HULLER NOTES
News and Information for the Grower-Members of
MINTURN HULLER COOPERATIVE, INC.
July 29, 2015
HARVEST UPDATE-2015
EARLY START
Although the actual beginning of this season is wavering, it will come earlier than the historical average. Nonpareil’s are expected to be lighter than average, with some of the other varieties showing slightly higher yields than last season. Reports from the field indicate that the pollinator varieties are running further behind in maturing than last year, thus possibly spacing out harvest a bit.With the extreme drought it is somewhat difficult to make an accurate estimate of the expected volume for the Association this season. However, early indications are pointing to approximately 75,000,000 MEAT POUNDS!
FIELD STAFF
We would like to WELCOME Adam Kelsey to our Field Staff. Having been raised on an almond ranch in the Plainsburg area, Adam comes to us with a lifelong association to Minturn Huller and the almond industry. Please contact Adam for questions that you may have regarding the checking of product conditions in the orchard, monitoring stockpiles on the ranch, and meeting with growers. Adam will also be coordinating communication between the huller, growers and handlers. Adam will be assuming all Field and Trucking responsibilities. Adam’s contact information is: Mobile: 559-598-0983 and Email: .
We want to Thank Mike Grindstaff for his service to the Co-op and our growers over the last three seasons.
WEB SITE
We are making a few updates to the web site to provide additional information and to make it more userfriendly. Mobile accessibility will be greatly enhanced.
If you had a login and password for last year, the same login will work again this year. If you need a login, please contact the office at 559-665-1185 to set up and receive your login and password. All of your delivery and production reports are available on the web site, All information is secure, protected and remains confidential.
If your Browser requires an updated version, you will be prompted on the Web site to perform that update in order to get the best results. Links are provided to Google Chrome and Firefox.
DISPATCHING/ORDERING TRAILERS
FLOW Transportation will once again be handling all of our trucking needs. Contact the office at the number listed below to order trailers for harvest. We have new decals that are on each trailer, displaying our dispatch and office numbers for your convenience. We have also enclosed a card with the numbers on it for your convenience.
CONTACT US:
DISPATCH/TRAILER ORDERS ONLY:559-665-1804
MAIN OFFICE: 559-665-1185
Please continue to contact the main office for Grower Reports, requests for personnel meats, and any other information, as well as any Billing/Invoicing questions.
DELIVERY RECEIPTS
It is your responsibility to accurately complete the Delivery Receipt and identify your product!
Please complete the Delivery Receipt yourself or have a reliable representative do so.
We have made a few minor changes to the Delivery Receipt to help with identification of “Split Loads” and desired processing of product as “meats or inshell.” Please mark the tag accordingly. Please see the example below of a completed Delivery Receipt. Incomplete information will delay the weighing and processing of your loads.
TRAILERS
Most of our trailers are equipped with tarps. It is the truck driver’s responsibility to open and close the tarp, as well as check the doors on the trailer. If you need to close the tarp, please reference the picture below. Most of the trailers have a rope attached to the tarp to assist with closing the tarp.
GROWER OPEN HOUSE AND TRAINING
LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED! Now that I have your attention…
There will be a Grower Open House with lunch provided on Thursday, August 6, 2015, beginning at11:00 a.m. at the huller. The session regarding the web site will begin at 11:30 a.m. We will have resources available to assist you with web site access, including log-in credentials, password, and Web site content and reporting. We will also have employees available to assist you with questions regarding harvest procedures. We will offer a demonstration on how to correctly and completely fill out the delivery receipt. Please make plans to attend this informative gathering.
INSHELL
Remember, good inshell begins in the orchard. If you are planning to have your product processed as inshell, it must be dry, and the hulls open. Acceptable Reject/inedible levels need to be discussed withyour handler prior to delivery and before designating the product as inshell. “If you think it will make inshell,don’t!” You have to know the reject levels before hand. Product that has been rained on and the shells stained, will not make acceptable inshell. If you have any questions regarding inshell, please discuss them with your handler and with us. We are sampling all product prior to committing it to Inshell. We will be glad to work with you to obtain the best product possible.
STOCKPILING ON THE RANCH
Once again this season, we will pay $0.015 (1.5 cents) per meat pound for stockpiling on the ranch. This is a very important part of our program and we would like to encourage many more of you to participate in it. The advantages are: no waiting for trailers; work at your own pace; incentive payment; covered by insurance when you provide us with the location, we supply the plastic for your crew to cover the pile with; we come out and pick up the pile with our loader; your product goes directly to the plant for processing when we pick it up. The timing of retrieval of Stockpiles on the Ranch is dependent on what area the loader crew is working in and what Handler product needs are. If you have any questions regarding stockpiling on the ranch, please contact our field coordinator, Adam Kelsey at 559-598-0983.
STOCKPILING PLASTIC TRAILERS
We have set up two (2) trailers to transport and distribute (roll out) plastic on the ranch. We will bring the trailers to you or you can come and get them. This will make rolling out plastic much easier and safer. Each trailer will be loaded with 2 rolls of 50 ft. x 1,200 ft. of plastic. Simply hold on to the end of the roll and drive forward to the end of the pile, cut the exact length of plastic that is needed to cover each pile.
HULLING/SHELLING CHARGES:
This season, trucking will be provided atno charge. The hulling assessment will remain at $10.00 per field weight ton and finished product will be assessed at $0.02 per delivered pound for both kernels and inshell. This will make your average total charge $0.04-0.045 per meat pound.
PERSONNEL MEATS
Many of you request that we save product for your own use. We are very glad to provide that service to you. Please make your requests for personnel product through the main office at 559-665-1185. Your order, when placed at the same time that you request a trailer or report your stockpile, will greatly help us ensure that your product is held back at the time of processing. Your timely pickup of the finished product is also greatly appreciated.
SAMPLES
For quality control purposes, we save a sample from every run. Those samples are your product and are available for you to pickup as well. Samples are available anytime after your product runs are complete.
PLANT VISITS
Every season, we have numerous visitors to the plant. Please feel free to come by and get a tour of your facility. It is very interesting to watch product run through the plant.
New trailers ready to go!
GROWER INFORMATION SURVEY
Thank you for the great response in returning your survey. The updated information is extremely helpful in preparing for the season and being able to identify, track and process your product in an efficient manner. If you feel a tinge of guilt as you read this because you have not sent in your response yet, it is not too late! Please complete your survey and return it as soon as possible.