Aug 30, 2024Oxbo named official pistachio equipment partner for Fresno State
Specialty crop harvesting equipment and controlled application equipment manufacturer Oxbo is partnering with Fresno State University on pistachio harvesting machinery.
The partnership will make Oxbo the official pistachio equipment partner for Fresno State’s 2024 pistachio harvest season.
Fresno State’s 1,000 acre farm contains 97 acres of pistachio orchards, 25 of which are bearing and harvestable. The university’s pistachio orchards are located on the corner of North Cedar and East Sierra avenues in Fresno, just north of the Fresno State campus.
Oxbo’s employees will operate the Oxbo pistachio shaker, receiver and bin carrier while providing hands-on instruction to Fresno State students during the pistachio harvest. Students will assist in managing the harvest process and can operate the equipment with supervision and instruction by the Oxbo team.
“This partnership will significantly improve the efficiency of pistachio harvesting on the Fresno State farm while expanding hands-on learning opportunities for our students,” Rolston St. Hilaire, Dean of the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, said in a news release. “As a global innovator in agricultural equipment, we are thrilled to collaborate with Oxbo, a proud supporter of Jordan College.”
Oxbo is also a proud supporter of other Fresno State programs, including the Ag One Foundation, through its membership of the Builders Circle and other sponsorships.
“Oxbo has invested in supporting agricultural education programs in California for over a decade and we are proud to continue this support through a partnership with Fresno State,” Cory Venable, Oxbo’s director of sales and marketing, said in the release. “We view our partnership as a way of investing in the future of agriculture. Together with Jordan College we hope to empower the next generation of agricultural leaders by helping provide access to cutting-edge equipment and technology and providing students with opportunities to explore careers and opportunities within specialty agriculture.”
In its fruit portfolio, Oxbo supplies grape, berry, coffee, olive, pistachio, and tomato growers with harvesters and other specialty equipment. Oxbo operates through six locations in the heart of California agriculture.
Fresno State’s Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology engages students in hands-on teaching and research in six departments and three research centers. The program offers Internships and real-world experience through its 1,000 acre University Agricultural Laboratory.
More than 30 Jordan College student organizations empower students to enjoy active lifestyles and gain leadership skills to serve the community. Students work at 18 campus farm units throughout the year to produce fresh products for the Gibson Farm Market, while learning sustainable and innovative production methods.
Started in 1979 by faculty, alumni and friends of Jordan College wanted a foundation that would benefit, promote and support the college’s programs. The supporters set out to raise $1 million in permanent funds. Today, the Ag One Foundation has raised more than $30 million in endowed funds which are invested with the Fresno State Foundation.
Over the years, donors, board members and volunteers have made it possible to award some 5,500 students with more than $10 million in scholarships and program support. For the 2024-25 academic year, Ag One has provided more than $1 million to students and programs.
With U.S. operations based in Madera, California, Oxbo provides grape, berry, tomato, pistachio, coffee and olive growers with harvesters and other specialty equipment. Headquartered in Roosendaal, Netherlands, Oxbo also works through manufacturing facilities in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France and Brazil.
