Crop Protection

Ostara hires chief technology officer

Ostara, a leader in phosphate fertilizers and nutrient management, has hired Aaron Waltz as chief technology officer. Waltz has more than 20 years of experience in the agriculture industry and deep agronomic expertise. He began his... more »

California pesticide report shows declining use

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has released its annual Pesticide Use Report for 2021 which confirmed preliminary data that showed a more than 10% statewide decline in pesticide use compared to the prior... more »

Carbon Robotics adds $30 million in funds, deploys more LaserWeeders

Carbon Robotics, whose LaserWeeders will be in operation in 17 states this year, has received another $30 million in investments, for a total of $67 million for the AI robotics company. Carbon Robotics’ Series C... more »

California growers show unified voice at state capitol

California Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, knows he might not have been voters’ first guess to introduce agricultural legislation. “I’m pretty sure they said, ‘Jones-Sawyer… Ag bill! What?’” the assemblyman joked with members of the... more »

Senior director of field R&D named at Valent

Valent U.S.A. LLC has named Kenneth “Kenny” Seebold as senior director of field research & development. Seebold replaces Mike Riffle, who announced his plan retire at the end of June, after more than 35 years... more »

Syngenta promotes Kathy Eichlin in communications role

Syngenta has promoted Kathy Eichlin to head of U.S. Crop Protection Corporate Communications for Syngenta North America. In her new role, Eichlin is responsible for leading the U.S. Crop Protection Corporate Communications Team, as well... more »

Salinas Biological Summit seeks ideas from all sides

Among growers who rely on chemical inputs to ensure their crops aren’t lost to voracious insects or overgrown with weeds, it’s not a surprise that they’re not going to be able to rely on those... more »

Mix organic, conventional methods to boost soil health

It is often presumed that organic agricultural management practices cause minimal environmental impact relative to conventional agricultural management practices. Just like any other farming system, organic farming systems have limitations. Over-applicating organic amendments, such as... more »