenged countless businesses and consumers, including ag retailers like Grow West.

More than $200 billion in cargo — 90 percent of it coming from or going to east Asia — passes through the 3,500-acre port complex and its 10 piers and 80 berths every year. That’s around 78.5 million metric tons of cargo in around 9.4 million container units. Six of the port’s 22 shipping terminals are devoted to handling dry bulk materials, with five for liquid bulk materials. The remaining 11 terminals handle container shipments, rolling stock and “break bulk” material like lumber and steel. In all, this capacity makes the Port of Long Beach the second-busiest port in the U.S. and part of the ninth-busiest port complex — alongside the Port of Los Angeles — on the planet.

The Port of Long Beach is part of the supply chain for many products California growers need. Today’s logistical hurdles at the Port of Long Beach and others around the world are part of the interconnected race to get products to and from consumers and producers around the world. But they’re just one variable in the longer equation of getting things like fertilizer and crop protection products from overseas producers to the growers’ fields, orchards and vineyards.

“It’s all one complex chain and takes a lot of planning, especially in the ‘last mile’ in getting products to our growers,” said Grow West Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Lucas Schmidt. “Our role in addressing the problem starts with moving away from a just-in-time buying mentality. Earlier planning helps prevent surprises from shipping delays, even if it’s from something happening across the world in Shanghai, China. We’re constantly working to overcome and alleviate the challenges and make sure our growers have what they need, when they need it.”

Why the port’s been so disrupted

The region where the vast majority of the Port’s cargo is destined or originates — including China, South Korea and Taiwan — is home to major raw material manufacturers and exporters of ag products like fertilizer and crop protection products. When global supply chains were stretched and broken by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Port of Long Beach was on the frontline of navigating — literally and figuratively — some of the most challenging circumstances for labor and trucking shortages in global product movement. It’s a fight that’s not over, and one that stretches all the way to the farm gate.

“A surge of imports that began in July 2020 has complicated the supply chain for many U.S. exporters and importers, especially those in agriculture. The surge was due to a shift in spending patterns in the U.S brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to Port of Long Beach Media Relations Manager Lee Peterson. “Specifically for agriculture exports, this has resulted in difficulty in promptly obtaining empty containers, as shipping lines were moving to get empties out of West Coast terminals and back to overseas destinations, as a means of reducing congestion in the ports.”

What port authorities are doing to evolve

The import surge and the complications resulting from macro-level variables like the COVID-19 pandemic have pushed port leaders to make changes to break up the logjam that’s sometimes left Panamax vessels waiting offshore for weeks before docking at the terminal. Managing vessel traffic and creating new efficiencies have been key targets for updating facilities and operations. It’s a massive, long-term investment that Peterson said will ultimately ease congestion and restore the movement of goods and products. These improvements are part of a $2.6 billion investment aimed at “enhancing marine terminal productivity, delivering greater efficiency to our customers and improving the sustainability of our operations,” Peterson said. Those investments in the port’s strategic infrastructure over the next decade include:

On-dock rail projects to help speed cargo through the port complex. “In addition to helping to speed cargo through the port complex in general, on-dock rail is beneficial for agricultural exporters in particular, as it aids in the shipment of overweight loads,” Peterson said.
A traffic management system in which vessels will be able to “take a number,” creating order for inbound traffic and preventing congestion at the port. “In late 2021 we began to allow ships leaving Asia to take a number, slow steam to the port complex and wait their turn about 150 miles off the coast,” Peterson said. “This eased at-anchor crowding, improved navigational safety and most importantly, reduced coastal emissions.”
A “Supply Chain Information Superhighway” will create new efficiency and cargo movement visibility by enabling shippers to make scheduling, planning and payment decisions prior to arriving at the port. Peterson said this will speed the movement of cargo from the port to the broader supply chain and to its destination.

Short- and long-term port activity outlooks

Shipping logjams, traffic jams and other supply chain hitches won’t disappear at the Port of Long Beach immediately. Peterson said he expects a challenging remainder of 2022, with some disruptions lasting into 2023. But continued innovation and management evolution will help ease those frustrations in the long term.

“The outlook for the rest of 2022 is for continued high levels of imports as retailers meet upcoming demand for the holiday shopping season. We do expect the empty container availability to reach equilibrium, providing more availability to the shippers who need them,” he said. “In the long run, we support transitioning the supply chain to more 24/7 operations at the Port and beyond. Without expanding our terminals or building new facilities, we could not handle more cargo even by operating 24/7.”

Further down the supply chain and closer to the farm gate, Schmidt recommends growers stay in communication with their ag retailer to stay ahead of potential issues that could disrupt product availability. Working with a partner you trust enables you to sustain and grow your operation well into the future.

“Who has your best interests in mind? It’s so simple yet so complex at the same time,” Schmidt said. “I just think these are the times when you should think about your partnerships, who you trust and where you want to do business. Trust is a huge component to the kind of planning that enables everyone to stay on top of challenges like the supply chain today.”

Peterson encourages any shipper who needs assistance in managing vessel logistics to contact the Port of Long Beach Business Development Division by phone at 562-283-7750.

Anticipate Change and Be Willing to Adapt: An approach to overcoming the volatility of agriculture

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 16:45:29 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2022

Growing Together Summer 2022 - Anticipate Change and Be Willing to Adapt: An approach to overcoming the volatility of agriculture

Les Lyman, Grow West Owner + Chairman

For more than 50 years, I have had the privilege of working in agriculture. In that time, I’ve witnessed one of mankind’s oldest industries — the production of food — evolve and accelerate to feed a nation.

Just 100 years ago, California primarily grew grains on broad-acre, unirrigated land similar to the Midwest. The major shift in our production practices took place after WWII as the modern farming revolution began.

Fertilizers, pesticides, seed technology, plant breeding, viticultural and horticultural advancements, mechanical innovations and irrigation systems quickly became available. These innovations now seem basic compared to the sophisticated practices used on our customers’ operations today. But at the time, they enabled growers to evolve to make massive strides in the quality, quantity and diversity of what they produced.

The post-WWII era and revolution in ag innovation was a tipping point for California agriculture. Early adopters and innovators started to shape the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys, first taming our wild rivers and constructing water storage and delivery systems that opened tens of thousands of acres to ag development. From there, they planted fruit trees on irrigated land and evolved to the 400 plus commodities we currently produce. It soon became obvious cultural practices on the farm needed to change as we became aware of erosion and subsidence. Being stewards of the land became just as important as producing food. Agriculture moved forward.

Watching this industry grow and evolve — from my time as a boy growing up in a small farming town to my time as a grandfather — has always left me looking to the future. What’s next for agriculture? How do we continue to stay ahead of the challenges?

I believe the formula for success in agriculture is simple: anticipate and embrace change. Change is constant. Adaptation and evolution are keys to overcoming the challenges of today and tomorrow. In this newsletter, you’ll read about Guinness McFadden, a grower who adapted to grow wine grapes in Potter Valley. As an outsider to the region with minimal agricultural knowledge, McFadden faced critics early in his journey. Instead of letting those critics shape his future, he chose to double down and immerse himself in grape growing and wine production, experimenting and taking chances when necessary. Innovation and evolution continue to define his business.

Conversations around water management have changed as the battle for water continues. Drought, water allocations and regulations are at the forefront of production decisions. Responsible water use and management now require precision and meticulous attention to detail. This all has brought forth an influx of technology and efficiency tools. But water management today is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Our team recognizes the need for tools and resources that are simplified, customized and yield the best results. To address these changes, Grow West acquired WaterLabs in 2021 to better equip our growers with water management knowledge and innovations. We’ll provide an update on WaterLabs in this issue.

Lastly, we will discuss the evolution of management resources taking place across ag business operations. Today’s labor marketplace calls for out-of-the-box thinking. The ability to evolve starts internally — transparency, partnerships and community involvement need to be considered. Being open-minded to making these adjustments is the first step in ensuring we sustain a happy and successful talent pool in agriculture.

Seeing the scope of agriculture change and how our team adapts has left a fire in my belly for the future. Though our widgets may be similar to other ag retail partners, the quality of our leadership and employees is unmatched. Change is impacting all of us, but there is one thing that will not change: Grow West employees will continue to provide the same industry-leading level of service while evolving to meet your changing needs. We will continue to value the relationships built as your partner, neighbor, family member and friend.

Our team, customers and partners are my inspiration. I look forward to the future as we embrace the changes in agriculture together.

Best,

Les Lyman
Owner + Chairman

'Compassion Will go a Long Way’ in Supporting Emotional and Mental Wellbeing: Reducing the Stigma of Mental Health Care

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 16:39:59 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2022

Growing Together Spring 2022 - 'Compassion Will go a Long Way’ in Supporting Emotional and Mental Wellbeing: Reducing the Stigma of Mental Health Care

Samantha Hanley, Grow West Vice President of Human Resources

Inflation. COVID-19. Drought. They’re the types of things causing major stress for anyone working in agriculture right now. In extreme cases, that stress can be disastrous to personal health and well-being.

That’s why at Grow West, we take the mental and emotional well-being of our employees, customers and community members so seriously. Especially at a time when it seems stress underlies just about everything we do, supporting well-being starts with a single — sometimes very simple — act.

“It’s all about listening, not just hearing people when they share their struggles with you. It’s active listening and helping out how you can,” said Grow West Vice President of Human Resources Samantha Hanley. “Whether it’s financial strain or something like a child struggling at home, it’s important to listen and help however you can.”

Develop relationships to help manage stress

Open communication may be the first step in the process, but it’s also the foundation for a broader effort to caring for the mental and emotional well-being of ourselves and others. Especially in a professional environment like at Grow West, getting to know one another — especially those with whom you work closely — is an important way to help proactively manage stress.

“You have to know your employees and colleagues. You can’t expect to have open communication if you don’t have a good relationship. Building that relationship and getting to know people so they’re comfortable with you when they do need help or resources is a huge part of stress management,” Hanley said. “That comfort level grows over time, but you can set up the foundation that you truly care. Don’t pry. And don’t just pretend, but actually show you care. Investing time and energy in your employees and colleagues pays off in so many ways.”

Watch for signs of stress

Sometimes it’s difficult to tell when a person is experiencing undue pressure or stress from work, home life or anywhere else. But in many cases, there are warning signs; changes in how a person speaks, for example, might indicate elevated stress levels. Hanley encourages everyone to be attentive for changes in communication tone or frequency that could be a sign that it’s time for a conversation.

“Everyone needs people they can trust when they need to have the conversation, but it’s just as important to connect the dots when you notice changes in behavior that show a person is under a lot of stress,” she said. “We don’t always know what’s going on in someone’s life, but checking in and showing empathy — whether as an employer, co-worker or friend — can help you understand what someone needs and what could help reduce the stress triggers that are so common today.”

Knock down the stigma of mental health care

Proactively creating a working environment in which mental and emotional stress is addressed and minimized isn’t easy. There is sometimes considerable stigma to having a conversation that involves discussing vulnerability to stress that erodes mental and emotional well-being. It’s massively important to demonstrate any such stigma should not impede someone communicating his or her health needs in times of high stress. Sometimes that process starts with providing the right resources, then starting the conversation when a stressed employee or colleague is ready.

At Grow West, for example, an employee assistance program (EAP) provides team members with mental and emotional health resources that can develop into more active stress management.

“We’re starting to see more awareness of the importance of good mental health, and we’re doing more to help support it for our employees, their families and everybody in our community,” Hanley said. “Our EAP provides some great benefits — including up to six free counseling sessions each year — that can help eliminate the stigma of mental health and get people what they need to safely manage their stress.”

Start the mental health conversation

If you feel your mental or emotional health being eroded by stress, reach out to a colleague, friend or family member. If you notice signs in someone else, be ready to take action to help how you can. It can be a formal effort including additional resources — like counseling appointments — or a simple conversation started by listening. Hanley said Grow West is more attentive than ever to the importance of action, especially with the stress facing everyone in its community right now, and encourages team members to reach out to a colleague or anyone else at Grow West if they feel they need help — for themselves or someone close to them.

“We all have things in our lives that we might not be mindful of. Working toward good emotional and mental well-being is all about treating people with respect because you don’t know the crises people are going through. Compassion will go a long way.”

The Trifecta of Effective Vine Mealybug Control: Consider the Right Products, Scouting and Guidance when Knocking the Pest Down in your Vineyards

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 00:31:56 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2022

Growing Together Spring 2022 - The Trifecta of Effective Vine Mealybug Control: Consider the Right Products, Scouting and Guidance when Knocking the Pest Down in your Vineyards

Left unchecked, vine mealybug can cause yield losses in wine grapes across a broad range of growing conditions. In many vineyards, the pest’s a fact of life; eradicating it completely is extremely difficult. Fortunately, vigilant scouting, a range of control products and the right management program and guidance can help prevent it from causing economic losses.

Vine mealybugs on a grapevine.

Different ways vine mealybug hits a grape crop

Vine mealybug is a season-long problem requiring scouting by a PCA early in the season. The pest can cause economic damage to wine grape plants and fruit in several ways. First, it feeds on trunks and stems, pulling sugars that are later excreted as a honeydew that promotes the development of black sooty mold. Those excretions also attract other insect pests like ants. Finally, the pest can vector viruses, some that can be potentially fatal.

When hampered by vine mealybug damage, a vine becomes more susceptible to other crop diseases, some of which are viral. And when plants are infected with more than one disease, it can cause sudden vine collapse and plant death.

The influence of weather and growing conditions

How early vine mealybug begins damaging plants depends on the specific weather conditions and how they influence the bug’s ability to overwinter and establish an early first generation, according to Matthew Ehlhardt with the Grow West Technical Service team. Vine mealybugs can overwinter under vine bark, along a plant’s trunk and even in root systems. This makes them next-to-impossible to eradicate and escalates potential losses.

“Where we’re warmer and drier, they could be popping their ugly heads out earlier this year,” Ehlhardt said. “That necessitates our PCAs to be on top of scouting early and identifying any potential problem areas.”

The size and layout of vineyards also has a lot to do with the development of vine mealybug pressures. Larger adjoining vineyards that comprise more of a large-scale monoculture system are more likely to face vine mealybug pressures.

“In the Valley, it’s a totally different growing environment compared to the coastal areas as far as the layout of the vineyards. We have bigger acreages and they’re more contiguous in the Valley,” said Grow West Technical Service Manager Layne Wade. “There are vineyards packed next to each other in some areas versus being separated by hills. In those situations, the pest can move and spread much easier from block to block creating more of an infestation environment.

Vine mealybug treatment options

Sandy Valera is one of the PCAs responsible for diagnosing vine mealybug pressures in the North Coast region. Growing conditions there are different than other Grow West regions; temperatures are normally cooler, meaning fewer vine mealybug generations each year. Whereas there are normally between four and six generations further inland, growers in coastal areas like Sonoma County are more likely to see between two and three each year. Farther south where temperatures are higher year-round, it’s not uncommon to see up to 12 generations each year.

“You can’t be complacent with vine mealybug. You have to be vigilant and aware because if it starts small, it’s not going to stay small,” Valera said. “Being aggressive in mitigating damage will save you in the long run. But if you ignore it, it will be harder to manage in the end. Thankfully, the tools we have will fit into standard spray programs.”

Those tools comprise multiple product types and modes of action to manage the pest including:

Soil-applied neonicitinoid insecticides
Foliar-applied insecticides
Insect growth regulators
Pheromone mating disruptors

“Growers who don’t have severe populations or infestations may get away with mating disruptions,” Ehlhardt said. “It’s best to not rely on one tool alone and put all your eggs in one basket. Pheromones and disruptors don’t eliminate a population but can bring it down.”

Consider these other factors in controlling vine mealybug

Cost, equipment, labor and regulation contribute to the most effective, practical solution, Valera added. “The solutions must be economically viable,” she said. “While labor is the biggest issue with a lot of treatments, there’s a growing problem going forward in how California is going to regulate neonicitinoid pesticides. That’s going to impact our ability to rotate chemistries effectively.”

Communication and having the right team and partners in place are fundamental to ensuring vine mealybug doesn’t reach economic damage thresholds. While that team includes informed PCAs, it also calls for a “neighborhood watch” approach, Valera said. This sort of collective strategy is about more than monitoring, though, Wade added. Applying pheromone products in large areas contributes to minimal vine mealybug damage over long periods of time. But it must be cost-effective.

“The longer you use pheromones, the greater the effect on the population. But it’s often an economics-driven decision and not necessarily a necessity in every vineyard,” Wade said. “Some groups are trying to encourage all growers in a region to adopt pheromone disruption, because you minimize the infestation potential from the beginning. Then from a PCA’s standpoint, we can add insecticides on top of that region-wide pheromone control for broader, vineyard-specific control. The pheromone becomes the foundation of a more comprehensive approach.”

Communication is key to effective control

Regardless of the specific combination of controls you use to manage vine mealybug, the team you employ to manage the pest across your acres is a major component of a successful strategy. Valera emphasized communication between a grower and PCA as being another major part of the foundation of effective control.

“Grow West has a communication style that is very different from other companies. There aren’t a lot of cards held close to the chest. It’s an open, free exchange of ideas,” she said. “It’s really important to develop a strong rapport between scouts, PCAs and growers so everyone knows what’s working and what’s not working. We bring that to the table at Grow West.”

Talk to your Grow West PCA if you want to explore options for knocking down vine mealybug on your operation.

Header image provided by Statewide IPM Program, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Hard Work, Diversification Are the Past, Present and Future for Robben Ranch

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 00:20:36 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2022

Growing Together Spring 2022 - Hard Work, Diversification Are the Past, Present and Future for Robben Ranch

From left to right: Scott, Elizabeth, Amanda, Gene and Spencer Robben

About a decade after starting his family operation, Gene Robben found himself at about the lowest spot possible for a farmer and rancher to whom agriculture is everything. It’s a point many like him have reached and from which not as many have recovered.

“Hard times,” said Gene, the now 71-year-old patriarch of Robben Ranch.

“Times were tough. 1981 almost took us down,” said Spencer, Gene’s 51-year-old son who works alongside his parents and brother Scott, 50, to manage the family operation. Today, their family operation — including Scott and Spencer, mother Liz and sister Amanda — comprises multiple business units, maintains a beef cattle herd and raises as many as 10 crops each year.

What started out as a beef cattle ranch nearly 50 years ago is today a broadly diversified operation. Each new addition over the years has been deliberate and based on lessons learned along the way, hence the general success of the evolution.

“That’s the level of commitment it takes to be successful in this arena at this time,” Spencer said. It’s a philosophy that’s been fundamental to how the family has diversified its Dixon, California-based farm and ranch.

The right opportunities, people and time

Today, Spencer and Scott manage S&S Farms, the family’s row crop operation. The family and its workforce also manage Robben Orchard Company, Robben Land Company and a trucking division under the Robben Ranch umbrella. Though a cow/calf herd is still a large part of the operation, the family’s added almonds, sunflowers, tomatoes, dry beans, corn, wheat, alfalfa, Sudan grass, grain hay and sugar beets over the years. Some ventures have come and gone, while others remain today.

Aerial of the Robben operation in Dixon, California

The boys describe Gene — who took the reins in 1980 after buying his father’s beef cow herd — as the “driver” of the operation who instilled into his family the importance of hard work. Rarely does a member of the Robben family slow down. And that philosophy was there from the day Spencer and Scott began working into the operation.

“When we were growing up, we worked on the farm, then our parents said ‘Hey boys, go get an education and make good on what you’ve learned. It was never ‘Hey, get an education and you’re coming back to the farm,’” Spencer said reflecting on when he finished college at Cal Poly. “Scott got a degree in business and I got a degree in crop science. Our parents gave us the opportunity to add what we learned in school if we wanted to.”

The combination of work ethic and willingness to diversify will be fundamental as the brothers integrate their now-college-age children into the operation much like Gene and Liz did for them. They both plan to offer the same opportunity to their own children, especially given its importance to the future of Robben Ranch and its future diversification of the next generation.

What the Robbens’ diversification means on the ground level

Maintaining a resilient, economically viable operation like the Robben’s doesn’t happen overnight. Economics is the obvious driver of every step toward a more diversified operation, Scott said. Especially considering the investment required in most cases, every new crop or business unit added must offer revenue potential well into the future. Scott points to sugar beets as an example; years ago, the family raised them on up to 2,000 acres, but when revenue dwindled, the family moved away from the crop.

“Thinking about diversification every year helps us stay adaptable,” Scott said. “We’re always looking down the road for different sources of income and thinking about things like labor and how they contribute to revenue potential. By thinking about it all the time, we are able to react quickly when markets show us where we can make money.”

But it’s not always cut-and-dried. Agriculture is cyclical, as is the revenue potential of individual crops and products. Spencer thinks about this often as he considers future diversification through the lens of what’s worked — and what hasn’t — in the past. Both boys always looking for new tools and technology like efficient machinery, precision irrigation and crop fertility innovations that contribute to the operation’s resilience.

“There are always peaks and valleys, but we work hard to flatten those curves. We do that through diversification, vertical integration, being progressive with technology and spreading out equipment, labor and supplies across multiple crops when we can,” he said. “It’s like building a chair: four legs are great, but if we can somehow add more legs, that will always be better.”

The importance of a team approach

Ask any member of the Robben family and they’re all quick to say they couldn’t do everything they do on their own. It’s truly a team approach; while they work hard to fairly compensate their workforce for their productivity and loyalty, labor is just part of the equation for Gene, Spencer and Scott. “We have surrounded ourselves with honest, hard-working people” Gene said. Case in point: They’ve worked with Grow West and its predecessor companies for decades. This collaboration has contributed to the family’s ability to evolve, diversify and stay adaptable.

“We’ve had relationships with the Grow West team for years. When my brother and I were in college, our current Grow West PCA was one of our good friends,” Spencer said. “We know that the Grow West approach to business — having good people you can trust to do a good job — matches ours. We rely on them for service, support, know-how and knowledge. But it’s their loyalty that bonds us all together. Grow West is an extension of our family.”

Looking down the road, Spencer said his family will sharpen its focus on what they can do to ensure the operation is well-positioned for the next generation to take the reins when the time is right. Though the specific diversification to make that happen remains unclear, one thing is certain: Robben Ranch will be around for a long time.

“Our children have a responsibility in our succession plan, and we will rely on them to bring a new vision to the table. Will that mean developing a construction division, growing olives and pistachios, or getting more into the fresh market? That remains to be seen,” Spencer said. “We don’t make decisions based on short-term thinking. Our lineage is here to stay, and we’re going to get through any hard times. We’re here now and we’re going to be here tomorrow.”

Rethink In-Season Crop Nutrition with Attention to Key Growth Stages and Timing

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 00:12:12 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2022

Growing Together Spring 2022 - Rethink In-Season Crop Nutrition with Attention to Key Growth Stages and Timing

The many challenges facing growers in our area create a lot of uncertainty but also present new opportunities to innovate, adapt and improve current management practices with economically sustainable methods. Integrating a science-driven crop nutrition program targeting key growth stages is one way growers can ease in-season and long-term pain points.

Science-based programs

Science-based nutrition programs enable growers to better support crop development. Grow West is implementing this approach with our grower partners, allocating key nutrients throughout the growing season while keeping budgets in mind. The approach ensures timely nutrient availability, allows for maximum yield and increases overall crop health and vigor. The team has developed resources to help you identify the right products and application methods at key crop growth stages, specifically for grapes and tree nuts. These resources take into consideration specific challenges — like the freeze that hit the northern reaches of Grow West territory and its impact on fruiting wood development in younger tree plantings — and how the right crop nutrition can help overcome them.

Think in terms of the 4Rs: right nutrient, right stage/timing, right formulation and right place. Incorporating the 4Rs provides a complete, more effective nutritional program for growers that accounts for the variability of pre-existing and applied nutrients to ensure field- or vineyard-wide efficiency. In many cases, adhering to the 4Rs depends on critical quality stages (CQS) in vineyards and critical yield points (CYP) in orchards.

Critical Quality Stages in the vineyard

Timing is a big part of meeting vineyard nutrient needs and facilitating optimal crop quality and productivity. Critical Quality Stages (CQS) are key physiology stages of nutrient uptake that affect quality, yield and vineyard health.

Grape Critical Quality Stages and their nutrient requirements throughout the growing season.

Bloom, for example, is a key CQS in a vineyard nutritional program. This growth stage offers a window to maximize the uptake of key nutrients that influence cell division, fruit set, flavor, color and tannin development. Key nutrients to maximize during bloom are:

Boron (B)
Calcium (Ca)
Molybdenum (Mo)
Manganese (Mn)
Phosphorous (P)
Zinc (Zn)

Calcium is imperative in this timing because it supports stronger berry cell walls. Stronger, thicker cell walls provide enhanced color within the berries and increase mouth feel through tannin development. Synergized boron, molybdenum and phosphorous strengthen cell division, which also impacts fruit set.

Critical Yield Points in tree nuts

To maximize the 4Rs in the orchard, Grow West crop specialists have identified a series of Critical Yield Points (CYP) throughout the growing season.

Critical Yield Points are key physiological growth stages that:

Significantly impact nutrient uptake and use efficiency leading to more economical yields
Contribute to optimal application formulations and timing
Promote carbohydrate production and return bloom strength
Improve overall tree health and productivity leading to sustainable orchard lifespan
Achieve maximum nut drop at harvest for fewer sticktights and mummies as well as less future navel orangeworm

New tree plantings also respond well to the 4R’s and have CYP driven needs that impact long-term health and productivity. Supporting earlier, stronger growth and faster large leaf size increases photosynthesis which supports root health and development. Tailoring nutrient management programs for young plantings to CYP leads to faster fruit production, the ability to carry heavier crop loads earlier, reduced root disease pressure, increased transplant survival rates, and faster balanced tree growth.

Crop nutrition programs that account for CYP ensure specific nutrients are available and in the right forms during key physiological growth stages resulting in maximum nut size and maturity at harvest. The following examples demonstrate how to best account for CYP to maximize nutrient application efficiency, cost-effectiveness and general uptake for optimal crop vigor.

Optimizing crop nutrition during a key almond CYP

Nut bulking is a key CYP to consider in planning nutritional programs in almonds, especially as it relates to enabling the crop to manage heat stress. When optimizing crop nutrition in this CYP, consider output quality measurements like size, weight and uniform maturity at harvest. Optimal nutrition helps an almond crop better overcome heat and drought stress at this growth stage.

Walnut Critical Yield Points and their nutrient requirements throughout the growing season.

Almond Critical Yield Points and their nutrient requirements throughout the growing season.

Phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) are critical nutrients during this CYP. Nut bulking increases demand for potassium that supports stomate function, facilitates photosynthetic activity and builds phosphorous storage within the tree. Late-season carbohydrate availability — a product of photosynthesis provided by potassium — has a tremendous impact on the following season’s nut set.

During early-season CYP, carbohydrate production is driven by leaf expansion and chlorophyll production that build a plant’s photosynthetic capabilities. More large, chlorophyll-filled leaves promote increased photosynthetic activity that, in turn, leads to higher levels of carbohydrates in the tree. Ultimately, optimal carbohydrate production during the nut bulking stage leads to better return bloom and larger nuts the following season.

Walnut CYP for nut expansion to next season bud development

Developing walnut buds and shoots require sufficient micronutrient availability for vascular development, making this a key growth stage to watch in identifying the right crop nutrition program. Nutrients that influence yield potential during this CYP are:

Boron (B)
Calcium (Ca)
Cobalt (Co)
Copper (Cu)
Iron (Fe)
Magnesium (Mg)
Manganese (Mn)
Molybdenum (Mo)
Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorous (P)
Zinc (Zn)

Adequate supplies of early-season calcium enable nut cells to expand to their maximum size while retaining cellular strength, and magnesium, cobalt, manganese, iron and copper applications promote photosynthesis and carbohydrate production. In-plant carbohydrate production also improves when applying these products at the right time in the CYP. Increased carbohydrates help reduce alternate bearing, increase nut size and reduce May/June drop.

Communicate your nutrient needs to your Grow West team

The Grow West team leverages science-driven programs to develop nutrient management plans synchronized with your crops’ critical yield and quality stages. The result is season-long balanced crop health, production and return on investment. Grow West PCAs and technical advisors are ready to support growers in navigating through existing crop nutrition obstacles and improving current programs to achieve economic sustainability. As your growing partner, we will continue to remain strategic and adapt to what lies ahead.

2022 Crop Protection and Fertility Outlook: Navigating Broken Supply Chains

Sat, 02 Apr 2022 00:05:26 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2022

Growing Together Spring 2022 - 2022 Crop Protection and Fertility Outlook: Navigating Broken Supply Chains

The “long tail” of COVID-19, domestic and global logistical problems, and overseas conflict all contribute to massive challenges for growers in securing fertilizer and crop protection products. The good news is there are steps you can take to make sure you have what you need — or close to it. And the Grow West team is ready to help make that happen whenever possible.

Robbie Malm, Grow West Director of Procurement and Supplier Relations

“From the 30,000-foot view, it’s as challenging a market as it’s ever been,” said Grow West Director of Procurement and Supplier Relations Robbie Malm. “It’s as tough an environment as I’ve seen in my career.”

Adding to the list of challenges facing growers is strong nationwide demand — especially for fertilizer — and crop prices that incentivize acreage expansion in other parts of the country. This means even more price pressure for growers and retailers in the western U.S. like Grow West.

“Shifts in broad-acre crops around the country are huge when you start looking at supply chains and our ability to serve each acre,” said Grow West Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Lucas Schmidt. “Major price moves in broadacre crops like corn and wheat will continue to pressure product supply. Nobody probably saw that in forecasting product availability, and when you throw in all the global dynamics on top of what’s happening around the country, it’s no wonder we’re in this situation. It shows the just-in-time buying model doesn’t work anymore.”

Lucas Schmidt, Grow West Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

A shift away from that just-in-time buying is fundamental to weathering the current supply and cost storm. While retailers are planning further ahead to manage supplies, it’s not an overnight process; even when making such changes at the local level, there are no guarantees that they’ll translate into improved product availability anytime soon.

