THE CALI AG PODCAST

Chuck Samuelson is the founder and CEO of Heal The Earth , a non-profit social enterprise that supports farmers, empowers communities, and is working to change the food system so it works for everyone. Check out Heal The Earth , join the mission , and be sure to adopt an avocado tree .

Unpredictable weather has become a significant challenge for farmers: with extreme winters, unexpected heatwaves, and prolonged droughts worldwide. Crop losses from severe weather and disasters in the U.S. exceeded  $21 billion  in 2023, and current predictions have January 2025 being one of the  coldest winters  in nearly a decade. To protect their yields and crop health, real-time monitoring and...

George Zhuang has a bachelor's degree in Viticulture & Enology from China Agriculture University , a master's degree in horticulture from Michigan State University , and is currently the Viticulture Advisor for Fresno County through the University of California Cooperative Extension . George joins us on THE CALI AG PODCAST ⁠⁠ to discuss the differences & similarities between variou...

Paul Hansen has over 20 years of experience in agriculture, has his bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering through Fresno State CSU, and is the Senior Executive of Apollo Ag Technologies . Paul joins us on THE CALI AG PODCAST to discuss some current challenges that farmers are facing, innovative technologies & improved processes that can alleviate financial burdens, and how critical w...

Dr. Eve Laroche-Pinel is a post-doctoral scholar in Computational Agriculture, has a master's degree in Agriculture & Food Processing, and has an associate's degree in Biological Analysis & Bio-Technology. Eve joins us on THE CALI AG PODCAST ⁠⁠⁠⁠ to teach us about hyperspectral imaging and how it is utilized in modern agriculture. ⁠⁠ THE CALI AG PODCAST ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is part of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Anthony Garcia is an Evaluation Specialist at ⁠⁠ Zaiger’s Genetics ⁠⁠ in Modesto CA & is one of our beloved CALI AG PODCAST Correspondents. Anthony joins us on ⁠⁠ THE CALI AG PODCAST ⁠⁠ to share with us what the status of stone fruit is as we ramp up for the spring season! Tyler & Anthony discuss flower density, the "popcorn stage" of flower development, bee's & all the b...

Joy Hollingsworth has a bachelor's degree from UC Davis in Communication, a master's degree in Plant Science from Fresno State CSU, and has been the University of California Cooperative Extension Nutrient Management & Soil Quality Advisor for Fresno, Kings, Madera, & Tulare counties. Joy is now the UCCE Table Grape Farm Advisor for Tulare & Kings county and she joins us on THE...

Michael Fritts is a California native, a tea grower utilizing regenerative methods, and he is the owner & operator of Golden Feather Tea . Mr. Fritts joins us on THE CALI AG PODCAST to share his journey into horticulture, to tell us all about tea ( Camellia sinensis ) and its history of cultivation in California, and to discuss the vast potential of tea growing operations in CALI. Be sure to c...

Memo Trejo ⁠ is an agricultural consultant local to Reedley CA & is one of our beloved ⁠ CALI AG PODCAST ⁠ correspondents. Memo shares what he is seeing in the agricultural scene through his eyes for our ears. ⁠ Tyler ⁠ & Memo discuss the late rains that have affected California agriculture, some methods to control frost damage as we roll into winter, the early pruning across CALI as minim...

Raymond Mireles has both a master's degree as well as a bachelor's degree in plant science from ⁠ Fresno State CSU ⁠ and is the NEW Fruit & Almond Advisor for Tulare and Fresno Counties through ⁠University of California Cooperative Extension⁠ . Raymond joins us on ⁠ THE CALI AG PODCAST ⁠ to discuss his plant science journey, the work he has done with spider mite monitoring utilizing dr...

Jorge Angeles has both a master's degree as well as a bachelor's degree in plant science from Fresno State CSU and is a Weed Management & Ecology Advisor for Tulare, Kings, and Fresno Counties through University of California Cooperative Extension . Jorge joins us on THE CALI AG PODCAST to broadly discuss weed management in permanent crops, specifically during a heavy water year like w...

Anthony Garcia is an Evaluation Specialist at ⁠ Zaiger’s Genetics ⁠ in Modesto CA & is one of our beloved CALI AG PODCAST Correspondents. Anthony joins us on ⁠ THE CALI AG PODCAST ⁠ to share with us what happened to stone fruit crops after the late summer rains that CALI had in 2023, including the impact it had on growers & farm operations, which leads Tyler to go on a rant about Dried Fru...

