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In the Grove & On the Record - Tom Kirschner
Tom Kirschner
This edition’s profile features Tom Kirschner. As Director of Grove Operations for Cooperative Producers, Inc., Ranch One Cooperative, Inc., and Cooperative Three, Inc., Kirschner is responsible for overseeing a total of 7,200 planted acres in Hendry, Lee and Collier counties.
Where are you from?
I was raised in Arcadia and now live in Fort Myers with my wife Jamie and daughter
Grace.
What is your educational background?
I graduated from DeSoto County High School and then earned my business degree from Florida Southern College.
What is your business/grove name and title?
I am the Director of Grove Operations for Cooperative Producers, Inc., Ranch One Cooperative, Inc., and Cooperative Three, Inc. We have a total of 7,200 planted acres in Hendry, Lee and Collier counties.
Please give a little history on your business.
After the freezes in the 80s Citrus World wanted to come south for a steady supply of fruit. They developed groves and then offered them for sell to different cooperatives. This gave the cooperatives an opportunity to diversify and move south while still having the management structure that Citrus World provided. The CPI and Ranch One groves were planted in the mid and late 80s. The Cooperative Three grove was planted in the early 90s. The cooperatives were all members of Citrus World – Hunt Brothers Cooperative, Haines City CGA, Latt Maxcy Corporation, Winter Haven CGA, Waverly Growers Association, Dundee CGA, Hickory Branch Corporation, and CMS (Citrus Marketing Service). These co-ops have formed their own Board of Directors that I work for.
What other jobs/positions have you held?
When I graduated from college in 1996 I went to work for Evans Properties as a production supervisor. I worked there until 2001 when I became the production manager for Cooperative Three, Inc. After some company restructuring in 2004 I came to my current position of director of grove operations.
What is your first memory in a grove or the industry?
My first memory is working in my family’s groves in Arcadia. I started out pulling vines and checking irrigation, then moved on to all operations.
Who or what were the key influences in your life related to citrus?
My grandfather and father for getting me involved in the citrus industry. And then as my career grew, my father-in-law.
What do you find the most challenging about being in the citrus industry?
The most challenging thing is being able to adapt to the constantly changing conditions.
What advice would you give someone thinking about getting in tot eh citrus industry?
If someone came to me, I don’t know what I would say. With the immediate horizon, it’s kind of scary, but this industry has a strong foundation and it’s always provided for me and my family. It would be a tough road.
What do you think will change about the industry in the next five years?
I think we’ll see consolidation of growers and shrinking acreage due to disease. However, it should be very lucrative for growers that are able to withstand the disease pressure.
What are you doing in your operation to combat the challenges of citrus greening, black spot and other invasive pests and diseases?
I got very lucky in our situation down here. It was the wisdom of our Board that allowed management down here to have the flexibility to do what has needed to be done with respect to these pests and diseases. We found greening in 2006 when it was still very new to the state, but our Board was very willing to do what needed to be done and didn’t let the dollar become a deciding factor. I feel like that willingness led us to a better spray and horticulture program sooner.
If you weren’t working in citrus, what would you be doing for a living?
I would probably still be doing something involving agriculture or horticulture.
What do you like to do when you aren’t working?
I enjoy spending time with my family, saltwater fishing and duck hunting.
Why is it important to be a Mutual member?
Obviously we need representation on a lot of issues right now, especially dealing with the political environment we’re in. We need a strong voice in Washington, throughout the state and in the press. And we need our interests to be looked out for a served. That’s what Mutual does for us, and without that voice in today’s fights we would be doomed.