“We’re seeing changing behavior among retailers and growers alike. Those with storage and financial means are taking positions on inventory sooner than ever before. More suppliers are looking 90 to 120 days out versus 30 days,” Malm said. “The problem is on the production and logistics sides. It might take a product manufactured overseas 75 days to arrive, so that doesn’t leave a lot of time to catch up. The supply chain is fundamentally broken, but we can meet product needs when people can take positions earlier and plan further ahead.”

Schmidt and Malm know the impact these challenges have on growers. Rocketing costs and ongoing challenges like drought and labor make crop protection product and fertilizer prices and availability like pouring salt on an open wound. But despite supply disruptions — with some deliveries happening months after an order is placed — there are things growers can do to help work through the current situation.

Communicate early and often to avoid product logjams

Good communication and staying on top of news influencing crop protection markets are part of that effort. By staying informed on crop protection product and fertilizer price trends and the events influencing them, growers and retailers can make informed purchase decisions and stay ahead of expected price hikes. It’s a process that involves good communication between growers and ag retailers.

“I think everyone needs to be honest up-front, and if we can’t deliver, we need to share that. We need to prove to customers that we can deliver them products and information proactively and help them solve their supply situations now,” Schmidt said. “And if we can’t, we better be up-front and eliminate surprises where we can.”

With the quickness of today’s news cycle, it’s also important to avoid knee-jerk reactions to stories that may or may not influence the crop protection and fertilizer markets. Some issues do fundamentally impact prices while others are more a function of quick reactions that cause immediate fluctuations but may not foreshadow new trends.

“There’s a lot of reactivity today. Especially when we see record valuations for some products, it’s natural to react quickly and be jumpy,” Malm said. “Some issues like COVID-related disruptions and geopolitical issues overseas do have real impacts on the market. It’s important to know what is fundamentally important in making smart decisions.”

Make alternate plans and consider long-term changes

A close look at product prices shows varied reactions to marketplace disruptions. Products like glyphosate and glufosinate herbicides, for example, are widely used, so it’s a good idea to make sure you’ve got adequate supplies in place given the potential for broad demand spikes to influence prices down the road.

“These are high-use, high-demand and ubiquitous products. Since they’re the highest-volume products, we want to make sure we have a rolling 90 to 120-day forecast of those products and keep a ‘safety stock,’ so to speak,” Malm said. “Forecasting is an art form, not a science, and we have to make decisions based on the best information we have at any given time.”

Bearing specific product availability in mind, Malm recommends growers do their homework and prepare for anything they may need to apply throughout the year and communicate those needs to your ag retail partner. Then, be adaptable; create backup plans in the event your first-choice products aren’t available.

“I think it will be important to stay in constant communication with your local Grow West team and ideally, your PCA,” Malm said. “Have your ‘A’ strategy in place, then have contingencies — a Plan B, C and maybe even D. Being aligned, flexible and having contingency plans are important in a volatile market like today.”

Beyond meeting crop protection and fertilizer needs in the short term, Malm recommends considering longer-term changes you can make to your operation to shift away from high-demand products that may be in short supply well into the future. Adjusting production systems and being open to new or different options can help avoid falling into a logistical trap down the road.

“We no longer live in a world where supplies for some common products are unlimited or infinitely available. If you plan to use a fall burndown herbicide like glyphosate in your spring weed management program, for example, consider applying other pre-emergent herbicides in the winter months,” Malm said. “Develop that consultative relationship with your PCA and local Grow West team and formulate plans. Ask yourself ‘What am I trying to accomplish on my operation?’ Answering that question may show you can do things differently with the same results. But it can only happen with resilience and a strong relationship with your retailer team.”

Learn, listen and lean on each other: Three pillars to getting through a tough year

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 23:52:12 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2022

Growing Together Spring 2022 - Learn, listen and lean on each other: Three pillars to getting through a tough year

With one look around the countryside, you can see our land and crops — and agricultural families they support — are hurting. Historic drought is just one of a list of challenges facing just about everyone involved in agriculture in our region. We’re in uncharted territory.

Ernie Roncoroni, Grow West President + CEO

Tough times call for all of us to lean on each other, learn from one another, listen and communicate clearly. They’re the pillars of a resilient, adaptable approach that I feel will enable us to survive until the skies are fair and the land is bountiful. We will get there. Together.

In this newsletter, you’ll hear what we’re doing to help make that happen. That ranges from depending on one another to make ends meet in such a tough year for growers to emphasizing communication with both our grower partners and fellow Grow West employees. There are a lot of ways we can learn from one another in such a tough time. It all starts with good communication.

Fertilizer and crop protection product availability has challenged growers since the COVID-19 pandemic threw a massive wrench in the supply chain that’s yet to be completely remedied. It’s affected your productivity and our ability to deliver what you need to achieve optimal results. But we’ve all learned from the last few years, and you’ll read later about how we’re keeping our ear to the ground, planning further ahead than ever before and working closely with our grower partners to make sure we do everything we can to help you hit your goals on every acre. We’ll continue to make progress by working together and communicating clearly.

You’ll also read about Robben Ranch and the family it’s supported for over 50 years in the Dixon area. As the family looks to bring the next generation of leadership into the diversified operation, they’re working hard — the only way the Robben family knows how to work — to find the next way to evolve the operation to ensure it’s even more resilient in the future. Theirs is a story of all the things that make agriculture uniquely resilient and adaptable.

Finally, we’ll also discuss some of our efforts at Grow West to support the mental and emotional health of our employees, customers and others in our communities. Ensuring the stress applied by things like drought and inflation doesn’t reach a breaking point starts with the simple act of listening and opening the door to communication. Having an open, honest dialog is many times the best way to erase the common stigma around attention to mental health and take action to make sure no one is overwhelmed by the angst caused by the longest list of challenges I’ve seen in agriculture in my lifetime.

Yes, it’s a tough time for agriculture, and it may get tougher. Let’s lean on each other, learn, listen and communicate openly and we’ll make it through. At Grow West, we’re as committed as ever to making sure we’re all around and in this business we love for the long haul. We’ll do it by working together.

Best,
Ernie Roncoroni
President + CEO

Grow West Brings Christmas Magic to Walnut Grove Elementary School

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 23:47:23 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2022

Growing Together Winter 2022 - Grow West Brings Christmas Magic to Walnut Grove Elementary School

The magic of Christmas is special every year, but the Walnut Grove Elementary Toy Drive of 2021 held some extra-special Santa magic. After the COVID pandemic kept Santa at a distance in 2020, this year’s toy drive brought a sense of tradition back to the students at the school while wearing masks and limiting those present in the room.

Walnut Grove Elementary students with Santa and Les Lyman

“The kids look forward to this every year. A lot of families out here maybe can’t afford anything for their kids for Christmas,” said Walnut Grove Elementary Principal Carrie Norris. “It takes a lot to get ready for this event, but it’s well worth the effort.”

For more than a decade, Grow West has been spearheading a toy giveaway at the elementary school, which hosts children from preschool to sixth grade in the Walnut Grove and surrounding areas. The event exemplified Grow West’s commitment to supporting the communities they serve.

Walnut Grove Elementary students with Santa

“Thirteen years ago, Rick and Jeanette Davis, owners of River Rats Septic and Plumbing, approached us about helping out in the community,” explained Jessica English, Credit Manager at Grow West. “Our business has been built from the partnership and loyalty of our communities, so giving back each year is a way for us to show our appreciation for where our customers live.”

Walnut Grove Elementary students are asked to write a “Dear Santa” letter with a list of things they want for Christmas. The teachers at the school help narrow down the list to one or two toys and Grow West receives a list for each class. Then it’s time for the shopping to begin.

“We shop for each child individually,” said English. “It’s a personalized gift since they’re getting something from their wish list. We wrap each one and tag them with each name.”

“Many of these children come from disadvantaged families, and in some cases, this is the only Christmas gift they receive,” said Les Lyman, Owner and Chairman of Grow West. “This is just one of several things that Grow West does in our local communities that provides a small but memorable contribution to our role as an employer and partner in the towns where we live and work.”

Walnut Grove Elementary students

This past December, Grow West flew Santa in from the North Pole to deliver the gifts to students at Walnut Grove Elementary. The children were once again invited to speak with Santa and take pictures after having to keep their distance due to the pandemic in 2020. It’s a day of school to which every student looks forward.

“I’ve worked in multiple communities, and I haven’t seen a community rally around a school like this, the way Grow West does,” said Norris. “It’s true joy to be a part of it.”

Leading Industry Safety and Compliance: Grow West VP Ends Tenure with ResponsibleAg

Sat, 05 Feb 2022 23:40:17 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2022

Growing Together Winter 2022 - Leading Industry Safety and Compliance: Grow West VP Ends Tenure with ResponsibleAg

ResponsibleAg’s origins and work

After a tragedy at a fertilizer facility in West, Texas in 2013, the agriculture industry recognized the need for an organization to help ag retailers stay in compliance with ever-changing regulations and maintain safe, productive facilities.

Formed by members of the Agricultural Retailers Association and The Fertilizer institute, ResponsibleAg provides ag retailers and farm operators services that help them operate safely and stay on top of regulatory compliance. And Grow West has been a key player since ResponsibleAg’s inception.

“We had some very good partners in laying the groundwork for the program that provides regulatory resources for chemical and fertilizer dealers across the U.S.,” said Dave Ito, Grow West Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Safety, and a charter board member fundamental in the formation and development of ResponsibleAg. “I got involved after the West, Texas, fertilizer explosion but a group was working on regulatory compliance issues for retailers before that. We worked to build a program that can help ag retailers stay ahead of regulatory compliance requirements.”

Dave Ito, Grow West Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Safety

As part of the ResponsibleAg program, an audit checklist helps each ag retailer ensure he or she is meeting all regulatory requirements. ResponsibleAg staff and board members keep a close eye on both current and expected future regulations to prevent any surprises. This is accomplished by routine annual reviews of the audit checklist.

“The audit checklist is reviewed annually to ensure all regulations and reference documents are current, if any changes occur to regulations, or if there are any new ones. We try to make it an encompassing document to help members meet the expectations of an ag retailer from a regulatory standpoint,” Ito said. “ResponsibleAg has a technical committee comprised of knowledgeable experts from the ag chemical and fertilizer industry who have regulatory roles within the fertilizer industry. The technical committee discusses new and evolving regulations on the horizon that may impact the industry.”

Since he began working with ResponsibleAg, Ito has been able to directly connect his role with Grow West — and his value promise to grower-customers — to the group’s work in the regulatory arena. He’s been able to integrate his state’s regulation into ResponsibleAg’s work, ultimately helping ensure the Grow West team has industry-leading compliance training. That translates to safe facilities and uninterrupted service for grower-customers.

“California regulations are incorporated into our national compliance audit checklists,” Ito said. “It adds an extra layer of confidence for our customers to know our facility managers are up to date with regulatory compliance.”

How ResponsibleAg helps ag retailers stay safe and compliant

ResponsibleAg certifies auditors after they go through rigorous training to ensure they are experts in ag retail regulation and everything retailers must do to operate safely and stay in compliance. With regulation always changing and evolving for ag retailers across the country — especially in Grow West’s territory in California — ResponsibleAg offers major value to members who can maintain uninterrupted operations by staying in compliance and operating safely.

“Auditors are graded on their performance at a facility designed in the same model as today’s modern ag chemical and fertilizer facilities,” Ito said. “Some of the training involves scenarios where facilities and processes purposefully cause problems. It’s designed to enable auditors to identify any potential problems.”

Looking ahead

While the ResponsibleAg audit process helps ag retailers stay safe and in compliance today, its long-term goal is for participants to become self-reliant with regulation that Ito said he believes will continue to increase in coming years.

“The real intent of this program is for people to regulate themselves, or self-police,” he said. “The ResponsibleAg audit process is designed to take the guesswork out of staying in compliance and take the surprises out of what needs to be done and how to take care of your business.”

Given the term limit set for ResponsibleAg board members, Ito recently cycled off the group after serving since its 2014 inception. While Ito’s term limit may have ended with Responsible Ag, he is committed to continuing the effort of prevention and compliance within Grow West and he’s optimistic about the role of ResponsibleAg in helping ag retailers maintain safe, compliant operations well into the future.

“I’m proud of what we built, and I know ResponsibleAg will continue to keep the industry up to speed with safety awareness and compliance requirements.”

An Ag Commissioner on a Mission to Help Growers

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 22:54:48 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2022

Growing Together Winter 2022 - An Ag Commissioner on a Mission to Help Growers

As Yolo County’s largest industry, agriculture uses 85% of the county’s land – a number that is both challenging and rewarding for Yolo County Ag Commissioner Humberto Izquierdo. He’s worked in the office of the Napa County Agriculture Commissioner and as the Ag Commissioner of Alameda County during his 30-plus-year career as a public servant. But Yolo County is home.

Humberto Izquierdo, Yolo County Agricultural Commissioner

“I live in Yolo County and began my career in Yolo County as an inspector, so I feel most at home in my current position,” said Izquierdo. “I really appreciate the diversity of commodities we grow here. Since joining Yolo County in January of 2021, it’s been both personally and professionally rewarding.”

Proactively managing challenges in Yolo County

Izquierdo keeps grower challenges a priority so he can proactively address issues and help the local agriculture community remain successful. The current drought is one such challenge, forcing many growers to prioritize their water needs beyond simply providing crops adequate water. While his office has no authority on water issues, Izquierdo tries to provide information to growers and provides feedback to county entities on their concerns related to water and the drought. Regular communications are provided to growers in the county so they can better plan and prepare for their own water use.

Izquierdo is also passionate about keeping pests and disease from crippling farms in his county. Given the county’s agricultural diversity, his team stays attentive to a range of pests and diseases. For instance, parts of the county, primarily Clarksburg and Zamora, focus on grape production. Coordination with nearby counties like Napa County is crucial to prevent pests that could harm wine grape production. Izquierdo’s staff trap for pests of concern – not just for Yolo County but for the state as whole – and help prevent widespread infestations.

“Some pests can cause significant loss of production,” said Izquierdo. “Broomrape in tomatoes, for instance, is a parasitic pest that has been somewhat hard to control. The key to staying ahead of a pest like this is to work closely with farmers and others in the industry to properly identify fields that may be affected. This particular pest can also affect crops like sunflowers, peppers, and carrots, so it’s important to solve it quickly.”

Pests can be costly for growers, with infestations resulting in either destroyed or must-be-destroyed crops. However, pest eradication can also be costly to growers. It may feel like a lose-lose scenario for growers, but Izquierdo is committed to working with each farm to determine the very best plan for them and their neighbors. The key is open and honest communications.

“I want Yolo County growers to know that we will work with them to quickly and accurately identify the problem and give them realistic and fair alternatives to remove it,” says Izquierdo.

Staying ahead of pesticide regulations

California regulations restrict application of several pesticide products that have been allowed for use in the past. Izquierdo’s staff are building a program that will help growers dispose of legacy pesticides in a way that helps protect people and the environment of Yolo County.

“Growers may have products that haven’t been used in a while,” explained Izquierdo. “They need to be disposed of properly, so they don’t negatively affect the groundwater or wildlife in the county. We are working with other neighboring counties to propose a Legacy Chemical Disposal program. This free program will allow growers to dispose of their older chemicals in a safe manner. We hope to have more information about this program available soon and expect to host it in late spring or early summer.”

For now, if growers are needing to dispose of restricted pesticides, Izquierdo offers these two options:

For unopened containers, many companies or retailers will take it back. Contact the original seller to see if this is an option.
For opened containers, use the remaining product according to label directions if you need to, or send it to a hazardous waste facility. Many times, the same vendor that disposes of farm oils and lubricants can also remove pesticides.

One of the biggest responsibilities on Izquierdo’s shoulders is looking ahead for growers in Yolo County and making sure they are positioned to be as successful as possible. A statewide pesticide application notification system proposition is getting his attention today.

“A statewide system may not be realistically feasible,” said Izquierdo. “There are such different issues in each county in the state, making a statewide program useful in some counties but not helpful in others. In Yolo County, we take pesticide application violations very seriously, issuing fines if needed. The state is hearing our perspectives and have agreed to hold community and grower meetings to gather comments on their proposal. I’d encourage Yolo County growers to voice their opinions when these meetings are held. We want to get to a system that isn’t so burdensome that no one will comply, or it will be dismissed outright.”

Helping build trust between farm and consumer

In the Yolo County Ag Commissioner’s office, Izquierdo and his staff are also responsible for implementing programs that help farmers export their commodities and build trust in the marketplace. These are functions of the as-is export certification program, and weights and measurement inspections.

“We focus on things like pesticide regulations, because we know more and more consumers are worried about the health and safety of their food,” said Izquierdo. “Our office also issues certificates for export to make sure agricultural products meet the entry requirements of each country. We want consumers, both domestic and foreign, to be confident that the produce and nuts grown in California are of the very highest quality and safety.”

Izquierdo’s staff is also responsible for weights and measurements across the county, certifications that may often be taken for granted. But certifying weights and measurements is another way to build consumer trust.

“With weights and measurements, we focus on consumer protection. We certify all the weights and measurements in any facility that may sell by weight, ensuring their scales are accurate. If you’re buying apples at a grocery store, you want to make sure that you’re paying for a full pound of apples. Certifying those scales is part of that trust,” explained Izquierdo. “We’ve expanded certifications to gas pumps, propane and other commodities that are sold by weight, volume or measure to make sure the consumers are getting what they are paying for.”

Working for the unsung heroes

Despite the many roles and responsibilities held by the Yolo County Ag Commissioner, Izquierdo is enjoying the pride that comes with working on behalf of California growers and farm workers.

“In California, growers are the unsung heroes,” said Izquierdo. “It’s amazing how bountiful our county is, not only in the diversity of crops we grow, but in the quality of the crops. Our growers create so much open space in the state, too. How lucky are we to see almonds in bloom or fields of sunflowers or the mountains in the backdrop of our view? It’s an intrinsic value that enhances our lives, thanks to California growers.”

Contact the Yolo County Agricultural Department by clicking the button below:

From Classroom to Cafeteria

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 22:43:42 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2022

Growing Together Winter 2022 - From Classroom to Cafeteria

When Woodland High School ag instructor and FFA advisor Jerry Delsol started a small garden to aid in teaching his plant science class, he could not have imagined the opportunity it would create to engage his students and give back to the local community.

Though it started out as a small garden, it began to flourish under the care of Delsol and his class, with the produce harvested going back to the school’s students and faculty. The Woodland High School principal began to take notice and presented Delsol with the idea of starting a “Farm to Fork” class. Two days later, Yolo Farm to Fork helped construct a classroom curriculum for the following school year and pledged to donate the tools, materials and anything else the class needed to sustain the new project.

The curriculum for the new class includes how to grow, maintain, harvest and clean crops, as well as basic plant science, pest management and soil fertility. Delsol built the curriculum around the idea of demonstrating the science of crop production and how his students can build school pride by giving back to their community in meaningful ways. “This class creates new windows of opportunity,” said Tara Mitchell, a senior at Woodland High School. “When I come back to the school to visit after graduation, I want to hear what the students have learned compared to what I learned in the class and see the impact that the class has made.”

Give to the community, and the community gives back

Since September 2021, the students and members of the Woodland community have grown and harvested over 640 pounds of produce that they’ve donated to the school cafeteria and the Yolo Food Bank.

Students and families have helped maintain the garden on weekends, and community members have donated time, resources and financial support. The “Good Neighbors of Woodland” Facebook group shares harvest updates and helps spread awareness of the program beyond the local community.

“If it wasn’t for our community and organizations like Yolo Farm to Fork, the Center for Land Based Learning, Woodland High School FFA Boosters, Woodland Joint Unified School District, the agribusinesses in our county, and the many volunteers, I doubt the greenhouse, garden and the Farm to Fork class would ever see the light of day,” said Delsol. “I have always known that our community would support educational endeavors, and it is my sincere wish that this program will produce students that someday will be employed in the plant and soil industry to give back to the community as it has given to us.”

Growing food for the future

In the last three years, the class has grown from six students to thirty-eight, and one garden has expanded to five, including student-built hydroponic systems. Given the growth in participation and demand, Delsol plans to start a second Farm to Fork course with a curriculum focused on agribusiness and agriculture marketing.

“The ag department faculty is looking forward to what is to come in the program’s future,” Delsol said. “I hope this class inspires the new students and leaves the graduating students feeling motivated and excited about a career in the agricultural industry.”

Check out the Good Neighbors of Woodland Facebook group for updates on the Farm to Fork program.

Olives: The New Kid of the Block

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 17:17:03 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2022

Growing Together Winter 2022 - Olives: The New Kid of the Block

Jordan Fricke, Boundary Bend Olives Operations Manager

As the American consumer discovers its range of health benefits — from immune support to digestive health — demand for olive oil and related products is skyrocketing in the U.S. There’s just one problem: Domestic production isn’t keeping up. Working with Grow West, Jordan Fricke and his team are out to change that.

The Operations Manager for Boundary Bend Olives, owners of the growing olive oil brand Cobram Estate, is pushing a new frontier for olive production in California, specifically Yolo County, where growing conditions are ideal for the crop. He sees the crop’s expansion in the U.S. as a trend that can help growers contribute to a larger share of domestic consumption in a marketplace that has a lot of upside potential. There’s a lot more demand for olive oil than there is stateside production, and Fricke and his team are working with Grow West and other industry partners to increase production and create new revenue streams for California growers.

“California and the U.S. in general produces about five percent of the olive oil consumed in the country. The remaining roughly 95% is imported,” Fricke said. “There’s a lot of room out there in the market for California and the U.S. to grow olives. That’s what Cobram Estate saw: there’s a large market to be captured.”

Why Yolo County is poised to become an olive leader

That’s what Fricke, entering his sixth year with Boundary Bend Olives, is doing in Yolo County. Boundary Bend Olives markets extra virgin olive oil both under the Cobram Estate label as well as some of the largest private-label products for retailers in the U.S. To meet the growing demand at the myriad retailers offering the company’s oil and products, Fricke is growing the company’s presence in and around Woodland, California, where it has oil processing, storage and bottling facilities.

Cobram Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil

That process currently involves building on Boundary Bend Olives’ own groves as well as a growing number of grower partners. Those partners produce multiple varieties that are processed and blended depending on the type of oil product consumers demand. The company has product distribution as far away as the East Coast, giving it a truly national presence even though most of the domestic olive production is in Yolo County. The area has ideal soil and weather conditions for the crop that has meaningfully lower water and resource needs compared to other permanent crops common in the Sacramento Valley. The company also operates Modern Olives, a quality laboratory and consulting business in Woodland, where it tests every batch of olive oil produced to ensure it meets quality standards to be marketed as extra-virgin olive oil. Additionally, Modern Olives conducts research and provides growers with the latest technical information regarding profitable olive farming.

Being a relatively new crop to the U.S. and California marketplace, the data and knowledge gleaned from years of experience with other local crops is largely missing for olive growers. That’s a major area of emphasis for Fricke and his team as domestic production ramps up. And it’s a part of the equation of which the Grow West team is an integral part.

Boundary Bend Olives storage facility located in Woodland, CA

“We supply information and data to growers to help their technical teams and PCAs improve the quality and quantity of their crops. It’s not only producing more yields and better oil but limiting the amount of water they use and being more efficient with fertigation and chemical applications,” Fricke said of his company’s working relationship with Grow West. “We’re constantly collecting olive samples and making observations to optimize water usage, fertilizer management, harvest timing and other factors important to growers. We’re monitoring and collecting data year-round, so the grower knows we’re there to help them if there’s an area for improvement. In this way we are able to get to harvest with no surprises and produce the highest quality extra-virgin olive oil.”

How Grow West is part of the team leading California olive growth

Grow West PCAs serve as the “boots on the ground” that do the same for Fricke and his team, providing data and information on tree health, growing conditions and production issues growers face throughout the crop year so the company can maintain a strong, uninterrupted and seamless supply chain.

“Data and communication are so important in all crops, but especially in olives,” Fricke said. “Though there’s competition on the sales side of the olive oil market, everyone collaborates and works together to make sure California olive growers are successful.”

At the grove level, that means applying technology that can enable olive growers to maintain the highest levels of quality and quantity in what they produce. In addition to using data to enable growers and their advisers to make informed decisions on things like tree pruning, fertigation, nutrient applications and irrigation, the olives that Boundary Bend Olives grows for its brand, Cobram Estate, are grown in medium-density systems. Though California olive growers have traditionally produced in higher-density systems that comprise 600 or more trees per acre, Fricke favors medium-density systems closer to 200 trees per acre.

“High-density systems limit the number of varieties we can grow, so we have chosen to raise olives in medium-density systems with 200 trees per acre. This allows us to grow a broad range of varieties which produce the unique and exclusive olive oil we sell in the stores,” Fricke said. “We can select varieties that produce the specific flavor profiles consumers are after.”

Harvesting olives this way created a unique challenge for the Boundary Bend Olives team. To address the need, Fricke’s team developed a specialized harvester that’s capable of capturing as many as 95% of ripe olives from the 10-foot-wide, 16-foot-tall trees in the process.

“Olive trees are normally alternate bearing trees with a good crop one year, then a ‘recharge’ year right after that. It’s normally an up-and-down cycle, so we have been working to fine tune the entire production and harvesting process, continuously focusing on incremental improvements as we grow production” said Fricke, who grew up on a Yolo County diversified farm. “For example, with our unique management system, we’re able to improve alternate bearing tendencies of olive trees.”

Why there’s a bright future for California olives

Raising olives for oil, supplements and other products in California is a year-round enterprise given the amount of data collection and analysis needed to be successful. Looking into the future, Grow West will continue to be Boundary Bend Olives’ partner in managing the crop inputs and production technology necessary to make that happen. Given the upside potential for olive production in the heart of Grow West’s territory, the partnership will continue to grow in importance in the next decade and beyond.

“Since the beginning of Boundary Bend Olives here in California, Grow West has been a trusted partner to produce the safest, highest-quality oil out there. When we need products and services, we get them easily and effectively. The Grow West team is there in all facets, not just sales. They’re always willing to learn alongside us too,” Fricke said. “We want our growers, production partners and the consumer to know California can achieve the goal of being the top producer of high-quality olive oil. California has the growers and perfect climate and soil for olives. We will continue to see them skyrocket as a California crop in the next 10 years.”

Putting in the Work Together to Advance California Agriculture

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 20:23:00 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2022

Growing Together Winter 2022 - Putting in the Work Together to Advance California Agriculture

Lucas Schmidt, Grow West Vice President + Chief Operating Officer

California agriculture is diversity. It’s technology. It’s deep roots. It’s a world leader. But above all, it’s a community.

The people who make up that community and who call California agriculture home fuel everything we do at Grow West. That ranges from providing personal service and targeted crop protection products to our customers, to supporting the communities we all call home and the countryside in between.

We can’t do all of that without moving forward and innovating in ways that grow and evolve our capabilities as a trusted adviser to thousands of growers in Northern California. That’s why we work hard every day to honor the independent service focus that is fundamental to the roots of Grow West, while staying on the cutting edge of agriculture technology to ensure our customers have the best of both worlds: local expertise, service, and experience; and the drive to make sure we apply it in ways that futureproof our customers’ operations.

Recent hurdles like weather extremes and volatile markets sometimes make that a challenge. But we’re dedicated to putting in the work to continue our evolution as the preferred grower partner. It’s not the first time we’ve all faced similar challenges together, and it won’t be the last. Rest assured that no matter which direction the roller coaster of California agriculture is headed, Grow West will be here.

Our grower partners are moving California agriculture forward into the next generation, and we take seriously our role as your partner in producing bountiful, quality crops and sustaining businesses that will support your families and communities for generations to come. Knowledge, connection, innovation, and community are the four pillars of how we work at Grow West, and we will continue to prioritize those pillars in maintaining the right portfolio of products and services, technical expertise and local presence that is important to your families and ours. We’re not just here to provide agronomic and crop protection products and service; we’re your partner and are invested in your success. It’s part of the Grow West DNA and will always be.

We’re committed to doing everything we can to support the people, crops and communities that make ours the most diverse, fruitful landscape on earth. Whether you’re a grower or part of the Grow West team, you can count on us to be here for you, your family and your community. Because for us, that’s what it’s all about. We’ll keep rolling up our sleeves, going to work and providing the support solutions you and your operations need. It’s about growing together. Whether in the field or orchard, or at a community event, we’re here because of people. We’ll continue to be here for the same reason.

We wish everyone in the Grow West family — growers, employees, and their families — the best as we kick off 2022. Let’s get some dirt on our boots and get the job done together.

Best,
Lucas Schmidt
Vice President + COO

Students Gain “In the Field” Experience During Summer Internships

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 20:12:44 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2021

Growing Together Fall 2021 - Students Gain “In the Field” Experience During Summer Internships

At Grow West, we believe the best way to foster young PCAs is giving them hands-on experience and real-world customer interaction. Our summer internship program is driven by this mindset, providing students with a diverse set of experiences to help them learn more about Grow West, the customers we serve, and all that the PCA role entails.

A recent example is Andrew Kindelt, who completed his second summer as an intern with Grow West. Grateful for the experience, he shared that the Grow West team consistently went out of their way to support and provide knowledge to him this summer. “I am so thankful for the opportunity that Grow West has given me and I will use what I have learned for the rest of my career in agriculture,” says Kindelt.

Samantha Hanley, VP of Human Resources at Grow West, says, “By providing a well-rounded experience, the interns in the program have the ability to build relationships with not only Grow West employees, but our partners and suppliers as well.”

Now in its fourth year, this summer’s program included five interns that were hosted across several branch locations. Because Grow West provides many different products and services for a very diverse crop mix, a key component of the program is to ensure interns are exposed to more than just one specific department or location during their internship program.

When asked about his internship experience, Carlos Hinojoza shared, “I was able to speak with customers and learn how to build good relationships from professionals. I spent a lot of time in the field with experienced PCAs and operations employees and got to learn new methods of farming and pest management.”

Over the last few years, Grow West has developed a structured approach for the program which includes a full day of onboarding at the headquarters in Woodland, a summer project, and department tours.

