JOB FILLED - Farm Manager - Joe Produce | Produce Jobs, Produce Careers, Agriculture Jobs, Agriculture Careers

Job Description:

Tanimura & Antle is an employee owned Company and the industry leader of fresh produce for over 37 years. Tanimura & Antle attributes its success to our loyal and dedicated employees and our future is brighter than ever.

Tanimura and Antle owns 27,000 acres and farms 40,000 acres with our valued growers in Salinas, Yuma and Imperial Valley. Other diversified operations include PlantTape (an innovative transplanting system with locations in U.S. and Europe), seed research, production, and hydroponics.

Our mission is to provide Quality, Service, and Innovation by employees exhibiting the right Principles, Ownership and Accountability.

Position Summary:

Manage farm to maximize yields, quality at a cost per carton that meets or exceeds budget.
Build a structure of accountability among the forepersons and employees.
Walk fields daily, to make properly timed calls on cultural practices, irrigation and fertilizer applications.
Ensure proper timing of all fertilizer, irrigation and cultural practices.
Organize tractor & irrigation schedules to maximize timing and work efficiency.
Follow up on job assignments to assure accuracy and quality of workmanship.
In collaboration with the Director of Salinas Farming, strive to maximize buying power and resources, including labor, innovations, equipment, fertilizer and water.
Ensure that ranches, ditches, roads and equipment yards are maintained, clean, organized and orderly at all times.
Maintain an on-farm all day presence to ensure operational success.
Must have reliable, predictable attendance and punctuality
Other duties as assigned.

EOE

Reports to: Director of Salinas Farming Operations

Deadline to Apply: All applications will be considered as received. The position will be filled based on the candidates qualifications and experience.

For additional information or to apply for this position, contact Scott Rossi, Director of Salinas Farming Operations at scottrossi@taproduce.com

Compensation/Salary:

DOE

Requirements:

This position requires the ability to work well under pressure, be flexible and meet Company goals and deadlines and may require working outside of normal business hours.

Physical Requirements

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

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.

Responsibilities & Duties:

Budget & Yield Performance

Work with the Director of Salinas Production and Farm Analyst to develop financial, yield and cost per
carton budgets for each farm.
Responsible for meeting or exceeding budgeted costs per acre, yields and cost per unit on a weekly basis.
Scheduling & Block Placement
In collaboration with the Director of Salinas Farming Operations, develop an annual planting schedule that maximizes yield, crop rotation, crop turns and satisfies the Company’s over acreage needs.

Farm Planning

Maximize land use with a goal of two crops per acre.
Ensure correct crop rotational practices.
Develop annual written strategic plan to improve farm efficiencies.
In collaboration with the Salinas Director of Salinas Farming Operations, develop a planting schedule that maximizes land use, equipment and labor.

Supervision

Provide overall direction & coordination of all farm activities on assigned ranches.
Work closely with Director of Salinas Farming Operations & HR to carry out supervisory responsibilities for farm employees in accordance with the Company’s policies and applicable labor laws.
Ensure compliance with all safety work rules and laws.
Interview, hire, onboard, train and enforce expectations with farm employees.
Ensure farm is properly staffed according to the workload that needs to be completed.
Plan, assign and direct farm employees’ workload and responsibilities.
Address complaints and resolve problems with farm employees.

Farm Efficiencies

Maximize equipment & irrigation pipe use by using the most efficient equipment and ensuring that equipment is shared and utilized where needed among all in house farming operations.
Maximize purchasing power by working with Director of Salinas Farming Operations to coordinate the purchase of fertilizer, fuel, drip tape, seed etc.
Soil Pathogen Management
In collaboration with the Director of Salinas Farming Operations and Agronomist, develop protocols to improve management of soil pathogens via crop rotation, soil amendments, beneficial organisms and cultural practices.

Soil & Plant Fertility

Develop a plan to monitor and improve soil and plant fertility.
Develop basic crop fertility (including minor elements) model by crop including required cultural practices that standardize growing methods to ensure crop consistency.
Develop crop rotation and composting program for improved soil fertility and health including soil pathogen reduction.
Monitor and improve soil biodiversity.
Develop program for pathogen testing as available.
Ensure that pre-season soil fertility tests are taken and follow up accordingly.

Develop Soil and Tissue Monitoring Program for Each Crop

In collaboration with the Director of Salinas Farming Operations and Agronomist develop a meaningful soil and tissue testing program that maximizes fertilizer use and improves crop quality and yields while complying with upcoming regulations.
Develop written protocols for best practices by crop.
Determine Best N-P-K Sources & Minor Element Balance for Each Crop
In collaboration with the Director of Salinas Farming Operations and Agronomist, determine best N-P-K sources along with appropriate minor element ratios that will improve quality and yields.
Cultural Practices
In Collaboration with the Director of Salinas Farming Operations and Agronomist, develop written protocols for best cultural practices by area and crop that will improve fertility, water efficiency and reduce soil pathogens.
Ensure correct timing and soil moisture to maximize each cultural practice.
Collaborate with the Director of Salinas Farming Operations and Agronomist to improve cultural practices.
Develop written protocols for each cultural practice by crop.

Irrigation Efficiency

In collaboration with the Director of Salinas Farming Operations and Agronomist, improve irrigation efficiency & management.
In collaboration with the Director of Salinas Farming Operations and Agronomist, improve soil moisture monitoring techniques and irrigation efficiency.
In collaboration with the Director of Salinas Farming Operations, IT and Agronomist, capture, record and track irrigations.
In collaboration with the Director of Salinas Farming Operations and Agronomist to improve cultural practices.
Develop effective methods for improving soil moisture monitoring via probes and other modern technology.
Develop written protocols describing best practices by area and crop.

Irrigation Well and Water Source Quality Monitoring

Ensure all wells are maintained and tested on a regular basis.
Maintain accurate well and pump records including well logs and maintenance records.
Develop regular water quality testing program for all water sources.
Work with the Director of Salinas Farming Operations and Agronomist to monitor and improve water
quality.
In collaboration with the Agronomist & Food Safety team develop methods of reusing tail and tile water for other uses.

Ongoing Grower and Management Fertility, Irrigation and Soil Management Education

Participate in local meetings regarding education on best practices for irrigation, fertility and soil disease prevention.
Environmental & Regulatory Compliance
Work with designated person or agency to ensure that all farms are in compliance with current and future regulations and reporting requirements.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Irrigation and Tractor Forepersons

Education:

Bachelor's degree (B. A.) from four-year college or university and minimum of five years of Farm Operations management experience.

Skills:

Promotes a positive Company image, and supports the Farm Department efforts.
Must be able to maintain and abide by confidentiality.
Must understand overall employee, Department, and Company priorities.
Must be a team player with a can-do attitude and be goal driven.
Must work well with minimal supervision, take initiative, be a self-starter, have a sense of urgency and be process driven.
Must prioritize workload, track and follow-up with pending matters.
Must be able to work independently and in a team environment, have excellent communication and organizational skills and great attention to detail.

Qualifications:

Language & Communication Skills

To perform this job successfully, an individual must have the ability to communicate effectively in all circumstances, including over the phone, email and in person. Must have good written, verbal interpersonal and cross-cultural skills to communicate and work with, employees, team-members, supervisor, management, customers, and other external stakeholders. 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.

Mathematical Skills

Must have the ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, 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.

Computer Skills