Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/586344
P r o d u c e S h o w D a i l y S u n d a y, O c t o b e r 2 5 , 2 0 1 5 7 6 Agriculture is an equipment-inten- sive business with a unique set of cash flows, and leasing can be a useful strate- gy for many agriculture companies. Bank of the West's Equipment Leasing team has helped hundreds of credit qualified ag clients find the leasing structure that best meets their needs – whether that means allowing for seasonal payments when cash flow is strong, providing a potential advance rate of up to 100 per- cent of equipment cost, maximizing tax advantages, or trading depreciation from the equipment for a lower payment and rate. For an almond grower in California's Central Valley, cash flows presented a big challenge under a tradi- tional lease. Like many ag entities, this client had a relatively short window earn- ing cash from selling its product and a much longer period laying out funds to produce the crop and prepare for market. To accommodate the customer's cash flow needs, Bank of the West structured the lease so the client could make full payments when the money was coming in and make reduced payments when cash flow was weaker. When a wine producer in Napa Valley decided to shift to solar energy to lower their electrical costs long-term, the equipment was eligible for a 30 percent energy tax credit. A capital lease gave this client the option to lease the equip- ment on a capital lease basis while retain- Bank of the West (Cont'd. from p. 1) ing the tax credit to offset future tax pay- ments. Another structure that has worked well for some of our ag clients is a TRAC lease. When a long-time client was look- ing to purchase a fleet of trucks, the com- pany was able to use a tax-oriented TRAC lease structure where the Bank became owner of the trucks and retained a residual position in the equipment. This allowed us to provide the client with lower payments, lower interest rates and a fixed-price purchase option at the end of the lease. The structure functioned as a lease but offered the client the benefits of a loan. In some cases, we can also tailor leasing structures that match the asset life of the equipment to the lease term. If a client has a piece of equipment they will only use for three to four years, for instance, Bank of the West can match the lease term to that time frame, so their lease is over when they are through with the equipment. With more than 30 years committed to agribusiness, Bank of the West is an expert in the nuances of the ag industry, and the company's leasing specialists are well versed in optimizing financing structures for companies in the ag arena. Different lease structures may be advan- tageous depending on your unique cir- cumstances, and Bank of the West can help identify the one that is right for you. To speak to a relationship manager call 866.501.4976. sweet potatoes in North Mississippi for 100 years, the soil type in Mississippi is favorable to sweet potatoes, the climate is perfect for the sweet potato life cycle and the expertise of Mississippi growers is tried and true. Mississippians first began growing sweet potatoes in the Vardaman, Mississippi, area in 1915. Through the use of modernized equipment and new agricultural prac- tices, Mississippi sweet potato growers have been able to turn traditional 20-40 acre sweet potato farms into farms with hundreds of acres of sweet potatoes per family today. Mississippi acreage is reported to be upwards of 22,000 acres for 2015. Randle Wright of N and W Farms feels the area can support the growth because of increased consumption of sweet pota- toes in the U.S. "We are happy to see the use of sweet potatoes on more menus across the board in the last few years. I pushed for the addition of sweet potato fries in restaurants for years. I feel confident that this trend of eating healthy will continue and that sweet potatoes will hold their place in the marketplace," says Wright. Sweet potatoes are consumed around the world. Recent promotions have con- tributed to the sweet potato's popularity as more young people and athletes have realized the health benefits of eating sweet potatoes. Tim Edmondson of Edmondson Mississippi Sweet Potatoes (Cont'd. from p. 1) Farm, a young farmer who farms with this father and brother across several north Mississippi counties, endorses the health benefits of eating sweet potatoes. His sweet potatoes are available year- round through SMP Southeast Marketing. C and W Farms and Topashaw Farms are two other Vardaman, Mississippi, family farms with a quality sweet potato with great taste. "The sweet potato is so versatile and is a favorite of all age groups," says Melissa Edmondson of Topashaw Farms. "I know Mississippi sweet pota- toes have a distinct taste that makes us love to use them in our dishes at holiday time as well as year-round for the health benefits." These Mississippi farm families have many things in common. They come from a long line of sweet potato growers; they know their soil, their cli- mate and their product. They are dedicat- ed to producing top-quality sweet pota- toes. The Mississippi Sweet Potato Council believes these growers have a product that can meet your needs for sweet potatoes in a variety of ways. They offer everything from a 40-pound box to mesh bags, microwaveable sweet pota- toes and processing grade sweet potatoes for the fresh market and value-added products. For more information, visit booth #2566 or go to www.smpsoutheast.com, www.edmondsonfarm.com, www.nand wfarms.com or www.topashaw.com. Georgia, where farming is a way of life, your neighbor is your next of kin and the gas station down the road serves as your local grocery store as