Cole Brown enjoyed the independence and continual learning that was provided by the structure of the program. When scouting fields and interacting with PCAs at Grow West, Brown shared, “There was something new to learn every day, and I enjoyed having the flexibility to help set my plan for each day.”

We want to say thank you to the five interns who significantly contributed to a successful summer for Grow West. It was a great experience for us to get to know each of them and gain fresh insights and perspective from this group. Congratulations!

Cole Brown, Napa Valley College
Jerry Tapia, California State University, Chico
Carlos Hinojoza, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Andrew Kindelt, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Carson Marquardt, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

For more information about the internship program or to recommend someone you feel would be a good fit, please contact Samantha Hanley at HR@growwest.com . To submit a resume, please click the button below.

Achieving Sustainability with Solar

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 20:09:13 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2021

Growing Together Fall 2021 - Achieving Sustainability with Solar

Solar panels at Grow West Maxwell Retail

To increase efficiency and sustainability in its day-to-day operations, Grow West has installed solar panels at four of its facilities. By harvesting Mother Nature’s energy and turning it into electricity, rather than pull it from the electrical grid, the company can reduce its carbon footprint and adhere to its values around environmental and economical sustainability.

“We’ve always strived to implement the most sustainable processes possible,” says Grow West CEO, Ernie Roncoroni. “Whether we are looking for a product that has a smaller environmental impact or a way to better utilize natural resources across the acres we serve, we’re doing these things to be more sustainable and more efficient.”

The process of adding solar panels started with selecting a trusted partner to get the job done. This was important to Grow West because the process can be a long and difficult one. From acquiring the product, following the permit process, scheduling the build outs, and getting sign-off from the county, it was critical to hire a solar company with a long track record of other client successes and the ability to readily address issues as they came up.

How to Implement These Practices into Your Own Operation

The rising interest in alternative energy and sustainability is putting the pressure on state and federal legislative bodies to incentivize the use of renewable energy. The proposed federal budget for fiscal year 2022 includes $10 billion for clean energy innovation across non-defense agencies and an additional $6.5 billion in lending institutions to back clean energy, energy storage and transmission projects in rural communities.

“Now is the time to invest in solar panels,” says April Pearson, Grow West Corporate Counsel. “I anticipate grants, tax incentives and other offers to entice agriculture businesses and landowners to invest in solar projects like the ones Grow West has installed.”

The costs associated with installing solar panels involve many factors, including the initial hook up to the electrical grid and ongoing costs, such as maintenance and insurance.

“It’s important to get a couple of quotes and have the contractor walk through the proposal with you to get a good understanding of the components included,” says Bill Peterson, Partner, Food and Agribusines, K·Coe Isom. “It’s always helpful to ask a neighbor or friend which installation company they use as a starting point.”

Despite the upfront costs, there is potential for return on investment when installing solar panels.

“While every situation is different, you can expect significantly reduced utility cost and other perks like federal income tax credits,” says Tommy Irvine, Partner, Market Champion Permanent and Specialty Crops, K·Coe Isom. “Not to mention this return on investment is not subject to energy company increases.”

The state of California had a Renewable Energy for Agriculture Program (REAP) in 2019 that offered grants to encourage the installation of renewable energy in areas that serve agricultural operations. The program has no funds available now, but the state has prioritized projects that help to reduce greenhouse gases, so we recommend watching out for new funding in future budgets. You can sign up for news alerts at https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/renewable-energy-agriculture-program

“The bottom line is that we will continue to look for ways to have less impact on the environment,” says Roncoroni. “We’re always on the hunt for something innovative and sustainable that helps our employees and operations deliver for our customers.”

Long-Time Employee Jessica Maravilla-English Sees Parallels in Career and Grow West

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 19:59:01 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2021

Growing Together Fall 2021 - Long-Time Employee Jessica Maravilla-English Sees Parallels in Career and Grow West

Jessica Maravilla-English, Credit Manager at Grow West

When she was just 20 years old, Jessica Maravilla-English joined Grow West as a front office assistant, juggling two other part-time jobs and a community college class load. Nearly 20 years later, she serves as Credit Manager at Grow West, helping customers find financial solutions as they continue to grow alongside the West Coast retailer.

“I’ve been fortunate to witness the evolution of a family-owned company committed to long-term customer and employee success, proactively embracing industry changes to not only benefit our customers, but the rest of our employees,” explains Jessica. “Grow West has grown over the years through new acquisitions, industry partnerships and the expansion of available products and services for our growers. Our geographic footprint has also increased substantially since I started in 2002.”

Jessica with local kinder class demonstrating fertilizer providing nutrients to plants, 2012

Jessica’s long tenure at Grow West has seen her give multiple positions a try, but she found herself always gravitating to financial-focused roles.

“I started as a part-time front office assistant helping answer phones and supporting the shipping and receiving department,” says Jessica. “From there, I moved to the accounting department, assisting with accounts payable and receivables, and really enjoyed it. After several years working my way toward a supervisor position, I moved to help manage a new seed division in Clarksburg. There, I worked in seed blending, shipping and receiving, and invoicing, but knew I wanted to find my way back to accounting. I returned to Woodland as a staff accountant and trained with our credit manager. When she retired at the end of 2020, I took on the official role as Credit Manager.”

A Career That Mirrors a Long-Term Employer

Jessica’s career path mirrors the opportunity and growth mindset Grow West has embodied over the past 20 years. Always looking for ways to help customers operate their business more efficiently, Grow West financial team members have evolved and advanced financing and credit services to keep up with the industry. One of the newest credit solutions Grow West currently offers is the AgSource Finance program. Available to all Grow West customers who meet the criteria of a credit review, the program offers unsecured crop year loans with lower interest rates than conventional loans and defined maturity payoffs and term schedules.

“We are so pleased to have this option for our customers,” says Jessica. “The program can be beneficial to growers who need extended crop terms at a reduced rate of interest. The loans are unsecured, and have no prepayment fees, so it’s a flexible option for some of our customers.”

Customers interested in the AgSource Finance program can fill out a credit application that undergoes a review process that only takes 5 business days. Jessica says it’s important to list crop information, including acres and crop value. The applicant is then notified of credit approval or denial by Grow West.

“It’s satisfying to know that my employer and team supports growth, whether it’s in a customer or an employee,” says Jessica. “Grow West has always been supportive throughout my career, offering employee training, community outreach, and the opportunity to try new positions. I see that same commitment to growth with services like the AgSource Finance program. We’re here to help our customers try new things without risking too much, because when they’re successful, so are we.”

2022 Crop Input Outlook: Staying Ahead of the Curve

Sun, 03 Oct 2021 19:46:00 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2021

Growing Together Fall 2021 - 2022 Crop Input Outlook: Staying Ahead of the Curve

Today’s crop protection product marketplace is dynamic and complex. Complications like rising energy prices and worldwide supply chain and logistical disruptions driven by COVID-19 are driving a lot of change for the ag retail sector. While factors like these will continue to weigh on the crop protection and fertilizer marketplace in 2022, Grow West has learned from what’s happened and will apply that education to maintaining product availability when and where customers need it.

“Supply chain disruptions and rapidly rising energy costs have affected everyone differently in 2021, so there are some who feel like 2022 could be even more difficult,” said Grow West Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Lucas Schmidt. “But it’s not all doom and gloom; we’re optimistic that the lessons we learned in 2021 will help us plan ahead and have better discussions in 2022. Despite the challenges we’ve faced, we have an optimistic outlook for the future of our business and the future of California agriculture.”

No more ‘just in time’

One of the biggest lessons of the recent past is the declining utility of “just in time” crop protection product and fertilizer inventory management. Though not every link in the supply chain has bent or broken in the last two years, disruptions in chemical manufacturing, limited labor availability and global shipping delays have sometimes led to shortened product availability. That ultimately leaves customers with few, if any, options for prudently managing their crop protection.

“Just-in-time inventory management isn’t preferred anymore,” Schmidt said. “In some cases, manufacturing can shut down with little or no warning, or shipping can be delayed at one of our ports. Some of these dynamics have created problems we’ve never seen or experienced prior to COVID-19.”

There are options to proactively manage despite an unreliable supply chain. That’s part of the reason Schmidt and Grow West Director of Procurement and Supplier Relations Robbie Malm are optimistic heading into 2022.

“We’re looking out further than we have historically and building in extra lead time based on what our industry partners and intelligence are telling us. We balance our insights against what we expect our crop protection needs to be,” Malm said. “We’ve also made investments in warehouse storage to uniquely position ourselves in the marketplace and ensure we have the products our customers need. We’re doing our best to make sure we continue to be the most reliable supplier of crop inputs, fertilizer and crop protection products.”

Communication will be key in 2022

Enhanced planning and communication aren’t just between Grow West and its distributors and suppliers. Malm said his team will be communicating more with grower customers to ensure they have the clearest possible picture of crop protection and fertilizer plans and requirements for 2022.

“It’s about total engagement on both sides of the equation. We’re working with our suppliers in a more intense fashion than ever to ensure our forecasts are accurate and based on our needs and objectives,” said Malm. “In turn, we’re approaching discussions with our customers with a new intensity to get a clear picture of their needs, too. Overall, we want to work in partnership with both our suppliers and customers to make sure nothing slips through the cracks.”

Customer Partnership

While Schmidt said Grow West is doing things like working closer with a higher number of suppliers to ensure crop protection and fertilizer inventory, there are things that customers can do to help ensure success. Data is important; Malm said the more historical crop and application data a grower has and can share with Grow West, the better his team can prepare for what that grower will need. And maintaining open, frequent communication will encourage accurate and streamlined product procurement and application decisions. The result: Effective crop management that helps growers achieve optimal yield.

“Have conversations with your PCA and plan things out as far in advance as possible to eliminate surprises,” Malm said. “Stay in constant contact with your PCA and have those conversations early and often.”

That kind of open communication will help Grow West not only meet customers’ crop inputs needs, but secure long-term viability for both the company and growers it serves.

“While our outlook is tempered with the realism of the challenges we’re facing, we continue to be optimistic for 2022 if we can all work together,” Malm said. “We’ll continue to make significant investments when it comes to our people, facilities and product supply to make sure Grow West is here for the long term. It’s going to take a lot more than what’s happened in the last year to scare us away.”

See more on Grow West’s services and contact your nearest location to have a conversation with a PCA or other member of the Grow West team to make sure you’re positioned for success in 2022.

Successful Diversification Starts with a Trusted and Aligned Team

Sat, 02 Oct 2021 19:41:15 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2021

Growing Together Fall 2021 - Successful Diversification Starts with a Trusted and Aligned Team

Diversification has long been a key part of how Bobby Costa’s evolved his business to continue what he sees as the only life for him. “Farming isn’t for everyone,” explains Costa, a grower from San Joaquin County. “But I love doing it. I just can’t imagine doing anything else.”

From left to right: Bob, Bobby, Avelina, Robin, Nathan and Bobby Costa

For more than 30 years, Costa has been diversifying his farm to keep up with the changing dynamics of the market and better manage production and returns throughout the year. Diversification has long been fundamental to not just keeping up but continuing to improve year-over-year crop yields and maximizing revenue potential. Starting with wheat and alfalfa in 1988, Costa’s crop rotation today includes beans, tomatoes, carrots, garlic, pumpkins, gourds, cucumbers and basil on around 3,300 acres.

“We can’t keep planting the same crop all the time because it’s not good for the soil,” Costa says. “We see higher yields when we have good crop rotation.”

A Successful Operation Begins at Home

Costa worked with his father Bob to build the operation from the ground up in the 1980s and gradually to its current size and diversity. Always a family venture, he’s quick to point out the importance of working with the right team that today includes wife Robin, sons Bobby and Nathan and daughter Avelina, who he says has expressed the strongest desire to succeed her father in operating and managing the ranch.

Bob and Bobby Costa

“I wouldn’t be where I am without the guidance of my parents and support from my wife and kids. They all sacrifice free time to help this operation be successful,” says Costa. “My father prepared me to take the reins of the ranch, and Robin and I are working hard to pave a similar path for our kids so they’re ready when it’s their turn to run the operation.”

Running in the Name of Efficiency

But not every member of the Costa team shares the same surname. Costa is quick to add Grow West PCA Doug Grupe to the list of key team members. The farmer/PCA duo has worked together since 2011.

“It’s so important to be on the same page as your team,” Costa says. “Doug is really good about pointing out areas where we can improve, and then working with our team to develop a plan for success.”

When Grupe first began working with Costa and his employees, he introduced them to a high-efficiency, low-volume fertilizer. The new nutrient management plan allowed Costa to eliminate one pass through his fields, reducing his labor and equipment needs, and improving production efficiency. Grupe and the Grow West team work closely with Costa’s team to ensure the fertilizer is supplied in a timely manner and that application equipment is adjusted and set correctly to maximize the results of the single-pass approach.

“Everything we do on Bob’s ranch is in the name of efficiency,” explains Grupe. “When looking at something new, we always start with a trial and carefully evaluate it. Bob takes some big and expensive risks, but he’s willing to do that if the results mean a more efficient, productive and profitable ranch.”

Costa also employs technology to keep his ranch running at peak efficiency. Operating machinery equipped with GPS allows him to maximize crop potential every acre. He also used GSI water technology to map his fields for the installation of tile drains, which has improved some crop yields by as much as 50 percent. The combination of gradual technology integration and the continued partnership with PCA Grupe have Costa optimistic about his operation’s future.

“Doug and the entire Grow West team are so easy to work with,” says Costa. “It’s clear that they want their clients to succeed. Their solutions-oriented business helps me find new opportunities each year, which helps keep me motivated to try something new. You never know when that something new might turn into a huge success.”

Grupe agrees: “It’s exciting to work with a grower like Bob, who includes me in key management planning and decision making. It pushes me to work hard and work together to find the best outcome.”

Rising to the Challenges of a Tough Year for California Agriculture

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 19:33:33 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2021

Growing Together Fall 2021 - Rising to the Challenges of a Tough Year for California Agriculture

Ernie Roncoroni, President + CEO at Grow West

To say 2021 has been a tough year for many California farm families is putting it lightly. Devastating drought, wildfires, labor issues, trade disruptions and supply chain logjams are just a few of the things that have made life difficult for many of our customers and community members. That’s the bad news.

The good news: Resilience. California agriculture faces challenges every season. You — like generations before you — have persisted through major challenges and continue to advance world-class crop production. In other words, you’ve survived and emerged stronger than ever.

Our team here at Grow West ® has been here before, too. After five decades of independent ownership, our operations and staff have been here alongside our customers and partners through many ups and downs. Experiencing years like this helps us overcome the physical, mental, and business challenges that lie ahead and helps us both celebrate wins and learn from losses. As you reflect on the lessons from 2021 and prepare for 2022, the Grow West team is preparing, too. We are busy taking steps necessary to meet your needs in the ever-evolving “new normal.” What sets us apart is our focus on your operational success for the long haul.

One way we’re doing this is changing how we manage crop protection product inventory. We know you don’t have time to wait when facing crop decisions, so we’re adjusting how we forecast product demand and working with our suppliers and distributors to ensure when you call, we’ve got you covered. We’ve all learned a lot since supply chains started breaking in the last two years, and we’re confident that education will help us overcome future logjams. You can continue to count on Grow West to have the products, expertise, and service you require, when you need it.

We’re also working toward a more sustainable future, not just for our growers, but the entire state of California. With new solar power installations at several locations, we’re able to harvest the energy Mother Nature provides. It will enable us to lower our carbon footprint, futureproof our energy needs and ensure we’ll be powered up when you need us. And just like our progressive customers in agriculture, we’ll continue to grow our solar power generating capabilities as the technology evolves with an eye on forging a sustainable future, both environmentally and economically.

Yes, it’s been a challenging year for California agriculture. But at Grow West, we’re optimistic that by working together and thinking ahead, we will continue to make California the heartbeat of American agriculture. Here’s to a brighter path ahead in 2022.

Best,
Ernie Roncoroni
President + CEO

Farming Carbon

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 19:23:09 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2021

Growing Together Summer 2021 - Farming Carbon

April Pearson, Corporate Counsel

As the carbon credit conversation expands, April Pearson, who provides legal counsel to Grow West®, shares a synopsis of where this market is today in the United States and where it may go in the future based on current offerings and policies.

Will Carbon Credits Offer a New Income Stream for Farmers?

The answer is maybe. The concept is relatively new to agriculture and the contractual structure is developing. However, much like ‘cap and trade’ in the industrial pollution markets, this idea could gain steam over the next decade.

But, First, What Is a Carbon Credit?

The concept attempts to quantify carbon sequestration in the soil and creates a tradeable right to emit one metric ton of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) or the equivalent amount of another greenhouse gas. A metric ton is 2,205 lbs.; to add perspective, this is the weight of two 5’ x 5’ round bales of hay. The credit is not a tangible item, rather it is an environmental cryptocurrency (similar to Bitcoin) managed by a third party. Carbon credits would allow farmers and ranchers to be part of the climate solution, provided they can commit to a long-term set aside of land.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service suggests that carbon sequestration also benefits the grower with enhanced soil fertility from microbial activity based on old plant material and water holding capacity. NRCS offers a free, online tool “to quantify atmospheric outputs (emissions) and carbon benefits (sequestration) based on site-specific soils, crops, and management practices.”

How Does a Landowner Create Carbon Credits?

Most often the farmer or rancher agrees to stop certain activities. No-till farming is the most common method. Since tractors burn fossil fuel, they emit CO2 with each pass across a field. Fewer passes or more fuel-efficient equipment can reduce the CO2 generated per bushel of a crop. The other avenue is to return farmland to range, prairie or forest which sequesters carbon in the ground and, in turn, generates credits. Dairy farmers may use manure treatments to limit emissions of methane to meet goals of large food producers such as General Mills, McDonald’s and Cargill. Those companies founded the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium (ESMC) “to open a broad-based private carbon market in 2022, paying farmers for a full menu of emission reducing practices.” Several other private credit markets or carbon payment programs are already in the works or in operation. The caution here is that growers who already implement no-till or who plant cover crops as a conservation farming measure, may not qualify for credits because no new carbon is removed.

Who Buys Carbon Sequestration Offsets?

Some buyers are industrial facilities that emit large amounts of CO2 and who are required to offset their emissions. Other buyers are motivated by public demand to reduce their carbon footprint and a few buyers simply want to be carbon neutral. Some larger organizations are developing ways for growers to participate in the credit market. In the future, state or federal governments may enter the market, either buying up credits or brokering offsets, and that level of regulation may consolidate the rules and ease the ability for a farmer or rancher to participate.

How are Carbon Credits Monitored?

The process of verifying carbon credits is complex. Several farm management digital platforms can capture much of the data required for a carbon credit. For instance, Land O’Lakes has adopted a pilot project with the carbon marketing firm Nori to capture existing farm data to calculate the impact of conservation practices and determine potential carbon credits. Trimble is likewise helping growers document offsets for the Canadian Nitrogen Oxide Emission Reduction Protocol (NERP) .

What’s in a Carbon Offset Contract?

The adage that the devil is in the detail is true in this arena. There is no standard contract to guide the participants. Growers will be required to keep conservation practices in place for 5, 10 or even 20 years. This may be problematic for rented farmland where the grower can’t commit to the long contract term or if the landlord claims the carbon credits rather than allowing them to belong to the grower. Weather conditions could force the need for tilling or discing, thus contravene a contract. In some geographic markets, carbon credits only have value if a new conservation practice is implemented which could negate the use of cover crops, for example. Next, carbon sequestration must be measured with soil sampling, or verified by a third party, and both may incur costs. Ownership of the individual and the aggregated data are also important contract terms. It is critical to verify the currency used for payment. Sometimes carbon offsets are paid with cryptocurrency, not cash.

Are There Any Examples of the Carbon Offset Market?

In 2019 the Schwarzenegger Institute at the University of Southern California offset about 29 tons of carbon emissions with the purchase of carbon removal certificates in partnership with the Nori CO2 removal marketplace. Nori had purchased credits for $16.50 per ton, which charged $1.50 per ton as overhead and funded sustainable farming practices at Harborview Farms (Maryland) with the remaining $15.

How Prevalent are Carbon Contracts for Farming?

Earlier this year, Purdue University surveyed growers about sequestering carbon and 30-40% of the growers were aware of the concept but only 7% had discussed carbon offset contracts. A mere 1% had signed a contract. The researcher concluded that the financial incentives to growers were lacking and that the payments were too small to encourage a grower to change practices.

What Does the Future Hold?

On the national stage, earlier this year the American Farm Bureau, along with other trade associations and environmental groups, formed the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance to advocate for more carbon trading and for carbon tax credits while respecting the role that agriculture plays in the U.S. economy. Recently, Governor Newsom’s 2021-2022 budget proposal has earmarked $926 million of investments in agriculture spent over the next two years. According to the CDFA , $532 million is set aside to “advance climate smart agriculture, improve drought resiliency, fund alternatives to agricultural burning, increase pollinator habitat on working lands and support conservation planning to build resilience.”

The Growing Climate Solutions Act has advanced out of the U.S. Senate and is before the House of Representatives with a strong likelihood that it will become law before the end of 2021. The bill has “ broad, bipartisan support from 43 Senators and over 70 agricultural and environmental organizations.” As evidence of the overwhelming support by all groups, the Environmental Defense Fund is optimistic that the bipartisan bill will bring farmers, ranchers and foresters into the scope of climate solution. The bill places authority in the USDA to identify practices that sequester carbon, establish a certification process for credits, net greenhouse gas and create a farmer advisory board to the USDA to ensure that growers benefit from the carbon markets.

Grow West, as a member of the American Ag Retailers Association, will play a “ pivotal role in the development and implementation of climate-smart ag practices and conservation methods as part of broader on-farm management plans their farmer customers utilize in their day-to-day operations.”

Investment in Trucking Services Leads to Enhanced Safety, Reliability and Consistency

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 19:13:13 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2021

Growing Together Summer 2021 - Investment in Trucking Services Leads to Enhanced Safety, Reliability and Consistency

Our commitment to helping California growers be more efficient led to further development of our trucking services last year. We were able to expand our expertise in agriculture and industrial transportation to deliver dependable, high quality and consistent operations that support our customers’ business needs. This additional service can help you streamline your processes or provide additional hauling support in peak seasons.

Grow West ® acquired assets from both Hammer Transport and Clark Trucking Services, Inc. to expand our fleet and our customer reach. As we fully unite these three trucking businesses under Grow West Trucking, we are poised for growth in both agriculture – especially fruit and rice – and industrial, and have a combined 60 years of experience and expertise in the products we haul. Our drivers are part of a talented, trusted team who are focused on safety, reliability and consistency.

With these recent acquisitions, we have also expanded our leadership team. John Hammer, founder of Hammer Transport, is now the business development manager for Grow West Trucking. Mark Kaye, former vice president and general manager at Clark Trucking Services, now serves as the office operations manager for Grow West Trucking.

“Grow West Trucking is unique in the transportation business because of our focus on efficiency and family,” Kaye says. “We have an effective process for receiving, dispatching and invoicing, which makes us a trusted partner for our customers. And we focus on our drivers’ well-being, including their safety and their ability to get home to their families. Even former customers of Clark notice the difference in Grow West Trucking’s approach.”

One such customer is Del Monte Foods, which is now one of our largest trucking customers.

“I’ve worked with many trucking companies, and Grow West Trucking is one of the best,” says Kyle Reynolds, Del Monte Foods Field Superintendent/Dispatch. “They are efficient and strategic with their dispatching, so trucks arrive when they say they will. They are always available and willing to accommodate our unique needs.”

Our internal efficiencies extend to communication with our customers, ensuring that expectations are always clear and transparency is always given. Our recent acquisitions have helped us grow, and we are using our expanded fleet and footprint to create more opportunities for season-long customer support. We know how difficult and demanding the harvest season can be, and we are here to help.

“Truckers can make or break you, and it’s good to have a partner in Grow West Trucking that we can consistently rely on,” says Reynolds. “They go above and beyond what many other companies will do, which never goes unnoticed.”

Looking for a trusted and reliable transportation partner or considering a job in trucking? Look no further than Grow West Trucking .

Transitioning to Post-Pandemic Operations

Sun, 04 Jul 2021 19:09:25 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2021

Growing Together Summer 2021 - Transitioning to Post-Pandemic Operations

Imelda Muzio, MVP Safety Professionals Manager/Ag Safety Educator

Agricultural employers and workers can breathe a little easier as production moves through the summer months and toward the harvest season now that the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board has adopted revisions to the COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS).

Elimination of face coverings for outdoor workers could not have come at a better time as temperatures climb into the triple digits. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has warned employers that they are responsible for ensuring that the wearing of face coverings does not lead to heat-related illness for their employees. The ETS states that outdoor workers do not need to wear face coverings regardless of vaccination status except for certain employees during outbreaks. Refer to Cal/OSHA’s COVID-19 ETS Fact Sheet linked below for complete details.

Though Cal/OSHA has loosened requirements for protecting workers from COVID-19, it will be some time before employers and employees alike feel entirely at ease in the post-pandemic workplace. This observation is apparent when MVP Safety visits operations and continues to see employees in outdoor settings wearing face coverings. Remember that employees are explicitly allowed to wear face coverings if it is safe to do so, and the employer must protect the employee from any type of harassment or retaliation. In addition, respirator masks must be available if the employee requests one. Employers who provide respirators should refer to Cal/OSHA Title 8, Section 5144 Appendix D (“Information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required Under the Standard”).

Following are key considerations for helping employees’ transition to a post-pandemic workplace:

Provide clarity and consistency by updating your organization’s required COVID-19 Prevention Policy.
Provide information to employees through training and postings in a language they can understand.
Assure them that you as the employer will continue to keep their health a top priority and assess the workplace for COVID-19 related hazards.

The goal during harvest time is to be efficient and safe. By providing your employees a clear transition, they can concentrate on truly being efficient and safe rather than trying to make sense of the workplace rumor mill.

MVP Safety understands these times have been confusing and frustrating because the agricultural industry cannot stop, and this obstacle has been a challenge added to your already full plates. We have and will continue to help ensure your operation is compliant and safe. MVP Safety services are available for both online and on-site training and consultation services because we know that you need service providers that you can depend on.

If you would like to learn about upcoming trainings, you can sign up for our email blast HERE or contact us at 530-665-4422.

COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards What Employers Need to Know About the Recommended Revisions (ca.gov)

Partnering with Agrian to Bring Digital Solutions to Our Growers

Sat, 03 Jul 2021 17:53:47 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2021

Growing Together Summer 2021 - Partnering with Agrian to Bring Digital Solutions to Our Growers

There’s no denying that digital tools are the key to a sustainable and transparent future in California agriculture. At Grow West ® , we consistently look for opportunities to bring the most advanced technology into our processes to increase efficiency and customer satisfaction. We also look for strategic partners that can offer our growers leading technologies to make your work easier and more profitable. For nearly 15 years, our partnership with Agrian has demonstrated this commitment to your success.

“We work closely with Grow West to provide compliance tools, reporting and recommendation writing,” says Daisy Cervantes, director of support services for Agrian. “Their growers and PCAs often use label and rate validation tools as well, and all of this information can easily be turned into electronic reports that can then be shared with the growers’ respective counties. We’re proud to provide useful tools to help Grow West customers with some of the more tedious aspects of farming.”

Recently acquired by TELUS Agriculture , Agrian has built its reputation on making the complex simple. In California’s regulatory and reporting environment, Agrian tools are key to saving time. In fact, time is a driving factor for Agrian and TELUS Agriculture. That small window of time to apply crop protection or fertilizer inputs creates an urgency for information, which Agrian fully understands. Having their pulse on the application business is what leads to Agrian’s unique and relevant digital tools and reporting options.

“From the very beginning, we wanted to provide a solution to the big challenge of manually inputting data,” says Tom Feaver, director of regulatory affairs for Agrian. “Manually inputting data, and ensuring that it is 100 percent accurate, is time consuming for farmers and for PCAs. We’ve developed a way for users to import that data, making sure it’s accurate. We understand the urgency behind farming, especially in application, so we work hard to respond to our customers with the right tools and the best support.”

Additional digital tools available from Agrian include time-lapse mapping and imagery, sampling data for both high-level and low-level nutrients, and crop planning tools to analyze inputs and costs.

A Designated Set of Tools for End of Season

As many of our customers approach harvest time, our partnership with Agrian includes specific tools designated to help you and your PCA during this stressful time of year. Grow West customers can leverage the Agrian compliance platform to receive field data and use reports to accurately capture products and product rates applied to your crop throughout the year. Many food processors are increasingly asking for this information in an effort to increase transparency to the consumer. The use reports are easily generated in an Agrian profile and can be shared with food processors electronically. Additionally, the InField app can provide the same reporting ease with a current Agrian profile.

Agrian also offers Grow West customers and PCAs use of the Crop Planning Tool, which is designed for planning the next year’s crop.

“The Crop Planning Tool allows PCAs or farmers to add inputs and costs for each field from this year, and then monitor what worked and what didn’t work,” explains Cervantes. “It’s an easy way to look at the data and determine where to invest in the coming year, what crops to plant, what type of crop protection or fertilizer plans to make, and more. Getting ahead of the coming year and creating a plan is the first step to success, so we’ve created a tool to make it as easy and turnkey as possible.”

A Partnership to Put Growers First

One of the best ways to illustrate the partnership between Grow West and Agrian is to look at our shared values, especially our commitment to help growers be profitable. Both companies invest time, people and resources into finding solutions for common challenges that keep growers up at night. Through partnerships with leading companies like Agrian, our goal is to bring you tools that can help your operation be the very best.

“Our team is here to help,” says Feaver. “Our product line is robust and our attitude toward understanding the urgency in agriculture will always remain at our center. We’re here to support and serve the Grow West customer base each and every day.”

Contact your PCA for more information about tools that are available to you through Grow West’s partnership with Agrian.

