2022 Crop Consultant Conference Agenda

HOSTED BY

September 28th - 29th

2022

CONFERENCE

AGENDA key to the conference Scan to download app your key to the conference

SCHEDULE At a Glance SEPTEMBER 28, 2022

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022

Breakfast and Trade Show: 7:00AM — 8:00AM Sessions: 8:00AM — 10:00AM Break and Trade Show: 10:00AM — 11:00AM Sessions: 11:00AM — 12:00PM Lunch AND SPECIAL GUEST: 12:00PM — 1:00PM Sessions: 1:00PM — 3:00PM Break and Trade Show: 3:00PM — 4:00PM Sessions: 4:00PM — 5:00PM Mixer: 5:00PM — 6:00PM

Breakfast and Trade Show: 7:00AM — 8:00AM Sessions: 8:00AM — 10:00AM Break and Trade Show: 10:00AM — 11:00AM Sessions: 11:00AM — 12:00PM Lunch and CCA of the year: 12:00PM — 1:00PM Sessions: 1:00PM — 2:30PM

in collaboration with

Welcome to the conference from our publisher

Progressive Crop Consultant Magazine is excited to again collaborate with the Western Region Certified Crop Advisers’ Association on this year’s Crop Consultant Conference. We have significantly expanded our educational offerings for this two-day conference with two concurrent CEU tracks, one for PCAs and one for CCAs, as well as a sales and development track for crop consultants and professionals.

My vision for this event five years ago was for it to become the key event for the crop consultant industry and to create a space where the industry would come together to learn from experts and from each other and access information and technology. We continue to grow and expand to achieve that goal.

We thank WRCCA for working with us to develop an agenda that features the latest in crop production practices and technology, address common concerns about water, fertilizer and other inputs, and focuses on emerging pest issues for specialty crop consultants in the Western U.S. WRCCA will also announce its CCA of the Year award, scholarships

and honorariums at lunch on Thursday.

Please remember to download the MyAgLife app, your key to the conference, where you will find push notifications and agenda details and also be able to interact with speakers during the Q and A sessions following each presentation.

Also take advantage of some of the food, fun and entertainment at this year’s conference, including comedian Dennis Gaxiola during Wednesday lunch, the mixer Wednesday evening, and our raffle giveaway.

Thank you to our sponsors and exhibitors for helping to make this conference a success. My staff and I look forward to spending these two days with you and are here to help answer any questions.

Sincerely, Jason Scott CEO and Publisher Crop Consultant Magazine, JCS Marketing, Inc.

thank you, Sponsors!

NORTH WING

Visalia Convention Center 303 E Acequia Ave, Visalia, CA 93291

ELEVATOR

STORAGE EXECUTIVE FOYER

PLAZA COURTYARD

RESTROOMS

EXECUTIVE LOBBY

KINGS CANYON

EXECUTIVE BOARD ROOM

STAIRCASE

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES

ballroom lobby

Charter oak ballroom

CEU “CCA” ROOM

EUCALYPTUS COURTYARD

Charter oak ballroom

CEU “DPR” ROOM STORAGE

CEU REGISTRATION

KITCHEN

Conference Registration

RESTROOMS

restrooms

MARRIOTT HOTEL LOBBY

PLAZA LOBBY

OPERATIONS

RECESSED LOADING DOCK

EXHIBIT HALL

restrooms

#45

NEW!

#48

STREET LEVEL

Breakfast And Lunch

STORAGE

#45 Sales and Development #48 exclusive GIVEAWAY

Wednesday, September 28 EXHIBIT HALL #45 Sales and development: What retailers are looking for in 2022 and beyond 7:00 AM BREAKFAST Sponsored by SQM Specialty Plant Nutrition 7:30 AM TRADESHOW 8:00 AM Getting the Most out of Your Ag Sales Leads CORTEVA Agriscience 8:30 AM Building a Profitable Ag Sales Pipeline Ultra Gro Plant Food 9:00 AM Developing Leadership Qualities that Growers Rely on Cliff Beumel, Agromillora California 9:30 AM Growing Your Retail Business JW Lemons, Verdesian Life Sciences 10:00 AM BREAK AND TRADESHOW 11:00 AM Join Other CEU Educational Tracks Enjoy Breaks, Tradeshow Time, Experience First Class Dining and Entertainment and more...

