This month, our VISTA team attended BioCirCA 2025, where VISTA F3’s Dr. Kimberly Gibson and Dr. Leigh Bernacchi co-moderated the panel “Advancing Regenerative Agriculture Through Bio-Based Innovation.” They were joined by Dan Sonke of Blue Diamond Growers, Joshua Garcia of UC Merced, Gerardo Diaz of UC Merced, Alexis Valadez of CSU Fresno, and Debbie Thomas of the Farmer Ag Network.
The panelists explored the connections between state policies, regenerative agricultural practices, and the emerging biocircular economy. They also dug into the barriers and opportunities shaping innovation in this space—from technology adoption and market incentives to regional collaboration and workforce readiness.
The conversation underscored the Central Valley’s growing role in advancing climate-smart, bio-based solutions and the importance of cross-sector partnerships in driving meaningful change.