From the Fields: Raquel Gomez, California/Arizona Certified Crop Adviser 

By Raquel Gomez, California/Arizona Certified Crop Adviser 

As the BRANDT technical agronomist in California and Arizona, I work closely with my sales team to provide agronomic support, education and create research trials to support and showcase our products. 

All Certified Crop Advisers will agree every year looks different. I do my best to disseminate the message that balanced crop nutrition is the best tool in a grower’s toolbox. This keeps your crops and your yield potential high. It is no secret that nutrient deficiencies can open the door to unneeded stress for both growers and crops, like bacterial and fungal infections. Balanced crop nutrition becomes particularly important when heat stress comes into the fold and temperatures soar like they do this time of year. For example, many of my trials this time of year focus on specific agronomic challenges like high salinity/sodicity, resistance management, soil-induced micronutrient deficiencies or challenging environmental conditions for foliar absorption. Small changes like low salt index fertilizers, high efficiency delivery systems in foliar fertilizers or the addition of an adjuvant make a big difference in how your crop grows. Being a Certified Crop Adviser helps me color in the bigger picture for customers and collaborators about the recommendations I make.

In addition, I work to highlight the benefits of our sustainable crop protection portfolio. Sustainable crop protection does not have to stay exclusively on organic acres. It can be used as a tool to diversify modes of action for resistance management and simplify chemistry rotations in conventional settings. As a crop adviser, I must stay informed on state induced label changes and application windows so crops are not left vulnerable to pests and farmers can continue to make a living. Which leads me to no one person can know it all. I am so thankful to the Certified Crop Adviser network I have built because in agriculture, information and hands-on experience is power.