Tomato Production Lead

Position Summary

Howell Farms is a diversified, second-generation family farming operation headquartered in central Indiana growing top quality processing tomatoes, corn, soybeans, small grains, and grass-fed beef. Our team is innovative and our company is structured and positioned for successful growth today and in the future. Our entire team is driven to continually increase production while preserving our most valued resource – our land.

Position Objective

To oversee strategic and tactical tomato production functions to achieve best-in-class yields, minimized cost of production, and long-term enterprise viability.

Position Description

We are seeking to expand our team with the addition of a Tomato Production Manager at our Middletown, IN location. This extremely hands-on role combines leadership, planning, organization, agronomy, field operations, and maintenance responsibilities. The person filling this role would have the responsibility and independence to manage a $1.5 million enterprise through all matters of planning and execution and will typically spend 75% of his or her time in field-work activities and 25% in office management, research, and planning. We are looking for a detail-oriented and driven person with an understanding of the importance of managing crop issues with a sense of urgency. We seek a self-motivated individual who takes ownership with a continuous improvement mindset. This person should understand that many important decisions and plans need to and can be made while carrying out regular day-to-day operations. Succeeding in this role will require embracing the challenges, rewards, and demanding seasonal schedule inherent to production agriculture – and particularly of a perishable crop. If you are driven to develop and prove your leadership, organizational, and agronomic skills, this position would be a good fit for you.

Essential Job Functions

• Lead planting of 450 acres of processing tomatoes
  • Communicate with processor regarding planting schedule and transplant supply
  • Lead all planting crew and support labor to efficiently stay on planting schedule
  • Coordinate field preparation with Chief Operating Officer to meet the best interests of the tomato crop while facilitating necessary fieldwork in grain enterprises
  • Operate field and support equipment
• Lead in-season crop care
  • Scout and evaluate the growing tomato crop
  • Report, analyze, and learn to react to findings with appropriate applications and practices
  • Test new practices and products
  • Plan the crop input application schedule and adjust based on pests and growing conditions
  • Coordinate crop care tasks with the Chief Operating Officer and the operations team generally
  • Operate field and support equipment
• Lead harvest and delivery
  • Communicate with processor regarding harvest and delivery schedule and fruit quality
  • Lead harvest team to fulfill daily output requirements
  • Maximize fruit quality, efficiency, and reputation with processor
  • Oversee service and repair of equipment to avoid costly downtime in a very time sensitive enterprise
  • Operate harvest and support equipment
• Research and plan improvements in processes and inputs
• Ensure dedicated equipment is field ready prior to applicable season
• Manage any irrigation used in tomato crop
• Establish the tomato budget and ensure operations properly allocate resources and manage expenses
• Report regularly on agronomic and operational status of enterprise to the management team
• Ensure accuracy and timeliness of all input application and harvest records
• Professionally represent the company as a dependable, high quality supplier to the processor and peers in regular communications, meetings, and events

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Ability to quickly learn operations of large, late model farm equipment
• Work history evidencing long-term, stable employment with increasing responsibility
• Ability to be happy with a work schedule determined by weather and crop needs
• History of team leadership
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to research, analyze and present data and opinion to management in a clear, organized manner
• Basic understanding of Microsoft Office, smart phones, and computers

Preferred Qualifications

• College degree, continuing professional education, or comparable work experience
• 3-5 years farming, agricultural services or similar experience
• Class A CDL

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