Every season more California growers discover the unique power of SPEAR® LEP insecticide to protect their almond and pistachio crops from the destructive impact of navel orangeworm (NOW), says Ray Stoll, Vestaron strategic account manager and PCA.    

“Last year was the absolute worst naval orangeworm year anybody has ever seen. I’ve been in this business for 35 years and I’ve never seen anything close to it. And to make things worse, last year the season was spread out,” Ray says from his base in Fresno, California. “This year it’s been a good quick harvest for most growers. We learned some lessons from 2023 about early orchard sanitation and making sure we have a strong pest management plan for mummy shake, hull split and pre-harvest.”

As a biological insecticide with the same efficacy as traditional synthetic products, Ray says growers are responding to the best-in-class flexibility it brings: zero MRLs, 0-day PHI, 4-Hour REI, and it’s pollinatorand beneficial friendly, too. Proven on 800,000 acres and counting, Ray says Vestaron and SPEAR are enjoying increased brand awareness. “People have heard of us, or they’ve tried us and brought us into the rotation” as a one-to-one displacement of traditional products.

‘When I grew up, I wanted to be a farmer …”
~ Ray Stoll, PCA and Vestaron Strategic Account Manager and PCA

Ray didn’t grow up on a farm, but you could say it was in his blood. As a kid growing up in Fresno, he was always interested in growing things, tending gardens, and he was especially captivated by the farmer who lived down the road from his family.

“Our family had nothing to do with agriculture, absolutely zero. But growing up in Fresno, I had a farmer three houses down and always thought it was cool. He’d come home with a dirty truck and muddy boots. I always admired that. And I always had a garden in my house, even when I was in fourth grade, maybe even before that,” Ray says. “When I grew up, I wanted to be a farmer. It was just something inside of me.”

That passion for growing things steered Ray to Fresno State where he majored in Ag business with a minor in plant sciences. While at Fresno State, he became a summer field scout for what was then Western Farm Service, Crop Production Services which eventually turned into Nutrien, where he gained valuable experience and deepened his love for agriculture. After graduation, he became a certified Pest Control Advisor, working both in-house and on retail side, and in 2023 he joined Vestaron.  

“I’ve always enjoyed helping growers gain every possible advantage against pests and the damage they can cause to yield and quality. With lower commodity prices, everybody’s trying to limit their expenditures as much as they can. I feel comfortable with the ROI we can provide, but it starts with developing the relationship and building trust before you make a recommendation.”

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Ben Cicora, SVP Sales & Marketing • 970.443.9220 • bcicora@vestaron.com
Steve Betz, VP Communications • (515).707.6096 • sbetz@vestaron.com