EXHIBIT HALL #48

STOP BY OUR EXCLUSIVE GIVEAWAY BOOTH! DROP YOUR BUSINESS CARD and LET’S SEE WHAT YOU CAN win to take home!

Wednesday, September 28

THURsday, September 29

7:00 AM BREAKFAST Sponsored by SQM Specialty Plant Nutrition

7:00 AM BREAKFAST Sponsored by ISCA, Inc.

7:30 AM TRADESHOW

7:30 AM TRADESHOW

8:00 AM CCA TRACK DPR TRACK IoT4Ag and what Farmers Drought and Climate Change Think About When Adopting Impacts on Tree Nut Pests New Technology Jhalendra Rijal, UCCE Area Catherine Keske, UC Merced IPM Advisor

8:00 AM CCA TRACK DPR TRACK Relationship between Weed and Disease Control in Non-structural Lettuce with Band-Steam Carbohydrates and Potassium Mark Siemens, Associate Matt Comrey, Wilbur-Ellis, WRCCA Specialist U of A Coop Extension

8:30 AM MRLs: Why They Matter to You and the Future of Crop Protection Caroline Stringer, Director of Trade, California Fresh Fruit Association

8:30 AM Improve Input Efficiency: Is Citrus Mealybug an Irrigation Strategy Emerging Pest in with a Short Supply San Joaquin Valley Citrus?

Cory Broad, Territory Manager, Sandipa Gautum, Jain Irrigation, WRCCA UCCE Area Citrus IPM Advisor

9:00 AM Common Pesticide Use Violations: A Cautionary Tale Angelina Ceja, Vice President and Chief Education Officer, Ag Safe

9:00 AM Improve Input Efficiency: Disease Management in Nutrient Use Efficiency as it Nut Crops pertains to Nitrogen Jim Adaskaveg, Management Plant Pathologist, UC Riverside JW Lemons, Verdesian Life Sciences, WRCCA

9:30 AM Industry Sponsored Talk: SQM Choosing the Right Potassium and Nitrogen Sources for Your Crops Doug Snyder, National Marketing Agronomist SQM Specialty Plant Nutrition North America

9:30 AM Industry Sponsored Talk: AGRO-K Sap Analysis as an Improved Test for Crop Nutrient Status Sean Jacobs, Technical Sales and Marketing Representative AGRO-K

11:00 AM Industry Sponsored Talk: ISCA, Inc. ISCA Pheromone Trials and Results Agenor Mafra Neto and Charlene Bedal, ISCA, Inc. 11:30 AM Adjuvants: Get What You Deserve from Pesticides Joseph Vaillancourt, Product Manager, Verdesian Life Sciences 12:00 PM LUNCH Sponsored by AGRO-K Special Guest: Comedian Dennis Gaxiola 1:00 PM Agriculture Resiliency and Evaluation of mechanical and the Soil Microbiome automated in-row cultivators Eryn Wingate, Lead Agronomist for weed control in conventional Tri-Tech, WRCCA Board of processing tomatoes Directors Amber Vinchesi-Vahl, UCCE Area Vegetables Crop Advisor 1:30 PM Potassium Management Challenge of Coverage: Under Challenging Soil and Improving NOW applications Supply Conditions with Adjuvants and Lower Jerome Pier, Senior Spray Volume Agronomist, Quali-Tech, Joel Siegel, Research WRCCA Entomologist, USDA-ARS 2:00 PM WRCCA Panel: 2023 Fertilizer Grape Pests: Diagnosing and Water Supply Outlook Vineyard Pest Problems WRCCA Moderated by Steve Vasquez, Technical Karl Wyant, WRCCA Chair Viticulturist, Sun-Maid Growers of California, WRCCA 2:30 PM Responding to a Viral Epidemic in Lettuce in the Salinas Valley of California Daniel Hasegawa, Research Entomologist, USDA-ARS

Panel Continued

3:00 PM BREAK AND TRADESHOW Grapevine Disease Management during the Changing Environment George Zhuang, UCCE Viticulture Farm Advisor