Production Outlook for the 2021 Growing Season

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 17:47:23 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2021

Growing Together Summer 2021 - Production Outlook for the 2021 Growing Season

Layne Wade, Technical Service Manager

The 2021 growing season in Northern California has been dominated by issues surrounding water and the lack thereof. There isn’t one crop that hasn’t been impacted by the current drought conditions, and each crop is unique in its response to the lack of water availability. The Technical Services team at Grow West® is working closely with PCAs and growers on drought management strategies. Following are some crop-specific updates.

Reduced Acres in Rice

2021 marks the second year of rice acreage reductions, which is just one of the impacts of not having adequate winter rainfall the past two years. Some sources estimate that more than 30% of the potential area was not farmed due to a lack of available water. Less overall water availability has also impacted the areas that are being farmed in rice, making it more difficult to maintain proper water depth, slowing the process of flooding or re-flooding fields, and lessening the quality of water used.

Poor water quality in rice can have many impacts on the crop, from limiting nutrient uptake to negative interactions with applied inputs. This rice growing season has required many management decisions, making cooperation between PCAs and growers more important than ever. Hopefully, the crop price reflects the supply situation and compensates for the extraordinary efforts this year.

Perennial Crop Stresses

The low 2020 winter rainfall totals are also impacting our perennial crops as many of them entered the growing season with substantially depleted soil moisture levels. In some cases, this seems to have led to an increase in late fall/early winter, and even early spring, cold damage to limbs, twigs, scaffolds and even whole trees or vines. Low soil moisture reserves required earlier irrigation start times than usual and may end up resulting in an overall earlier start to harvest.

Low soil moisture often leads to added stress for perennial crops, particularly when they are faced with the occasional heat spikes that summer brings. We have found there to be a benefit in the use of various biosolution materials, from seaweed or algae extracts, bacterial fermentation products, plant hydrolosate materials, kaolin clay materials and others, in aiding plant physiology in coping with heat stress. Often managing this stress results in better overall plant health, which leads to higher quality production and even incremental increases in crop size.

With respect to pest pressures, low winter rainfall and fairly mild temperatures usually results in less overall fungal and bacterial pathogen incidence, while often increasing insect and mite populations. Indications are exactly this for 2021. Walnut blight was exceptionally low and early season almond diseases were practically non-existent in many cases. Insect pheromone trap catches for Codling Moth and Navel Orangeworm have increased substantially in many areas this year, while some orchards have had to contend with heavy mite pressure much earlier than usual. We are paying close attention to these situations as the last insect and mite generation timings approach.

Wildfire Threats in Wine Grapes

Low winter rainfall has impacted Northern California wine grape production as well, with many growing areas in the coastal regions facing severe reductions in water availability. This has required difficult management decisions particularly regarding ‘fire season’ and how to deal with what may happen as many of the surrounding forest and grasslands are filled with dry ‘fuel’. Using an allotment of water early may deplete the ability to use it later when the possibility of wildfires increases.

Overall, as many have said, California agriculture continues to be unique and complex in the challenges we face year in and year out. This year is clearly no different. With harvest season approaching, maximizing production is top of mind. And, even as we navigate the current drought conditions, know that we are working alongside you to help make the best management decisions for this year and for years to come. We’ll get through this together.

Growing California Agriculture Through Evolution and Adaptation

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 17:28:51 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2021

Growing Together Summer 2021 - Growing California Agriculture Through Evolution and Adaptation

Johnny Council, Vice Chairman

Just like so many others, I got my exposure to agriculture through my family’s farm. We were taught to respect the land and all it produced. Agriculture is a challenging and rewarding industry to be a part of. We are constantly adapting as no two years ever seem to be the same.

When Les Lyman asked me to join the company in 1991, we did business primarily out of two locations. It was a competitive marketplace, and our philosophy was to out service and out work our competitors. As growers got larger and more diversified, it challenged our business and opened new opportunities for us to grow with them. Our customers were creating the new frontier in agriculture, and our teamwork and collaboration at all levels helped us take risks, invest in the future, and ultimately grow our business.

The 80s brought new environmental regulations that we were not accustomed to dealing with and truly changed the way the marketplace operated. We knew we had to adjust to deal with the new regulations, so we and some other retailers in the area joined associations which lead to a stronger, more professional marketplace. It is times of industry collaboration that we put the common good of the agricultural community above ourselves and succeed together, and you still see that today.

As a company, we strive to adapt our business structure to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers and the greater agriculture community. The state-of-the-art 60,000 tons dry and liquid fertilizer storage facility, Inland Terminal in Woodland, CA, is just one example of filling a void to help the whole industry. Before Inland Terminal was built, the closest Northern California bulk fertilizer storage location was the Stockton Port. However, this location was not geographically efficient enough to serve the growers growing demand as it meant more time in transit, increased freight cost and limited daily loads.

I am proud of what we have built as an organization, especially alongside the people I consider family. As we continue to grow, staying true to our family values will always be a priority. California agriculture is complex, but it is the resilience of the farmers and the people who support them that allows our industry to continue to push forward and feed our communities. We are committed to investing in our people, our community and our customers to ensure the next generation continues this proud legacy.

Best,
Johnny Council
Vice Chairman

Spearheading Curiosity and Creating Solutions Through In-Field Research

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 17:20:16 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2021

Growing Together Spring 2021 - Spearheading Curiosity and Creating Solutions Through In-Field Research

Layne Wade, Technical Service Manager

At Grow West®, we never want to stop learning. That truth was the motivation behind the Technical Services team, implemented in 2009. Today, the team consists of Layne Wade and Matt Ehlhardt who spearhead research on new products, varieties and management decisions in partnership with the PCAs at Grow West. Curiosity is a requirement on this team.

California agriculture is facing more challenges than ever before with continued product regulations, weed and pest resistance, severe weather events and slim margins. The Technical Services team is committed to finding the best solutions for our growers by conducting real-time, in-field research. This research, which is communicated across the Grow West PCA network, not only is utilized to find new solutions to growers’ challenges, but also can serve as third-party data for PCAs to utilize when making recommendations as well.

Finding New Solutions for Managing Nematodes

Recently, the team has been working on research related to plant parasitic nematodes which can cause severe damage to plants and limit crop production of practically all of our commonly grown crops. One way to manage this pest is through plant breeding efforts to select varieties and rootstocks that have resistance to nematode damage. However, often this is not enough as it’s difficult to develop varieties of plants that have resistance to all of the possible nematode species while also having favorable crop production characteristics. There is a need to mitigate damage beyond resistant plants.

Nematicides are one possible method for mitigation. The Grow West Technical Services team has been working on various nematode control materials for many years, and this year is no exception. They are currently working closely with PCA Charlie Hamilton in the Lodi area in a grape vineyard to design and implement an extensive field trial. The trial is designed to minimize nematode populations using two newly developed nematicides while incorporating various bio-solution materials to enhance root health and growth and overcome the deleterious impacts from past nematode damage. This trial will entail sequential applications of materials, extensive replication of treatments and a multi-year approach to evaluating the effects. The overall purpose of this effort is to find the best approach for our customers to deal with a debilitating crop production problem.

Bringing Deep Expertise to Grow West

The team leading these efforts has extensive experience with agriculture in California across the board. Layne Wade joined the Grow West team almost two years ago as the Technical Service Manager. With a master’s degree in plant protection and pest management from University of California, Davis, Layne has a special interest in biology and its crucial role in ag production, which suits him well in his position. Bringing his past experiences in crop production and pesticide manufacturing, Layne has been a strong asset to our Technical Services team. Matt Ehlhardt joined the Grow West team over 11 years ago as the Director of Technical Services. With a master’s degree from the University of Idaho, Matt has spent the majority of his career working in research. He has recently retired and will be continuing to work with Grow West part-time seasonally.

Matt Elderhart, Director of Technical Services

The Technical Services team is an extremely important part of Grow West. The team works closely with our PCA, industry groups and the customers we serve to find the best solutions and recommendations in an ever-challenging growing environment. If you’re interested in learning more about current research initiatives, you can contact your local retail store or PCA.

Local One-Stop Shop for Parts, Equipment and Clothing

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 17:12:18 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2021

Growing Together Spring 2021 - Local One-Stop Shop for Parts, Equipment and Clothing

Woodland Farm Supply holds a diverse set of inventory for both local growers and community members.

Since the 1960s Woodland Farm Supply has been a one-stop shop providing local growers and community members with high-quality equipment, tools and apparel to support their home, yard, and agriculture needs. Relocated seven years ago to 538 N East Street in Woodland, the location is open to the public and growers year-round. “We are a unique store to the area as we specialize in production equipment for orchards and vineyards and provide services specifically for local growers, but we also maintain inventory for the general public, ” shared Jose Elizondo, Manager of Woodland Farm Supply. Since the beginning, the store has aimed to provide the highest-quality brands and well-known product lines to ensure the best customer service for the community.

For local growers, Woodland Farm Supply has a long history of providing parts and unique services for a variety of agricultural operations including vineyards and orchards. Spray rigs, tanks, pumps, booms, plumbing for tractors, pruning equipment, rope and tape for vines and trees, as well as hoses, pipes, and camlocks are just a few of the products the location has to offer. For automotive needs, Woodland Farm Supply offers oils, lubricants, tools, replacement lights and batteries for all types of automotive rigs. In addition to equipment and parts inventory, this location provides safety equipment such as latex gloves, boot coverings, Tyvek ® suits, protective eyewear, respirators and more.

For community members, homeowners and DIYers, the location offers a variety of clothing and outdoor gear with brands such as Yeti ® , Carhartt ® , Danner ® , Ariat ® as well as home and garden equipment including shovels, rakes, loppers, lawn mowers, air compressors, pressure washers and power tool lines. Whether customers need a new garden hose, are looking to upgrade their power tools, or searching for gifts for family and friends, Woodland Farm Supply is happy to help find products that fit their needs.

Jose Elizondo, Woodland Farm Supply Manger

When it comes to the Woodland community, the location and its employees have continued to give back and support in a variety of ways. “We are always looking for ways to support our local community. For example, we have a work boot program with the City of Woodland and the University of California Davis where we work with their employees to ensure they have proper and high-quality work boots,” said Elizondo. “In addition, we are highly supportive of the Woodland FFA and have helped them host events and sponsor raffle prizes year after year. We strongly believe that as a local farm supply store, it is our job to continue to invest in the community we live in.”

The Woodland Farm Supply store is open to the public and local growers year-round and can be found at 538 N East Street in Woodland. Store hours are Monday through Friday 7:00am to 5:00pm and Saturdays 7:00am to 12:00pm. Have questions about certain products and services? Contact store manager Jose Elizondo at 530.662.6400 or at woodlandparts@growwest.com .

Follow Woodland Farm Supply on Instagram and Facebook @GrowWest_FarmSupply to stay up to date on what’s going on!

Employee Support and Mentorship Leads to Development of Engineering Department

Sun, 04 Apr 2021 17:01:57 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2021

Growing Together Spring 2021 - Employee Support and Mentorship Leads to Development of Engineering Department

12 year ago, Jason Bonino started as a seasonal employee helping scout fields, and today, he is the manager of the Engineering Division at Grow West. His journey from point A to B is a testament to the power of mentorship and providing opportunities for employees to grow within the company and be successful.

Jason Bonino, Manager of the Engineering Department at Grow West®.

“After my first summer ended with the company, I asked about opportunities to stay on over the winter. I was placed in the shop and shortly after I had been there, the head mechanic went out for surgery, so I took advantage of the opportunity to jump in and help on all the larger items,” shared Bonino. “I made it a point to get as much exposure as possible when people needed help fixing things because I knew that I wanted to grow with this company and show I could find solutions to problems and be an asset to the organization.”

Three years after Bonino started with the company, he started his first “big project” endeavor working side by side with Ranco Fertiservice, Inc. to build Inland Terminal’s dry warehouse. This project was the first of many large engineering-minded initiatives including partnerships and projects with Mar Vista Resources, LLC, and the Yuba City aqua convertor. In August 2013, Bonino was approached with the opportunity to formally create the engineering department at Grow West and the rest is history.

Today, Grow West Engineering works on both new build projects as well as repair maintenance of Grow West equipment and locations. Most recently, the team completed updates to the Walnut Grove and Sonoma tank farms. When it comes to the smaller projects and repair maintenance, they handle anything from office remodels, signage parts and custom workspaces to full refurbishment of tank trailers and large semi-style trailers. The team of five full-time individuals all bring a different set of skills and specialties to the table, which is a testament to the strength of this department. Located in Woodland, the team services the entire Grow West company and is kept busy with a diverse set of projects.

“Johnny (Johnny Council, Past CEO and now Vice Chairman of the Board) trusted me and helped me realize that there was a reason it was easy for me to find solutions and solve problems. If it wasn’t for him creating opportunity for me to showcase my skills, I wouldn’t be in the position I am today” commented Bonino. At Grow West, it is our priority to foster an entrepreneurial culture and help our employees reach their goals and achieve their peak potential.

Turning Passion into Results in Rice Conservation

Sat, 03 Apr 2021 16:53:56 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2021

Growing Together Spring 2021 - Turning Passion into Results in Rice Conservation

The Montna family’s passion for wildlife and commitment to conservation-friendly agriculture has led to multiple easements on their working farmland that support waterfowl and other species while maintaining strong rice production. Through unique partnerships, Al and Gail Montna and their team at Montna Farms have discovered practices that are proving to be both environmentally and economically sustainable today and for future generations working in the rice industry.

Jon Munger, Vice President of Operations at Montna Farms

Incorporating Waterfowl Easements Into Working Land

In 2001, Montna Farms partnered with Ducks Unlimited on the first-ever conservation easement on working rice land with a winter water component for waterfowl. The operation agreed to provide winter water after harvest each year on 1,200 acres of land in perpetuity on their headquarter ranch outside of Yuba City to support ducks, geese and other waterbirds during key migration periods. Montna Farms has continued to build off of this foundation by adding another 750 acres with Ducks Unlimited in 2007 and partnering with the Nature Conservancy on an additional easement on working rice land in 2013.

Ducks in Sutter County. Image provided by the California Rice Commission.

Through these waterfowl partnerships, the team incorporates new water management practices such as facilitating variable drawdowns of water at certain migration periods to support a variety of species. The response to the varying depths has been overwhelmingly positive, resulting in the creation of private and governmental programs that local growers can sign up for and receive payments to participate in today. With February being a critical month for waterbird migration in the Sacramento Flyway, the Montna team leaves the water on until the end of the month and transitions the land in early March without a delay in planting. Montna Farms also creates wide, flat levees in the rice fields to provide nesting areas for birds throughout the year.

“Conversation is part of our business on a day-to-day basis,” said Jon Munger, Vice President of Operations for Montna Farms. “We enjoy seeing the results and knowing that the practices we’re implementing are creating opportunities for many different species to thrive.”

Developing Habitats Through Repurposed Resources

In addition to waterfowl, Montna Farms has established conversation practices that support other wildlife and fish in nearby bodies of water. A great example of this is the Willow Slough property that Montna Farms took out of rice production in 2007 to turn it back into a natural habitat through an easement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Snow Geese on Montna Land. Image provided by the California Rice Commission.

“This property is in a floodplain, making it difficult to farm consistently across seasons,” shared Munger. “We were able to purchase another piece of land at that time so our rice production stayed consistent and we created a natural habitat on this 500-acre property that involved cutting into soils for deeper water ponds and transitioning areas back to marshland. Now it’s been 12 years of developing the property into seasonal marshlands, mallard brooding ponds and habitats for waterfowl, pheasants, quail, deer and many other animals.”

For fish, Montna Farms is working hand-in-hand with the multiple conservation organizations, California Rice Commission (CRC), other local landowners and the Northern California Water Association (NCWA) to find new solutions for increasing salmon populations. Building on the results of the Nigiri project that proved rice water grows salmon populations, the team is partnering with researchers such as those at UC Davis and CalTrout to repurpose rice water by growing fish in rice fields and flushing water from winter flooded rice fields into the river system as fish food. They’ve found that growth rates of fish in winter flooded rice fields vs. the river is significantly different in how much weight they gain per day.

Finding the Right Partners

“Over the years, we’ve built strong working relationships with many different types of conservation organizations and that’s played a key role in the success of these initiatives,” shared Munger. “I’d encourage growers who are interested in implementing these types of practices to work closely with the California Rice Commission to get connected with organizations who are actively pursuing these partnerships.”

Thank you California Rice Commission for providing the photos in this article.

Vigilance is Key to Combatting Vine Mealybug and Leafroll 3 in the Region

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 16:45:11 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2021

Growing Together Spring 2021 - Vigilance is Key to Combatting Vine Mealybug and Leafroll 3 in the Region

Plant viruses are nothing new to the agriculture industry, but how we successfully address disease presence and pressure and assess how they impact other operational needs requires proactive management. For example, Leafroll 3 is a devastating virus found more recently in vineyards in our region. Leafroll 3 virus can decrease yields, cause poor fruit quality and color, delay fruit ripening, lower Brix and decrease a vineyard’s lifespan.

Vine Mealybugs on a grapevine

What causes Leafroll 3?

The virus is transferred through a vector, in this case Vine Mealybugs which can transmit the virus from vine to vine and vineyard to vineyard. Since Vine Mealybugs reproduce at a very fast rate, have the ability to travel far distances and can survive harsh winters, the combination of Vine Mealybugs (VMB) and Leafroll 3 can be uncontrollable. Together, they have recently proven to be a significant contributor to sudden vine collapse or in the worst case lead to entire vineyards dying off. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Leafroll 3 was not a significant problem, on a broadscale, in California because it was largely only spread through cuttings and grafting. It was a threat to the vineyard infected, but not to the widespread neighboring community.

With the introduction of Vine Mealybugs as a resilient vector, Leafroll 3 took the virus into an “aerial” spread with the ability to be transmitted not by direct contact such as grafting or cutting, but rather through travel of insect from field to field. In recent years, the warmer and longer fall seasons have allowed Vine Mealybugs to have more reproduction generations per season. This ultimately contributes to higher populations, feeding on more plants and increasing the chances of vectoring Leafroll 3. The specific regions of San Joaquin Delta, Central Valley and coastal counties have been vastly impacted.

How can this virus be managed?

Currently, there is no registered product on the market proven to suppress the uncontrollable damages of Leafroll 3 once a vine is infected. However, there are management practices we can move towards to suppress the prevalence of the virus across our viticultural community. One significant step that can be taken to reduce the risk is to aggressively control Vine Mealybugs in vineyards. To date, we know that we can control the cosmetic and quality effects from the Vine Mealybug population in a vineyard with conventional tools to ensure a satisfactory crop each year. However, to combat this problem more directly, we need to not only suppress the Vine Mealybug population but eliminate them as much as possible

Instead of viewing Vine Mealybugs as a threat to your vineyard yield this year, we must view them as a long-term threat to the whole vineyard. All it takes is one Vine Mealybug to transmit the virus from one vine to the next, and gradually infect the entire vineyard. In addition to managing Vine Mealybug, it is important for growers to remove Leafroll 3-infected vines if at all possible. If there are no Leafroll 3-infected vines in a vineyard or within a 100-mile radius, then Vine Mealybugs can feed on vines but never transmit the virus.

Combatting Vine Mealybugs and Leafroll 3 as a community.

When dealing with viruses that can easily spread, it is important to keep in mind that your farming practices do not only affect your vineyards. Vine Mealybugs can move through the air up to half of a mile and can carry the virus with them. Understanding how your practices can impact your neighbor and how the virus can transfer will help mitigate the chances of spreading the virus from vineyard to vineyard. We have seen that this virus is here in our local regions and therefore, we need to join as a community to combat this virus as a community of growers. The more information we can gather and share amongst our community will help in reducing the spread of the virus and suppressing it in the areas where it is currently. As part of this community, we must stand together to continue to work towards mitigation.

To get started on your management plan for mitigation, we recommend consulting your PCA. The current risks of Vine Mealybug and Leafroll 3 can have on the long-term health of your vineyard and investment are only growing.

We would like to thank Aaron Lange from LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards for taking the time to provide us grower insights. Aaron, along with a community of growers, viticulturists, and the Lodi Winegrape Commission has been working together to combat the spread of Vine Mealybugs and Leafroll 3.

Spring Brings a Reminder of a New Year and New Opportunities

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 16:36:38 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2021

Growing Together Spring 2021 - Spring Brings a Reminder of a New Year and New Opportunities

With the early arrival of spring and the dryer than normal weather, our busy season and yours is already well underway. For me, this spring feels like a “reset” to all that was last year. Confidence that our communities will begin to return to normal. That we again look forward to celebrating those special occasions with family and friends present, and not on FaceTime or Zoom. Spring brings a renewed hope for all of us. The team at Grow West looks forward to working together with you, side by side, safely and with a renewed appreciation for one another.

Ernie Roncoroni, President + CEO

This year also brings new opportunities for Grow West to continue to evolve our business to best support you. Knowing the importance of water management and its key role in your businesses, we have invested in Water Labs in conjunction with business founder, owner and Grow West PCA Nathan Azevedo. Water Labs provides irrigation sensors, consulting and management recommendations for a variety of crops based on real-time data from fields and backed by university research. We understand that today, and in the future, water management is going to be an essential component to your success. We are eager to continue to build upon Water Labs’ innovative foundation, and you will be hearing more about this in future newsletters.

Like many of our supplier partners and customers across the Northern California agriculture industry, Grow West’s growth over the past five decades has been rooted in innovative ideas. Many of these ideas have been spawned by employees, customers and community business leaders. Our Engineering and Tech Service Division which you will read in this newsletter is a great example of this. We will remain dedicated to the long-term investment in our people and capabilities so we can continue to meet your growing needs.

On behalf of Grow West, I wish you many rewarding opportunities of your own this year. We appreciate being your trusted partner and wish you a successful 2021 growing season.

Best,

Ernie Roncoroni
President + CEO

A Legacy to Celebrate

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 16:31:10 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2021

Growing Together Winter 2021 - A Legacy to Celebrate

This fall one of our own, Johnny Council, was recognized by the Agricultural Retailer Association (ARA) for his outstanding career in the ag retailer industry. The ARA Lifetime Achievement Award, as stated on the ARA website, “was established in 2001 and renamed in 2010 to honor the late Jack Eberspacher, who served as ARA president and CEO from 2001 until he passed away in 2009, and his career-spanning achievements and contributions to the agricultural retail industry.” The award is the highest individual honor awarded to an individual for their contributions to the ag retail industry.

Daren Coppock, President and CEO of ARA with Johnny Council at Fall Award Ceremony

“I worked shoulder to shoulder with Johnny for years and it’s a loss when you look for comparative value and human leadership for this industry to find anyone that can stand up to this guy. He is a man of the highest integrity and the most grounded, dedicated, and honorable man,” shared Les Lyman at the award ceremony held for Johnny this fall. Johnny not only helped our organization through our infancy and growth stages, but he also served on the board and as the chairman on the ARA board for many years. Daren Coppock, President and CEO of ARA commented, “This is an award the association presents each year to someone who has invested an incredible career in advancing ag retail, and Johnny Council certainly belongs among the crowd that we’ve honored with this award. He has been an outstanding chairman, outstanding member, friend, somebody who is a quality person to get to know.”

Those who have personally interacted with Johnny know just how special of a businessman, mentor, and friend he really is. Jim Fargo from IAP shared, “Johnny is somebody that when I attended a meeting or an industry event if he was in attendance, I sought him out. He is someone who you can always ask for advice, and he would always share his perspective. Johnny is a visionary. He led our industry in a direction that has allowed us to be here today. He has paved the way for those coming behind him.”

To view the presentation of Johnny’s award and hear from some of his family, colleagues, and industry partners, click here. Johnny, we are all so proud to know you and work alongside you for the past 50 years. Congratulations to one of our own. Cheers to you!

Photography by Steve Beckley & Videography by Edgar Hernandez

Free Resources Provided to Family Businesses During COVID-19 Pandemic

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 16:19:55 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2021

Growing Together Winter 2021 - Free Resources Provided to Family Businesses During COVID-19 Pandemic

The Capital Region Family Business Center (FBC) mission is to help family businesses in the Greater Sacramento Region grow and prosper. And, even in 2020, that hasn’t changed. Although the way FBC provides resources for its members has changed, the fundamental mission has remained true and even deepened during one of the most challenging times for family businesses in recent years. For the last 12 years, FBC has provided networking, programming, and information to family businesses highlighting leadership, technical expertise, legal perspective, gifting wealth transfer, and next-generation succession planning.

Stella Premo, Executive Director at FBC

Stella Premo, Executive Director at FBC, shares, “FBC is successful and beneficial to our members because we bring people from different industries and backgrounds into the same room or virtual room, and they come to the realization that, ‘they are not the only ones dealing with business/family problems, thoughts, or concerns.’ Family businesses all struggle with similar issues when navigating changes and transitions for their organizations.”

FBC offers these main programs for its members:

Affinity Groups
President, Founders + CEOs
Next Generation
Technical Programming
Legal issues, estate planning, transfer of wealth all led by member technical advisors
Family Business Forums and Tours
½ day forums including panel discussions, round table conversations, and breakout sessions
Family Business Tours
Flagship Program
2-Day Generations Conference

Although many of these programs are currently not meeting in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic, FBC has shifted its programming to provide real-time resources related to PPP, COVID-19 protocols, and other topics that family businesses needed and still need as we continue to navigate the challenges of 2020 in the New Year. “Our secret sauce at FBC has always been to be a convener, bringing people together. Once you take away the one thing that we do exceptionally well, we had to dig deep and find new ways to bring value to our members in a safe format. We worked exceptionally hard to shift our goals for this year and provide the best real-time information and resources to our members to help them navigate the changing environment,” shared Stella. “We have worked really hard to ensure that our resources related to COVID-19 are free and open to the public to do what we can to help our family businesses.”

In the past few months, they have continued producing educational content and have started to integrate fun networking events like a Family Dinner Night with Mikuni where Taro led a Sushiology class and have more fun virtual events planned in 2021. To learn more about FBC and access resources, please visit their website at https://capfamilybus.org/ . For membership questions, please contact Stella Premo directly at spremo@capfamilybus.org .

Positive Results Shows Promise for CA Rice Commission Salmon Project

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 00:38:02 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2021

Growing Together Winter 2021 - Positive Results Shows Promise for CA Rice Commission Salmon Project

Agriculturalists have the grand challenge of producing food and fiber for our communities, both domestically and globally. And the responsibility to ensure the sustainability of the land and ecosystems that support the growth of these products. This responsibility has been supported by the work of the California Rice Commission in a variety of projects over the past 15 years. From air quality to habitat management, the California Rice Commission has worked to fundraise and match investments to ensure research and implementation of sustainable practices for the California ecosystems.

Most recently, the project “Helping Salmon in the Sacramento Valley” was established to meet the plummeting salmon population caused by a variety of environmental changes, including recent droughts. Paul Buttner, Manager of Environmental Affairs for the California Rice Commission, comments, “The need for restoration for the salmon population in California has been apparent for years. Since they are a migratory species, they have to have the right conditions to move from the river into the flood plain to reproduce successfully. Many organizations are working on this initiative, but we are specifically working on reconnecting the flood plain and creating habitats for these salmon to thrive in rice fields located in the valley.” The project’s ultimate goal is to create a standard management practice, so eventually, rice growers can sign up to manage their fields in the wintertime in ways that enhance habitat values for salmon much like we have done for waterbirds for decades.

In the last year, the Commission, working closely with UC Davis and NRCS, found great success in their trials. They evaluated four main types of habitats (pictured below): regularly managed rice fields, deep channels, woody cover, and both deep channels and woody cover. There were approximately 1000 salmon per plot (8 total) with a control group of salmon housed at the UC Davis hatchery for comparison. There were also nearly 1000 salmon with specialized telemetry tags that allowed researchers to track the salmon throughout their journey to the river. This was the most expensive part of the research project but offered significant insight into the salmon’s journey and provided substantial results.

Salmon Growth and Survival Study, Image found on Salmon Project website.

The findings of their research concluded there was no significant difference between the four field treatments in terms of the survivability of fish. In each of the eight plots, there were 1000 salmon per plot with a control group housed at the UC Davis hatchery. The rice field salmon grew much faster and were able to be released mid-March versus the control fish in mid-May. The telemetry fish tracking data showed that 4.5% of the salmon from the rice fields made it to the river compared to just 1% of the control salmon that were raised in the control hatchery. This very promising data from the trials will soon be pushed to a larger scale in the next research seasons to test if the success found can be scaled into full-sized, working rice fields with more salmon and hopefully including state and federal agencies’ involvement to help monitor implementation. “It is anticipated that three years from now, we could have a fully implemented program. The Rice Commission would promote it heavily and would work closely with growers to integrate them into the program,” shares Paul Buttner.

We at Grow West are proud to be a part of a funding coalition to support this work. To learn more about this program and ways you can support the effort, please visit http://salmon.calrice.org/ or contact Paul Buttner personally at pbuttner@calrice.org .

Buttner also directs the operations of a philanthropic wildlife habitat organization, called the California Ricelands Waterbird Foundation, where institutions and individuals can make tax-deductible donations that are very efficiently deployed into habitat projects in the Sacramento Valley. Please visit https://calricewaterbirds.org to learn more about how you can help our wildlife.

Photography by California Rice Commission

Updated List of New Crop Protection Products

Sun, 03 Jan 2021 00:24:52 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2021

Growing Together Winter 2021 - Updated List of New Crop Protection Products

To register a crop protection product in California takes time and money. New products for our growers come at a very slow pace. Having said that, below are some products we anticipate or have recently received approval for use in California. The resistance management group that the individual compounds have been assigned to has been added for each product. It is important to know these when planning a pest management program to mitigate the development of resistance to a mode of action. When a “U” is stated, it indicates that the mode of action is currently unknown.

Products Registered in 2020

Fungicides

Cevya (BASF) – FRAC Group 3.
Use in tree fruit, nuts, and vines. Multiple leaf and bloom diseases.
Miravis Prime (Syngenta) – FRAC Groups 7, 12.
Use in grapes, fruiting vegetables. Powdery mildew, botrytis rot.
Miravis Duo (Syngenta) – FRAC Groups 7,3.
Use in tree nuts. Foliar and leaf diseases.
Aprovia Top (Syngenta) – FRAC Groups 7,3.
Use in grapes, cucurbits, tomatoes. Powdery mildew, Black mold, more.
Gatten (Nichino) – FRAC Group U8.
Use in grapes, apples, and cherries. Powdery mildew.

