USA - Market Expansion at Leading Ag Crop Protection Manufacturer: Meeting Demand in New Territories

ORCAL, Inc. announced two new hires with extensive knowledge in territories where the company is expanding. The talent being onboarded is Ruz Shokrollahi who will be responsible for the Midwest and Texas regions, and Jake Portman who will oversee the Southern California and Arizona areas. ORCAL, a company that manufactures and specializes in crop protection products, is the only company in the marketplace that offers a liquid metaldehyde solution and an organic lime sulfur solution that does not require a closed system.

Tim Wasko, Vice President at ORCAL says, ″we are so excited to have Ruz join our team! He brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, professionalism, and personality to our company. You can’t help but smile when working with Ruz!″

ORCAL had been searching for individuals with the right expertise to lead the company’s expansion into new territories when they found Ruz, a Cal Poly graduate who majored in horticulture and crop science with a minor in pest management. Ruz has experience working on a large farming operation made up of 20,000+ acres of tree nuts in California and carries with him widespread knowledge and experience in the ag tech industry. Ruz’s role will be to further develop ORCAL’s current market, as well as establish a territory that has millions of acres of agricultural land. Growers in the Midwest and Texas have been dealing with snails and slugs, which are devastating to crops, especially in a no-till operation. With no real solution until now, the ORCAL product line offers proven and effective solutions to help farmers protect their investment.

Shokrollahi says, ″I've always had a passion for helping people, especially farmers who work tirelessly to put food on our tables. My goal is to build relationships with local crop consultants, agronomists, and farmers to ensure they are getting the best service possible from ORCAL.″

Additionally, ORCAL welcomes to the team Jake Portman who will be in charge of the So-Cal and Arizona territory that includes some of the most diverse cropping regions in the world.

Vice President, Wasko says, ″Jake brings a new level of expertise to ORCAL with his vast experience in southern California farm management. He also has that genuine understanding of knowing the day-to-day challenges high input growers face and doing what is best for the farmer. His knowledge, skill, and integrity are a welcomed asset to the territory.″

Jake is also a Cal Poly graduate but with a BS in Ag-Business Management. After graduating, Jake farmed fresh vegetables on the central coast. This experience helps Jake understand the constant battles faced by growers.

Portman says, ″to me, the farm must come first. Today, 3% of our country feeds the other 97%. That 3% needs as much support as possible to continue providing for us all. My goal is to assist growers, agronomists, and advisors in any way possible. Seeing the potency of ORCAL’s products, I am excited to expand their use to new crops throughout my territory.″

Both new hires will be key to ORCAL’s successful market expansion. Shokrollahi has already started his first task of setting up trials with university researchers and industry leaders. This endeavor will hope to gain a better understanding of growers’ needs and discover how ORCAL’s innovative products can help manage the Midwest and Texas’s insect and disease pressures. Simultaneously, Portman looks to provide for the varying needs of the So-Cal and Arizona regions from their cool coastal valleys to scalding deserts, and to give farmers cost-effective pest prevention and plant health solutions.