4:00 PM

Late Season Canopy Management to Improve Winegrapes and Wine in a Changing Climate Luca Brillant, Bronco Viticulture Chair, CSU Fresno

4:30 PM Industry Sponsored Talk: Verdesian Life Sciences Properly Timed Foliar-applied Fertilizers Increase Citrus Yield and Fruit Size Carol Lovatt, Professor of Plant Physiology, UC Riverside 5:00 PM MIXER Sponsored by Water Right Technologies

CEU AGENDA

10:00 AM BREAK AND TRADESHOW

10:00 AM BREAK AND TRADESHOW 11:00 AM Improve Input Efficiency: Review of Sprayer Calibration Matt Comrey, Technical Nutrition Agronomist, Wilbur-Ellis, WRCCA 11:30 AM Industry Sponsored Talk: The ProFarm Group Managing Disease Using the Power of Biologicals Combined with the Performance of Chemistry Melissa O’Neal, PhD, Sr. Product Development Manager Western Region, The ProFarm Group 12:00 PM LUNCH Sponsored by The ProFarm Group Presentation of WRCCA’s CCA of the Year award, Scholarships and Honorariums 1:00 PM Walnut Scale Management Elizabeth Fichtner, UCCE Farm Advisor, Tulare County 1:30 PM Impact of Water Quality on Pesticide Performance Karl Wyant, Director of Agronomy, Nutrien, Chair, WRCCA 2:00 PM Personal Protective Equipment Required by Labels for Employees and Owners Marianna Gentert, Deputy Ag Commissioner, Tulare County

Wednesday, September 28 7:00 AM Exhibit Hall BREAKFAST AND TRADE SHOW 8:00 AM Charter Oak DPR Room 0.5hr DPR Other Drought and Climate Change Impacts on Tree Nut Pests Jhalendra Rijal, UCCE Area IPM Advisor This talk will explore the relationship between drought-stressed trees and how that potentially increases plant susceptibility to multiple pests in tree fruit systems, such as spider mites, some borers and beetles, such as flatheaded borer, along with IPM practices that include multiple pest control methods, including insecticides.

Site, Decontamination Facilities, Service Container Labeling, County Registration, Emergency Medical Care, PPE, Labeling/ Permit Conditions.

9:30 AM Charter Oak DPR/CCA Rooms 0.5hr CCA Nutrition, 0.5hr INMP Nitrogen Choosing the Right Potassium and Nitrogen Sources for Your Crops Doug Snyder, National Marketing Agronomist, SQM Specialty Plant Nutrition North America This discussion will be an overview of the main potassium sources, their companion ions, and how these sources affect soils and plant uptake of nutrients.

8:00 AM Charter Oak CCA Room 0.5hr CCA Precision Ag. IoT4Ag and What Farmers Think About When Adopting New Technology Catherine Keske, UC Merced Results from the 2021-2022 Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IoT4Ag) projects on farmer perceptions on barriers to adopting precision ag technology, as well as the value of precision ag data to industry, including trade-offs between privacy and value (expansion of services) to farmers.

10:00 AM Exhibit Hall BREAK AND TRADE SHOW

8:30 AM Charter Oak DPR/CCA Rooms 0.5hr DPR Other, 0.5hr CCA IPM MRLs: Why They Matter to You and the Future of Crop Protection Caroline Stringer, Director of Trade, California Fresh Fruit Association A look at how inconsistent MRLs worldwide impacts growers and the decisions made in the orchard/vineyard/field on crop protection tools for important crops in key export markets.

11:30 AM Charter Oak DPR/CCA Rooms 0.5hr DPR Other, 0.5hr CCA IPM Adjuvants: Get What You Deserve from Pesticides Joseph Vaillancourt, Product Manager, Verdesian Life Sciences Different types of spray adjuvant systems and recommendations for their use, including: spreaders, stickers, drift reduction agents, soil wetting agents, water conditioners, utility adjuvants, and adjuvants for organic operations.