Herbicides

Embed (Corteva) – WSSA Group 4.
Use in pome fruit, stone fruit, nut crops, broadleaf weeds.

Products Anticipated for 2021 Registration (and beyond)

Fungicides

Orondis SC (Syngenta) – FRAC Group U15.
Soil applied for use in tree nuts for phytophthora.
Q3 2021 Registration

Herbicides

Zembu (Nichino) – WSSA Group 14.
Use in rice. All weeds.
Q4 2022 Registration
Loyant (Corteva) – WSSA Group 4.
Use in rice. Broadleaf weeds and sedges.
Q2 2021 Registration
Axial Bold (Syngenta) – WSSA Group 1.
Use in small grains, grassy weeds.
2022 Registration
Osprey Xtra (Bayer Crop Science) – WSSA Group 2
Two group 2 herbicides in pre-mix. For use in wheat and triticale for control of grassy and broadleaf weeds.
2022 Registration

Insecticides

Senstar (Valent) – IRAC Group 23, 7C.
Use in tree nuts, stone fruits, grapes, fruiting vegetables, beans, and onions. For control of mealybug, aphids, scales.
Q2 2021 Registration
Sivanto HL (Bayer Crop Science) – IRAC Group 4D
Use in grapes, tree nuts, stone fruits, and field crops
2021 Registration
Isomate VMB (Pacific Biocontrol)
Use in grapes. Mating disruption of Vine Mealybug.
2021 Registration.

Plant Growth Regulator

Palisade (Syngenta)
Use in rice for reduced lodging.
Q2 2021 Registration

If you have any questions regarding these products, please reach out to your Grow West PCA or Technical Services Team of Layne Wade, lwade@growwest.com and Matt Ehlhardt, mehlhardt@growwest.com .

Photography by Grow West employee, Catherine Kett

The Heart of Hammer Transport

Sat, 02 Jan 2021 00:19:05 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2021

Growing Together Winter 2021 - The Heart of Hammer Transport

John Hammer went to college with the intent of making a living for himself and his family. He didn’t know that path would lead him to start Hammer Transport, the trucking company he has built himself from the ground up. “I initially was going to do life insurance and investment work, but it didn’t feel quite right when the opportunity arose.” John’s father encouraged him to get his trucking license, and at the time, he didn’t have any interest in transport and trucking. It wasn’t until an opportunity arose to haul loads for Wilber Ellis Company that John started to take an interest in the industry and saw the opportunity to grow his own business. His solo truck soon snowballed into five units under the Hammer Transport name, which still wasn’t enough to meet the demand. That was when John started implementing sub-haulers to increase productivity, and the business continued to gain momentum.

John Hammer + Ernie Roncoroni

“For the first 15 years of my business, I was in the truck. I would go deliver a load, and once I was unloaded, I would pull over on the side of the road, grab my dispatch book and my BIC pens, and dispatch other haulers from my truck. It got to the point that I was behind the wheel 18 hours a day and my business was running me, instead of me running the business,” John recalls. In 2004, John stepped out of the truck and took on a new position working on the business rather than in it. “I was able to look at my business from a different lens. I brought my wife, Sabrina, on board to help with customer service, and billing and things improved greatly from there.”

Diversification and change are two things that are very familiar to the Hammer Transport business. There were many different opportunities John took to diversify his business and to keep his trucks busy in the offseason. Not all of them were successful, but that is part of the game too. “I see a lot of companies that do not accept change. To be successful, you have to think ahead of the game and break down those walls that you have held up for so long. This is challenging, but when everything is changing around you, you need to stay current and up to date with your industry.”

Managing a family-owned business comes with its own set of challenges. For John, there was immense pressure he put on himself to build a legacy for his family. “When trucks are driving down the road with your last name on them, it adds a level of responsibility to ensure your image is maintained through your company,” comments John. “Image portrays so much in the trucking industry, and I had a vision of what I wanted to see on the road.” John spent most of his time once he was out of the truck training new drivers and teaching them the Hammer Way of customer service and peak truck care. “I wanted to ensure our customer experience, from the time we answered the phone to their load being delivered, was high quality, consistent, and created an ongoing relationship that would sustain for years to come.”

John is currently working for Grow West in Trucking as the Business Development Manager. His attention to detail, hunger for growth, and commitment to creating consistent processes will continue to be a significant asset to our team. “The road I have traveled has been a journey. Although I am closing one chapter of my life, I am opening a new one with Grow West. My goal was always to build my business to this point.” We are so proud to welcome Hammer Transport and John to the Grow West team. We are excited to see what we can continue to build together.

The Hammer Family

Let’s Close 2020 and Start 2021 Stronger Together

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 23:59:43 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2021

Growing Together Winter 2021 - Let’s Close 2020 and Start 2021 Stronger Together

Friends, Family, Neighbors, Employees, and Customers,

I think it is appropriate to start off the first newsletter of the 2021 year with a simple notion; we made it. 2020 was challenging, to say the least, and brought us to our human core of survival in many ways. The wear and tear on individuals, families, and businesses in the past year have been exceedingly difficult. We were extremely fortunate our business was directly associated with the supply of food to our society, both domestically and globally. We are blessed to have been able to continue providing services to you, our customers, and stable jobs for our employees. But we recognize that this is not the case for many in our communities and across the United States. We understand how fortunate we are as to where we are as a company. We are proud to contribute to the food chain and will continue to do so.

As we look to this new year, I anticipate we will be climbing out of our holes. Although the first quarter will be much of the same, I am looking forward to starting the long process back to what our “new normal” maybe. Back to where the sun will shine. I am genuinely excited about the agriculture sector this year, as it is expected to remain solid. From a Grow West standpoint, we will continue to operate in the safest ways for our employees and you, our customers. Although we have not been able to shake hands or gather face to face to celebrate in ways we have in the past, I know there is light at the end of the tunnel. There is hope.

Les Lyman, Owner + Chairman

I have a lot of history in this industry, over 50 years of actively working side by side with many of you. I have seen a lot, experienced many cycles, many challenges. Nothing has been more challenging and daunting as we have faced this past year. I am proud of our company for how we have continued to provide best-in-class services to each of you as you also navigate managing your enterprises. We are thankful and glad to be a part of your story in 2020, and we look forward to being your trusted partner in 2021.

Best,
Les Lyman
Owner + Chairman

Banner photo by Grow West employee, Tyson Richardson

The Legacy Builders

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 23:46:20 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2020

Growing Together Fall 2020 - The Legacy Builders

The African proverb says it takes a village to raise a child, but the same can be said about building a company. Since the establishment of Harvey Lyman Chemicals in 1954, there have been numerous people who are part of the story that is now Grow West. The individuals highlighted below are retiring or moving to part-time work and we would like to feature them for their contributions to our company and our communities throughout the years. All of us at Grow West would like to thank them for their dedication to our company and you, our customers, for many years.

Joe Kitchens – 47 years
Set-Up + Operations, Walnut Grove

Joe Kitchens started his career with the company back in October of 1973 at the Harvey Lyman AgService location in Clarksburg. Starting right after high school, Joe began work in Clarksburg as a part-time flagger. After a truck broke down that summer, Joe stepped in to fix the hose and hydraulics and was then hired as full-time. Joe spent his time in Clarksburg on deliveries, spray-rigs, fertilizer truck operations, and set-up and field operations. In 2003, the Clarksburg location was closed and Joe moved to Walnut Grove, where he continued in the set-up and field operations department. Reflecting on his time at Grow West, Joe commented, “It has been neat to see the changes that occurred throughout the years, such as buying our own fertilizer equipment to Les building tank plants and the overall growth of the company.” When asked about his advice for those within the organization, Joe shared, “Keep an open mind and stick with it.”

Don Salfen – 35 years
PCA, Walnut Grove Retail

Don Salfen grew up on the North Coast where his passion for the agriculture industry was ignited at the early age of 12 years when he started working for a local ranch. Working primarily with cattle and in the logging industry, Don quickly opened his mind to learn a little bit more about everything. One might say that Don became a jack of all trades. After college, Don found his way to the Sacramento County Farm Supply in Wilton, CA. In 1980, this store was acquired by Harvey Lyman Company (now known as Grow West) and eventually consolidated with our Walnut Grove Retail location. During his 35 years with the company, Don was an operation manager for three locations: Clarksburg, Walnut Grove, and Lake County. As he gained more experience in the fields and interacting with growers, Don eventually got his PCA license in 1986. Along with his regular duties, Don worked closely with his fellow PCAs gaining more and more experience. This experience led him to go into the PCA side of the business and work with many more crops. His philosophy towards his position at Harvey Lyman Company (now known as Grow West), was, “I am there for the grower. I am a firm believer that there are three of us in the transaction – the grower, the company, and myself. I am in the middle which makes it a win-win situation for all parties.” With the support of his family, Don has spent many years working for the growers. His advice is, “Be yourself. Don’t be who you’re not. Growers can see B.S. when it’s being delivered to them. You shouldn’t be afraid to work. You are working for good people – both in our company and our growers. Go the extra mile. It’s worth it.”

Marcos Medina Camacho – 31 years
Set-Up + Operations, Dixon Retail

Marcos Medina Camacho joined the Grow West team in early 1989 working at Growers Ag Service (now known as Grow West) in Dixon, CA. Having grown up around agriculture, Marcos worked closely with a local grower who farmed for many years. When the grower retired, Marcos began his career with Grow West. He brought real field experience and knowledge of the area and industry to his position at Dixon which has helped him be successful in his position in set-up and operations. Everything from the transportation of vehicles and chemicals to the calibration of equipment. When asked about his position, Marcos shared, “We need to know math well. We need to be able to calculate the units a grower wants to apply to a field and then calibrate the equipment to ensure the correct application.” When sharing his piece of advice, Marcos commented, “Work hard and continue to do good work. It is stressful sometimes, but we come out okay. Do not be afraid to do it.”

Vicky Fox – 24 years
Director of Financial Services

Vicky Fox joined Grow West in 1996 as the Financial Services Manager. Having heard about the opportunity through the grapevine, Vicky was excited about the opportunity to build a credit program for a growing organization from the ground up. In her words, “a Credit Manager’s dream!” Throughout her 24 years at Grow West, Vicky has spent a lot of time getting to know Grow West employees, growers, and other individuals in the industry. “Networking is very important. I networked heavily in many Credit Associations and Industry Credit Groups.” She has spent over 40 years in Agricultural Credit establishing these connections. “If you network in your profession, it gives you an edge and many long-lasting relationships.” Vicky’s philosophy on her position is, “It’s not just about collecting money; it’s all about how you treat people.” If she could share one piece of advice to others it would be, “Never take for granted that Grow West is a family-owned company that cares about their employees. Work hard and do not become complacent in your position. If you can measure it, you can improve it. Difficult situations can be a gift because they offer an opportunity to grow.”

Lesia Henningsen – 20 years
Office Manager, Pleasant Grove Retail

Lesia Henningsen started at Grow West in January of 2000 and is nearing her 21st year with the organization. Originally from Oregon, Lesia moved to Sacramento where her husband was originally from and started working part-time at the Pleasant Grove location when it was under the Agriform name (now known as Grow West). Her part-time work quickly turned into full-time work and the rest is history. Since then, Lesia has put in many hours running the Pleasant Grove office executing all of the expected office duties throughout the year, and stepping in to help with dispatch and all tasks during the busy season. One of the most challenging aspects of her position was learning the geography of the surrounding locations to help with dispatching and delivery. She comments, “I really feel with this type of job you are always learning, because every year and season is different. After 21 years I’ve come to expect the unexpected. I’ve learned to adapt and stay flexible as necessary as the season unfolds.” When asked about what advice she would give, she shared, “Learn to problem solve and think on your feet. Be open to learning something new and evolving as you grow.”

Carlos Hernandez – 16 years
Wholesale Manufacturing, Dixon

Carlos Hernandez joined the Grow West team at the Dixon Wholesale location a little over 16 years ago. Starting with little experience in wholesale fertilizer, Carlos has become a go-to guy when it comes to the location. With a background in agriculture, Carlos has always worked in the industry in some fashion. When a position became available to work with Grow West, Carlos jumped on the opportunity to work for a family-owned company. “At first, learning some of the blends and blending ratios was challenging because I didn’t have any schooling,” commented Carlos, “but after watching and training, it has become like second nature.” Throughout his time at Dixon Wholesale, he has worked on a variety of tasks including bagging fertilizer, unloading and loading trucks, working with the rail cars, and overall management of the facility. Carlos said his piece of advice would be to, “Work hard and have fun. I have really enjoyed my time working for this company and I appreciate the opportunity.”

Mark Cobb – 16 years
Operations Supervisor, Dixon Retail

Mark Cobb is a veteran in the agriculture industry with over 46 years of experience, getting his start working for a local farmer managing irrigation fields. He began his career in the fertilizer industry in 1974 and joined Growers Ag Service (now known as Grow West) in 2004. Mark had an easy transition into his position at Growers Ag due to his long-standing relationships and knowledge of the industry. He worked first as an office assistant and finished his career as the Operations Supervisor at the Dixon location. Mark took on the challenge of the Dixon location becoming “Responsible Ag” certified back in 2018 which requires passing over 90 safety and management protocols. Having the goal to be 100% certified, Mark took on the challenge of changing and implementing necessary steps to work towards achieving this goal for himself, his location, and the company as a whole. Together with his team, the Dixon location was certified in 2020 and has still maintained its “Responsible Ag” certification to date. Mark’s advice to others within the company is, “If you like dirt and being out in the sun, this is a great place to work. The people are wonderful and you’re all on one team. There will be ups and downs, but if you don’t shy away from hard work, you will be rewarded.”

Creighton Lembach – 13 years
Driver, Walnut Grove Retail

With the first part of his career spent hauling across the 11 most western states, it wasn’t until Creighton Lembach joined the Harvey Lyman Company (now known as Grow West) in 2006 that he was able to utilize his Class A driver’s license while still being close to home most of the week. Creighton started at Grow West in a seasonal temporary driving position, but soon after he started, he was offered a full-time position. Throughout his 13 years with the company, Creighton has hauled just about anything anywhere. From big rigs down to flatbeds, nurse tanks, and bubbles, Creighton spent the majority of his time hauling products and fertilizers to growers’ fields helping ensure timely delivery for in-season applications. “This company was smaller when I started. It really has flourished but has kept that family culture and feel even through the growth,” Creighton shared. “There are a lot of good people who work at Grow West. Fond memories are not made through just one experience, they are built through the small actions of coworkers and leadership that truly care about me and my family as people.” When asked about his advice to others, Creighton shared, “There are a lot of people who have worked in this company for many years – some even 50 years. I can guarantee a lot of them did not start at the position they are in. If you work hard and do good work, this company frequently promotes from within.”

Matt Ehlhardt – 11 years
Director of Tech Services

Matt Ehlhardt joined Grow West as the Director of Tech Services in 2009, after spending the majority of his career with Bayer Crop Science. Originally from California, Matt completed his Master’s Degree from the University of Idaho and worked there for some time before coming back to California. As a member of the technical services team, Matt is responsible for staying up-to-date on products and new technologies in the industry. Matt conducts research trials on growers’ fields every summer where the results from the trials are evaluated and communicated back to the full Grow West team of PCAs. His work helps the PCAs make better management decisions for their growers and keeps them most up to date on the leading industry releases. When asked about his favorite part of his position, Matt commented, “I have really enjoyed working with PCAs who are passionate about research. They have helped in designing and partnering with trials and projects.” When asked if he had any advice for others, Matt responded, “Enjoy the time you have at Grow West. Having worked for a big company, I have really enjoyed working for a smaller company with a large footprint in our target geography. Learn from all of your experiences. Professionally you won’t have another opportunity like this one.”

Being Tax Wise with Entity Selection

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 23:35:11 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2020

Growing Together Fall 2020 - Being Tax Wise with Entity Selection

Business evolves. Environments change. Whether you’re a start-up business, or your situation has changed, evaluating the most advantageous entity structure for your unique business requires careful considerations and forethought. While there are many factors to consider when choosing the right business entity, the two primary factors we recommend starting with are: 1) whether the owner(s) desire personal liability protection and 2) who pays tax on the business income (and the rate of tax). Here is a high-level overview of the tax and liability differences between popular entity choices.

Sole Proprietorships – While not actually separate business entities, they are a very common form of doing business, particularly for small businesses.

Taxes: An individual reports business income and expenses on personal income tax returns. Net income is taxed at the individual’s income tax rates, which are graduated based on the level of taxable income. They also pay federal self-employment tax on the business taxable income.
Liability: There is no personal liability protection.

Article Written by Bill Peterson, K.COE ISON

General Partnerships – Two or more partners in the business, and the partnership files its own income tax returns.

Taxes: The partners report their pro-rate share of partnership net income on their personal income tax returns, and pay tax on the partnership income at the same graduated tax rates as a sole proprietorship. Partners are subject to self-employment tax.
Liability: Partners are jointly and separately liable for partnership liabilities.

Limited Partnerships – Under the two classes of partners, general partners are responsible for actively managing the partnership business, while limited partners are passive investors in the partnership.

Taxes: General and limited partners report their pro-rata shares of partnership income on their personal tax returns; however, limited partners are not subject to self-employment tax, general partners are.
Liability: General partners are jointly and severally liable, while limited partners’ liability is limited to their capital accounts.

C-Corporations – The entity pays its own taxes (set by state and federal tax rates). While double-taxation exists for C-Corps, reasons for consideration include: retaining profits for future growth, no limitations on types of shareholders, more than one class of shareholder, shares are easily transferable, and others.

Taxes: Distributions or dividends to its shareholders are taxable to the shareholders; this situation creates double-taxation (the C-Corporation pays tax at its level, then any dividend from retained earnings is taxable again to the shareholders). C-Corporations shouldn’t hold assets that appreciate over time, like real estate, due to double-taxation.
Liability: C-corporations provide liability protection to their shareholders.

S-Corporations – While there are some limitations, the tax structure generally eliminates double-taxation, and there is no self-employment tax payment for shareholders on S-Corp allocated income.

Taxes: Shareholders report their pro-rata share of S-corporation net income on their individual tax returns, and pay tax at their applicable individual tax rates.
Liability: S-corporations provide liability protection to their shareholders.

Limited Liability Companies (LLC) – LLCs offer flexibility and simplicity, as well as limited liability.

Taxes: Members of an LLC separately report their pro-rata share of LLC net income on their individual tax returns, without the formality and structure of corporations. A LLC can have managing members charged with the active management of the LLC business and non-managing members, the significant tax difference is that managing members are subject to self-employment tax and non-managing members are not.
Liability: As the name implies, LLCs provide liability protection to their members.

If you decide to form an entity, DOWNLOAD HERE a summary of the key filings and tasks required when beginning a new corporation or limited liability company in California.

Selecting the appropriate entity structure for your business involves many factors, and the tax pros and cons of each can vary greatly dependent upon the federal and state income and/or entity tax rates that are applied. For this reason, each unique business should seek legal and tax advice to minimize taxes and liability as much as possible.

Financing Options for Grow West Customers

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 23:27:57 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2020

Growing Together Fall 2020 - Financing Options for Grow West Customers

Grow West is offering our AgSource Finance™ program to you, our customers. Focused on crop terms, this program provides an unsecured crop year term loan with a definite date of maturity. The loan is unsecured with no documents to sign other than the application. With no prepayment charges, you can make payments during the term of the loan to keep interest expenses down. Loan amounts for the annual crop year range from a minimum of $10,000 and up to $1,000,000. This will provide customers extended terms for payment at a low rate of interest.

Who is the program for?

Customers who have:

Been a customer for at least two years
Paid for previous crop year purchases
Need crop terms of at least 90 days to pay

How does it help you?

Offers extended terms for payment at a lower rate of interest
Loans $49,999 and under have an interest rate of 4.25% + prime (variable)
Loans $50,000 and higher have an interest rate of 3.25% + prime (variable)
There are no prepayment charges, so payments can be made during the term of loan to keep interest expenses lower

What is needed to apply?

Grow West credit application (if none on file)
One-page application, signed by the customer and emailed, mailed, or faxed to the Director of Financial Services
A good consumer credit score is required. The application is prescreened before enrollment.

For more information about the AgSource Finance program, download the information sheet here or reach out to our Director of Financial Services Vicky Fox ( vfox@growwest.com , 530-681-9681) or Jessica English ( jenglish@growwest.com , 916-799-2820).

Supporting the Future of California Agriculture

Sun, 04 Oct 2020 23:25:52 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2020

Growing Together Fall 2020 - Supporting the Future of California Agriculture

As we look into the future of our company, our industry, and our communities, we feel it is incredibly important to continue investing in the future generations of California agriculturalists. Many of us have had past experiences with youth agriculture organizations such as FFA, 4-H, or California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. In combination with in-school education and on-farm experiences, these organizations have helped develop our current leaders in California agriculture and will continue to develop them in the future.

Here at Grow West, we personally have been impacted by these organizations and value their importance for our industry as a whole. Andrew Rumsey, Grow West PCA was strongly influenced by his local FFA chapter.

“I always wanted to be involved in farming, but there wasn’t necessarily an opportunity for me to be an actual farmer. I knew I wanted to be in the industry, but I didn’t know exactly where I fit in. My FFA advisor who had worked in custom spraying suggested that I look into becoming a PCA. He said I had the skills and personality to succeed in that field. That was in 9th grade. He helped me connect the dots and lead me down the right career path at an early age,” shared Andrew.

These organizations not only help with learning about agriculture related topics such as plant science, animal science, or agribusiness, but they also have numerous leadership and networking opportunities for the youth that participate as well. In an effort to bring light to the impact of these, we reached out to numerous young people and adults in the industry to gather their perspectives.

Walker Masie, a current marketing professional in the agriculture industry, shared, “These organizations not only provide you with the knowledge, tools, and skills to be a successful working professional in the agriculture industry but also to be a servant leader and to give back to your community. That’s what makes agriculture so special, the people.

Katie Brown, a current member of the Ukiah FFA Chapter, comments, “I really enjoy being able to learn more about the industry and be exposed to many different options for future careers.”

Jeff Gleaves, Ukiah Farm Supply store Manager, shares, “[FFA] teaches you a lot of responsibility, to work for and with others, friendly competitions, and sportsmanship. All a variety of skills that are important throughout your entire life and especially in our industry.”

Although this year has been a challenging one for many of us – especially these youth programs who cannot meet in person – it is important for us to continue to pour into the future generations either monetarily or through our ability to volunteer and share knowledge with these students. Thank you to all who help educate and support the next generation of California agriculturalists.

Four Things to Consider Heading Into Dormant Season

Sat, 03 Oct 2020 23:23:10 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2020

Growing Together Fall 2020 - Four Things to Consider Heading Into Dormant Season

Foremost on all grower’s minds going into the next season should be: what can be done to improve on the financial returns from the crop just produced? A commonality for all producers is reviewing the past season to establish what went right or wrong, what to change, and how to keep and improve those practices.

For annually produced row and agronomic crops, a primary consideration is land prep timing and ways to increase efficiency. Since winter weather patterns are unpredictable, taking advantage of drier fall conditions to prep fields can aid in timely ‘on-schedule’ planting dates next season. An example of a field prep aid is herbicides that help manage weed proliferation in fallow beds. Another important consideration is evaluating the past seasons fertility applications to aid in the coming seasons. The ‘non-growing’ season is an opportunity to take and study soil samples for nutrient and physical characteristics which can lead to appropriate amendment additions.

Likewise, for the perennial crops, fertility and soil condition evaluations done during the dormant season can enhance action to improve the next season’s production. Another crucial factor for tree and vine production is taking representative irrigation water samples to check for any issues that may exist. Consideration should be given for the changes that occur to water quality over the course of a growing season. Often the later season water samples are of the poorest quality a grower may use, but understanding the chemistry of these extremes can aid in planning amendments that can maximize the benefit from standard irrigations next season.

Grow West PCA’s remain active in all these aspects and more. They keep up with new fertility and bio-solution products, new pesticide classes and products, and the regulations that accompany them. Count on us as your partners for next season!

Building the Next Generation of PCAs

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 23:20:51 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2020

Growing Together Fall 2020 - Building the Next Generation of PCAs

The best way to get hands-on experience, and real-world customer interaction is to be in the field. This is the mentality of the Grow West internship program. Each summer, we host 6-8 PCA student interns at a number of our branch locations across our company. This internship, lasting approximately 8 weeks, provides a diverse set of experiences to help students learn more about Grow West as a company, our customers, and the PCA role and all that it entails. The experience is also an opportunity to network and build relationships with Grow West employees, partners and suppliers.

Samantha Hanley, VP of Human Resources comments, “We try to give our interns the opportunity to sit in and do rotations between dispatch, delivery, operations etc. This helps them see all of the interactions, logistics and the execution flow of the entire company. If they need to fill in as backup at a location, at least they have been introduced to that portion of our business too.”

In the past three years, Grow West has formalized its internship program, providing a more structured approach complete with a meet and greet dinner, onboarding day at the headquarters in Woodland, a summer project and department tours. Because Grow West is a complex organization with a rich history and many different departments, we want to ensure interns are able to learn and experience our organization above and beyond one specific location or manager during their internship program.

Mike Boer, Sales Manager at Geyserville, shares his perspective, “The internship program is important for both the students going through it and the seasoned PCAs on our staff. It gives us the chance to be exposed to new thinking and new perspectives while providing them with our knowledge and years of experience.”

Lindee Jones, Grow West PCA, participated in the internship program and now serves grape growers across the north coast. She shares why she believes the Grow West internship is better than others. “The team experience is really the difference. While they do get a lot of alone time checking fields, the interns are also included in everything that our PCA teams do. For example, weekly sales meetings, soil sampling, integrated pest management exposure, and customer meetings. They get to see all sides of the business.”

Thank you to the seven interns who joined us this summer! We are so thankful to have had the opportunity to get to know you and learn from them. If you know any of these young people, please congratulate them for a successful summer!

Rachael Wilson, California State University, Chico
Crawford Cooley, University of Wyoming
Sam Danna, Oregon State University
Andrew Kindelt, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Jerry Tapia, California State University, Chico
Melchor Alonso, Santa Rosa Junior College
Catherine Kett, California State University, Chico

To request information about the internship experience or to recommend someone to the program, please reach out to Samantha Hanley at HR@growwest.com . To submit a resume, please click the button below.

2020: A Year That Can’t End Soon Enough

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 23:17:57 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2020

Growing Together Fall 2020 - 2020: A Year That Can’t End Soon Enough

Just when we think we have seen it all, 2020 proved us wrong. This year has brought challenge after challenge. Each one unanticipated and difficult to navigate without a playbook to reference. We see it for both our growers and our communities. Being a part of agriculture, specifically in California, is challenging in and of itself. Your resiliency and dedication to constant improvement is seen and appreciated by us.

Ernie Roncoroni, President + CEO at Grow West

As we continue to navigate the end of this season together, let us serve you to the best of our ability. We want to be your partner through the tough and the plentiful times. We are committed to continuing to make the best decisions for your operation both economically and agronomically.

Our five-decades of partnership would not be possible without professional and dedicated employees. I would like to call out a few individuals who have been extremely important to our organization through their longstanding commitment in building our company into who we are today. Let us celebrate them as they move into retirement or a scaled back work commitment. We are incredibly grateful for the legacy they are leaving here at Grow West. If any of these individuals have made an impact on your operation throughout the years, please reach out and share your success stories and best wishes.

Joe Kitchen, Walnut Grove Retail – 47 years
Don Salfen, Walnut Grove Retail – 35 years
Marcos Medina Camacho, Dixon Retail – 31 years
Vicky Fox, Admin – 24 years
Lesia Henningsen, Pleasant Grove Retail – 20 years
Carlos Hernandez, Dixon Wholesale Manufacturing – 16 years
Mark Cobb, Dixon Retail – 16 years
Creighton Lembach, Walnut Grove Retail– 13 years
Matt Ehlhardt, Admin – 11 years

In addition to those who have had a successful career at Grow West, I want to congratulate and thank the team of interns who joined us over the summer. We appreciate their fresh perspectives, teamwork, energy, and customer-first attitudes. They represent the future of agriculture in our communities, and we look forward to seeing all they will achieve in their careers. Check out our social media pages for their intern highlights.

Being in business for over five decades allows us to remain focused on the long run, while learning from the present reality. This season will pass, but it did bring many learning opportunities. We will apply these lessons in 2021 with the goal of serving you with our dedicated team of technical and operational experts. We will remain laser-focused on your success as we close out 2020 and shift our attention to the 2021 season.

Stay safe and be well!
Ernie Roncoroni
Mobile: 530-304-4657
Email: eroncoroni@growwest.com

Almond Hull Split

Sun, 07 Jun 2020 23:10:45 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2020

Growing Together Summer 2020 - Almond Hull Split

Contributed by Layne Wade, Grow West Technical Service Manager

As July approaches a dominant agricultural phenomenon in Northern California is the occurrence of almond hull split (the opening of the almond hull which allows the nut meat to dry out and complete its development). This is an indication that the crop is fully maturing and is the precursor to harvest. It is also the beginning of a very crucial pest control period in almond production, both in terms of reducing insect damage as well as minimizing the effects of disease-causing fungi.

Navel Orangeworm (Amyelois transitella) otherwise known as NOW is perhaps the most damaging arthropod pest of almonds (and pistachios) in California, in large part because they attack the nuts directly and reduce or destroy the value of the infested crop. A large part of controlling this damage is enacting proper cultural activities, such as winter removal of almond mummies (which reduces potential feeding sites for NOW before the current crop can sustain their development). Another effective cultural practice is careful water management during the period approaching and including hull split to encourage the majority of developing nuts to split as quickly and in sync as possible.

