Spray Savvy: Martha Ryan-Castro Company: JV Smith Companies (Yuma, Arizona) Title: Manager of the Spray Department Snapshot: Born and raised in Yuma, AZ, Martha Ryan-Castro was introduced to agriculture at a young age by her dad. As a teen, she would go into the fields with her father and quickly became an expert at cutting and harvesting romaine. Nearly a decade Bartt’s Favorite Part About the Job: “My favorite part of the job is the camaraderie. Everyone has a common goal, and it is rewarding to achieve those goals and meet our numbers for production. At the end of the deal, you end up producing this beautiful crop and it’s very rewarding because it takes that team effort—all of which speaks volumes about the team.” Bartt’s Big Win: “I appreciate having the freedom to be able to control all aspects of production without anyone looking over my shoulder and second-guessing me. The team has total confidence in me and being able to have full rein as far as production goes is something I truly value.” Ranch Master: Bartt Ries Company: Vessey & Company, Inc. (Holtville, California) Title: Ranch Manager Snapshot: For nearly 25 years, Bartt Ries has worked closely alongside the Vessey family to propel Vessey & Company into a premier vegetable operation in the Imperial Valley. He has taken a proactive, data-driven approach to ranch management, continuously discovering and implementing cutting-edge technologies to streamline planting efficiencies. As the farm’s chief expert on soil health, he has mastered risk mitigation to ensure healthy crops and profitability.
Bartt (middle) at the WG Center for Innovation & Technology when it first opened more than 5 years ago. Vessey & Co is a long-time sponsor of the Center.
later, Martha has applied her knowledge and passion for ag to now skillfully manage the spray department for JV Farms. Martha looks forward to a lifelong career in ag and continues to share her journey with other young women in hopes that it will inspire them to pursue leadership positions in the industry. Martha’s Favorite Part About the Job: “Working outdoors! I catch myself staring at the beauty nature has to offer and taking it all in. I am so lucky to have such a breathtaking office view, with no windows or walls—just me and the open air.”
Martha Ryan-Castro Photo courtesy of KYMA
Employees are not just a company’s backbone, they are its life force. These five brilliant individuals are just a small sample of the dedicated team members who make up America’s 2.2 million farms. As the population rapidly increases and farms need to feed more mouths with fewer resources, agricultural champions like these five changemakers will play a significant role in helping maintain a thriving and sustainable industry.
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Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com
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