In the 30th episode of This is Ag!, I sit down with Eric Rygg, president of Huntsinger Farms and Silver Spring Foods. As a fourth-generation horseradish farmer, Eric brings a wealth of knowledge about sustainable and profitable farming practice

29. A.J. Cisney - General Manager, Rancho Guadalupe & Past Chair of UnitedAg’s Board of Directors, leading with an approach that people are inherently good, proactive vs reactive approach to leading life, importance of mental health, and more.

May 8th, 2024 32m 11s

My guest is A.J. Cisney, General Manager at Rancho Guadalupe, a family-owned grower of fresh produce based in Santa Maria Valley, California. In this episode we discuss the importance of paying attention to mental health, having difficult conve

28. Tony St. James - Host of All Ag, All Day and owner at Paramount Broadcasting, optimism, perseverance, connections, and much more

Apr 5th, 2024 28m 46s

Welcome to episode 28 of This is Ag! I'm here with Tony St. James, owner of Paramount Broadcasting and host of All Ag, All Day, the only all-farm radio station in the Southwest USA. Together, we explore the core values of the agricultural commu

27. Kim McConnell - Licensed Psychologist & Director of Clinical Programs at Spring Health, grit, resilience, empathy, and much more

Mar 1st, 2024 38m 24s

In episode 27, I sit down with Kim McConnell, Director of Clinical Programs at Spring Health. Together, we explore the intersection of agriculture and mental health, and UnitedAg's partnership with Spring Health, which is set to launch on March

26. Bart Walker - Owner & President at Pacific Ag Rentals, trust, risks, passion, power of handshake, and much more

Feb 1st, 2024 33m 46s

In this engaging podcast episode, join me as I explore the world of business, trust, and growth with Bart Walker, the president at Pacific Ag Rentals. We delve into the symbolic importance of a handshake, representing the foundation of trust be

25. Sonia Roldan - Member Services Director at UnitedAg, empathy, inspiration, and human connections

Jan 8th, 2024 34m 33s

I’m thrilled to share this remarkable and insightful discussion with Sonia Roldan, UnitedAg's Member Services Manager. Together, we unravel the significant role of empathy in healthcare and its impact on forging a sustainable business model. Th

Dean Callender - Senior Vice President at Pan American, labor laws, APMA

Dec 21st, 2023 31m 55s

In this podcast episode, join me as I chat with Dean Callender, Senior Vice President at Pan American and a fourth-generation farmer with a diverse career spanning leadership in transplanting crews and custom designing benefits programs. Dean s

23. Ashli Sturgill - Health and Safety Manager at TheZenith Insurance, preventative care, safety, mental health, and much more.

Nov 6th, 2023 31m 17s

In episode 23, I sit down with Ashli Sturgill, Health and Safety Manager at TheZenith, to dive into the vital safety and health concerns in the agriculture industry. Ashli's role is all about making the workplace safer, and she emphasizes that

22. Gary Thiara - General Manager & Partner of Empire Nut Company, Indian roots, building communities, walnuts, sustainable agriculture, and much more.

Oct 15th, 2023 37m 38s

In this month's episode, I sat down with Gary Thiara, general manager and partner of Empire Nut Company. Throughout our conversation, we spoke about the humble beginnings of the family-owned business, the public perception of the agriculture in

Raymond Rumiano, Marketing Specialist & co-owner of Rumiano Cheese Company, cheese making & family enterprise, interconnectedness of animals, farmers, and consumers, sustainability, regenerative farming and much more.

Sep 10th, 2023 30m 31s

On this month’s episode, I join Ray Rumiano in Willows, California, home to Rumiano Cheese Company. Ray has a profound appreciation for the challenges faced by agriculture workers; his commitment to the family business is grounded in the connec

Samantha C. Taylor, Winemaker at Hope Family Wines, the Art of Winemaking, Power of Creativity, Hard Work, Millennials, & Austin Hope wines

Aug 4th, 2023 28m 58s

In Episode 20 of This is Ag Podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Samantha C. Taylor, the talented assistant winemaker for Hope Family Wines in Paso Robles. Samantha's remarkable journey into the world of winemaking began with a strong de

19. Jeff Lundberg, Owner of Babe Farms, Cultivating Quality and Commitment in Gourmet Produce, Loyalty and Innovation, Farming Success, Family Legacy, and much more.

Jul 9th, 2023 29m 54s

In episode 19 of This is Ag Podcast, I had the honor of speaking with Jeff Lundberg, the face of Babe Farms, a family-owned and operated company that has been working with UnitedAg for over 25 years. It is truly remarkable to see how Jeff has t

18. David Nikssarian, President of Nikssarian Insurance Services, Inc., Stories of Impact, Transformation, and Compassion

Jun 7th, 2023 26m 23s

In this captivating podcast episode, I had the privilege of interviewing David, a seasoned broker with over 38 years of experience in the Insurance Industry. Together with his wife and business partner, Mary, they established Nikssarian Insuran

17. Frank Chavez, CEO of Agrofruits International, coconut products, impact on the local communities, on the city Guerrero, sustainable agriculture, hydroponic, and much more.