These cultural practices often should be followed up by insecticide applications at the beginning of hull split to maximize production of clean, saleable nuts. While the crop is maturing, female moths lay their eggs on the developing nuts, frequently in the direct vicinity of the hull suture (where hull split takes place). For this reason, there are two important considerations to minimize NOW damage. As usual a main factor is applying control materials at the time that correlates with insect target emergence, in this case the caterpillar egg hatch. The second consideration is getting excellent coverage of applied materials. Since the distance the caterpillar travels to get inside an opening hull is very short, its exposure time to an insecticide is also very short. If there is no contact with a control material before the caterpillar gets in the hull, there will be no effect of the application.

In recent years we have seen good control activity from applications of Altacor, Intrepid Edge, Besiege and some other materials applied at hull split. Rotation of these, and other, products is an effective way to manage the pest while minimizing the development of resistance. Making applications as close to actual hull split as possible is also critical as insecticides have finite residual activity, typically in the 2 to 3-week range. It has been very common for applications to be made starting around July 4th (to coincide with Non-pareil development) when actual hull split doesn’t even begin for 2 weeks afterward. Orchards that have extended hull split periods sometimes don’t complete this vulnerable stage for another 3 weeks, meaning there is a large amount of nut exposure when there is no control material present. This can prompt the necessity of a second application.

Careful water management can also aid in condensing the hull split period which enhances the action of applied insecticides. Another benefit of this is minimizing the time that nuts are exposed to germinating fungal spores that create Hull rot. Hull rot impacts the crop over a more long-term period as the fungal infection results in the production of fumaric acid within the limb, which kills shoots and limbs. The more infection points the more and larger limbs that are killed and taken out of production, even for the life of the orchard. Including a fungicide, such as Ph-D, Quash, Luna materials, Quadris Top or others with the hull split sprays has been effective in reducing infections. Of note is the timing of these treatments for Non-pareil almonds, which can coincide with other disease control (such as Alternaria) on pollinator varieties. As always, see your Grow West PCA for specific recommendations.

Learn All About Ag at Home!

Sat, 06 Jun 2020 23:03:55 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2020

Growing Together Summer 2020 - Learn All About Ag at Home!

A vision of an “appreciation of agriculture by all” is the driving force of the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. Also known as LearnAboutAg®, the organization started in 1980 within the California Farm Bureau and now provides agricultural education and experiences for more than 1.25 million students in California annually.

Lesson called “Tops and Bottoms” being presented to a classroom with carrots.

The history of agriculture in California runs deep, and as the percentage of people in California who are directly working in agriculture declines, the need for agricultural education and experiences grows. For students and communities in both urban and rural areas, the resources provided by the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom provide hands-on experiences and curriculum for teachers to easily implement the program in their classrooms. With resources aligned to the State Board of Education standards, staff members help empower teachers to be inspired to integrate agricultural education into their yearly curriculum strategies, leading to lifelong lessons for students.

“We want agriculture to know that we are out there working on their behalf to help continue the legacy of agriculture by telling the truth and the real story of agriculture,” stated Executive Director Judy Culbertson. One of the unique aspects of the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom is their science-based, non-biased use of resources as they partner with and promote all types of agriculture.

Students gather around a lab table during a lesson.

The resource portfolio includes teacher field trips, in-class presentations, curriculum and activity modules that can be downloaded by staff to support both teachers and, in some cases recently, even parents who are helping to school their children at home during the pandemic.

Are you or anyone you know seeking new ideas for a classroom or summer program for children?

View their resources at their website www.learnaboutag.org . Currently, they are providing increased support with their “ Learn About Ag @ Home ” program where they have numerous activity sheets and educational content that can be utilized at home. If you have any questions about the program or want to know how you can get involved, reach out to Judy Culbertson at judy@learnaboutag.org .

Grow West Trucking

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 22:54:24 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2020

Growing Together Summer 2020 - Grow West Trucking

As many of your operations continue to grow, your needs for industrial trucking capabilities have become apparent across the regional fresh food and fertilizer industries. Grow West trucking services, built through 60 years of experience in the field, has the capacity to provide independent and professional industrial trucking services for your operation. We pride ourselves in our ability to understand freight logistics. Providing you excellent quality and communication through the entire trucking process and ensuring that your needs are met, even when demands are high, and conditions are challenging. Our unique offerings in both fertilizer and fresh food product hauling differentiate us.

Food Grading Station

Our centrally located facility in Walnut Grove is unique to the industry. The certified handling and grading capabilities we offer here allow you to remove a step out of your go to market processes. This adds valuable operations efficiency and enables you to get products to your downstream partners even faster.

Bin Storage and Repair

Our storage yard has the capacity to hold 30,000 bins. We handle the outbound and inbound logistics and tracking of your bins and manage our location like a distribution center. All with cost savings for you in mind.

Experienced Dispatch Center

With six decades of service, our dispatch centers are familiar with your area and will communicate with our drivers to ensure your product is delivered when you want it, where you want it.

Modern and Compliant Fleet

With over 260 equipment assets that can be utilized across peak seasons, we are prepared to meet your needs with our modern, well maintained, and compliant fleet.

Customized Service

If you have product that needs to be hauled, we can figure out a way to get it loaded and delivered. From pre-season fertilizer hauling to industrial solutions for municipalities, we are here to serve your needs.

Our team of experienced drivers and dispatch center experts are currently serving 20 counties across California. With yard locations in West Sacramento, Lodi and Dixon, and fresh product grading in Walnut Grove, we are local and ready to meet your needs. Reach out to Joe Carrasco, Trucking Division Manager for more details at (707) 392-0493 or jcarrasco@growwest.com .

Hemp Production in California

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 22:50:30 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2020

Growing Together Summer 2020 - Hemp Production in California

Legal contribution by April Pearson, Grow West Corporate Counsel.

Hemp in growth chamber. Images provided by Arcadia Biosciences.

The plant, Cannabis sativa, has two species, “hemp” and “marijuana.” Cannabis plants contain over 400 diverse chemical compounds that can be used for medical and industrial purposes. One of the most popular compound families derived from cannabis are cannabinoids, representing 113 substances that have a direct effect on the body through cannabinoid receptors in our cells.

The best-known cannabinoid, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is derived from the marijuana plant and known for its psychotropic properties [1]. Cannabidiol (CBD) is the second most prevalent of the active ingredients of cannabis. While CBD is an essential component of medical marijuana, it is derived from the hemp plant [rather than] the marijuana plant[2].

In addition to medical ingredients, hemp is also cultivated for industrial purposes. Known mostly for strong, straight fiber products and edible seeds, industrial hemp has only trace amounts of THC. Hemp fiber is even used to make bioplastics that are biodegradable and recyclable. Hemp oil is also an ingredient in paints, soaps and varnishes[3]. The edible seeds are rich in protein and may be used in smoothies or on salads, and hemp seed ‘milk’ is a dairy alternative[4].

The differences between plants and products continue in the laws and regulations that apply to the two species. Federal law prohibits the manufacturing, distributing, and sale of cannabis products, but the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 removed hemp from the scheduled drug list which has allowed commercial production of hemp for the first time since 1957. Hemp plants grown commercially must be proven with state lab testing to not exceed the acceptable THC level of 0.3%. Currently, there are no federally approved standards for marijuana production, but several states have legalized medical and recreational uses of products containing marijuana and THC.

Since commercial production is expanding in California, Grow West® is now offering hemp to growers through Arcadia Biosciences Good Hemp™ program. A local Davis-based organization, Arcadia Biosciences, is a consumer-driven agriculture technology company that was started 18 years ago by creating traits for national seed distribution companies with emphasis on productivity and sustainable economic and environmental impacts. Today, they have three main crop focuses – soybeans, wheat, and hemp.

In the past, there has been variation of quality of seeds in the hemp industry. Arcadia Biosciences has applied their knowledge and experience derived from genomics research in soybeans and wheat to hemp production and has found success in producing consistent, high quality hemp varieties. With a variety of markets for hemp – fiber, wellness, and grain / protein – Arcadia Biosciences has focused on crafting and modifying seed types to best fit the desired traits for those three industries.

For more information related to Arcadia Biosciences Good Hemp™ Program, please visit their website at https://arcadiabio.com/goodhemp/ . Contact your Grow West representative to see if this may be a good fit for your operation.

[1] http://winterridgefoods.com/understanding-differences-hemp-cbd-marijuana/

[2] https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/cannabidiol-cbd-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont-2018082414476

[3] https://www.britannica.com/plant/hemp

[4] https://www.hempinc.com/nothing-goes-waste-hemp-plant/hemp_infographic/

The Heart of Inland Terminal

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:40:02 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2020

Growing Together Summer 2020 - The Heart of Inland Terminal

On the corner of County Road 18 C and Hwy 113 in Woodland, California stands Inland Terminal – a state of the art fertilizer storage facility with the capacity to hold 30,000 tons of dry and 30,000 tons of liquid fertilizers. Best identified by the beautiful mural on the side of the dry fertilizer building (painted by Colleen Gnos, daughter of one of our growers), the facility on a rail siding was originally constructed to provide regional fertilizer storage to support crop production for all Northern California growers.

Ramon Baeza, Operation Manager at Inland Terminal

When it comes to fertilizer application, whether it is vines, rice, vegetables, gains or trees, timing is a significant part in the overall success of product application. In 2008, it was becoming increasingly obvious that time restraints and transportation requirements of fertilizer from the closest bulk storage facility in Stockton, California, 60 miles south of Woodland, was not adequate for Northern California growers. “ A driver can make four to five runs per day from Inland Terminal to Northern California customers and before it was a stretch to make two legal runs from Northern California to Stockton in a day,” says Johnny Council, Grow West Vice Chairman. This need, coupled with community support provided by both the City of Woodland and the railroad line, created an opportunity for Grow West, and partner Colusa County Farm Supply, to build the terminal in 2012. Since then, the terminal has been home to 60,000 tons of fertilizer stored by a variety of suppliers in the industry.

“We are a reliable facility that serves many clients across the Northern tier of California agriculture,” comments Council. With a facility of this size, logistics and capacity are everything. Providing services ranging from navigating railcar deliveries, to filling orders when trucks arrive, this small dedicated team of individuals have been running the terminal since 2012 and keeps customers coming back. Ramon Baeza, operation manager at Inland Terminal, believes service always needs to be a top priority to be a successful location and it’s a team effort. “Our goal is to provide the best service to our suppliers and the agriculture industry as a whole. We strive for 100% service because without good service, people will go somewhere else.” This service is what makes the railcars come in smoothly to fill storage containers and then leave the terminal in truck in an orderly manner to fulfill grower’s fertilizer needs.

With so many logistics to comply with in order to keep things running smoothly on a daily basis it can get overwhelming but as Baeza states, “Success comes from being proactive. You will run into rainy days but take on the challenge with a smile and fix it. It’s that simple. Then grow from the challenge to prevent it in the future.” On average the terminal runs about 40 loads of dry fertilizer and 45 loads of liquid fertilizer a day and Baeza’s philosophy has been a key to Inland Terminal’s success.

Michelle Correa, manager at Inland Terminal, shares, “Ramon and his warehouse team are highly regarded by the rail team and all of our clients. They understand how to move product safely and efficiently and can address challenges that arise quickly.” This drive and dedication to efficiency and accuracy has proven a huge benefit to the Inland Terminal customers, and ultimately all Northern California growers, but has also built the quality reputation the terminal has today.

Turning Data into Decisions

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 22:31:57 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2020

Growing Together Summer 2020 - Turning Data into Decisions

Data is useless if it cannot be analyzed, interpreted, and turned into actionable management decisions for growers. Nathan Azevedo, Grow West PCA, saw this firsthand with the growers he was consulting with along with his own family’s operation. This challenge prompted Nathan to start his own business, Water Labs . Water Labs is an irrigation consulting business providing management recommendations for a variety of crops based on real-time data from your fields and backed by University research. Azevedo analyzes the raw data and pulls it together into a user-friendly format that growers’ access through an easy to use mobile app.

“It is pretty cool to work for a company that values and encourages being progressive and innovative and allows myself and others to work on entrepreneurial projects using some of the company’s time and resources” – Nathan Azevedo, Grow West PCA

How It Works

The foundation of the Water Labs data is built on four pillars – soil probes, pressure bombs, and long-standing University research, as well as trends and professional recommendations. First, soil moisture data is collected through soil probes installed throughout the growers’ fields. Then, pressure bomb readings are taken on plant tissues to evaluate the present condition of water availability in the plant. These two data sets are pulled together to show the current water condition of the ground as well as the plant. This data is then evaluated and analyzed into a summary report for each field or block that indicates the amount of stress the plant could be enduring and provides the grower with an outline of both when and how long to irrigate to recover from that stress.

Below is an example of the summary data Water Labs is providing to growers. Note the various rates of stress are indicated by blue, green, yellow and red and correspond to pressure bomb values on the right axis. Chart formats are easy to read and interpret. Nathan customizes his recommendations based on the management goals of each individual grower.

Why It Matters

Every time a grower irrigates, they create their own growing environment for the crops. There are certain times in the growing season when modified environments are necessary to increase production yield – whether that be increased stress or increased irrigation. When looking at a management program, Azevedo takes into account the potential for disease and insect presence and makes irrigation decisions based on mitigating these influences, while also maximizing yield. Nathan believes in a holistic approach to irrigation management and understands that water management plays a supporting role in both fertilizer and chemical spray programs to ensure proper disease and insect control, and plant nutritional health. He realized that macronutrients like nitrogen were highly dependent on water to be taken into the plant and saw how excess humidity caused by over irrigating could bring on leaf and plant tissue diseases like hull rot and botryosphaeria while under irrigating could bring on insect pests like mites. This attention to detail and focus on holistic health balance has impacted not only his business, but business for his customers.

Current Water Labs user and walnut grower Conway Couto has found great success with Water Labs “I have had a great experience working with Nathan he delivers accurate soil reading that really impact our irrigation practices for the better. Since working with him I have seen a significant change in growth throughout our walnut orchards. His program is very easy to use and if there is ever a problem, he is quick to sort out the issue. I continue to recommend his services to other.”

Before using Water Labs walnut grower Emmit Pennebaker would eyeball when his orchard needed to be watered which resulted in a lack of deep soil moisture. “I was watering 24/7 to get caught back up and that led me to run into harvest time which created more problems. Now I water when the soil probes readings tell me to and my soil moisture is always on target, my trees are heathy, and my overall water usage is down,” states Pennebaker.

Get Started

To learn more about Water Labs visit their website at www.waterlabsag.com

Nathan Azevedo, Grow West PCA and founder of Water Labs, can be contacted at 530-717-0679 or at nathan@waterlabsag.com .

Weathering the Storm of 2020

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 22:06:51 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2020

Growing Together Summer 2020 - Weathering the Storm of 2020

So far 2020 has been a challenging year and one our descendants will reference for decades to come. The events thus far have and will continue to impact us both personally and professionally, as we navigate changes in how we work and interact with our friends, family, and communities. I know most of you are conditioned to deal with the challenges. For many this preparedness comes from decades of managing constant change and frequent roadblocks. With weather, trade, economics, labor, regulations and many other factors impacting your organization and operations, there aren’t many problems you haven’t navigated through. What impresses me the most is the magnitude and frequency of challenges you have faced the past two growing seasons. Your resiliency to identify, manage, and find solutions to newly discovered problems and take on considerable risk in the face of uncertainty has allowed California agriculture to prosper thus far and will continue to carry it into the future.

Ernie Roncoroni, CEO of Grow West

Through it all, we are proud to be your partner! We are proud to offer you a wide portfolio of products and services to help support the production of your diverse crops. We take tremendous pride scouting your vineyards, orchards, and fields to ensure your crops reach their peak potential. As we all continue to weather the storm of 2020, we are committed to serving you with professional and personalized service. Regardless of the challenges that arise, the Grow West team will continue to adjust in order to be present and engaged on your operation. We will work to ensure your expectations and needs are met, and support your production technically, economically, and sustainably all while prioritizing the safety of employees across our industry. Although the beginning of the 2020 season has been a challenge, we are thankful to work with dedicated growers like you. The backbone of America is truly all of you, working sunup to sundown to feed this world regardless of the obstacles. I thank you for that dedication.

We look forward to doing our part and supporting your operation through these summer months so we can end a challenging year with strong and rewarding harvest!

Stay safe and be well!

Ernie Roncoroni

Mobile: 530-304-4657

Email: eroncoroni@growwest.com

Acreage Changes in California Influence Grower Options

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 21:53:17 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2020

Growing Together Spring 2020 - Acreage Changes in California Influence Grower Options

Recently, both the Almond Board of California and the Walnut Board of California released updated acreage counts for each of their respective commodities in the state of California. The numbers for each crop, along with the acreage of pistachios, represent a staggering total of nut crops grown in California. The National Agricultural Statistics Service lists the following acres for each crop:

Almonds

Bearing: 1,090,000 acres
Non-Bearing: 300,000+ acres

Walnuts

Bearing: 365,000 acres
Non-Bearing: 65,000 acres

Pistachios

Bearing: 250,000 acres
Non-Bearing: 50,000 (estimated, total undetermined)

There is some indication that entering 2020 the acreage might even be slightly higher; but it’s clear the total nut crop acreage in the state now exceeds 2,000,000 acres. The California Department of Food and Agriculture places the value of these crops at close to $10 billion annually, highlighting their tremendous contribution to both the California and National economies.

One of the benefits of this successful expansion of the state’s nut crop industry is it has given growers planting options when the demand and subsequent returns for some other commodities have decreased. For example, stone and pome fruit acreage have been reduced close to 70,000 acres over the last decade in California. Given the economic principle of supply and demand, this decrease in supply has increased the demand and return for the remaining crop, adding to the well-being of the overall fruit industry, thereby helping the growers of those commodities to succeed.

The Mystery Behind Sudden Vine Collapse

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 21:50:07 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2020

Growing Together Spring 2020 - The Mystery Behind Sudden Vine Collapse

In certain areas across the state of California, specifically in the San Joaquin Delta, Central Valley and coastal counties, wine grape growers are reporting that their grapevines are mysteriously collapsing. Fortunately, a team of growers, pest control experts and scientists, and the Lodi Winegrape Commission, have studied these dying vines and have determined that viruses are likely involved in what is called “sudden vine collapse”.

The research has shown that the combination of a leafroll virus and a vitivirus may be the cause of this mysterious disease. Once an infected vine is dead, the virus-carrying mealybugs move to a live vine to obtain a new source of food which potentially spreads the virus contributing to the collapse.

How to Manage Sudden Vine Collapse

Test your vineyard – If you think your vines could be infected, you can test both your healthy and collapsing vines for Leafroll virus (1, 2, 2RG and 3) as well as Grapevine virus A, B, D and F (GVA, GVB, GVD, and GVF).
Remove the infected vines – As of now there is no cure for grapevine viruses, so the most efficient way to reduce the spread of the viruses is to remove the infected vines from the field. The USDA Tree Assistance Program is providing financial assistance to eligible growers who need to remove a vineyard infected with leafroll virus.
Reduce the mealybug vectors – Grow West can help you manage vine mealybugs. This will help you protect your healthy vines and the vines of your neighbors.

To learn more about virus management, visit www.lodigrowers.com/growereducation/viruses .

Contact Grow West today to learn how we can help you manage your vineyard.

Need Help in Safety, Training or Compliance? These Services Can Help.

Sun, 05 Apr 2020 21:47:36 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2020

Growing Together Spring 2020 - Need Help in Safety, Training or Compliance? These Services Can Help

We understand your business success is determined by more than producing the best crop possible. California growers face increased regulation and labor challenges than most growers in the United States. To assist in these areas, Grow West has two organizations with experts in compliance, safety, and training.

FS3 (Food Safety and Sustainability Specialists)

FS 3 assists you in managing the data and resources needed to be a certified member in various farm assurance programs, along with ensuring growers are up to date on the proper food safety protocols for a sustainable future in food production. Our experts are trained and informed of the latest regulation changes and requirements in a rapidly changing industry. They will ensure you are up to date and compliant. FS3 services include:

Food Safety Management System Creation
Site Inspections
Coordination with Certifying Body (CB)
Audit Assistance
Internal Audit
Recertification Review
Water Sampling
Safety Signage
Mapping
Field Audits
Knowledge & Expertise in:
PrimusGFS
Primus Standard
Global Gap
USDA Food Safety Certifications
FMSA
SQF
HACCP
PCA
CCA
SSP
Lodi Rules

For more information about FS 3 services and contact information, please visit the website here – http://fs3.us/

MVP Safety Professionals

MVP Safety Professionals assists you with risk management, compliance and employee training and development to ensure your business is a safe and professional operation that protects workers and the environment they work in as well as the crops. Through their customized compliance and training services portfolio, MVP Safety Professionals help their clients gain confidence in their health and safety programs with an emphasis on employee education while meeting state and federal regulatory requirements. Their services include:

Customized Trainings
Weekly, monthly or quarterly customized in-person trainings
Written Programs
Injury Illness Prevention Program (IIPP)
Heat Illness Prevention
Pesticide Safety Program
Safety Training
Pesticide Safety
Heat Illness Prevention
Tractor / PTO
ATV and Implement Safety
Ladder
Chainsaw
Hazard Communication
Certifications
Forklift
First Aid
Sexual Harassment Prevention
Respirator Fit Testing
Continuing Education Credits

Due to COVID-19 the following safety precautions are being take during this time:

Trainings have been limited to classes of 10 or less.
Trainings are completed in rooms with ample space of more than 6 feet between individuals.
Hand sanitizer and glovers are being used during trainings.
No trainings are being held at the MVP safety office.

For more information about MVP’s services and contact information, please visit their website here – http://mvpsafety.org/

Rounding Up The Facts About Glyphosate

Sat, 04 Apr 2020 21:45:03 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2020

Growing Together Spring 2020 - Rounding Up The Facts About Glyphosate

Not only are weeds at risk from Round Up ® , now glyphosate itself is under fire. You likely heard the news about the multi-million-dollar verdicts against Monsanto (which have been appealed) and even seen the lawyer solicitations for people who suffer from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma due to glyphosate exposure. Yet to a grower who has used Round Up for years, the cause-and-effect may not be evident.

Glyphosate was first used on crops in 1974, and quickly became agriculture’s most popular herbicide to control stubborn weeds. Even homeowners found the herbicide invaluable to control weeds in the yard. Glyphosate is one of the most researched agricultural active ingredients in history — a point made by Bob Reiter, Global Head of Research and Development, Crop Science Division for Bayer. “Glyphosate is one of the most studied molecules that has ever been introduced into the agricultural marketplace,” Reiter said, speaking at a fall 2018 Bayer event. “Time and time again it’s shown to have a tremendous safety record.”

With such broad adoption, is glyphosate truly the culprit in the publicized verdicts? The National Pesticide Information Center offers this:

Long-term feeding studies in animals were assessed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other regulatory authorities. Based on these evaluations, they found there is no evidence glyphosate is toxic to the nervous or immune systems. They also found it is not a developmental or reproductive toxin. Furthermore, animal and human studies were evaluated by regulatory agencies in the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, and the European Union, as well as the Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues of the United Nations and World Health Organization (WHO). These agencies looked at cancer rates in humans and studies where laboratory animals were fed high doses of glyphosate. Based on these studies, they determined that glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic. However, a committee of scientists working for the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the WHO evaluated fewer studies and reported that glyphosate is probably carcinogenic [1] .

CropLife ® magazine asked the nation’s top ag retailers: “Given the attacks on glyphosate in 2019, what do you predict will happen next?”

Chart Provided by CropLife [2]

53% of CropLife 100 survey responders believe grower-customers will begin using other herbicides to satisfy those end-users who seek crops grown without glyphosate use (such as planting traditional-bred seeds or utilizing other herbicide-resistant cropping systems, such as glufosinate, 2,4-D, or dicamba). The remaining 36% of CropLife 100 ag retailers think that glyphosate will remain an important tool for agriculture to use “for years to come.” Part of this is probably based on the fact that the vast majority of lawsuits filed against the herbicide come from the consumer sector and not agriculture2.

CropLife 100 suggests that other ag retailers are putting their faith in Bayer to fight hard to keep glyphosate as a viable herbicide. “Monsanto at some point more or less gave up trying to educate the population on glyphosate’s safety,” Liam Condon, President of the Crop Science Division for Bayer, said one year ago at a press briefing on glyphosate’s future. “We have to try to do this going forward.”

Sources:

[1] https://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/glyphogen.html

[2] https://www.croplife.com/croplife-top-100/whats-next-with-glyphosate-top-ag-retailers-weigh-in-on-roundup/?e=mhtolke@landolakes.com&utm_source=realmagnet&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=clenews12192019

Growing Rice is Complex. Grow West® Makes It Easier

Fri, 03 Apr 2020 21:38:42 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2020

Growing Together Spring 2020 - Growing Rice is Complex. Grow West® Makes It Easier

In rice field management, there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach. At least there shouldn’t be. We believe in customized service and the power in managing your fields as if they were our own. Our dedicated rice team of over 75 individuals takes pride in offering the Sacramento Valley area three main pillars of service: experience, infrastructure, and capability.

Experience

When it comes to rice, there isn’t much we haven’t seen. Our team of 25 rice-specific PCAs and 50 rice-specific operations employees have over 1,200 years of cumulative experience.

Infrastructure

Our facilities bring the highest product storage, largest fertilizer manufacturing terminals, and extensive support equipment fleets to help you cover more acres in the small window of time mother nature allows.

Capability

Our entire organization runs as long as it takes to produce the best rice yields possible. We have built our business just like you have built yours, with decades of hard work and commitment.

Your rice fields are supported by our service offerings which are in place to best serve your needs. As you grow, we grow with you.

PCA Team
Tech Service Trials
Logistics
Fertilizer Manufacturing & Storage
Locations Across Sacramento Valley
Support Staff
Added-Value Services

Visit www.growwest.com/rice for more details on our rice portfolio and logistics capabilities.

COVID-19 Location Update

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:36:55 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2020

Growing Together Spring 2020 - COVID-19 Location Update

We are continuing to implement changes to all of our locations to ensure increased safety for us all. Below is a list of updates on procedures and safety measures at a few of our locations. We have increased cleaning and sanitation at all of our locations in addition to the updates below. If you have any questions regarding safety measures or procedures, please call your location to clarify changes as they will have the most up to date information. We are committed to keeping the communities we live and work in safe.

Administration Office

We are limiting the number of people in the administration office (201 East Street, Woodland, CA) including employees, vendors, and customers. Please call ahead before entering the office
We have increased cleaning services for the office to three times per week and staff are wiping commonly used surfaces multiple times a day
All meetings are being held via videoconferencing to reduce face-to-face exposure

Woodland Parts, Talmage and Maxwell

A drive-thru is now available for customers to pick up products
Employees are asked to use gloves during working hours

Retail Stores

All sales staff are working remotely to reduce traffic into retail stores
Customers are asked to call upon arrival, drive to the warehouse and stay in vehicle while we load your order

Dixon Wholesale

Drivers and visitors are required to bring their own writing instruments (pens) into the office
Drivers must remain in the vehicles while loading or unloading
A window has been installed to keep a distance between visitors and employees

Trucking

All employees must stay in their vehicles when loading and unloading product
Employees are being equipped with hand sanitizer in their trucks

MVP Safety

Trainings have been limited to classes of 10 or less
Trainings are completed in rooms with ample space of more than 6 feet between individuals
Hand sanitizer and glovers are being used during trainings
No trainings are being held at the MVP safety office

Thank you for your patience as we navigate the daily changes. We will continue to work together to bring you the best quality service we can with the circumstances we have.

Continuing Our Commitment To You

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 21:27:47 GMT

Growing Together Spring 2020

Growing Together Spring 2020 - Continuing Our Commitment To You

It shouldn’t take a pandemic to put things in perspective, but seeing the way everyone has put the greater good ahead of personal convenience is one of the silver linings in all of this. I am proud of how we have come together to navigate COVID-19. Our communities are banding together to social distance, stay at home when possible, and continue to do the work we can to move forward. Working through COVID-19 provides unique challenges, personally and professionally, but we are committed to taking one day at a time and doing the right things to move forward.

Ernie Roncoroni, President & CEO

Throughout our organization’s history, like yours, we have made difficult decisions in tough situations with the best potential information available. From navigating changing markets to investing in new technology, we stay informed and follow our instincts to do what’s right for our customers and employees. What may have worked yesterday may not work today, but our organization is committed to continuing to adapt and navigate this unprecedented time. It is the right and necessary thing to do to ensure your 2020 crop meets its maximum potential.

We are in this together. I want to keep communication lines open as we navigate the next coming months, so let us know what you need and how we can continue to serve you the best way possible. Things look very different than they did last year, and they may never look the same again. But above all else, we are committed to your success as our partner and our neighbor.

Stay safe and be well!

Ernie Roncoroni

Mobile: 530-304-4657

Email: eroncoroni@growwest.com

Legal Corner: What’s in a Name?

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 20:17:02 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2020

Growing Together Winter 2020 - Legal Corner: What’s in a Name?

Do the terms trademark, copyright and patent confuse you? Not to worry, even some lawyers struggle with the concepts.

Patents follow inventions. Trademarks are used with brand names and slogans. Copyrights protect things like novels, films and software. Trademarks may be registered (filed with the US Trademark Office) or simply used as a brand name. Registered marks earn the ® while all others are denoted with TM. Using TM tells the world that you deem the brand name to be proprietary. Registering the tradename allows you to sue others to stop similar or conflicting use. And, your brand name may be both a word and a logo – think Coca-Cola ®

April V. Pearson, Corporate Counsel

Trademarks help to define your brand and build name recognition. Trademarks should always be used as an adjective modifying the generic (noun) term for the product. For example, write “Buy KODAK ® cameras” not “Buy KODAK ®.” The trademarked word should also be different from the surrounding text such as all capital letters, use of quotation marks, or use of a distinctive typeface.

Here are some guidelines for protecting your trademark/brand name:

A trademark is a proper adjective and should always be followed by a generic term (such as “iPhone mobile phone”).
A trademark should not be pluralized.
A trademark should not be used in the possessive form.
A trademark should not be used as a verb (such as I “googled” that term).

If you noticed that some of those examples are cumbersome or out-of-sync with everyday speech, you caught the irony and can see how easy it is for a company to lose its uniqueness.

Trademark rights can be lost if the trademark becomes generic in use. Examples of former trademarks that became common day words include “ aspirin ”, “ escalator ”, “ cellophane ”, “ shredded wheat ” and “ thermos ”. Distinguishing the brand is especially critical for a unique product or one that is a shorthand description of the product. Velcro Corp has a funny video about its trademark “for (bleeping) hook and loop fasteners” which proves that some lawyers have a sense of humor. #dontsayvelcro

MVP Safety Professionals: Paraquat Dichloride Compliance Help

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 20:13:42 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2020

Growing Together Winter 2020 - MVP Safety Professionals: Paraquat Dichloride Compliance Help

The herbicide paraquat, when used correctly, is an effective tool for controlling unwanted pests in agricultural and non-agricultural settings. Use in accordance with all label directions minimizes harm. Due to several accidental poisoning fatalities resulting from the misuse of paraquat or storage in beverage containers, however, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is requiring new mitigation measures to help minimize human health incidents, particularly the practice of placing the product in unlabeled beverage containers.

Imelda Muzio, MVP Safety Professionals Manager/Ag Safety Educator

New mitigation measures include:

Label changes emphasizing paraquat toxicity and supplemental warning materials;
Targeted stewardship/training materials for paraquat users;
A closed-system requirement for transferring paraquat out of all containers; and
Restricting use to certified applicators only (i.e., prohibiting application by individuals working under the supervision of a certified applicator).

Study Course for Private Applicator Certificate Exam:

MVP Safety has developed a one-day study course to help Spanish-speaking handlers prepare for the required Private Applicator Certificate exam and will provide interpreter assistance with the required stewardship program. Each has a three-year renewal requirement. MVP is dedicated in providing continuing education units for Spanish and English speakers to help them maintain their certificates.

MVP Safety’s first course is scheduled for January 16, 2020. If you are interested in the course, call or email their office at 530-848-0998 or imuzio@mvpsafety.org .

For more safety courses visit: mvpsafety.org

Ensuring Food Security for Those In Need

Sun, 05 Jan 2020 20:10:12 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2020

Growing Together Winter 2020 - Ensuring Food Security for Those In Need

Despite the agricultural prosperity of California, there still are many people who do not have enough food, or access to nutritious food. For nearly a decade, Grow West® has supported the efforts of Yolo Food Bank in Woodland, Calif. to end hunger and malnutrition in Yolo County. Most recently, Grow West made a significant contribution to Yolo Food Bank’s End Hunger Yolo project to develop a purpose-built food recovery warehouse and operations facility. The new facility represents a huge step forward in food security for Yolo County.

Bigger Space, Expanded Promise

The End Hunger Yolo campaign began in 2014 with the purchase of an existing warehouse in Woodland, and continued through March 2019 when the food bank moved from its previous location into the newly renovated and much larger 42,000-square-foot space. All told, it was a $9.5 million project, 93 percent of which was funded by private philanthropy.

“Grow West is the second largest donor to the End Hunger Yolo campaign,” said Joy Cohan, Director of Philanthropic Engagement at Yolo Food Bank. “That pledge told us that they believed in the potential of the project to make a difference in the community. And while the funding itself was instrumental in bringing our new facility to fruition, their generosity also inspired other donors to come forward, which allowed us to meet our goal.”

As a food bank (rather than a food pantry or food closet), Yolo Food Bank serves as a hub of food security for Yolo County. About two-thirds of the food the organization collects annually is directly distributed to people in need from more than 80 access points covering the four cities and vast rural areas of the county. The other one-third supports a countywide nonprofit partnership network, comprised of 72 organizations such as food pantries and food closets, homeless shelters, senior meal delivery programs, college campuses, migrant centers, veterans’ programs and more.

Fresh Produce Donations Needed

A holiday meal kit distribution and resource fair was held at the new food bank in November 2019 in the Grow West Community Room, bringing people together in shared recognition of the common need for food in order to thrive.

Yolo Food Bank is on track to increase food donations and distributions by 50 percent in each of its first two fiscal years in its new space. With a focus on healthy, fresh foods (capable of leveraging the new facility to shift the county’s nutritional paradigm), produce donations from the local farming community play a key role in this expansion. Yolo Food Bank’s goal is to achieve a 100 percent increase in produce in and out of the facility this year.

Agricultural relationships are developed and nurtured as part of the food bank’s “ Yolo Grown ” program. Yolo Grown Coordinator Aliyah Moreno ( aliyah@yolofoodbank.org ) welcomes contact with growers who wish to become involved. Moreno regularly makes presentations and follows up personally with growers to create awareness of the opportunity.

“‘Yolo Grown’ encourages farmers to do well by doing good,” Moreno explains. “Not only does their engagement with us positively impact the social safety net, but they may gain tax advantages and benefit from community recognition opportunities, too.”

Donated produce makes its journey to Yolo Food Bank via several pathways. Some growers harvest and deliver the donated produce directly to the Food Bank. Others harvest and request that the Food Bank send a truck to pick-up. Harvesting completed by Yolo Food Bank volunteers is yet another scenario. Particularly valuable are partnerships in which farmers essentially set aside a corner of their fields to grow produce specifically for the Food Bank

Waste Not, Want Not

With food collection and distribution as its primary activity, Yolo Food Bank is in a unique position to help rescue edible food waste. Currently, no food collected or recovered by Yolo Food Bank goes to the landfill. Furthermore, the Food Bank recently was the recipient of a $500,000 CalRecycle Food Waste Recovery Grant to be used to assist Tier 1 edible food waste generators – food retailers, producers, and distributors – with landfill diversion

The grant funds are equipping the food bank to prepare for SB 1383, California legislation going into effect Jan. 1, 2022, mandating that all Tier 1 waste producers in the state divert their food waste from landfills. Yolo Food Bank will be the certified entity in Yolo County that can recover this edible food waste and ensure compliance with the regulation.

“Nearly 220,000 people call Yolo County home, and almost 20 percent of them are living in poverty,” Cohan emphasizes. “Without this new facility, we would never have been able to even conceive of meeting the full food security need. Now, eight months since our move, we’re immersed in the realization of the programmatic promise and capacity expansion potential of the site to make food security for all in Yolo County a reality. And Grow West and grower-donors are making that reality possible.”

Yolo Food Bank introduces children to a healthy bounty of fresh foods at eight Kids' Farmers Market sites countrywide, including this one at Westfield Elementary School in West Sacramento

To reinforce the importance of coming together as a community to address food insecurity, Yolo Food Bank teamed up with Grow West to sponsor a Food Donor Recognition event in the fall of 2019. Ernie Roncoroni, President and CEO of Grow West, took the opportunity to thank the 130 retailers, farmers, distributors and processors in attendance whose generosity has helped those in need.

Crop Protection Products Coming to California

Sat, 04 Jan 2020 19:56:19 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2020

Growing Together Winter 2020 - Crop Protection Products Coming to California

To register a crop protection product in California takes time (generally two or more years after the EPA has granted a registration) and money (in addition to the fees for registration some-times extra costly research is required). New products for our growers come at a very slow pace. Having said that, in the next one to two years we will be receiving several products that are going to help California growers in their efforts to control diseases, insects and weeds making their job easier and hopefully more profitable.

Matt Ehlhardt, Grow West Director of Technical Services

Below are some products we anticipate or have recently received approval for use in California. The resistance management group that the individual compounds have been assigned to has been added for each product. It is important to know these when planning a pest management program in order to mitigate the development of resistance to a mode of action. When a “U” is stated it indicates that the mode of action is unknown at this time.

Targeting a 2020 California Registration and Launch

Fungicides

Miravis Prime ® – (FRAC G 7, 12) from Syngenta

Grapes for powdery mildew and bunch rot

Fruiting vegetables for powdery mildew and black mold

Cucurbits for powdery mildew, scab, and Septoria leaf spot

Orondis Ultra ® – (G U15) from Syngenta

Cucurbits for downy mildew control

Gatten ® – (U 8) from Nichino

Grapes, cucurbits, apples for powdery mildew control

Rhyme ® – (G 3) from FMC

Grapes and tree nuts (2ee supplemental label) through a pressurized irrigation system for wood diseases

Insecticides, Nematicide

Nimitz ® – (IRAC U) from ADAMA

Tree nuts and grapes for nematode control (already registered for use on tomatoes, melons, cucumbers)

Sequoia ® – (G 4C) from Corteva

Tree nuts, stone fruits, cucurbits, fruiting vegetables, grapes for control of mealybugs, aphids, scales

Spear-Lep ® – (G 32) from Vesteron

Tree fruits, nuts, vines, leafy and fruiting vegetables for control of many lepidoptera species

Herbicides

Life Line GT ® – (Group 9, 10) from UPL (recently registered for use in California)

Tree fruit, nuts, and vine for broad-spectrum weed control (premix of glyphosate and glufosinate)

Loyant ® – (G 4) from Corteva

Rice weed control (redstem, water plantain, smallflower umbrellaplant, bullrush, watergrass)

Targeting 2021 for California Registration

Fungicides

Cevya ® – (FRAC G 3) from BASF

Grape for control of powdery mildew and Phomopsis

Tree nut for control of shot hole, leaf rust, and Alternaria

Nematicide

Solibro ® – (G U) from Corteva

Grapes, tree nuts and stone fruit nematode control

Organics Division Launches a New Resource for Growers

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 19:52:02 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2020

Growing Together Winter 2020 - Organics Division Launches a New Resource for Growers

California growers have known for decades that sustainability is about making informed choices and Grow West ® is adding a new resource to help. Growers interested in organic inputs can now visit the new Organics Division website to learn about our full line of organic products, see research and data and link to other valuable resources.

Back in 2006 when Grow West (then Ag Unlimited) began supplying organic planting medium and fertilizers to greenhouse growers who demanded unique and non-traditional production technologies. Since then, Grow West’s organic offerings have expanded to offer an expanded portfolio for a wide array of specialty crop operations.

“High-value specialty crop growers rely on organics for two reasons,” explains John Hildebrand, Northern California Sales Rep and Account Manager for Grow West. “First and foremost, in the case of crop protection products, there are limited chemical options labeled for some crops. But just as importantly, many growers want to use environmentally responsible and biologically correct materials to improve results and differentiate their brand and products. Organics, for example, contain less salt and heavy metals than conventional materials.”

To meet this need, Grow West carries a complete line of organics including not only custom blended soils and a wide range of fertilizers, but also soil amendments, micronutrients, amino acids, biological stimulants, beneficial bacteria, fungicides, herbicides, pesticides, rodenticides and even turf seed and beneficial insects.

“We have a broad offering of organics, and they are high quality because we have long-standing relationships with reliable suppliers,” notes Hildebrand. “We never buy any products sight unseen, and we never bring anything to market without third-party testing and verified, repeatable results. Also, our sales team prides itself on being knowledgeable so that we can help growers get the most out of every acre.”

And while Grow West’s Organics Division got its start in Northern California, it is now supplying a national market, shipping organic products to other states.

To learn more, visit your local Grow West retail store or our new website, GrowWestOrganics.com .

Agro-K® Products Focus on Plant Physiology: New Foliar Micronutrient Added to Line-Up in 2020

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 19:48:54 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2020

Growing Together Winter 2020 - Agro-K® Products Focus on Plant Physiology: New Foliar Micronutrient Added to Line-Up in 2020

Grow West® is a proud retailer of Agro-K’s foliar nutrition and soil biological systems for one main reason: they are among the best on the market. And Agro-K continues to make the best line-up even better by introducing a new foliar fertilizer to growers in time for 2020 spraying. The key to the effectiveness of Agro-K’s popular products is their science-based approach to developing formulations.

“Formulation matters,” says Mike Boer, Grow West Sales Manager for the North Coast. “Agro-K’s formulations for delivering the nutrients into the plant are superior. They go beyond getting the product into the leaf; Agro-K has developed technologies that are complete and systemic, delivering nutrients to whatever part of the plant needs them, including the roots. That’s where I believe the Agro-K line is superior over many, many other product lines.”

In a properly managed program, the unique formulation of Agro-K products build a foundation for more effective nutrient uptake, photosynthesis, and translocation of minerals, water, and other building blocks of healthy plants. Healthy plants, of course – whether vines, vegetables, tree fruit or nuts – are better able to tolerate the inevitable stresses of the growing season, producing more abundant, higher-quality harvests.

“Our products have evolved out of a comprehensive understanding of plant physiology,” explains Ken Dart, National Technical Manager for Agro-K. “This basis in the science of cellular-level plant development means our products are fine-tuned to help crops receive the nutrients they need precisely when that need peaks.” And they need it in the right form to be taken in quickly and completely for the best performance and value.

Agro-K products also are based in extensive knowledge of the interactions – positive or negative for plant development – of various chemistries within distinct crops and their environment.

Proven Products

Data from decades of trials by leading universities, crop consultants, cooperators and high-level producers have proven the sound science, efficacy and value of Agro-K technologies for improving plant performance and for the rapid-uptake and bioavailability of nutrients. Agro-K’s premier products include:

Sysstem Series line of foliar phosphites that leverage the unique properties of phosphites to rapidly penetrate plant tissue, move throughout the plant’s vascular system and stimulate beneficial plant responses. Phosphite ions are the perfect vehicle to deliver critical nutrients like calcium, zinc, magnesium, manganese and potassium for rapid uptake and utilization by plants for maximum effect.
Dextro-Lac micronutrients made using a proprietary complexing method that utilizes two biologically important carbohydrate molecules – dextrose and lactose – to form a protective shield around nutrients to keep them in a readily available and plant-friendly form. Both dextrose and lactose are easily transported across cell membranes, making them ideal carriers for the encased plant nutrients with extremely low risk of phytotoxicity to tender fruit and foliage.
This category includes the Vigor formulations , which add value and performance using a proprietary biological finishing technique that improves plant response above and beyond the Dextro-Lac formulations.
CLEANTM line of certified organic nutrient and biological products.
Soil Biologicals that improve soil biology and root zone environment; accelerate crop residue break down; and increase nutrient cycling and nutrient availability in the soil.

Sysstem Leaf Max TM New for 2020

New to the line-up for 2020 is Sysstem Leaf Max, which is being launched after four years of research.

“Sysstem Leaf Max is exciting because it offers a complete nutrient source in the right form for developing larger leaf size and chlorophyll,” says Dart. “The components of this foliar fertilizer—Magnesium (Mg), Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), and Molybdenum (Mo)—are formulated in a specific way that actually builds a complete chlorophyll molecule, which boosts the energy a plant can make. This results in balanced growth, better crop quality and yield, and also supports the long-term health of trees and vines. It does this in one product.”

Sysstem Leaf Max will be available for almonds, walnuts, grapes and other crops in a pre-mixed Phosphite/ Dextro-Lac solution sold in 2.5 gal. jugs and 250 gal totes. Growers can ask their Grow West PCAs for more details on this new product for their specific crops.

Right Nutrients at the Right Time

“The reason we invest so much on formulation technology is that a foliar nutrient is only effective and has value if it gets into the plant completely and at the right time,” Dart notes. “What makes a good foliar fertilizer is a poor soil fertilizer, and vice versa. That’s why it is so important for PCAs and growers to understand what nutrients their crop needs and when it needs them, as well as what forms are best for foliar or for soil applications, because they are not the same.”

Boer agrees.

“Timing is paramount,” he emphasizes. “A science-based approach, taking into account a plant’s physiology, ensures that you are fertilizing plants from the very beginning of peak nutrient demand. That’s the only way to maximize a plant’s genetic potential, and it also gives you the greatest ROI for your investment. As advisors, it’s our job to help growers optimally time their applications.”

As an example, Dart points out that a crop developing leaves needs the right nutrient in the right form as the leaves are expanding. That’s the time to be applying Zinc (Zn), Phosphate (P) and Nitrogen (N), because they drive leaf size. At the same time, you should be applying the micronutrients Magnesium (Mg), Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe) and Copper (Cu). These are building blocks for the chlorophyll that is developing as the leaves grow and expand. If you apply these nutrients after the leaves have fully formed (or in a form that doesn’t penetrate the leaf until after it fully forms), you don’t get the full value of the application for increased yield and quality.

“One of the reasons we selected Grow West to carry our products is that they have a really good team who understand the science, and work with growers to make sure applications are properly timed and executed,” adds Dart.

How to Maximize Nutritional ROI

Growers who understand science-based nutrition will be positioned to make the best choices for the best results, less waste, and increased economic returns.

Agro-K identifies “Five Rs” for applying soil and foliar nutrients:

R ight nutrient.
R ight time/crop stage.
R ight form. This is especially true when dealing with foliar nutrition, because the product formulation will dictate how completely and quickly the nutrient goes into the plant tissue and is able to be used by the crop.
R ight nutrient mix. Not all nutrients work well together in the plant at the same time.
R ight place in the plant (e.g., roots vs. leaves or fruit).

For more on the Five Rs and a list of science-based questions to ask your Grow West PCA, visit Agro-K’s website .

Integration & Investments Prepare the Grow West Team for Growth in 2020

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 19:33:59 GMT

Growing Together Winter 2020

Growing Together Winter 2020 - Integration & Investments Prepare the Grow West Team for Growth in 2020

By Ernie Roncoroni, President & CEO

As we enter the new year, I can’t help but reflect back on how exciting 2019 was for our company and its history. It was a year of integration and investment. It began with the launch of our new brand Grow West® on February 2 . This new unified brand has allowed Grow West to outwardly join our capabilities and grow together as one team. We have appreciated all the support and feedback we have received, and it is our desire to continually exceed your expectations.

The acquisitions and integration of Clark Trucking and Purity Products into the Grow West family was another success for us in 2019. We welcomed all of the employees from Clark Trucking and Purity Products, and I’m happy to say they are still enjoying being part of the larger Grow West team. Their additions have allowed us to broaden our offerings and expand our scale. Our partnership with you is a priority and we are continuing to build a diverse portfolio of services to provide you with distinct value and opportunities. In addition, we have continued to invest in our facilities. Our internal engineering department has added a new office, warehouse and tank farm at our Sonoma location, and we have just begun an expansion of our Woodland retail operation. These two locations have provided exceptional service and these investments will strengthen our capabilities moving forward in these two communities.

I am proud of our team and their accomplishments. They have put forward a significant effort to support you in growing a successful product in a very challenging environment. In 2019 we encountered everything from flood to fire, and helped you plant a crop in the most condensed spring I have ever seen. All of these events and many more forced us to bring our best and not let you down. From the feedback I have heard, it sounds like we exceeded the challenge. If one of our team members has gone above and beyond serving you, I would like to hear it. Conversely, if we ever do not exceed your expectation, I want to hear that directly from you. I have included my contact information below and would welcome you to reach out to me.

We have made a concerted effort to communicate better with you. This quarterly newsletter is one avenue. In addition to the newsletter, please follow us on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and LinkedIn . We keep these social media platforms current and you will have a front row seat to follow us on our journey!

As we look at the year ahead of us, I promise you that Grow West is committed to be a true partner to you. Grow West was created to serve you better and 2019 was just the beginning.

Mobile: 530-304-4657

Email: eroncoroni@growwest.com

Cheer to a New Use for Almonds!

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 21:42:35 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2019

Cheers to a New Use for Almonds!

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But what if life gives you … almonds? How can you improve on such a good thing? When Grow West’s Lucas Schmidt, Director of Crop Protection & Plant Nutrition, joined the Almond Leadership Program in early 2019, he may not have predicted he would be a co-inventor of a new way to “toast” this savory nut—by using it to make beer!

The Almond Leadership Program, sponsored annually by the Almond Board of California, brings together almond community members for a one-year leadership training to address the challenges of a changing industry. Along with participating in field and plant tours, educational seminars, and workshops, the 2019 cohort was tasked with conducting an almond-centered project. Schmidt teamed up with another program participant, Dominique Camou, who manages Grower Relations at Famoso Nut in Bakersfield. Both Camou and Schmidt met for the first time during the Almond Board Leadership Program. Ironically enough, on day two of the program, the two hit it off and found themselves pursuing the idea of brewing almond beer.

They approached Temblor ® Brewing Company in Bakersfield, who embraced the idea and worked with Schmidt and Camou to develop a recipe for “On the Fritz” beer, made with the Fritz variety of almonds. This Traditional Brown Ale has a generous portion of almonds added to the mash (brewing stage where the grain is mixed with water & boiled to make a sugar called “wort”). Then they are combined with the dry hop providing a toasty, nutty, malty ale with a smooth finish.

Fundraising for the Future

As part of the Almond Leadership Program, Schmidt and Camou, along with their 16 fellow participants, were committed to raising funds for California FFA program, and Almond Brown Ale served up a way to do that. The Leadership Program team hosted an Almond Brown Ale launch party in June which raised $16,000 for California FFA. In addition to that, Temblor Brewing Company offered to contribute $1/can for every can sold of the first batch of Almond Brown Ale.

Almond Brown™ Ale was also featured at the Leadership Program’s other fundraising events, including a golf tournament and summer dinner event.

“We put a lot into marketing and promotion, not only for selling more beer to meet our fundraising goals to support California FFA, but also to raise awareness about the versatility of almonds, which is an important commodity crop for California,” explained Schmidt.

The team’s other efforts included Almond Brown Ale sampling for lawmakers the night before Almond Festival at the State Capitol (hosted by the Almond Alliance of California) and showcasing the beer on the Capitol grounds as part of Almond Festival day activities. Events such as the Almond Festival at the State Capitol are essential in raising awareness of the California almond industry while also providing state legislators with a better understanding of the scope, size, value, and sustainability of California almonds.

Currently, the beer is being marketed as “Almond Brown Ale” and can be purchased on tap in two places in California: Temblor Brewing in Bakersfield, CA and Harris Ranch Inn & Restaurant in Coalinga, CA.

Moving the Mission Forward

Almond Brown Ale was met with such enthusiasm that Temblor is working on the 2nd batch to be canned this fall (October 2019), with Schmidt and Camou continuing to be invested in the venture.

“To bring things full circle, we will be featuring Almond Brown Ale at the Almond Conference in December,” adds Schmidt. “What started as a kernel of an idea has become a very tangible reality very quickly. We’d like to thank everyone who has supported this project, from the Almond Board of California and Temblor Brewing, to our many corporate sponsors, and all the people who came to our events and bought On the Fritz—as we originally called it—or Almond Brown Ale. It’s been exciting to watch the momentum build, and we hope it will continue.”

The team currently is working on distribution plans for its fall batch. For more information regarding the availability and product launch, don’t hesitate to reach out to contact@growwest.com or 530-662-5442.

Legal Corner: What’s The Buzz About AB–5

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 19:19:04 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2019

Growing Together Fall 2019 - Legal Corner: What's The Buzz About AB-5

Most individuals who acted as independent contractors in California will be reclassified as employees on January 1, 2020 after AB-5 was signed into law by Governor Newsom on September 16, 2019. Labor leaders and union advocates advanced this bill to increase wages and benefits for workers in the “gig economy” (work per-job basis) which most commonly is seen with companies like Uber and Lyft. AB-5 creates a rule that presumes all workers are employees, entitled to all employee protections and benefits, unless they meet strict criteria as truly independent contractors. California hopes to tax the estimated $7 billion/yr. in personal income that has not been subject to payroll tax.

April V. Pearson, Corporate Counsel

Workers who choose to be independent contractors, such as delivery drivers, health aides, construction workers, manicurists, computer programmers, trucking owner-operators and physical therapists, will earn minimum wage, receive overtime, vacations and insurance benefits, but lose their flexibility to set work hours, decline jobs, or take advantage of lawful business and income tax opportunities. Plus, there is an additional cost to each business to treat contractors as employees, and this will be reflected in consumer pricing.

The California Trucking Association, which sought unsuccessfully to carve out exemptions for independent truckers, said the measure “would deny a significant segment of the trucking industry” that have invested tens of thousands of dollars in equipment “the ability to continue operating as independent owner-operators.” And, of course, the cost of goods to the consumer will increase to cover these benefits.

In a statement after the bill was passed, Lyft said: “We are fully prepared to take this issue to the voters of California to preserve the freedom and access drivers and riders want and need.” Uber and Lyft have committed $60 million to fight AB-5 with a ballot measure but it is unlikely that the proposition will extend to non-rideshare drivers.

To review the full bill, click here . To read more information about the reach of AB5 from the perspective of the Society of Human Resource Management, which offers a non-partisan perspective, click here.

MVP Safety Professionals: Nightwork Safety for Employees

Tue, 10 Sep 2019 19:13:30 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2019

Growing Together Fall 2019 - MVP Safety Professionals: Nightwork Safety for Employees

With fall quickly approaching and the days becoming shorter, now is the time to start thinking about nightwork safety for employees who work at stationary facilities such as shops, hullers, dryers or packing sheds. We have provided the following 5 steps to keep in mind when evaluating your nightwork safety:

Imelda Muzio, MVP Safety Professionals Manager/Ag Safety Educator

Illumination – Review facilities exterior lights to check for the following: extremely dirty, burnt out or broken. Cal/OSHA states that skylights, side windows, lamps, and other light accessories which provide necessary illumination shall be kept sufficiently clean, adjusted, and repaired so as not to impair the illumination required for the safety of employees.
Reflectors – Check that reflectors or reflective tape is properly placed at entrances and exit roads to safely guide employees in and out of work areas.
Security – Secure company belongings, remind employees that leaving tools, products or materials out in the open can attract thieves to facility. People that are willing to commit robbery can be a direct threat to employees.
Hazards – Identify slip, trip and fall hazards, as things look differently at night than they do during the day. Small items such as boards, tools and cords can be even more dangerous at night. Some evaluation and housekeeping now can prevent huge headaches later.
Working alone – There is no specific law, other than working in a confined space, that prohibits employees from working alone. It is required however, that the company provide and maintain a working environment that is safe as reasonably practical for employees.

Points to consider when employees work alone at night:

Has the employee been trained on the company’s emergency response nightwork plan?
Is there adequate means of communication?
Does the employee have access to flashlights, or headlamp if power is lost?
Is there clear understanding by the employee of the tasks he or she is expected to do and the tasks that he or she is prohibited from doing while working alone?

We know that employee wellbeing is on the forefront of minds always, but especially in this season. We are here to help. For more information about MVP Safety Professionals visit us at www.mvpsafety.org .

FS3: Food Safety Document Requirements

Mon, 09 Sep 2019 19:08:16 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2019

Growing Together Fall 2019 - FS3: Food Safety Document Requirements

In a food safety program, growers must meet several requirements. Among those are documenting the fertilizer source, application rates, and employee training. The “document requirement,” as it’s called, is perhaps one of the most important aspects of food safety. In the view of an auditor, nothing has truly been done until it is written down. Verbal confirmation of some activities is invalid to an auditor without a written record.

Karl Yuki, Grow West PCA/CCA and FS3 Food Safety Consultant

As a food safety consultant, the most common mistakes made on the document requirement are:

Missing signature . Most records need a signature to show who did the recording or that it was reviewed.
Dates without the year . Dates are needed on everything. The need to keep records for at least two years makes it important to know what year the record was made.
Misplaced records. Records need to be retrievable. Organization is as important as creating the record.

How events are recorded can be just as important. Always write in ink, not pencil. Mistakes will happen (we’re all human) but refrain from scribbling over them or using white-out. A single line through the error is the preferred method for making edits. Electronic records are acceptable if there is a method to track changes. In the world of food safety, even accidental mistakes need to be documented.

For more information about FS3 visit us at www.fs3.us

Celebrating 50 Years with Employee Joe Silveira

Sun, 08 Sep 2019 19:02:56 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2019

Growing Together Fall 2019 - Celebrating 50 Years with Employee Joe Silveira

Joe Silveira has been with the company since the beginning and has seen the business evolve and grow for the last 50 years.

July 1969, fresh out of the military 22-year-old Joe moved back home to the Sacramento Delta to establish his roots. During this time, he also began his lifelong employment to what was then called, Harvey Lyman Chemicals in Walnut Grove, CA. Harvey Lyman Chemicals was one of the original locations Harvey Lyman started in the 1950s which currently operates as Grow West ® .

Joe Silveira celebrates 50 years with Grow West.

For 50 years Joe has watched the company grow from a single location with 20 employees serving growers throughout the Sacramento Delta to a company with 20 locations and over 300 employees serving growers throughout Northern California.

Joe started his career taking care of dispatch, purchasing, and inventory management. After about a year, Harvey Lyman slowly involved Joe with accounting by having him do monthly inventory evaluations by hand. Harvey quickly became not only a teacher to Joe but a mentor and a true friend. “I remember when the company got its first computer and our first software, Quantal. Fun fact, that software was the same one the 49ers used,” said Joe. With time Joe continued to gain more accounting roles and grow with the company and eventually became the CFO where he was able to create a finance team.

Beyond accounting, Joe has held many positions ranging from dispatch, purchasing and PCA to accounting, CFO and now Corporate Secretary. He has been a part of many significant company milestones and is a true historian for the company.

When reminiscing about the company’s foundation and leadership over the years, Joe states, “Harvey was the founder and laid the ground work for the company”. Joe believes Les Lyman (Chairman and former CEO) had the vision and Johnny Council (Vice Chairman and former CEO) helped complete the vision and grow the company. “I was always there to mold and helped in any way accounting needed to adjust as the company grew. [Now present day] Ernie Roncoroni has had great mentors and continues to adjust and mold the company to serve our growers to the best of our abilities”.

Grow West would like to thank Joe for being a part of our family for 50 years!

Cheers to a New Use for Almonds!

Sat, 07 Sep 2019 18:55:01 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2019

Growing Together Fall 2019 - Cheers to a New Use for Almonds!

Temblor Brewing Company CEO Don Bynum, Dominique Camou, Temblor Brewing Company Brewmaster Mike Lahti, and Lucas Schmidt proudly launched Almond Brown Ale in June 2019

Fundraising for the Future

Almond Brown™ Ale was also featured at the Leadership Program’s other fundraising events, including a golf tournament and summer dinner event.

