Ag Announcements Presented by Ag Alert® sponsors Burchell Nursery salutes Tim Gerdts for 38-year career
JH Biotech Inc. advocates for food security, sustainability JH Biotech Inc. has announced the launch of the International Prevention Agriculture Institute, a nonprofit organization that will advocate for sustainable agricultural development to ensure long-term food security by fostering a healthier ecosystem. Based in Ventura, JH Biotech Inc. is dedicated to promoting sustainability and eco-friendly solutions for plants and animals. It offers a portfolio of more than 50 Organic Materials Review Institute-listed products and biological solutions to meet agricultural needs.
Tim Gerdts likes to say that he was a salesman “moonlighting” as a plant breeder in Fowler. A graduate of California State University, Fresno, in plant sciences, Gerdts served as a field supervisor for fruit growers Gerawan Farming in Fresno and H.P. Metzler and Sons in Del Rey before joining the sales team at Burchell Nursery. He played a key role in the nursery’s breeding program and was credited with helping introduce more than 70 peach and nectarine varieties, including the famed Autumn Flame peach. “We wanted to go back to using older
The IPAI aims to educate farmers, growers and the entire agricultural community about innovative prevention strategies and sustainable agricultural solutions, said John Hsu, president and founder of JH Biotech Inc. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that by 2050, food production must increase by 70% to meet the demands of a growing global population. While we need more food, it cannot come at the expense of the environment. IPAI’s initiatives are crucial to achieving this goal sustainably. “The sustainability and resilience of agriculture are paramount,” Hsu said. “We are proud to announce our new nonprofit organization dedicated to prevention agriculture. These programs play a key role in achieving sustainable agriculture, which is a critical issue. We are committed to making real-world changes.” John Hsu
Tim Gerdts
varieties with really good flavor and crossing them with newer stuff that had firmness—and we were lucky,” Gerdts said. “We were able to come up with quite a few things.” Gerdts, who recently announced his retirement, became a valued confidant for San Joaquin Valley farmers, providing advice on tree-fruit varieties, rootstocks and more as he organized the delivery of trees to customers. Burchell Nursery Inc. owner Tom Burchell said Gerdts has left a lasting mark “as he supported the planting of countless orchards of stone fruit and almonds throughout the state.”
June 26, 2024 Ag Alert 13
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