[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 69 (Friday, April 27, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E557]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                          HONORING RICK ANTLE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JIMMY PANETTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 27, 2018

  Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today alongside my colleagues, 
Congressman Jim Costa and Congressman Jeff Denham, to celebrate the 
life of Rick Lester Antle, a pioneer in the Salinas Valley agriculture 
industry. From the age of 26, Rick was the President and CEO of 
Tanimura & Antle, one of the largest leafy greens and vegetable 
producers in the region.
   Rick always put family first, whether it was his beloved wife, 
grandchildren, or his own children--two of whom followed in their dad's 
footsteps to work with the family-run company. The value of family was 
instilled in Rick, with his business growing out of a long partnership 
between the Tanimura and Antle families. After being placed in an 
internment camp during World War II and losing their farmland, the 
Tanimura family rebuilt their farming operation in the Salinas Valley. 
Rick's grandfather, Bud Antle, was a prominent shipper and salesman at 
the time, and formed a natural partnership with the Tanimura family as 
a supplier. For years, the two families worked together to benefit each 
other. In 1982, the two families decided to go into business together 
by forming Tanimura & Antle, with the Tanimura family continuing to 
tend the land and the Antle family handling the shipping and selling of 
produce.
   Following the lead of his father and grandfather, Rick worked to 
keep family at the heart of T&A's mission. He saw his employees at T&A 
as family and always worked to put them first, investing time and money 
into making their lives better. When Rick realized his employees were 
having a difficult time affording housing in the Salinas Valley, he 
established an initiative in Spreckels, California to provide housing 
for 800 T&A employees. This project set the gold standard for 
farmworker housing and highlights the level of care Rick had for his 
workers.
   Following the establishment of the Spreckels Crossing housing 
project, Rick transitioned his company to offer an Employee Stock 
Ownership Plan, allowing T&A employees to own a stake in the company. 
Rick recognized that the success of his business was due to his 
dedicated employees, and believed everyone should benefit from this 
shared achievement.
   In addition to investing in his employees, Rick was on the forefront 
of advancing specialty crop innovation. From developing machines that 
reduce production inputs to implementing entire growing systems focused 
on conservation, Rick's commitment to good stewardship of land, air, 
and water was reflected in his practices. Under his leadership, T&A has 
continuously shown how and why investments in agriculture technology 
are necessary.
   We each have benefitted from personally knowing Rick. As members of 
Congress, he helped us improve our understanding of the California 
agriculture industry and those who work in it. He always made a point 
to stress the value of the farming communities in our districts. After 
all, they were his family. Rick's leadership in the Salinas Valley has 
transformed the region, further establishing the area as the ``Salad 
Bowl of the World,'' and his legacy will continue to propel this 
industry forward. A true giant in both personality and professional 
impact, Rick's presence in our community will be profoundly missed.

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