Fifty Year Milestone for Anderson Hay & Grain
Anderson Hay & Grain Co., Inc. of Ellensburg, Washington is observing the 50th anniversary of the company’s founding this month. The firm is one of the largest employers in the Kittitas Valley and exports highly sought after hay and straw products to a global marketplace. Their headquarters is at 910 South Anderson Road, Ellensburg, WA with another production facility in Aurora, OR.
Company co-founder Clarence Anderson was a long-time resident of the region, and the owner of Sunnybrook Farm and other properties. When his son Ron was a teenager, he joined the family business by trucking hay to customers in the Seattle area. Their interest grew in buying and selling hay and other products and eventually they built a large customer base. The two founded Anderson Hay & Grain Co., Inc. in 1960 as a hay broker.
The landmark move for the company into global exporting of Kittitas Valley timothy hay began in the 1970s, when a Kentucky Derby winning horse was found to have been fed a diet heavy on Kittitas Valley timothy supplied by Anderson Hay. When wealthy Japanese investors took interest in Kentucky race horse opportunities, they insisted that they continue to purchase the same high quality hay for their steeds.
“Timothy hay grown in eastern Washington State is in great demand since horse owners worldwide considered it to be the best available – anywhere,” says Ron Anderson, now retired, who serves as the company’s Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Ron Anderson developed a framework for the proper inspection, packaging and shipping of the timothy to Japan by 1979. Clarence Anderson passed away in 1982, but by that time, son Ron was busy building a global customer base. Savvy marketing by Ron built the foundation for the global marketplace that Anderson Hay’s products are delivered to today.
Mark Anderson, Ron’s son, is at the company’s helm today as President and Chief Executive Officer. Since 1985 when his involvement in the organization began, Mark has pioneered the way for the company to expand into new endeavors while maintaining the core values established by Clarence and Ron in 1960.
“In the tradition of my father and grandfather, I have committed our company to excellence as we fulfill our goals to supply quality products year round, provide unequalled customer service, and strengthen our agricultural communities as we pioneer the way toward improving our industry,” says Mark Anderson. “To achieve these goals, we have focused on foundational values, such as forging good relationships with our employees, customer and growers. We work closely with our hardworking and knowledgeable growers located here and in other regions to produce top quality product. We provide a business atmosphere where at the end of the day, each employee knows their efforts contributed to the company’s success. And we never underestimate the importance of nurturing our customer relationships.”
Today, Anderson Hay continues to supply its signature timothy hay across the globe, but has also developed additional feed and forage lines including highly sought after alfalfa hay, straw products, and other forage commodities for emerging beef and dairy industries in Japan, China, Korea and other regions. They offer specialty packaging and shipping of their product, and are known for attention to customer service and employee satisfaction. Mark Anderson has made it his mission to be the best in the field.
“We want our company to be considered a great employer of choice, as well as to deliver on everything we say we’re going do for our customers,” Mark explains.
Fifty years after the company’s founding, the firm employs more than 300 people in Washington and Oregon. Anderson Hay is the recognized world leader in high quality hay and straw exporting from the Pacific Northwest. Their story is a prototypical American success story and as the company reaches its 50th anniversary, Ron, Mark and their families want to recognize the efforts internally and externally that have helped make that success a reality.
“We have never strayed from our guiding principles. We recognize a tremendous effort has gone into making this company successful, and this year, as we observe our fiftieth anniversary as an incorporated entity, we want to thank everyone involved in that,” states Mark Anderson.
For more information about Anderson Hay’s anniversary or their company, please contact them at 509-925-9818.
Anderson Hay and Grain honored for international exporting
ELLENSBURG, Wash. -- Ellensburg based company, Anderson Hay and Grain, is being recognized for its contributions to international trade. The company is receiving the Governor's 2010 Trader of the Year Award.
Gregoire eyes drought protection
Source: dailyrecordnews.com
KITTITAS COUNTY: Gov. Chris Gregoire said earlier this week she has asked the Legislature to set aside $4.1 million for drought-relief projects that may be needed to counter below-average mountain snowpack this winter.
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