County supervisors laud nut grower, farm manager

The Madera County Board of Supervisors honored AgriLand Farming Company Inc. this week with a proclamation for its ongoing community service and business leadership.

In making the proclamation, AgriLand was called “one of the great institutions of Madera County.” Board members also noted that AgriLand stands out for its efforts to provide a successful, healthy workplace for employees and for its dedication to the community.

Supervisor David Rogers noted that AgriLand and the work of founder and CEO Jim Maxwell lifts up all those around them and is a great example of a business that puts its money where its mouth – and heart – is.

In accepting the proclamation, Maxwell pointed to the dedication of his employees to serving others and noted AgriLand’s willingness to do more to support Madera County community service efforts and charities in the future.

Agriland says it is the third largest nut grower in the U.S. and is also a full-service farm management firm that provides turnkey services in the nut growing industry.

The firm provides a wellness plan for employees and their families; a 401K program; and holiday and paid time off for field employees. The company actively promotes the education of the children of their farm work force by incentivizing academic excellence in middle school and high school, followed by college scholarships for those who qualify for and attend college.

In 2014, AgriLand became the first farm management company in the Central San Joaquin Valley to enter into a compliance and self-monitoring agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour division. It advances compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) and Migrant Seasonal Worker Protection Act (MSPA) by assuring the company self-monitors its activities and those of the farm labor contractors with whom it partners.