Callo Herrera is a modern day farmer, a plum producer, a skilled worker, and a crop scientist. Callo joins us on THE CALI AG PODCAST to discuss the critical need for water in order to irrigate crops, the abundance of water in 2023 that has brought back the historic Tulare Lake , rising labor costs and staying financially afloat in CALI AG, and Tyler shares his experience with growing figs ( Ficus...

Nate Blackmore is a plant science researcher from UC Santa Cruz, a propagation specialist who is big on diversity & conservancy, and the owner of Wildlands Farm & Nursery where he grows rare subtropical fruits in Watsonville CA. Nate joins us on THE CALI AG PODCAST to share what he's doing at his subtropical fruit & plant farm , how his journey into the plant realm began, and to di...

Tyler Colombero is the host of The Symbiosis Now Network as well as the beloved CALI AG PODCAST , a plant scientist, a horticulturalist & gardener, and works with navel orangeworm research for the USDA. Tyler feels the need to discuss the prompt adaptation to climatic variances within California agriculture, the fluxuation of crop production and the experimental varieties taking foot , the inc...

Anthony Garcia is an Evaluation Specialist at Zaiger’s Genetics in Modesto CA & is one of our CALI AG PODCAST Correspondents. Anthony joins us on THE CALI AG PODCAST to tell us how the stone fruit is looking out there at the facility, to talk about the affects from the rains we had in California this year, & allows Tyler to go on a rant about the historic Tulare Lake and it's recent re...

Dr. Milton McGiffen is an agronomist & plant physiologist for the USDA - ARS , has a masters degree in entomology as well as a PhD in horticulture & plant physiology, and is the Vice Chair for Extension, Agronomy, Plant Physiology, & Vegetable Crop Specialist for UC Riverside . Dr. McGiffen joins us on THE CALI AG PODCAST to discuss what biochar is, the costs & benefits of biochar,...

Memo Trejo is an agricultural consultant local to Reedley CA & is one of our beloved CALI AG PODCAST correspondents. Memo shares what he is seeing in the agricultural scene through his eyes for our ears. Tyler & Memo discuss rising labor costs along with increasing mechanization throughout ag, how important being bilingual is within the agriculture community, and the current status of Memo...

Dr. Cassandra Swett is a plant pathologist, an Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist from University of California Davis , and has multiple degrees in the plant science / plant pathology realm . Cassandra joins us on THE CALI AG PODCAST to discuss what plant pathogens are, how they are transmitted, and some possible solutions to this overwhelming situation. Dr. Swett is currently working with...

Dr. Mark Hoddle is a Biological Control Specialist & Private Investigator at University of California Riverside , the Director of the Center for Invasive Species Research , & has multiple degrees in entomology & zoology. Mark joins us on THE CALI AG PODCAST to discuss invasive species & their ecological impacts, the study and application of biological controls & mating disrupti...

Anthony Garcia is an Evaluation Specialist at Zaiger’s Genetics in Modesto, California. Anthony joins us on THE CALI AG PODCAST to talk about life in the lab of stone fruit breeding such as "embryo rescue", the array of characteristics that are possibly developing in both the lab or the fields, & what the current state of the stone fruit industry is in California from his point of vi...

Louie Long is a wildlife biologist with a masters degree in biology from Fresno State CSU. He has previously been the Environmental Resources Manager for the Kings River Conservation District (KRCD) and currently is a Forestry & Natural Resources Instructor at Reedley College. Water is a critical resource for California Agriculture, which is why we have the legendary Louie Long joining us excl...

Dr. Charles M. Burt is a irrigation specialist, a retired professor in the Bioresource & Agricultural Engineering Department at CalPoly SLO, Chairman of the Irrigation Training & Research Center , and has extensive experience in designing irrigation systems as well as setting standards for irrigation practices within the Central Valley of California and beyond to as far as the Middle East....

Memo Trejo is an Agricultural Consultant local & loyal to Reedley, California. Memo joins us on THE CALI AG PODCAST to discuss the importance of communication both on & off the farm, to emphasize learning something new every day from every one, and to share his perspective on the current state of CALI AG . Find Guillermo Trejo Jr aka Memo on Instagram @gmoney_reedley_cali ! THE CALI AG POD...

Anthony Garcia is an Evaluation Specialist at Zaiger’s Genetics in Modesto, California. Anthony joins us on THE CALI AG PODCAST to enlighten us about stone fruit breeding, the intricacies of pollination, and why these tasks are immensely critical to CALI AG . THE CALI AG PODCAST is part of The Symbiosis Now Network and can be found on Instagram @symbiosis.now.network where highlights, clips, and o...