Rob Mikkelsen, Director-Agronomic Services, Yara North America

Cory Broad, Agronomic Sales Manager, AvidWater

Tobias Oker, Soils and Irrigation Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, Kern County

Christopher Hight, Soil Laboratory Manager Betteravia Farms

Eryn Wingate- Lead Agronomist at Tri-Tech Ag Products

Mark Lundy, Associate Professor of Cooperative Extension at University of California, Davis

Richard Smith

Doug Amaral, Plant Nutrition and Soil Fertility Advisor at UCANR

Dr. Karl Wyant – Director of Agronomy @ Nutrien

Marcos Amaro, Senior Sales Representative at SNF

Dr. Channah Rock - University of Arizona - Professor & Water Quality Specialist - Jim Brennan Endowed Chair in Extension Fresh Produce Safety

Andrew Pritchard - Senior Atmospheric Scientist @ Nutrien Ag Solutions

Meri Lillia Mullens – Account Lead - Biome Makers

In a busy market for biological products how do you decide which products to use and what products will actually move the needle in terms of ROI on farm? In this session we will discuss how growers and agronomists can use new biological soil testing tools to diagnose biological bottlenecks at the field level. Join us to learn how to make more informed decisions to build next generation fertility programs leveraging chemical and biological insights.

Dr. Zack Ogles - Manager of Agronomy - Tessenderlo Kerley Inc.

Collaborative studies from Crop Vitality and Au¬burn University have shown that thiosulfates have a more profound effect on inhibiting nitrification than was previously know. In this presentation, data will be presented showing the effect of different rates of thiosulfate on inhibiting nitrification in a soil type common in the San Joaquin Valley.

Jerel Kratt - CEO - Regenerative Crop Consulting

Jerel will be covering the soil and plant health benefits of using cover crops in orchards and vineyards, specifically looking at management practices, water infiltration, insect habitat, and nutrient release.

Jenny Hansen Garley - CSO - New Age Laboratories

Introduction to sap analysis: explanation, differences between sap & tissue testing. Discuss nutrient mobility within the plant and why that’s important for sap analysis interpretation. Review a sap report: nitrogen conversion, macro/trace elements. Drought vs flood data from almonds in California.

Jerome Pier, Ph.D. - Agronomist at Qualitech and WRCCA Ex Officio

Excess salts can degrade soil quality and limit crop production. Learn the differences between saline and sodic soils, the impact salinity has on different crops, and measures we can take to mitigate the damage.

Paul W. Crout, CCA, PCA - Senior Product Manager, Agronomist at Helena Agri-Enterprises

Building an effective fertility plan is not as easy as many think, there are a number of factors to consider as a plan is developed, implemented and adjusted.  This presentation will highlight the steps necessary to create an effective wine grape fertility program.

Daniel Klittich, Ph.D. - Director of Agronomy, Mission Produce

Utilizing the 4R’s can be a game changer for avocado production. As a perennial crop with an extremely long fruiting cycle (18+ months!!!) fertility plays a major role in building tree yields. We will discuss key nutrients (N, K, Ca, Zn, B, and C), timings, and the research behind their use.

David Morgan - YaraVita Product Specialist, Yara North America

Review of the essential elements in grape production.  Review of the grape physiology and nutrient demand per specific growth stages

Sebastian Korob - Crop Manager, Yara North America 

Devin Clarke - Permanent Crop Manager, Yara North America

Dr. Karl Wyant- Director of Agronomy at Nutrien and WRCCA Board Chair

Karl will discuss the agronomy of water concept and how water sampling can be used to inform a number of on farm practices including: the use of water conditioners to help mitigate poor spray water quality and their potential interaction with the active chemistry in pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides.

Joseph Vaillancourt, M.S.- Manager of Biostimulants at Verdesian Life Sciences

Joe will discuss the main carrier that is used to apply ag chemistry products to crops - water. Water has a challenging chemistry and physical and requires modification to properly deliver crop protection products. Adjuvants are a class of products that can be tank mixed with water and ag products to help physically modify the spray output and help the crop protection program work with improved efficacy. Joe will discuss the different classes of adjuvants and when to use one over the other, based on spray program goals.

Molly Yager, PCA - Ag Sales Manager at Apollo Ag Technologies

Molly will discuss how to sample both the water and irrigation infrastructure to design an irrigation cleaning and maintenance program. Molly will discuss the impact of a "dirty" irrigation system on distribution uniformity and how that impacts the delivery of water, fertilizers, and ag chemistry programs.

Eryn Wingate, CCA - Agronomist at Tri-Tech Ag Products and WRCCA Board Member

Eryn will discuss how a water sample can be used to help predict salinity issues on a field. Furthermore, Eryn will discuss modern approaches to reclaiming soil and crops that have been impacted by salinity to help keep fields productive and profitable.

Dr. Karl Wyant, VP of Ag Science at Heliae, WRCCA Chair

Dr. Wyant will discuss the complexities of soil potassium management and how a CCA can influence soil fertility decisions. Dr. Wyant will review the various pools of potassium and how a combination of soil type and local geology can antagonize even the best laid potassium fertility plan. Finally, Dr. Wyant will showcase why potassium management is so important for modern yield and quality goals and why potassium remains an overlooked macronutrient.

Eryn Wingate, Agronomist at Tri-Tech Ag Products, WRCCA Board Member

We usually think of fertilizer management in terms of increasing yield, improving quality, and extending shelf life. However, macro and micronutrients also determine the crop’s ability to defend itself against insects and pathogens. I will review some of the ways nutrients impact plant defenses and how growers can improve the crop’s nutrient uptake.

Jerome Pier, Senior Agronomist at QualiTech, Past Chair WRCCA Board

Jerome Pier will cover all the important parameters of an irrigation suitability report and how these parameters affect management decisions.

Matthew Fidelibus, University of California Cooperative Extension Specialist-Viticulture, Department of Viticulture & Enology, UC Davis

Mark Battany, University of California Cooperative Extension Water Management and Biometeorology Advisor, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties

Sat Darshan S. Khalsa, Assistant Professional Researcher, Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis

Maria Zumkeller, Graduate Student, Department of Horticulture and Agronomy, UC Davis

Matt Comrey, Wilbur Ellis

Cory Broad, Jain Irrigation

Lindsay Vicars, Heliae Agriculture

Dr. Danny Klittich, Redox