July Seminar: Natural Habitat Pest Management / Sustainable Alternative to Nitrogen Fertilizers
July 9, 2026
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Natural Habitat Pest Management / Sustainable Alternative to Nitrogen Fertilizers
Join us on July 9th from 3-5 pm in a virtual (Zoom) seminar for two exciting speakers and relevant topics for today's Vineyard farmers. How animals interact with their environment, with a special emphasis on wildlife conservation, agroecology (farming with nature), and how birds and bats help control crop pests. In addition harnessing the power of naturally occurring microbes to provide a sustainable alternative to traditional nitrogen fertilizers; utilizing supercharged microbes and precision application that lead to an environmentally friendly, efficient, and cost competitive advantage.
Speakers:
Dr. Matthew Johnson is a Professor of Wildlife Habitat Ecology in the Department of Wildlife at Cal Poly Humboldt.
He runs the Matthew Johnson Lab at Cal Poly Humboldt, which explores how animals use space and affect farm productivity.
Core Research Areas:
- Barn Owls: Researches how farmers can use nest boxes and natural habitats to attract barn owls and insect-eating birds to act as natural pest control.
- Habitat Selection: Studies how wildlife chooses where to live, focusing on working landscapes like vineyards and coffee farms.
- Birds in Coffee Farms: Extensively studies how birds and natural forest preserves help control pests on coffee farms in Jamaica.
Jessica Murison serves as a Territory Sales Specialist at Kula Bio where she is passionate about advancing sustainable agriculture through the adoption of soil health practices and biologically based fertility strategies. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Crop Science with a minor in Biotechnology from California Polytechnic State University. Following graduation, she spent a decade as Production Manager for a multi-season corn seed breeding facility. Jessica also pursued a Master's degree in BioScience and BioEngineering, deepening her understanding of how molecular-level technologies can drive innovation and efficiency in modern agriculture.
Her work focuses on helping growers improve long-term economic viability and production sustainability by translating scientific principles into practical, field-ready management solutions.
Kula Bio, a leader in sustainable agriculture, is harnessing the power of naturally occurring microbes to provide a sustainable alternative to traditional nitrogen fertilizers.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/3825476740?pwd=oZGKULmOxJHeMOE4bv9nVrbVS9l1jL.1&omn=83130843424
Meeting ID: 382 547 6740
Passcode: IGGPRA0709
------------------------------------------------------------------------
As always, our seminars are FREE for Members (limit 2 people per membership) and just $30 per person for Guests. Feel free to invite other vineyard owners and managers that you think might be interested in the topics this month.
