George Rodriguez, the son of migrant farm workers, embarked on his farming journey in 1971 when he purchased a small farm west of Ontario, Oregon. Over time, with determination and hard work, that farm grew into what is now Partners Produce. George & Lupe Rodriguez’s journey to success is one of resilience and dedication. Growing up, George started working in the fields at a young age. After marrying Lupe, her father, a local farmer, encouraged him to start farming. With a modest three-acre plot, George and Lupe worked tirelessly, managing their farm while George held a full-time job at an Ontario Oregon packing warehouse. He worked at the warehouse during the day and then devoted his evenings to the farm. This dedication continued for over two decades.​Rodriguez Farms, a family-run operation, saw the daily involvement of Lupe in the field and the help of their children—George Jr., Monica, and Eddie. In 1998, the couple founded Partners Produce, Inc. Over the following years, the company expanded significantly:
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1999: A second packing line was installed, increasing the production capacity to over 2,500 50-pound bags per hour.
2000: An onsite raw onion storage facility was added, capable of holding 4,500 bins of onions.
2003: Partners Produce began processing whole peeled onions.
2004: The company expanded its facilities by constructing a 6,000 square-foot processing building.
2006: A freezing line was installed, featuring a state-of-the-art blancher/cooler and freezing tunnel to enhance the existing whole peeled processing line.
2008: The company added a new building with specialized processing capabilities, including an additional 16 lines.
2012: An additional facility was launched, further expanding operational capacity.
2017: Heavy snowfall causes the loss of four production buildings, including the main line.
2018: Partners Produce opened a new state-of-the-art 100,000 square-foot packing facility, along with four bulk storage units, increasing its storage capacity to over 30 million pounds.
2019: A new, innovative processing facility was completed. Through proprietary development, the company pioneered a method to produce IQF onions with unmatched quality.
2020: The Global COVID-19 Pandemic decreases production- leaving Partner's Produce to process and ship about 10% of what it originally would.
2021: Spring weather & summer heat lead to reduced onion yields​
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NEWS/ADDITIONAL ARTICLES:​
4/12/2012; Hispanic Executive Magazine
1/30/2017; Snowfall Crushed Buildings, drives up the price of onions
1/30/2017; Onion Storage sheds collapse under snow in Idaho; Onion prices soar
10/16/2019; Cold Snap Impacts Idaho Crops
4/30/2020; Idaho-Oregon onion region slammed by COVID-19 reaction
10/14/2021; Spring Weather, Summer Heat leads to reduced onion yields​​​