1. Christopher Ranch’s Commitment to Balancing Work and Family As the only family-owned commercial garlic farm in the country, Christopher Ranch understands the importance of balancing work and having a family. The farm offers on-site daycare to its 1,000 employees—900 who work at the company’s headquarters in Gilroy, Calif. In fact, Christopher Ranch is the first agricultural operation in the state to partner with the federal government and operate a Head Start Preschool. “We provide the facility, they provide the instructors and our employees have a great place for their kids to be while they are at work,” said Ken Christopher, executive vice president of Christopher Ranch. 2. Tanimura & Antle Now Family AND Employee Owned In 2017, Salinas Valley grower-shipper Tanimura & Antle launched an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), allowing employees to become partial owners of the company. Last year, on the first anniversary of the ESOP, the company deposited $21.7 million into the plan on behalf of its employees, which represented nearly 18 percent of wages. This first payment allowed the ESOP to distribute shares of stocks to all eligible employees. Tanimura & Antle is proud of the fact that the majority of these contributions go to the company’s farm and harvest employees. “For these employees, such a large start towards a company-sponsored retirement plan, in addition to their preexisting 401(k) Plan, is a game changer,” said CEO
Scott Grabau in a press release. “Labor is, and will continue to be, one of the industry’s greatest challenges. We are proud of the employees who chose to join the Tanimura & Antle family and look forward to adding new employee owners each year.” According to Tanimura & Antle, the company is one of the first grower- shippers in the United States to share company ownership with all qualified, domestic employees. 3. DFF University Encourages Employees to GrowTheir Careers Duncan Family Farms created an employee education program called DFF University to help team members advance their skills and grow their careers. The purpose of the university is to help team members develop the skills that will allow them to grow within the business. “As a fifth-generation Arizona farmer, there’s many things I learned frommy father and the thing that stuck with me the most is to value our people,” said Sean Duncan, supply chain manager at Duncan Family Farms. “That’s one of the reasons why we started Duncan Family Farms University.” Paving the way for standardized employee education across the farm’s seven locations, DFF University covers everything from management practices, technical skills, operational expertise, language skills, team collaboration and mentorship. The university also prepares employees for purposeful, sustainable company growth, as well as offers an archive of courses where team members can explore their own
passions and interests. “I recently started DFF University, where I’m learning English right now,” said Francisco Gonzalez, food safety crew leader for Duncan Family Farms. “Every night at home, I spend 30 minutes teaching and speaking English with my daughter and my wife. I hope to be a better leader and one day become a manager at Duncan Family Farms.” 4. Andrew & Williamson’s Workplace Initiatives Increase Retention Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce has implemented numerous workplace initiatives throughout their farms that improve the lives of workers and have significantly increased retention. “Our farmworkers are so important to us. We’ve developed unique programs to ensure that we benefit their lives in different ways other than just a paycheck,” said Jackie Vazquez, director of operations at Andrew & Williamson’s Sundance Berry Farm. The company started a program with the Food Bank of Monterey County where harvesters can pick up their allotment of healthy and nutritious food right at their workplace. Rather than standing in line and missing work to pick up fruits, vegetables, proteins, diaries and breads for them and their families, the Food Bank and Andrew & Williamson have farmworkers’ food delivered to the farm and available for pick up after their shift. Additionally, Andrew & Williamson has developed a host of programs geared toward supporting women farmworkers. Andrew &Williamson’s Jackie Vazquez was part of the team that spearheaded a host of workplace initiatives that have significantly increased retention on the farm.
Duncan Family Farms launches DFF University to help employees advance their skills, knowledge and grow their careers.
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NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2019
Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com
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