Golden By-Products, Inc founded by Jim & Karen Barstow have operated large volume materials handling businesses related to agriculture and the almond industry - emphasizing quality, service, and consistency for over thirty years. The Barstow’s began processing almond hulls in 1966 incorporating Golden By-Products, Inc. (Golden) in 1967. Throughout the 1970s, Golden processed 75,000 tons of almond hulls annually into cattle feed for the local dairy industry.
 

From 1976 through 1993, Golden By-Products had a biomass processing partnership with NYSE listed Thermo Electron Company, collecting and processing agricultural prunings into offset biomass fuel for energy plants. Golden reduced the burning of agricultural residue in the California's Central San Joaquin Valley by processing up to 100,000 tons annually, while providing a service to more than 1,000 almond farmers. Due to deregulation of utilities in California, the biomass fuel industry ended in 1993.
 

In 1997, Golden began using its existing collection and processing infrastructure for hauling, sorting and shredding scrap tires. Golden now owns over 300 collection trailers servicing northern California’s tire generators including tire retailers, trucking companies, and municipalities handling 4 million scrap tires annually. With assistance through a Recycling Market Development Zone loan and grant funding from the California Integrated Waste Management Board to purchase equipment, Golden manufactures 2” tire derived fuel and civil engineering material, ¾” and 3/8” ground rubber for loose fill, and 10/20 and 20- for rubberized athletic turf and molded rubber products. Golden’s affiliate company, Ag Link, Inc. specializes in adding value to crumb rubber for the marketplace. Ag Link’s coloration and molding facilities are located in Golden’s warehouse, where they produce Rubber Bark and provide custom color and packaging services for other companies on the west coast. The press operation began in early 2007 producing 4’ x 6’ polyurethane bound mats for livestock applications. Golden employs over 75 people full time year round.