9:00 AM Charter Oak DPR/CCA Rooms 0.5hr DPR Laws Regs , 0.5hr CCA IPM Common Pesticide Use Violations: A Cautionary Tale Angelina Ceja, Vice President and Chief Education Officer, Ag Safe DPR’s list of top 10 violations. Topics will include FAC and 3CCR requirements for pesticide compliance and worker safety, including a discussion around practical implementation in the field. Main Points include Handler Training, Application Information, Hazard Communications, Labeling at Use

11:00 AM Charter Oak DPR/CCA Rooms 0.5hr DPR Other, 0.5hr CCA IPM ISCA Pheromone Trials and Results Agenor Mafra Neto and Charlene Bedal, ISCA Inc. Introduction to ISCA pheromone products and application techniques. Trial and Results of multiple studies by USDA and others for SPLAT Verb, SPLAT GM and APIS Bloom plus pipeline products for pest management.

12:00 PM Exhibit Hall LUNCH WITH COMEDIAN DENNIS GAXIOLA 1:00 PM Charter Oak DPR Room 0.5hr DPR Other Evaluation of Mechanical and Automated In-row Cultivators for Weed Control in Conventional Processing Tomatoes Amber Vinchesi-Vahl, UCCE Area Vegetables Crop Advisor

This presentation will cover a 2-year research trial using mechanical and robotic cultivators for weed management in processing tomatoes. Results include weed control efficacy of each cultivator compared to the grower standard, speed of machinery, and a cost-benefit analysis of hand-weeding costs and time savings later in the season.

1:00 PM Charter Oak CCA Room 0.5hr CCA Soil Water 0.5hr INMP Nitrogen Agriculture Resiliency and the Soil Microbiome Eryn Wingate, Lead Agronomist Tri-Tech, WRCCA Although microbial activity is difficult to measure, growers can nevertheless take advantage of beneficial bacteria and fungi by learning about their interactions with plants and managing the soil in ways likely to support microbial growth. Eryn will review foundational soil microbiology concepts and present several types of organisms that can improve agricultural resiliency by increasing crop growth and yield, or by facilitating fertilizer and chemical application reductions. Eryn will give practical suggestions on how to navigate the biological amendments market and how to promote soil health and beneficial microbial activity.

1:30 PM Charter Oak DPR Room 0.5hr DPR Other Challenge of Coverage: Improving NOW applications with Adjuvants and Lower Spray Volume Joel Siegel, Research Entomologist, USDA-ARS This presentation will focus on the most recent research on adjuvants in NOW sprays, reducing spray volume by ground and by air, and increasing duration of control.

Particular emphasis will be on the use of organosilicon adjuvants to reduce spray volume.

1:30 PM Charter Oak CCA Room 0.5hr CCA Nutrition, 0.5hr INMP Nitrogen Potassium Management Under Challenging Soil and Supply Conditions Jerome Pier, Senior Agronomist, Quali-Tech, WRCCA Potassium is a critical, essential plant macronutrient that is required in substantial quantities to obtain profitable production,

Wednesday, September 28 especially in fruiting crops. The presentation will cover the challenges of both the soil environment and its role in providing adequate potassium to crops as well as the rising costs and limited world supply of this important nutrient.

2022 and provide some future casting of what 2023 might bring to help the audience begin organizing their input plans. Audience Q & A will provide for a lively discussion in two important subject areas to the ag industry.

2:00 PM Charter Oak DPR Room 0.5hr DPR Other Grape Pests: Diagnosing Vineyard Pest Problems Steve Vasquez, Technical Viticulturist, SunMaid Growers of California, WRCCA Diagnosing vineyard pest and disease problems as soon as possible is important for minimizing yield and quality losses, especially when caused by pests that can be managed before moving into neighboring vineyards. However, when a quick diagnosis cannot be made, it is important to survey the vineyard and collect as much information as possible so damage can be mitigated.

2:30 PM Charter Oak DPR Room 0.5hr DPR Other Responding to a Viral Epidemic in Lettuce in the Salinas Valley of California Daniel Hasegawa, Research Entomologist, USDA-ARS Learn about the biology and management of INSV in lettuce and how managing vectors in other crops can help reduce transmission. Topics include thrips biology, INSV biology, host range, strategies for monitoring and management.

