The MyAgLife Podcast

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Foresight Agronomics' Dr. Layne Harris to discuss demystifying biologicals, the importance of mode of action and observing crop responses to ensure effective product selection and utilization.

Stanislaus County Farm Bureau’s Anna Genasci and JCS Marketing’s Kristin Platts sit down with Jaclyn Bennett, general manager of Parabug, at the 2024 California Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Monterey to discuss how the company's innovative drone-based technology is transforming pest management by efficiently delivering beneficial insects to crops. Farm Bureau Annual Meeting highlights are also dis...

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Srinivasa Rao Peddinti, postdoctoral researcher with the Dept. of Land, Air and Water Resources at UC Davis, to discuss the role of precision agriculture in optimizing orchard water management in California. Check out Srinivasa's article in the January/February 2025 issue of Progressive Crop Consultant magazine for more on this topic.

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Ali Hill, ag economist and assistant professor at UC Berkeley, to discuss implications of changing U.S. and Mexican farmworker demographics on U.S. crop production. 

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Robert Verloop, executive director at the California Walnut Board and Commission, to discuss the return of the upcoming California Walnut Conference in January and a couple walnut industry updates. 

Kristin Platts and Stanislaus County Farm Bureau's Anna Genasci sit down with Sean Runyon, agricultural commissioner/sealer of weights and measures for the Merced County Dept. of Agriculture, to discuss pesticides, the statewide notification system, California's Sustainable Pest Management Roadmap and more.

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Stecyn Maldanado, Seeds for Bees manager with Project  Apis  m., to discuss cover crop benefits to soil health and key interactions with soil microbes.

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Luke Milliron, UCCE farm advisor in Butte, Glenn and Tehama counties, to discuss the 2025 North Valley Nut Conference in January and its shift toward a business-focused curriculum for growers.

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Franz Niederholzer, UCCE farm advisor in Colusa, Sutter and Yuba counties, to discuss almond management considerations for the 2024-25 winter, including irrigation, pollination and more.

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with George Zhuang, UCCE viticulture farm advisor in Fresno County, to discuss improving grape quality while maintaining yield using management practices like mechanical leaf removal or regulated deficit irrigation.

Stanislaus County Farm Bureau’s Anna Genasci and JCS Marketing’s Kristin Platts sit down with Dr. Amrith Gunasekara, director of science and research for the California Bountiful Foundation, to discuss how the foundation is using sound science and data to advocate for California’s growers and ranchers.

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Devin Clarke, CCA and almond crop manager with Yara North America, about the impacts of integrating irrigation and fertilization on crop yield and quality, i.e., continuous fertigation. 

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Ryan Hill, UCCE agronomy and weed sciences advisor in Tehama County, to discuss how weed management decisions affect the success of establishing pollinator habitat in the field.

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Dr. Karl Wyant, director of agronomy at Nutrien, to discuss potassium applications in the fall for fruit and nut crops and choosing between chloride- or sulfate-based potassium sources. More info on this topic here .

Stanislaus County Farm Bureau's Anna Genasci and JCS Marketing's Kristin Platts sit down Dayna Ghiradelli, Executive Director of Sonoma County Farm Bureau to discuss No on Measure J, a ballot measure proposed by an animal extremist group from Berkeley, that aims to eliminate Sonoma County’s diverse animal agriculture production.

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Jason Scott, CEO of JCS Marketing Inc., to discuss the South Valley Conference at the Tulare Agri-Center, which will feature three tracks: tree nuts, citrus and processing. Register for free today at the MyAgLife website .

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Roger Isom, president/CEO of Western Agricultural Processors Association, to discuss regulatory updates for California growers and processors, including the statewide pesticide notification system, heat illness regulation and more.

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Steve Vasquez, Western Region Certified Crop Advisers Association chair, and Jason Scott, publisher of Progressive Crop Consultant, to discuss the upcoming Crop Consultant Conference on September 25th and 26th in Visalia and what consultants can expect from this event.

Stanislaus County Farm Bureau's Anna Genasci and JCS Marketing's Kristin Platts sit down with Becca Whitman, executive director of California Ag in the Classroom, a Farm Bureau-led program, to discuss educating students and guiding teachers about the critical role agriculture plays in their daily lives.

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Natalie Collins, president of California Association of Winegrape Growers, to discuss the impact of wildfire smoke on winegrapes and how the California wine industry is tackling this issue.

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Hudson Minshew, CCA and state conservation agronomist with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, to discuss the complex relationship between cover crops, groundwater and the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Cameron Zuber, UCCE orchard crops farm advisor in Madera and Merced counties, to discuss identifying and mitigating replant challenges in almond orchards and preparing new orchards for issues they may face.

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Nick Davis, PCA, CCA and owner of The Owl Box Company, to discuss using the predatory nature of barn owls to control rodent populations in orchards and vineyards. Check out more information on this subject in the July/August edition of Progressive Crop Consultant .

Stanislaus County Farm Bureau's Anna Genasci and JCS Marketing's Kristin Platts sit down with Josette Lewis, Almond Board of California vice president and chief scientific officer, and Karen Werner, Beam Circular CEO, to discuss the variety of agricultural co-products and the recent partnership between the Almond Board and Beam Circular.

Taylor Chalstrom sits down with Franz Niederholzer, UCCE farm advisor in Colusa, Sutter and Yuba counties, to discuss almond orchard management for the month of August, including harvest and postharvest considerations.