Commitment to our Employees
Dutton Ranch was founded in 1964 and since the beginning we have had a deep commitment to our employees. We believe they are an integral part of our farming operation and help us to grow high quality fruit. We are dedicated to the wellbeing and safety of our employees and work to foster an atmosphere of respect. Much of the work done on our farm requires tremendous skills and, we are fortunate to employ people who are passionate about agriculture. They treat our farm as if it were their own. We have developed longstanding relationships with families who work on our ranch. In fact, we have employees who have worked with us for five decades and whose children now work with us as well.
Back in 1969, Gail and Warren hired two employees, Juan Sanchez and Jose Aceves, who still work with us today and Jose’s son is now a manager at Dutton Ranch. Steve and Joe partnered with these employees and their families to buy property in Sonoma County, right next door to our main office. The employees raised their families in the houses they now owned on this property and Steve and Joe farmed the vineyard. This model was so successful they went on to do it with two more families who had worked with us for decades. This partnership between the Dutton family and employee families has had great success and provided opportunities for everyone. There are many other dedicated employees who have families here in the United States and for these employees we provide family houses on our ranches that we rent to them at below market rates.
In addition, we also provide free housing to our employees on our main ranch where our office is located. We have five dormitory style houses that can provide housing for 130 employees where they live rent free. Many of our employees are here on H2A visas which allows them to work in agriculture in the United States legally during the growing season and then return home to their families in Mexico. We have been using this program for fifteen years, the H2A program is a great resource that allows people the ability to work in the United States and return to their homes and families in Mexico every year.
Many employees work for us through this program for a few years and use the opportunities and income it provides for them to start their own businesses in Mexico. We also have employees who have been using this program for all fifteen years and enjoy the work as well as the opportunities it provides for them and their families. Our retention rate is very high and we pride ourselves on hiring families and friends to create a sense of community. We have many employees who have brought their brothers, uncles, cousins, and children to come and work with them using our H2A program.
Our employees are a vital part of our farming operation and their safety and well-being is our highest priority. We believe in being the place they can go to for help when they need it and pride ourselves on being a place they want to work and a place they want to continue working.