May 5th, 2023 31m 15s

My guest Frank Chavez, CEO of Agrofruits and AgroCoCo is no stranger to the agriculture industry. As a child, Frank spent summers on his family farm in Mexico, and his time there instilled him with a strong work ethic. By 2023, Frank has not on

16. Rodney Braga, President and CEO of Braga Fresh Family Farms, women empowerment, building communities, focus on people, focus on soil, true environmentalist, and much more.

Apr 5th, 2023 41m 2s

My guest Rodney Braga is the President and CEO of Braga Fresh Family Farms. For three generations, the Braga Farms has been at the forefront of the fresh produce industry, growing, packing, and shipping the highest quality fresh vegetables all

15. Chago Martin, Owner/President of Paragon Personnel & Trilogy Personnel & Land Management, making decisions by putting people at the center, feeling emotional attachment to people, making connections , and much more.

Mar 1st, 2023 26m 31s

UnitedAg operates unlike any other healthplans or health insurance carriers. Our members are at the core of UnitedAg, and their needs shape the organization. As a result, leadership at UnitedAg looks different – in fact, it derives from one of

14. Richard Plato, Director of Human Resources of Christopher Ranch , Garlic Capital of the World, Gilroy Garlic Festival, your healthplan your community, power of human connectedness, the "human' in human resources, and much more.

Feb 5th, 2023 26m 19s

My guest Richard Plato is the Director of Human Resources at Christopher Ranch. In this episode Richard talks about the impact of a mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in July 2019 and how the company, Christopher Ranch and UnitedAg we

13. Dr. Rosemary Ku - Chief Medical Officer of UnitedAg, UnitedAg’s ethos, health innovation, patient member experience, increasing access to quality healthcare, social determinants of health and much more.

Jan 1st, 2023 30m 5s

My guest Dr. Rosemary Ku is the Chief Medical Officer of UnitedAg.Rosemary is a practicing physician with dual-board certification in Internal Medicine and Preventive Medicine. She majored in Molecular Biology with a Certificate in Neuroscience

12. Alex Van Wingerden - Owner and CEO of Westland Floral, Gallup Stribling Orchids and Alexander Ranch, beautiful products grown with integrity and much more.

Dec 5th, 2022 26m 29s

My guest is Alex Van Wingerden is the owner and CEO of Westland Floral, Gallup & Stribling Orchids and Alexander Ranch. Westland Floral traces its roots to the 17th century and the Cornelis Van Wingerden family of the Westland region of the Ne

11. Brent Eastman - Owner & President of BEI, Brent Eastman Insurance Services, why is "labor omnia vincit" Latin phrase meaning "work conquers all' relevant, empathetic healthcare, sales & power of human connections and More

Nov 4th, 2022 27m 32s

My guest Brent Eastman is the owner and CEO of BEI, Brent Eastman Insurance Services, the largest employee benefit brokerage firms in the Central Coast area. BEI currently manages over $26 million in annual employee benefit program expenditures

10. Ellen Brokaw - President & Owner of Brokaw Nursery, the power of bringing diverse communities together, building communities, farm worker housing, avocados and more.

Oct 4th, 2022 28m 43s

My guest Ellen Brokaw is the President and Owner of Brokaw Nursery, one of the largest subtropical tree suppler located in Ventura County, California. Sixty years ago, Hank and Ellen Brokaw began the nursery as an avocation. With hard work and

9. Shannon Valladarez - General Manager, Monterey Wine Company, importance of emotional connections, relationships, social responsibility of a women CEO, Girls Inc, and much more.

Sep 3rd, 2022 27m 23s

My guest is Shannon Valladarez, General Manager at Monterey Wine Company.Shannon and I talk about the importance of emotional connections, the power of relationships, our responsibility to the next generation of women leaders, setting an exampl

8. Thomas Amaro - 4th generation agriculturist, Co-Founder of Amaro Beauty and Wellness, history of California agriculture and much more.

Aug 5th, 2022 24m 3s

My guest Thomas Amaro is a 4th generation family based agribusiness professional. Tom and his son Marcos Amaro cultivate and grow top quality hemp CBD in Visalia California. The family’s goal is to provide consumers with the finest quality CBD

7. Steve Church - Co-Chair of Church Brothers/True Leaf Farms, what does taking care of people really mean, people make our business, people-centric culture and profits and much more.

Jul 3rd, 2022 24m 59s

My guest Steve Church is the Co-Chairman of Church Brothers/True Leaf Farms. Steve Church has been a part of the produce industry for more than 50 years. In 1999,Steve and his brother Tom formed what is now known as Church Brothers Farms, a ful

6. Brenda Allison - CEO of Coast General Insurance Brokers, where we come from, connections and roots, role of education, Womenag and much more.

Jun 5th, 2022 28m 19s

My guest Brenda Allison is the CEO of Coast General Insurance Brokers, an insurance brokerage entirely dedicated to business owners. Her story of how her family came to America, the impact her grandmother had on Brenda's leadership style, the