There are few things that Rolling Hills Nut Company values more than almonds — and one of them is working with integrity. One way the company aspires to promote integrity within the agriculture industry is by partnering with The Master’s University in the development of its agribusiness program, preparing students to faithfully run businesses in the field.
Rolling Hills is an almond handler located in California’s Central Valley, where 85% of the world’s almonds are produced. Bill York, the company’s co-owner and CFO, first entered the almond field as an accountant. When the opportunity presented itself to venture into the almond industry, York and two others quickly jumped at the chance.
They discovered a niche within almond processing: byproduct handling, a way to preserve the good almonds from the discarded heap that otherwise would become cattle feed or disposed of. Knowing they needed to legitimize the operation, Rolling Hills was born.
It wasn’t long before the company took off, within five years becoming the biggest byproduct handler in the state of California.
In part, they were driven by a desire to contribute honest and reliable service to the field.
“We were just three Christian guys and knew we needed to be men of our word and to provide a service to the industry with integrity,” York says. “If we’re going to buy your product, we’re going to pay you a good price, we’re going to honor that price, and we’re going to do things the right way.”
In the same way, Rolling Hills wanted to encourage college students to be people of integrity in the field through the means of the University.
York was first introduced to TMU through his church and Shepherds Conference. After some conversations with fellow farming friends and families, York says they saw a need for more Christian influence within the agricultural field and wanted to help create a biblically based program specifically for this industry.
That’s why they began working with TMU, which now offers an agribusiness emphasis within the business administration major.
“Our desire is to help provide a Christian education with the right training of the actual doctrine of the Word of God,” York says. “Then the students can go back home and be kingdom-focused in the agricultural space.”
He feels strongly about the value of TMU’s education, “My heart is to promote the loving and safe environment which TMU has.”
TMU’s agribusiness program is designed to prepare students for the realities of work in the agriculture field — covering subjects such as how a farming business should run, what agriculture loans look like, and when to expand or buy more land.
Whether or not agriculture is a student’s primary focus, York is hopeful that the program will be a beneficial resource. “I think it will broaden their scope on the field and provide opportunity for those not only in the Central Valley but across the country,” he says.
This school year, the student-run Agriculture Club has also taken off at TMU, increasing to more than 90 members. The club has recently begun developing a piece of property and is hoping to start raising chickens and growing produce. Rolling Hills plans to supply almonds for the club’s future endeavors, which include participating in the local farmers market.
Rolling Hills Nut Company continues to be a faithful supporter and sponsor of the University. You can find more information about the company and the work they do here.
