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Investment in Facilities
Monte Vista Farming Company continues with major investments in our facilities. A
new LMC almond pre-cleaner and a new Donaldson bag house are being added to the
almonds huller / sheller. This $700,000 investment will add greater hourly
throughput capacity, enhance product quality, and most importantly, will help keep
the environment clean by reducing dust in the air. We have also added 20 additional
mobile fumigation chambers. This investment will allow production to function in a
more orderly manner, insure shipment schedules will be met, as well as allowing a
more thorough fumigant application during the fumigation process. It also insures
finished goods are segregated from unprocessed material. Since 2006 Monte Vista Farming Company has invested
over $5 million in equipment and its facility to maintain its competitiveness in the industry and continuing to meet
or exceed customer expectations. Each year we continue to add to our facility to provide the highest quality product possible.
Investment in Technology
A"B.E.S.T." (Belgium Electronic Sorting Technologies) sorting
machine was added to our packing line in October of 2007. This
cutting edge technology allows an additional focus on the
removal of foreign material. This was an investment of nearly
$400,000. An investment of more than $400,000 was made in a
custom software system. This system will allow Monte Vista
Farming Company to reliability, quickly and more efficiently
perform the keystone task of its business model; the complete
segregation, trace-back and accountability of all product that is
packed and shipped under the Grower Select Marketing System from receipt through shipment and
delivery. Phased improvements in the future will further allow Monte Vista Farming Company to
better serve discerning buyers of California almonds with the best and most accurate information
possible.
Investment in people
Ownership recognizes the value and importance of strong, experienced, professional staff. With the increased volumes that growers entrust to Monte Vista Farming Company,
adequate staffing is maintained to provide first-class service in the areas of accounting, logistics and communication to our growers
as well as our external customers. Senior management continues to monitor workloads to maintain our reputation of excellent service.
While the professional staff is quite stable and is employed directly by Monte Vista Farming Company, the organization maintains high efficiency
through the utilization of employment contractors to assist with short-term fluctuations in workloads in the production area. Monte Vista Farming Company also
keeps a close relationship with several specialized consultants that provide services to our company in the areas of food safety, pest control and information technology.
Monte Vista Farming Company has been able to attract and retain high quality talented employees from within the almond industry as well as from related industries. A veteran
workforce, spearheaded by long-time employees. Director of Sales and Marketing, Dan Whisenhunt anchors the staff lead by General Manager, Jim Crecelius. Whisenhunt and Crecelius
have over 50 years of professional experience and more than 40 years of collective experience in the Almond Industry. Jonathan Hoff rounds out the senior management team. He is the
Operations Manager. He has over 10 years experience in the almond industry, both as a grower and as a processor, through his family's business. Jonathan was added in 2010, when Renee
Little made the choice to be a stay-at-home-mom, after the birth of her first child. To meet more of the Monte Vista Farming Staff please visit our website at www.montevistafarming.com/employees.php