Agenda Item Wording:
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Pecan processing services – Approve an agreement with HNH Nut Company for processing, cleaning, dehydrating, and marketing of the City’s 2026 pecan crop.
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Agenda Date: 10/19/2026
Prepared by:
Rehana Lustyan, Senior Project Manager | Rehana.Lustyan@visalia.gov | 559-713-4176
Nick Bartsch, Public Works Director | Nick.Bartsch@visalia.gov | 559-713-4052
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve an agreement with HNH Nut Company for processing, cleaning, dehydrating, and marketing services for the City’s 2026 pecan crop, with payments structured according to the contract’s minimum-payment schedule, market bonus methodology described in Exhibit A, and all applicable assessments and fees, and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement and any related documents on behalf of the City.
Summary:
The City owns approximately 445 acres of pecan orchards managed under a farm management agreement with A&K Precision Management (A&K) (awarded March 3, 2025). While A&K coordinates and performs all farming operations, the pecan processing (consisting of cleaning, dehydrating, shelling, sacking, fumigation, marketing, and shipping), is performed under a separate City contract and must be in place prior to harvest. HNH Nut Company has processed the City’s pecans since 2018 and provided consistent performance, proven experience, and reliability.
This item is presented ahead of the broader Westside Farming update due to the operational urgency of securing a processor contract in time for the 2026 pecan harvest. A comprehensive update on the overall Westside Farming operations will be presented at an upcoming meeting.
Background Discussion:
The City’s pecan orchards are managed under a farm management contract with A&K Precision Management (A&K), awarded by City Council on March 3, 2025, under RFP No. 242502. Under that contract, A&K manages irrigation, pruning, fertilization, pestcontrol, harvesting,...
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