Born and raised on a vegetable farm in Gonzales, Cali., Mike Trebino, sales representative for Radicle Seed, says agriculture wasn’t something he wanted to pursue. Throughout high school and the first half of college, his mind was on becoming an architect.
After a summer internship for T&C Supplies, now known as Radicle Seed Company, did he realize something: he knew too much about the agriculture industry to abandon it. After that, he made the switch to major in ag business.
One thing he’s passionate about? Making sure everyone is passionate about vegetables, especially his specialty, spinach!
“Vegetables should capture everyone’s passion,” Trebino says. “Eat your greens. Especially spinach, otherwise, as my grandpa once told me, the garbage can also be the farm’s best friend.”
At the California Seed Association, Trebino works as chairman for the spinach committee.
“Spinach has been a key focus of ours since day one in the seed industry,” he says. “It was inevitable that I would get involved with the California spinach committee as the vice chair and now president. I also work closely with the ‘Steering Group’ that works closely with all researchers and suppliers in the spinach industry.”
As for what makes the seed industry unique? Trebino says there never is a normal day.
“Every day brings a new challenge,” he says. “There isn’t one day of the week that would be the same as the previous one.”
He also notes getting to travel around meeting growers has its advantages as well.
And what makes Trebino as unique as the industry? He enjoys all things outdoors, including hunting, fishing and off-roading, but in particular, he says: “I sometimes put milk into the bowl before cereal.”
To see the rest of the Top 10 Next Gen Leaders, please visit our hub.