well, Kent Hamilton lives and works as a sixth-gen- eration farmer. As is typical for the area, Hamilton comes from a long line of south Georgia farmers, but he took his farming operation in a different direction in 1987 when he joined with his father, brother and a friend to start Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable, Inc. In that same year, Hamilton lost his brother due to a tragic accident on an irri- gation pivot system, and by 1991, his father had regrettably succumbed to can- cer. A few years later, Hamilton and his mother Wanda were left as the sole own- ers of the farming operation. Over the years, they brought trusted family and community members into the business to continue growing the operation. Since those humble beginnings, Southern Valley has grown into a progressive and innovative growing, packing and ship- ping facility while remaining true to its traditional farm roots and family values. Here at Southern Valley, we grow a variety of vegetables, but our signature product is the Pole-Grown Cucumber. In addition to our prized cucumbers, we also grow yellow squash, green beans, zucchini, bell peppers, specialty peppers in 12 different varieties, eggplant, pick- les, cabbage, hard squash and sweet corn. In recent years, we have expanded our growing and packing abilities to include farming in the Yucatan peninsula during Southern Valley (Cont'd. from p. 1) the winter season and in Tennessee for the summer growing months. By farming in these two locations in addition to the original farm in Georgia, we are able to supply our customers with product year- round. As we have expanded, we have worked diligently to become more self- sufficient. This includes beginning all our produce from seed in our green- houses, generating our own fertilizer and now experimenting with ways to provide our own stakes for our esteemed Pole-Grown Cucumbers. Not only do we grow the produce in the fields, we also wash and pack the prod- uct in our state-of-the-art packing shed, and then chill it in our high-humidity forced air cooler before shipping the product directly to our customers. We pride ourselves on being a true seed-to- shelf operation. At Southern Valley, we want you to know that we are a female-owned and family-operated company that operates exactly like that – a family. Since 1987, the company has grown from a four-man farming effort into a recognized and respected business that supplies produce across the East Coast, throughout the United States and northward to Canada. We combine old-fashioned values and traditions with modern, progressive and innovative thinking. Our family values and farm roots run deep, but our future is full of cutting-edge potential. For more information, stop by booth #4663, visit www.southernvalley.us or call 229.769.3676. four flavors of Veggie Bites at booth # 5429 in the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit this October 23-25 in Atlanta, Georgia. Zippy's Veggie Bites are crunchy clusters made with whole vegetables, fruits, and nuts packed into convenient, crunchy, bite-sized pieces. Each flavor offers a high source of fiber, contains zero cholesterol and no trans fats, and is non-GMO, vegan, gluten and dairy free with no artificial ingredients or flavors. Zippy's great tasting Veggie Bites combine convenience and health in four mouthwatering flavors. Spinach Cranberry offers a slightly sweet flavor, while Lemon Kale is a citrus and leafy salad snack with a crunch. Lemon Caesar and Tomato Ranch are two additional Zippy's flavors, all of which are rich in flavor inspired from your favorite salads. At this year's PMA Fresh Summit, located at the Georgia World Congress Center, Zippy's joins retailers, industry suppliers, wholesalers, grower-shippers, importers and exporters, and allows them to profit from new opportunities by identifying emerging trends. One of the trends that continues to develop is snacking. U.S. consumers have dramati- cally increased their snacking frequency over the past five years, from 1.9 snacks per day to 2.8 snacks per day, an increase of 67 percent. Fifty one percent report consuming three or more snacks per day. According to the Nutrition Business Journal, the natural and organic food seg- Zippy's (Cont'd. from p. 1) ment of the U.S. nutrition market will grow from $42 billion in 2011 to $104 billion in 2021. In the past two years alone, global sales of products with "nat- ural" and "organic" claims have grown 24 percent and 28 percent, respectively. Drawing from his extensive entre- preneurial background, Mullin founded Zippy's as a way to help others do the things they love with a healthy, tasty snack. As the health food industry grows and consumers across the U.S. are shift- ing toward more nutritious selections, Zippy's offers a veggie snack with a sat- isfying crunch and flavor. Zippy's Veggie Bites debuted in March at the Natural Products Expo West and has already received The Gourmet Retailer's 2015 Editor's Pick Award for Best New Product. "The initial response has been very exciting," states Founder Keith 'Zippy' Mullin. "It's really difficult to eat healthy when you are busy. I invented Veggie Bites so it would be eas- ier to be good to yourself." Customers have frequently stated their appreciation of Veggie Bites. Linx L., a young professional, says, "OMG- so delicious and just a tiny bit sweet! I always have a bag of these Veggie Bites in my office desk drawer." Olivia D., a professional dancer, said, "It's great to have such a healthy snack that's easy to take on-the-go. The Spinach Cranberry bites are so yummy, and I can enjoy the whole bag without any guilt!" For more information, visit booth #5429, go to www.gozippy's.com, or call 858.454.5058.