BUCKEYE, AZ - Duncan Family Farms has announced the retirement of one of the grower’s most seasoned produce veterans. After more than a decade with the company, and a lifetime in agriculture, Grower Relations Manager Jimmy Tadano will retire from Duncan Family Farms.
"The team at Duncan Family Farms is second to none," said Tadano, in a press release. "Often, I have seen growers who do the bare minimum in regard to food safety, quality, and employee development. At Duncan Family Farms, the focus was—and will continue to be—on not just meeting requirements but exceeding them."
In the company’s press release, Duncan Family Farms noted that Tadano was a highly-respected team member and, throughout his career, worked to improve practices to benefit the growers and their customers.
"In his time at Duncan Family Farms, Jimmy was unique in having both a strong desire and aptitude for innovative and environmentally-sensitive growing techniques and an unwavering commitment to healthy crops and food safety," said CEO Arnott Duncan. "Those passions were crucial to the evolution of our operations and ultimately to our becoming a leader in organic produce."
After graduating from the University of Arizona, Tadano landed a 12-year stint with a grower; he was exposed to all aspects of produce farming and production. From there he spent a decade helping a local grower get established in the industry. Tadano followed this with a position with another operation in the area, where he helped to establish that grower’s broccoli program.
Having learned a great deal about organic farming in those positions, Tadano accepted a position at Duncan Family Farms in 2005 overseeing cooling and logistics for what was then a relatively small operation. His expertise and work ethic quickly made him a valued member of the management team and established Tadano as one of the company’s thought leaders. With his input, Duncan Family Farms noted, the company’s top line quadrupled in six years.
As the company grew rapidly, Tadano worked to ensure that all the new acreage was managed using the same agronomic program and long-term perspective needed for organic farming. Tadano continued to help drive the company’s expansion, scouting new growing locations nationwide, establishing relationships with growers in an area, and laying the foundation for successful operations in his ultimate role as Grower Relations Manager.
As for Tadano’s future, he noted that for much of his life in agriculture he has worked seven days a week, 12-14 hours a day, and he is "really looking forward to having a Saturday off."
Congratulations, from all of us at ANUK, to Jimmy and the Duncan Family Farms on a career well spent.
