Words Of Wisdom From Top Growers
May 8, 2012 
Several of the largest growers in the nation convened in Arizona last winter for the annual VegetableXchange. While there, AVG had the opportunity to ask a few of them to provide some advice for those just starting out in the industry. Here is what they had to say.
Patrick Collins, the director of agriculture for Salinas, CA-based Dole Fresh Vegetables — a major supplier of leafy greens and other vegetables — stated that being progressive and open-minded are two of the keys to success.
“I see some growers who fight change and others that embrace it,” he explained. “Change can be uncomfortable, but if you don’t go with it, you won’t have any longevity.
“When we look for new growers, we look for the progressive guys, the ones who are constantly trying to improve their game,” he continued. “My advice is to challenge assumptions and the status quo. Be in the front of the pack.”
Open Lines Of Communication
Charles Wingard, the director of field operations at Walter P. Rawl & Sons in Pelion, SC, has three words for new growers: communication, leadership, and support. Wingard would know, as Walter P. Rawl is involved in the production of a variety of crops including sweet corn, collards, squash, green onion, cilantro, parsley, mustard, kale, turnip, beets, and leeks.
“You have to communicate with the people you work with to succeed,” he said. “You also have to give them the tools they will need to be successful.”
He added that it also is important to show employees that “they work with you and not for you, and that everyone is on the same team. The trick is to be there yourself working side by side with them.”
The Importance Of Education
The industry isn’t just about field work, said Mike Riner, farm manager, at CY Farms in Elba, NY, a grower of cabbage, peas, green beans, and onions. Experience is necessary in other areas that are directly related to the farm.
For example, computers now play such an integral part of many vegetable operations today, and food safety is another area of farming that continues
to grow, he said.
“The industry changes every day and there are new areas of expertise needed to keep [it] strong,” explained Riner. “Young growers need to keep themselves educated. [They] should look to seasoned people in the industry, as they are a wealth of information and can help prevent some of the possible pitfalls.”
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