2:00 PM Charter Oak CCA Room 0.5hr CCA Soil Water, 0.5hr CCA Nutrition, 1.0hr INMP Irrigation WRCCA Panel: 2023 Fertilizer and Water Supply Outlook Moderated by Karl Wyant, WRCCA Chair Wyant will lead an expert panel to help growers and their advisors better understand the upcoming 2023 fertilizer and water supply outlook. Planned panelists will share their recap of their experience in

4:00 PM Charter Oak DPR Room Grapevine Disease Management in a Changing Environments George Zhuang, UCCE Viticulture Farm Advisor Viticulture in the San Joaquin Valley is facing challenges from changing environmental and regulatory conditions. This talk will cover general guidelines for controlling grapevine powdery mildew and trunk disease and focus on the change of disease

3:00 PM Exhibit Hall BREAK AND TRADE SHOW

pressure and updated managing tips due to the changing weather conditions in the SJV. 4:00 PM Charter Oak CCA Room 0.5hr CCA Crop Mgt. Late Season Canopy Management to Improve Winegrapes and Wine in a Changing Climate Luca Brillante, Bronco Viticulture Chair, CSU Fresno This talk will provide a look at how a changing climate impacts grapevine management decisions in San Joaquin Valley winegrapes and how growers and consultants can adapt canopy management practices as a result.

4:30 PM Charter Oak DPR/CCA Rooms 0.5hr CCA Nutrition, 0.5hr INMP Nitrogen Properly Timed Foliar-applied Fertilizers Increase Citrus Yield and Fruit Size Carol Lovatt, Professor of Plant Physiology, UC Riverside UC Professor Carol Lovatt discusses the timings for foliar-applied fertilizers on citrus, including a phosphite technology that she discovered at UC Riverside, and their impact on yield and quality.

5:00 PM Exhibit Hall MIXER 6:00 PM Adjourn

THURSday, September 29 7:00 AM Exhibit Hall BREAKFAST AND TRADE SHOW 8:00 AM Charter Oak DPR Room 0.5hr DPR Other Weed and Disease Control in Lettuce with Band-Steam Mark Siemens, Associate Specialist U of A Cooperative Extension Soil disinfection using steam is a highly effective technique for controlling plant pathogens and weeds, but is cost prohibitive since conventionally steam is applied to the entire soil profile. To address this, a novel prototype band-steam was developed where only narrow strips of soil centered on the seed

line are treated. The system’s design and operation, as well as field trials results of the effectiveness of using steam heat to control weeds and soilborne diseases in lettuce will be presented and discussed.

8:00 AM Charter Oak CCA Room 0.5hr CCA Nutrition Relationship between Non-structural Carbohydrates and Potassium Matt Comrey, Wilbur-Ellis, WRCCA The presentation will focus on the roles that Potassium play in various plant functions (emphasis on permanent crops), particularly as they relate to Carbohydrate (NSC) metabolism. Through the rest of the presenta-

tion carbohydrate concentration trends will be reviewed as well as seasonal trends and changes to those concentrations. We will end with a review of some research outlining the strong relationship that potassium has with soluble sugar concentrations.

8:30 AM Charter Oak DPR Room 0.5hr DPR Other Is Citrus Mealybug an emerging pest in San Joaquin Valley Citrus?

Sandipa Gautum, UCCE Area Citrus IPM Advisor The presentation will cover the life stages of citrus mealybug and its biology; what we know until now about the seasonal phenol-

THURSday, September 29 ogy of citrus mealybug in the San Joaquin Valley. Information on how to monitor for citrus mealybugs, and management options.

8:30 AM Charter Oak CCA Room 0.5hr CCA Soil Water, 0.5hr INMP Irrigation Improve Input Efficiency: Irrigation Strategy with a Short Supply Cory Broad, Territory Manager, Jain Irrigation, WRCCA As Western U.S. Agriculture struggles in the midst of drought and increasing regulatory pressure, limited water supplies and allocations have become an all to common challenge for our producers. Using technology to leverage maximum efficiency from our irrigation systems while maintaining sustainable agricultural production is a must for producers of the future and today. We will discuss tools and practices that help producers sustainably budget crop water-use, efficiently schedule irrigation events, and manage crop nutrients.

9:00 AM Charter Oak DPR Room 0.5hr DPR Other Disease Management in Nut Crops Jim Adaskaveg, Plant Pathologist, UC Riverside An overview of monitoring and management for various foliar diseases in nut crops, including distinguishing between key diseases and spray rotations for resistance management.

