Ownership change at Snake River Produce
Ownership change at Snake River Produce
Longtime Idaho-Eastern Oregon onion grower Reid Saito, one of the founding partners when Snake River Produce was established in Nyssa, OR, in 1999, recently announced his retirement, and replacing him as grower partner in SRP is third-generation farmer Kevin Corn.
Saito, a third-generation Japanese-American born and raised in Nyssa, grew up on the family farm and graduated from the University of Oregon. He spent four years following college as an English teacher in Japan, returning to the United States and joining his father and uncles on the farm in 1974. In 1979 he married Kaylene Miyasako, who had also grown up on a farm, and the couple have two children, son Randy and daughter Kimberly.
Reid Saito with updated equipment. Photo courtesy of Snake River Produce.
Well-known as a grower, Saito joined forces with Ken Teramura, Les Ito, Rosh Nishihara and Kay Riley, and the group formed Snake River Produce, which had previously been operated by Salt Lake City-based Muir-Roberts Co. IEO grower and Idaho Legislator Pat Takasugi came on as a partner in 2003, and when he passed away in 2011, his interest in the company was taken over by his wife, Suzanne Takasugi.
In 2013 brothers Brian and Randy Kameshige joined the operation.
Kevin Corn, new partner at Snake River Produce, is a third-generation farmer from the Treasure Valley. Photo courtesy of Snake River Produce.Along with his ownership in Snake River Produce, Saito has long been involved in the Treasure Valley community as a whole, serving for 30 years on the Malheur County Onion Grower’s board of directors and eight years on the Oregon State Board of Agriculture.
Among his many achievements and recognitions are the 2008 Distinguished Service Award for Individual Contribution to Oregon Agriculture, 2008 Ontario Chamber of Commerce Agriculturist of the Year and 1991 Nyssa Chamber of Commerce Agriculturist of the Year.
Saito praised Corn, who at age 24 has been a farmer for five years and until this season had contracted a portion of his onion crop to SRP. Corn’s new role as a company partner in January means 100 percent of his onions will now be run through Snake.
The new owner said he is happy to be a part of what he called a “great team” at SRP, and he said his plan is to supply the operation with volume comparable to Saito’s. Corn grows mostly yellow Spanish Sweets, and 2016 will be his first foray into reds.
Saito said he and his wife are looking forward to traveling more.
Calling Corn an experienced producer, Saito told The Produce News he is impressed with the youthful grower and is confident he will be a valuable member of the SRP ownership.