Moving the Mission Forward

Almond Brown Ale was met with such enthusiasm that Temblor is working on the 2nd batch to be canned this fall (October 2019), with Schmidt and Camou continuing to be invested in the venture.

Diverse Inventory Draws Customers To Talmage Road

Fri, 06 Sep 2019 18:45:42 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2019

Growing Together Fall 2019 - Diverse Inventory Draws Customers To Talmage Road

For more than 50 years, Mendocino County Farm Supply on Talmage Road in Ukiah, Calif., served its community by offering a wide variety of products for rural living. When they decided to close in late 2017, Grow West® leased the property, upgraded the store, and opened up a complete farm supply business with a broad line of inventory.

In 2017, Grow West extensively remodeled the retail area, office, kitchen and restrooms of its newly purchased store in Ukiah; ramped up its inventory; and began attracting new customers.

“Diversity is our strength,” said Jeff Gleaves, PCA/CCA, Location Manager of the Talmage Road Grow West Farm Supply store. “Nobody else has the mix of products that we do. Basically, we try to cater to the needs of growers in the area that we serve, which includes Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma and Napa counties. We even carry livestock feed and are the only Grow West location to do that.”

With one of the largest warehouses in Ukiah, the store, attached warehouse and parking lot cover 27,000 square feet, and another 58,000 square feet are used for products that can be stored on the ground.

In addition to livestock feed, agricultural chemicals and fertilizer, the store also sells vineyard supplies, seed for grains and cover crops, hardware, fencing materials, landscape chemicals and fertilizers, safety equipment, pet food, lawn and garden seeds and more. Grow West even has the distinction of being the only dealer of Dust-Off ® dust suppressant in Mendocino County.

“One of the most valuable things we can do for our customers is to maintain inventory of the things they need,” added Gleaves. “If they can’t find what they need here, they have to travel to the nearest major city, which is Santa Rosa an hour away. We strive to be a one-stop shop.”

Grow West invests in the Ukiah community in other ways, as well, such as supporting 4-H and FFA students by sponsoring awards, buying their livestock, and delivering hay and feed to them during the fair.

Gleaves says 2018 was an organizational year for the store as they got to know their customers, and in 2019, the store was already starting to show growth. “I expect quite a bit of growth in the years to come as more people find out what we have to offer, and we add product lines to our already diverse and unique inventory.”

pH and Water Quality Influence on Pesticide Spray Solution

Thu, 05 Sep 2019 18:28:06 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2019

Growing Together Fall 2019 - pH and Water Quality Influence on Pesticide Spray Solution

Water is the primary carrier of agricultural chemicals. Water has the job of delivering pesticides to the plant, fungal spores or insect to achieve the goal of protecting crops. Water quality is determined by chemical properties such as pH, which is the measure of acidity and alkalinity, and the level of organic minerals present such as water hardness determined by level of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Pesticides can be sensitive to water chemistry and quality.

Matt Ehlhardt, Grow West Director of Technical Services

Some are affected by high pH levels and once the pH reaches above 7, certain pesticides can undergo alkaline hydrolysis. Alkaline hydrolysis breaks down the parent pesticide molecule into charged or ionic molecules, also known as cations and anions. In this form, a pesticide’s ability to perform can be altered. Uptake through the plant leaf, inability to bind at its target site, and in the ionic form, binding with hard water minerals or charged soil sediment that may occur in spray water, are a few critical events that can be influenced by alkaline hydrolysis.

Benefits of maintaining optimum pH of pesticide molecule:

Uptake

A whole or non-ionic chemical is also considered lipophilic or fat loving. A leaf cuticle has a large waxy portion that is also lipophilic. This lipophilic pesticide is more soluble in the waxy cuticle tissue and therefore moves more rapidly into the leaf . For pesticides, whose mode of action is to interfere with a plant biochemical process or be made available to sap sucking insects, rapid movement into the leaf and plant cells is critical.

Effect of Water Quality on Pesticide Availability

When the pesticide is in a charged or ionic state, it is capable of binding with mineral cations such as calcium, magnesium or iron that are present in hard water spray solutions. Once bound to a cation mineral in hard water, that molecule can no longer easily move through the leaf cuticle or bind to its target site of action.

Spray water pulled from a ditch may contain sediments of soil that include organic matter or clay. These sediment particles contain negatively charged sites that can bind to positively charged, cation pesticide molecules. In addition to influencing your overall spray operation, for example plugged nozzles, the pesticide bound to the charged soil or organic matter sediment is no longer free to easily move into the leaf and bind to the target site

Degradation

Hydrolysis is considered the beginning of a pesticide’s breakdown or degradation. At a certain pH level, a formulated product can remain stable for a period of time after which hydrolysis will begin. The published half-life of a pesticide can provides the optimum pH for the solution and how long it can last at that level. The half-life of a pesticide is defined as the length of time required for 50% of the pesticides active ingredient to breakdown.

In general, insecticides are more sensitive to high pH and alkaline hydrolysis than fungicides and herbicides.

There are certain classes of pesticides that are also sensitive to acid hydrolysis (low pH). These are fewer than those sensitive to alkaline hydrolysis, but it is best to be aware of a chemicals behavior when subjected to either condition.

Key points to remember:

Determine the pH of spray water prior to adding the pesticide. Check it several times a year.
Test the hardness of water for the presence of minerals.
Check the pesticide label or MSDS for optimum pH level or ask your PCA or manufacturer rep.
Use a quality pH adjuster and buffering agent to bring pH to the necessary level before adding chemical (usually between 6.0 – 7.0).
Use as clean of spray water as possible as soil sediments can bind some pesticides.
Know the half-life of the chemical (check the MSDS, ask your PCA or manufacturer rep)
The longer the chemical sits in solution the more opportunity to degrade. Try to mix up only what can be sprayed that day.

Examples of optimum pH level for some commonly used pesticides

pH Testing

Tools used to determine pH can run from a few dollars into hundreds of dollars. Battery powered digital pH meters provide the most accurate reading. A much cheaper tool is test/indicator papers that can be purchased at a swimming pool or aquarium supply store. They are not as reliable and can be as much as one to two pH points off. Remember pH is a logarithmic scale with each value 10 times greater or lesser than the next level so a misreading of one or two points may be critical (e.g. pH of 8 is ten times more alkaline than a pH of 7).

pH Adjusting Compounds

There are many products available that are used to adjust and buffer spray water pH. Ammonium sulfate used to condition hard water can drop spray water pH, but only slightly. Products designed to lower the pH and buffer water can be found at the local Grow West ® location .

Hard Water Testing

Calcium and Magnesium minerals in water can, along with low pH, reduce the effectiveness of pesticides, especially some herbicides. If historical record of your water hardness is not available, take a sample to a local lab for analysis. There are some test/indicator papers that read Total Hardness but again, these are only a good general tool. Check with your PCA for available labs. Ammonium sulfate is the most common remedy for hard water. Once in solution with the hard water, ammonium sulfate will split into an ammonium cation and sulfate anion. The sulfate anion will tie up the Ca++ and Mg++ cations keeping them from binding with the available pesticides.

Web Sites for Further Information

Welcome Clark Trucking Service to Grow West® Family

Wed, 04 Sep 2019 18:09:16 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2019

Growing Together Fall 2019 - Welcome Clark Trucking Service to Grow West® Family

In June, Grow West® Trucking combined forces with Clark Trucking Service, bringing together their respective crop-input and fresh-food hauling services. Clark Trucking Service, Inc. has provided consistent hauling services for pear, peach, and rice growers since 1957. Now fresh food producers can work with just one company for their season-to-season needs – from fertilizer delivery to harvest pick-up – increasing their efficiency, productivity, and profitability.

The relationship between the two companies began long ago when Les Lyman, Chairman of Grow West and Dick Cunha, owner of Clark Trucking Service became childhood friends while growing up in the Sacramento Delta. They went on to build their own companies, and now have reunited their family-owned businesses under the Grow West umbrella.

According to Mark Kaye, former co-owner and General Manager of Clark Trucking Service, Inc., the synergies extend beyond trucking-related criteria. “We had been looking for the right partner to fuel the next chapter of growth and opportunity for our company and employees. Grow West is the perfect fit. Both companies are driven by commitment to customers and focused on helping them reap the rewards of the crops they grow. The family-owned, team-driven culture at Grow West also aligns with the way we’ve done things in our operation.”

Grow West Trucking, with the expanded resources of Clark Trucking, now operates from approximately 30 tractor trailers during off-peak to as many as 110-115 trailers during peak hauling seasons. In addition, logistics are simplified by using the same drivers on routes to and from farms and food processing plants; drivers get to know their customers, as well as the ins and outs of drop-off sites, etc., to make deliveries go smoothly.

“We believe in building and maintaining long-term relationships,” said Joe Carrasco, Grow West’s Trucking Division Manager. “That allows us to understand our customers’ businesses so we can offer them the best service from field to slab, and from slab to storage, even when conditions change. For example, trucking schedules are dependent on labor availability, harvest timing, field break downs, etc., to ensure that we have great communication with our drivers and customers, and that we are able to make adjustments in real time. We also do continuous fruit bin inventory management. That’s all part of offering a great customer experience; we want to be known as the company that jumps through hoops for its customers.”

Grow West now hauls for pear, peach, rice and grain growers, as well as a lot of the local vineyards that supply grapes for regional wineries.

“It’s very exciting to be working with the knowledgeable, experienced team from Clark,” added Carrasco. “We were already covering the same territory, and had many of the same customers, and by vertically integrating our trucking services, we can serve customers even more consistently and efficiently.”

2019 Internship Program

Tue, 03 Sep 2019 18:09:15 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2019

Growing Together Fall 2019 - 2019 Internship Program

This year, Grow West® had eight summer interns from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California State University, Chico and West Texas A&M University. This wonderful group of students started their internship with a welcome dinner on Friday, May 31st, where they got to know each other. The following day they had orientation at the Woodland Admin Office where they spent the day learning about our history, culture, and internship expectations.

Throughout the internship, the interns learned how to scout fields with Grow West’s talented PCA’s, logistics and operations for a well-rounded understanding of how all positions are interdependent. Human Resources had check-in emails with each of the interns to ensure that expectations were continually met, as well as what new learning had occurred.

As the summer ended, the interns had one last hurdle to face in their internship, a presentation. Each intern delivered a 10-15-minute presentation to Grow West’s Management team. The presentations were unique, well-delivered, and researched with a variety of topics including pressure bombs, determining crop water requirements, or Broomrape in tomatoes. With the formal internship ending, Human Resources took the interns on a location visit to Inland Terminal, Grow West’s Woodland Farm Supply and Wholesale facilities in Yuba City and Dixon. It was quite an eventful and memorable summer!

Grow West would like to thank all our summer interns for their hard work and wish them the best as they continue their educational careers.

For information on the 2020 Summer Internship Program at Grow West contact HR@growwest.com.

Fall 2019 Crop Overview

Mon, 02 Sep 2019 22:58:56 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2019

Growing Together Fall 2019 - Fall 2019 Crop Overview

As most crop’s growing seasons come to the end of their growing cycle. It is important to apply fall fertilizers after taking soil samples to evaluate your soil nutrient levels and consider applying soil amendments. During the winter months, growers should focus on adjusting the soil pH. The soil preparation done at this time will help plant growth in the spring by increasing nutrient availability. It will be necessary to consider pre-emergent strip herbicide application to vine and trees.

Field Crops

Rice harvest has started throughout the valley and will continue through mid to late October.

Fruit Crops

Stone fruit harvest is winding down for the season. Pear, fig, olive, pomegranate, and grape harvest is still going on. Continue to monitor for vine mealybug on grape vines fruit and foliage. In San Joaquin Valley look for European fruit lecanium scale on leaves.

Nut Crops

Almond harvest is coming to an end for which means this is the time to start post-harvest foliar nutrient soil application. After Walnut harvest is complete, this is a good time to apply preemergence herbicides in-row before fall weeds emerge and include a post-emergence herbicide if weeds are present. Postharvest is also the time to evaluate your navel orangeworm population. After harvest, remove unharvested nuts (mummies) from trees and ground to reduce navel orangeworm wintering sites.

Vegetable Crops

Processing tomatoes grown in Colusa, Sacramento, Solano, and Yolo county are still being harvested, and some fields may not be harvested until late October. September rains delayed harvest for a couple of days.

Update from CEO Ernie Roncoroni

Sun, 01 Sep 2019 22:26:25 GMT

Growing Together Fall 2019

Growing Together Fall 2019 - Update from CEO Ernie Roncoroni

Eight months in as Grow West®, and I am confident in saying we are better equipped than ever. Our brand unification provides an expanded range of services and support. From trucking and logistics, to local agronomic expertise, Grow West is focused on providing the best customer experience in Northern California.

This spring was not an easy one! With challenges in all areas, many of you experienced significant setbacks. Our job is to help you succeed. The Grow West team worked shoulder-to-shoulder with you, problem solving and providing you the materials you needed in a compressed and hectic spring. I want to applaud our operations team who went above and beyond this year to keep your operation running. Grower success is our number one priority and we will continue to be committed to that mission.

Ernie Roncoroni, President & CEO

We have continued to grow and add new services that provide value to you. We would like to welcome Clark Trucking as they joined our trucking division this spring. Clark Trucking allows Grow West to provide fresh produce and bagged grain transportation while increasing the number of trucks on the ground. We will continue to invest in opportunities like Clark Trucking in the future.

As summer comes to a close, we would like to thank our interns who joined us this season and wish them well as they finish their college degrees. These people are the next generation of agronomic experts and leaders. Read more about our internship program here . Our people are the heart of Grow West, and we are committed to continuously supporting and investing in the future of our business and industry.

Focus on Employee Safety During Hot Summer Months

Thu, 06 Jun 2019 20:09:41 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2019

Growing Together Summer 2019 - Focus on Employee Safety During Hot Summer Months

MVP Safety Professionals is a team of dedicated individuals with one common goal: to help agriculturalists keep their employees safe while meeting regulatory requirements.

With today’s ever-increasing regulations, growers need a resource they can depend on, from putting pen to paper to help develop written programs and company policies, to creating a system with reminders that ensure employee trainings stay current.

Imelda Muzio, MVP Safety Professionals Manager/Ag Safety Educator

Having strong bi-lingual English/Spanish skills enables MVP instructors to provide effective training for agricultural workers. Holding certifications that require continuing education keeps trainers informed about the rules that can affect your operation, such as the provisions for heat illness prevention. Outdoor temperatures are on the rise and the challenges of keeping outdoor workers safe is very real.

Below is a check-list to help you and your employees prepare for work in high temperatures:

Our Heat Illness Prevention written plan is current, including names and contact information for emergency personnel such as supervisors and managers.
Our plan is available in a language that our employees can understand.
We have the required postings displayed in a prominent location.
Our supervisors have been trained on our plan and understand our provisions for water, shade and rest breaks. They have been trained to recognize the symptoms of heat illness and know how to provide help if needed.
Our supervisors First Aid Certifications are current.
Our employees have been trained on our plan and understand our provisions for water, shade and rest breaks. They have been trained on the risks of working in the heat and know how to protect themselves.
We have made arrangements for our employees who work alone to be check on once an hour if they are working in temperatures above 95 degrees or
We use a buddy system at all times so no employee works alone in temperatures above 95 degrees.
Remember, both supervisory and non-supervisory training must be provided at least once annually, and in addition, Cal/OSHA states that training given close in time to the hot season is more effective than training given during colder seasons without follow-up refresher training. Employers must also ensure that their work procedures are consistent with the information provided in the training.

We know that you care about your employee’s wellbeing, and we are here to help. For more information about MVP Safety Professionals visit us at www.mvpsafety.org .

FS3: Are you exempt from the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Product Safety

Wed, 05 Jun 2019 19:52:06 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2019

Growing Together Summer 2019 - FS3: Are you exempt from the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Product Safety

As the Grow West Food Safety Consultant, I receive many inquiries about the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) after the California Department of Food and Agriculture sent out survey forms recently. As with most government regulations, the applicability of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule (PSR) depends on a few specific criteria.

Karl Yuki, Grow West PCA/CCA and FS3 Food Safety Consultant

The PSR may apply if the food you grow is “produce,” which generally includes any fruit or vegetable, mushroom, sprouts, peanut, tree nuts and herbs used for human food. Produce does not include food grains like rice, wheat, oats, etc. Next, it must be a raw agricultural commodity (RAC). For example, a tomato, an apple or a head of lettuce is a RAC. If you processed these by canning, juicing or chopping, they are no longer RACs under the FSMA definition, so the PSR would apply before they were processed.

There is an exemption for produce rarely consumed raw. According to the FSMA, there is a distinction between a RAC and produce that is rarely consumed raw.

The official list for produce rarely consumed raw is:

Asparagus
Black, great Northern, kidney, lima, navy, and pinto beans
Garden beet (root and top)
Sugar beet
Cashew
Sour cherry
Chickpea
Cocoa bean
Coffee bean
Collard
Sweet corn
Cranberry
Date
Dill (seed and weed)
Eggplant
Fig
Ginger
Hazelnut
Horseradish
Lentil
Okra
Peanut
Pecan
Peppermint
Potato
Pumpkin
Winter squash
Sweet potato
Water chestnut.

Recently added to this list are wine grapes and almonds. Produce grown for personal or on-farm consumption is exempt. Rest assured; your garden is safe.

Commercial processing may also be eligible for exemption. The processing can include canning, pasteurization, irradiation, etc. To qualify for the exemption, you must disclose in each shipment of your produce that the food is “not processed to adequately reduce the presence of microorganisms of public health significance.” This can be done on a load tag or bill of lading with copies retained. You must retain a letter of assurance from the processor that states that the processing “adequately reduces the presence of microorganisms of public health significance”.

You may be exempt if the 3-year average value of all produce sold is less than $27,595 ($25,000 2011 basis). If you are over this total value, you still may be qualified for an exemption if most of the food (not just produce but grains, dairy, hay, etc.) is sold to qualified end users, which means consumer, restaurant or retail food establishment within 275 miles, and the value is less than $551,900 ($500,000 2011 basis).

Modern agriculture has countless complications to navigate, and at Grow West, we are here to help our customers manage successful businesses while understanding and adhering to regulations affecting their operations. Should you have any questions regarding the Food Safety Modernization Act, please reach out to us.

Broad-Spectrum Post-Emergence Weed Control Options in Tree Fruit, Nuts, and Vines

Tue, 04 Jun 2019 19:38:13 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2019

Growing Together Summer 2019 - Broad-Spectrum Post-Emergence Weed Control Options in Tree Fruit, Nuts, and Vines

For more than 40 years, in tree fruits, nuts and vines, Roundup® and any generic with the active ingredient glyphosate has a been a key component of our weed control programs. However, with continual use of glyphosate, weed resistance can and has developed. There are at least six different weed species that are no longer susceptible to the herbicide. In addition, continual use of glyphosate (or any herbicide) can lead to weed population species shift. We all know that malva (cheeseweed) and filaree are two weeds that are difficult to control with glyphosate alone. With constant use, and less than perfect control, the population will shift with increases in these species.

Matt Ehlhardt, Grow West Director of Technical Services

A second broad-spectrum herbicide we have relied on for many years is paraquat. Sold as Gramoxone and many generics, paraquat is a broad-spectrum, foliar applied contact herbicide. It provides rapid control of both broadleaf and grassy weeds. If applied in full sunlight and warm conditions, paraquat can burn leaf tissue rapidly providing effective control of most species. But paraquat can be extremely toxic and careful procedures must be followed when using the chemical. In addition to the care that must be taken when handling paraquat, there is also confirmed weed resistance to this herbicide (fleabane, annual ryegrass).

In order to prevent the development and the spread of resistant weeds a well-balanced herbicide program is required.

When not using glyphosate or paraquat, an alternative for another broad-spectrum foliar contact herbicide is glufosinate ammonium. Glufosinate ammonium – sold as Rely 280, Life Line and Reckon, among others – is a foliar applied, contact, non-systemic herbicide that provides excellent broadleaf weed control and is good on young grasses. Once a grassy weed gets into the tillering growth stage, control is reduced. There is some discussion about annual ryegrass developing resistance to glufosinate. While this may be, after working with the product for many years, I have found that annual ryegrass has always been difficult to control. Annual ryegrass is primarily susceptible to glufosinate at the early seedling stage of growth, and once the weed begins to tiller, consistent control is difficult.

For improved control of annual ryegrass and other grassy weeds, a tank mix with a grass herbicide like Clethodim (and generics), Poast or Fusilade, can provide broad-spectrum control of both broadleaves and grassy weeds over a wider stage of weed growth than glufosinate alone. There are tree and vine age restrictions with some of these products, so make sure you read and follow label use directions.

To maximize the activity of glufosinate products, there are several key points to remember:

Application water volume of 30 gallons per acre improves control across several hard to control species (fleabane and grassy weeds in particular).
The glufosinate products are generally formulated with an adjuvant. The addition of extra adjuvant does not help with control (unless it is required with a tank mix partner). The adjuvants in most of the glufosinate formulations do tend to foam so the addition of a defoamer is a good idea.
The addition of a dry spray grade or liquid ammonium sulfate will help with control of certain weed species (velvetleaf and lambsquarter). It will also help with control when the herbicide is applied during periods of moisture stress.
All glufosinate labels indicate rainfastness after 4 hours of dry time. In addition, we have seen reduced control when applied during periods of heavy dew, especially on grasses or sedges (upright leaves where the dew promotes the material rolling off)

Unfortunately, after glyphosate, paraquat and glufosinate the alternatives for broad-spectrum post emergence weed control products simply don’t exist. Here is where tank mixing various products can help provide a broad-spectrum post-emergence weed control program.

Tank mixes with glufosinate or glyphosate for increased broadleaf weed control :

Treevix:
Strengths: Provides good control of many broadleaf weeds. Excellent on common malva, helps with fleabane
Weakness: No grassy weed control. Can’t be used on grapes. Don’t use on sandy soils
Shark EW :
Strengths: broad-spectrum broadleaf control of small to mid-size weeds
Weakness: Weak on grasses.
2,4-D:
Strengths: broadleaf weed control. Some systemic activity. Tanked mix with any of the broad-spectrum contact herbicides helps with fleabane control
Weakness: Application time of year limited
Goal 2XL or Goal Tender :
Strengths: primarily considered pre-emergence soil applied herbicide. It does have some post-emergence activity. In a tank mix with braodpectrum contact herbicides helps with controlling broadleaf weeds like filaree and common malva.
Weakness: With weakness’ as a post-emergence product it does need to be tank mixed with other broadleaf and grassy weed herbicides. Application time of year limited.
Chateau :
Strengths: primarily considered pre-emergence soil applied herbicide, it does have some post-emergence activity. In a tank mix with glyphosate or glufosinate helps with controlling larger of filaree
Weakness: Application time of year limited. Has potential off site movement issue when applied after rainy season
Broadworks:
Strengths: primarily considered pre-emergence soil applied herbicide, it is labeled for post-emergence activity. Tank mixed with glufosinate, helps with control of fleabane
Weakness: not labeled for use in grapes

Tank mixes with glufosinate for increased grassy weed control:

Clethodim (Select Max, Cleanse) , can be use on non-bearing tree nuts and vines and some bearing stone fruits
Fusilade can be used on bearing grapes, plums and peaches and non-bearing almonds, walnuts pistachios and pears
Poast can be used on non-bearing and baring tree nuts and grapes. Bearing stone fruits except prunes (non-bearing)

It’s a Team Effort for Dixon Grower Craig Gnos

Mon, 03 Jun 2019 19:21:48 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2019

Growing Together Summer 2019 - It’s a Team Effort for Dixon Grower Craig Gnos

Craig Gnos knows the buck stops with him, but he says it’s a team effort on his 4,500 acre operation. Gnos partners closely with Grow West® PCAs, setup crew and technical service team to ensure he’s making the best choices possible when it comes to managing his farm near Dixon where he grows processing tomatoes, alfalfa and almond trees, as well as sun flowers, watermelon, cucumbers and squash for seed.

Craig Gnos, Grow West Customer

“I’m a full-service grower, meaning Grow West helps me manage everything and delivers right to the tractor. The more eyes we have on it, the better. It only takes one mistake and our crops are lost. I put a lot of faith in the people I do business with.”

That level of trust and partnership comes from nearly three decades of Gnos doing business with Grow West, formerly Growers Ag Service. Gnos is a third-generation grower who joined the family business in 1992, and before him, Gnos’s father was doing business with the company.

Gnos calls himself hands-on and considers the Grow West employees he works with – Alexis Harvey, PCA/CCA and Robert Imbach, Retail Division Manager/PCA – members of his team. He credits them with watching his fields closely and offering him some peace of mind in a stressful and demanding industry. Gnos says his Grow West team is conscientious and provides him sound research and recommendations, with reliable access to product and equipment.

Over the last three generations of his family’s involvement in California agriculture, Gnos and his family have seen sizable changes in the industry. His grandfather started out as a dairy farmer and began the transition to row crops after he experienced hip problems resulting from the demanding physicality of dairy farming. Additionally, Gnos is a board member of Farm Credit Bank, where they finance more than 200 different kinds of commodities that run the spectrum of production practices and needs.

“I think of almonds as a laid-back crop to grow,” says Gnos, compared to the diversity of crops within his own operation and in his area. “And then we have tomatoes, where everything has to be done yesterday and there’s always something going on.” That diversity is what keeps it interesting, according to Gnos.

But what ultimately brings Gnos the most pleasure in his work is the same thing most growers have cited for generations – being in the field. “I enjoy looking out at my crops, nice perfect little soldiers out there with no weeds. I take pride in doing a nice job for my customers,” says Gnos. “We jump through fiery hoops for them to produce a quality product.

A Holistic View of Technology

Sun, 02 Jun 2019 18:59:37 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2019

Growing Together Summer 2019 - A Holistic View of Technology

On-farm technology is found in virtually every successful farming operation in California today, but Grow West® PCA Matt Lagorio says the true innovation happens when you look at all the tools holistically. Based in Yuba City, Lagorio is piloting a program, along with fellow Grow West PCA Chad Hekel, utilizing satellite imagery and drones to identify areas of need in customers’ orchards and fields.

Matt Lagorio, PCA/CCA – Grow West Yuba City Retail

He evaluates normalized difference vegetation index data (NDVI) with aerial drone scouting and combines that with a digital ground scouting program. NDVI quantifies vegetation by measuring the difference between near-infrared (which vegetation strongly reflects) and red light (which vegetation absorbs). Looking at NDVI imagery allows Lagorio to identify vigorous and stressed areas in customers’ fields.

“Most PCAs are using some level of technology on a daily basis. But combining NDVI imagery, digital scouting, and drones is pretty unique. I like to look at everything holistically – how can I use them together?” says Lagorio. “I’m able to be really specific in my fertility, pest management, irrigation and cultural recommendations because I can zero in on the highly vigorous and stressed areas in orchards and fields. I can view the entire field from 400 feet up, and all the way down to the top of a single tree or plant. It allows me to get the view I want of a flower or nutlet 50 feet in the air. Things we just can’t see very well from the ground.”

Like many Grow West customers, Lagorio’s clients are growing a diverse variety of tree and field crops, including walnuts, canning peaches, dried prunes, almonds, sun flowers, rice, alfalfa and fresh market melons. But even with such diversity of crops, Lagorio’s approach to technology works well across the board in scouting.

In fresh market melons, he can use the drone to identify differences in growth and vigor, evaluate nutrient deficiencies and pest development, and disease pressures – all of which compromise growth of the melon plant. With that information, Lagorio is able to make solid management recommendations.

In orchards, he is able to view both the entire orchard and individual trees from every angle, analyzing the development of flowers, nutlets, leaves, and shoot growth. This perspective allows Lagorio to time chemical applications with critical precision.

“When I show up at a customer’s farm, the NDVI gives me a snapshot of the key areas that need to be evaluated. Following up with the drone allows me to get a real-time visual image from above that can help confirm that there’s an issue that needs correction,” says Lagorio.

Lagorio also a certified crop advisor (CCA) and specializes in helping his customers navigate the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program. He and his fellow Grow West CCA colleagues are working with growers to prepare nitrogen management plans, submit farm evaluations and nitrogen management plan summary reports, which are then submitted back to local water board coalitions. The data collection and reporting process can be burdensome for growers, but Lagorio says it’s part of his job to help ease the burden. When a grower in his area is audited by the water board, Lagorio is there to help them navigate the farm inspection process.

While he has a passion for early adoption of technology and finding new ways to utilize it, Lagorio says the most interesting and gratifying part of his job as a Grow West PCA is helping his customers solve problems on their operations. Partnering with his customers to help them improve their operations is a fascinating process. The relationships and trust formed during this process is deeply valued.

“You can go in to see a grower who may have a problem that they don’t even realize yet. And I can evaluate that, make my recommendation and solve the problem,” says Lagorio. “That process is something my customers do really appreciate, and those relationships are the biggest part of the job.”

Welcome to Growing Together

Sat, 01 Jun 2019 18:18:38 GMT

Growing Together Summer 2019

Growing Together Summer 2019 - Welcome to Growing Together

At Grow West®, we couldn’t be more excited to share our story with you, our customers and industry partners. With the launch of our inaugural quarterly newsletter, Growing Together™, we invite you to expand your knowledge with us – through insight from our staff of experts, practical operational tips and fresh field learnings as we explore exceptional California operations. Learn more about the people behind Grow West and what we can offer your operation.

Ernie Roncoroni, President & CEO

Perhaps some of you have heard our new name, Grow West, at a retail location picking up supplies, or meeting with your PCA to discuss spring planting. For others, this is our first introduction, though you’ll soon realize we are the same folks with whom you’re already doing business. So, allow me to tell you a little about us, Grow West.

We have deep roots in California agriculture, founded in 1954 as a single farm store location. Today we have 15 locations and 6 joint ventures touching California agriculture. Over the course of several decades and expansions, we have remained true to our original mission – exceptional customer service. We take California agriculture, and all those who earn their livelihood in this challenging and diverse climate, very seriously. As Grow West, we are still committed to supporting you and the community, through reinvestment in our facilities, employees, technology and infrastructure.