9:00 AM Charter Oak CCA Room 0.5hr CCA Nutrition, 0.5hr INMP Nitrogen Improve Input Efficiency: Nutrient Use Efficiency as it Pertains to Nitrogen Management JW Lemons, Verdesian Life Sciences, WRCCA Identify various tools and methods to enhance nitrogen efficiency. Reduce leaching, denitrification, and volatilization of applied nitrogen.

9:30 AM Charter Oak DPR/CCA Rooms 0.5hr CCA Nutrition, 0.5hr INMP Nitrogen Presentation: Sap Analysis as an Improved Test for Crop Nutrient Status Sean Jacobs, Technical Sales and Marketing Representative, AGRO-K A discussion of leaf sap analysis as a complimentary analytical tool to assess the

current and future nutrient status of the crop and a road map to improvement .Leaf sap results provide a forward looking view into the next two to three weeks of the crop cycle and give the grower actionable information to correct and/or prevent nutrient excesses and deficiencies that can directly impact the current year’s crop quality and yield.

10:00 AM Exhibit Hall BREAK AND TRADE SHOW 11:00 AM Charter Oak DPR/CCA Rooms 0.5hr DPR Other, 0.5hr CCA IPM Improve Input Efficiency: Review of Sprayer Calibration Matt Comrey, Technical Nutrition Agronomist, Wilbur-Ellis, WRCCA This presentation will center around calibrating various spray equipment (air blast, strip sprayer, etc.) to ensure proper application of various pesticides. The presentation will start with a wide scale view of improving efficiency in agriculture and will conclude with sample calibration methods for both herbicide application equipment as well as air blast equipment.

11:30 AM Charter Oak DPR/CCA Rooms 0.5hr DPR Other, 0.5hr CCA IPM Managing Disease Using the Power of Biologicals Combined with the Performance of Chemistry Melissa O’Neal, Sr. Product Development Manager – Western Region, The ProFarm Group A look at ProFarm’s BioUnite approach combining biologicals and synthetic chemistry for disease management. Overview of Regalia and Stargus BioFungicides and their role in an IPM approach for managing diseases in California crops.

12:00 PM Exhibit Hall LUNCH: SCHOLARSHIPS AND GIVEAWAY, CCA OF YEAR AND HONORARIUMS 1:00 PM Charter Oak DPR/CCA Rooms 0.5hr DPR Other, 0.5hr CCA IPM Walnut Scale Management Elizabeth Fichtner, UCCE Farm Advisor, Tulare County If left unmanaged, walnut scale can impact orchards directly by the feeding of the insect, and indirectly by enhancing diseases

caused by canker fungi. This talk will provide an overview of the lifecycle of the insect, highlighting differences in the lifecycle between the Southern San Joaquin Valley and the Sacramento Valley. Additionally, the talk will provide an overview of the pest management options available for reducing walnut scale populations, with heavy emphasis on the timing of insect growth regulator application.

1:30 PM Charter Oak DPR/CCA Rooms 0.5hr DPR Other, 0.5hr CCA Soil Water, 0.5hr INMP Irrigation Impact of Water Quality on Pesticide Performance Karl Wyant, Director of Agronomy, Nutrien, Chair, WRCCA Crop protection products are often mixed with water to help “carry” them into the field and through the applicator rig. However, carrier spray water quality can have a profound impact on the active ingredients contained in a pesticide, fungicide, or herbicide product. In this talk, Dr. Wyant will walk through how several components of the solid portion of the spray water can potentially impact the active ingredient of popular crop protection products. He will go through a water quality report and detail how the information can be used to predict the impact on performance so that steps can be taken to mitigate negative interactions between water quality and ag chem efficacy.

2:00 PM Charter Oak DPR/CCA Rooms 0.5hr DPR Laws Regs, 0.5hr CCA IPM Personal Protective Equipment Required by Labels for Employees and Owners Marianna Gentert, Deputy Ag Commissioner, Tulare County This talk will go over types of Personal Protective equipment with examples of acceptable and not acceptable ones; also what is required to be allowed to wear PPE like respirators and then review example labels and decide what an employee versus owner would need to wear.

2:30 PM Adjourn