Regenerative Agriculture Podcast

Jay Watte is a fourth-generation farmer from the Imperial Valley in Southern California, where he manages a family operation focused on seed production. Thanks to his pioneering practices, Jay hasn’t sprayed insecticides on his farm for nearly two years. Instead of pesticides, Jay uses nutrient management, particularly boron applications, to boost plant resilience and reduce pest pressure. His experiments with soil inoculations and cover crops, are yielding promising results, including healthier plants and higher seed quality. Jay’s approach emphasizes sustainable practices that prioritize long-term soil vitality and community well-being over short-term gains. Jay supplies major retailers and local farmers with his seed, especially Bermuda grass and alfalfa. Beyond seed production, he has ventured into growing agave and is launching a market garden to provide diverse, healthy produce to his community through a local CSA program. In this episode, John and Jay discuss: The challenges of producing seed compare