John Amarel
Partner/Owner/Operator
REASON Farms

John is an equal partner in this 1226 acre Sutter County ranch that grows French, Denny French, and Sutter prunes. In addition to prunes, the partnership has diversified by investing in local commercial properties, leasing out 1100 acres of rice ground, and developing a 98 acre Chandler walnut orchard in the Meridian basin. John oversees every aspect of field management from transportation, equipment maintenance and repair, crop irrigation and nutrition to custom farming. He handles all communications and business negotiations with governmental and environmental agencies. In addition, his fluency in a second language has enabled him to be an effective manager amongst his employees, thus providing clear communication and quick resolution to labor issues which enable ranch business to operate smoothly and productively.

John graduated from University of California, Davis in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education.

John is an active member of his community and an industry leader. He helped initiate the start up of Young Farmers and Ranchers, serving as Vice President of Membership. This past year he served as President of YF&R. Within the prune industry he was a board member of the local Sunsweet dryer.

John and his wife, Shanann, live on 85 acres planted in prunes in a house they designed from scratch. There they raise 4 year old daughter, Delaney, and 18 month old son, Brady. Shanann uses her UC Davis degree in Agricultural and Managerial Economics to assist John in strategic planning for the future growth of the partnership.