AG Retailer Appreciates its Customers

By Patrick Cavanaugh, Editor

Farmers, PCAs and other stakeholders in Ag packed the Veterans Memorial Building In Dinuba, and all had something in common: They were being appreciated by Reedley based Gar Tootelian, which for 70 years has been serving the Central San Joaquin Valley including Fresno, Kings, Kern, Madera, and Tulare Counties.

Big Crowd at Lunch during Gar Tootelian Customer Appreciation Day

“It’s all about cultivating and nurturing our small communities for the next generation. A lot of us grew up together. A lot of us went to school together. Our children, our grandchildren are growing up in those same communities.,” said Karen Musson, a partner with Gar Tootelian. “We share the same values and morals. It’s about nurturing for the next generation. Our legacy is the preservation of those legacy farmers that are continuing to farm and do the work to feed the world, and we’re just so pleased to be their partners.”

Musson noted that it’s just such an exciting time in agriculture in general. There is a growing population, more significant needs, more conscientious consumers, more than ever before. “They’re worried about their health and nutrition, about the health and nutrition of their children and grandchildren, so it’s a very exciting time to be a part of an industry that provides such a vital commodity to the world,” Musson said.

Of course, California farmers produce the food that people love to eat and should be in more abundance. “We do it the most sustainable, the most environmentally way. All of our of practices, of course, are with the consumer in mind at every step of the way, whether it be about the preservation of the land or the recycling or the water or just the nutritional commodity that we’re producing,” noted Musson. “We’re always more conscious about producing more with less and having less of an impact.”

Greg Musson, President and CEO of Gar Tootelian, hands out cookies during the Company’s Customer Appreciation Day Nov. 1 2018 in Dinuba

Gar is celebrating its 70th Anniversary as a chemical and fertilizer retailer. “We have the next generation. We’re already cultivating them. I can tell you that both generations love to eat as much as I do, and they love those fresh fruits and vegetables that we bring home in the evening.

California farmers are sustainable. They take care of the land and are very conscientious of what they do every day.

“The fact that somebody would think that they would purposely use unsustainable practices when their investment, everything they have in their legacy is in their land, there is nothing more valuable to them than preserving that for the next generation and the next generation and the next generation,” Musson said.

“For somebody in California to enter farming today is quite an undertaking, so the preservation of the land, the sustainability practices, the conscientious practices of conservation of the soil or water or whatever the inputs are, the plant nutrition of the commodity, and the inputs. That their legacy. Their land is part of their legacy. Family, land, and legacy are all connected for the next generation,” said Musson.

The company has been honored several times on the national scale.

In 2017 GAR was recognized for the Change Award, presented by Habitat for Humanity for its distinguished record of decisive leadership, entrepreneurship and service to the agricultural industry and the community.

In 2016 GAR was Honored by its national peers for the National Ag Retailer of the Year.

In 2015, GAR received the top honor for the Best North America for its environmentally safe facility and community outreach efforts.

In 2013 GAR received the Fresno Chamber and Baker, Peterson and Franklin Ag Business Award.

In 2009 it was recognized at the Top Employer in Central California.