Farm Manager

Our Company:
Tanimura & Antle is an employee-owned family farming business with a four-generation legacy and a passionate commitment to growing premium quality produce. As one of the largest independent vegetable growers in the United States, Tanimura & Antle farms more than 36,000 acres of rich, fertile farmland and ships a full line of premium fresh conventional, organic and greenhouse grown produce products throughout the nation.

We are looking for employees that fit into the Tanimura & Antle culture and want to have an impact on our growth and success. We believe in, and are committed to, creating a sustainable future through innovation throughout our operations.

Our Mission: To “Consistently provide our customers fresh and healthy premium produce with superior customer service that meets and exceeds their quality and value expectations”

Our Vision: To “Operate as a highly innovative company, sustainably growing, while enhancing the lives of all through employee ownership and customer inspired partnerships”

The Role: Works with our Agronomist, Director of Farm Support, Farm Support Managers, PCA’s, Harvest Directors & Harvest Managers, Farm Analyst, Office Support & Director of Compliance. Has supervisor direct reports including but not limited to tractor, irrigation, shop, weeding and thinning, and spray.

Areas of Responsibility:

Financial

• Work with Director of the Tres Picos Farm Op & Farm Analyst to develop financial, yield, and cost per carton budgets.
• Responsible in meeting or exceeding budgeted costs per acre, yields, and cost per unit on a weekly basis.

Regulatory Compliance and Human Resources

• Manage spray and fertilizer to comply with all Fresno County regulations.
• Work with the Tanimura and Antle food safety department to understand and implement all food safety policies.
• Manage farm documentation and processes to comply with CCOF.
• Manage and report farm nitrogen usage to Westland’s Water District.
• Interview, hire, and train farm employees.
• Ensure compliance with all work safety rules and laws.
• Actively manage the farm to make sure it is appropriately staffed.
• Address complaints and resolve problems.

Farm Management and Efficiencies

• Schedules that maximize yield and utilization of all farm resources. Farm resources include land, equipment, labor, and water.
• Assist in developing annual business plan for farming operations.
• Instruct Supervisor and Forepersons on a daily basis. Verify tasks are getting done at the highest level.
• Plan, assign, and direct employees’ workload and responsibilities.
• Maximize purchasing power by working with Internal Salinas Operation to coordinate the purchase of fertilizer, fuel, drip tape, seed etc.
• Verify that gps, miles per hour, and implement width are always maximized.
• Implement technology’s that create farm efficiencies and increases productivity.
• Develop written protocols for each crop that outlines the best cultural practices. This includes seed spacing, bed width, tape depth, irrigation intervals, fertility, pest management, tillage, etc.

Plant Nutrition and Soil Health

• Monitor and improve soil & plant fertility
• Collaborate with agronomist and pest control advisors on pest management and fertilizer programs that create crop health and consistency.
• Manage crop rotation & composting program to improve soil fertility and health.
• Research and implement testing program to understand soil pathogen levels in each field.
• Manage a soil and tissue testing program that maximizes fertilizer use and improves crop quality and yields while complying with state and federal regulations.
• Develop written protocols for best practices by crop.
• In collaboration with the Agronomist & Director of the Tres Picos Farm Ops to determine best N-P-K sources along with appropriate minor element ratios that will improve quality and yields

Irrigation

• In Collaboration with Director of the Tres Picos Farm Ops improve irrigation efficiency & management with soil moisture monitoring techniques
• Schedule, record, and execute all irrigations for each crop.
• Develop effective methods for improving soil moisture monitoring via probes and other technologies.
• Develop written protocols describing best irrigation practices by season and crop.
• Ensure all wells are maintained and tested on a regular basis.
• Maintain accurate well & pump records including well logs and maintenance records.
• Annually test all irrigation water sources to best understand quality.
• Manage the maintenance of all irrigation equipment to limit tail water and maximize distribution uniformity.
• Start each irrigation well on a monthly basis to understand and prevent potential mechanical issues.
• Assist in managing Westland’s water and SGMA water allocations to ensure enough water for the farming operation.

Ongoing Grower & T&A Management Fertility, Irrigation and Soil Management Education

• Attend regular local meetings providing education on best practices for irrigation, fertility and soil disease prevention.

Environmental & Regulatory Compliance

• Work with appropriate person or agency to ensure that all farms are in compliance with current and future regulations and reporting requirements.

Preferred Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor's degree (B. A.) from four-year College or university and minimum of seven year’s experience in crop science, horticulture, soil science, or related field.
• Growing processing Tomatoes, Melon, Garlic, Onions, Carrots and Leafy Vegetables in a professional setting is highly desired.

Language Skills

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• The ability to write routine reports and correspondence with the ability to speak effectively before groups with a professional fluency in English and Spanish with strong verbal and listening skills is required.

Mathematical Skills

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• The Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability

• The ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form while prioritizing tasks, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and ensure timely completion of deadlines.

Computer Skills
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

• Must have a valid driver’s license and meet Motor Vehicle Records requirements.
• PAC, QAL, PCA not needed but preferred.

Physical Demands:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk and taste or smell. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, outside weather conditions and extreme cold. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate with extended periods and not averse to rugged conditions.

Ideal Attributes:

• Team player with a can-do attitude and goal-driven.
• Works well with minimal supervision and is a self-starter.
• Highly reliable.
• Highly organized with great attention to detail.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $90,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance