In Their Words: Bill Sutherland, "O-Pioneer" & Sutherland Produce Owner

After 42 years in the organic produce industry in the Fallbrook area of San Diego County, 70 year-old Bill Sutherland has shuttered Sutherland Produce, and is planning to enjoy the sunsets without waking up in the middle of the night worrying about whether a truck is going to make it to its destination on time. He recently discussed his career and its highlights with OPN

OPN: How did you get in the organic produce industry?

I met a couple at a cultural center in 1977 where I was selling Indonesian goods from a kiosk. I sold the woman a sarong and got into a conversation with the guy who owned a small organic operation in the area. Jon Mielziner offered me a job at his place. I had a teaching credential and was a private school teacher but that didn’t pay very much. I took the job and loved it.

OPN: When did it become your career?

About a year later, Jon and his wife took a trip around the world and left me in charge of the place. While they were gone I quadrupled the business. After Jon came back we talked about making me a partner but we couldn’t come to an agreement. So I started Fresh Start Farms. I sold a lot of specialty items including cherimoyas, sapotes, guavas, persimmons – three or four varieties of persimmons. Back then there were a lot of persimmons in Fallbrook. Most of this fruit came from backyard organic farmers who had a few trees. I loved the business and loved doing something I believed in. 

OPN: When did you start Sutherland Produce, which has been your produce home for the past 30+ years?

I eventually merged Fresh Start Farms with Charlie Weerman’s company and we kept the West Coast Organics name. A few later we sold that company and in 1987 I started Sutherland Produce. I became a sales agent for four or five growers and sold all their organic produce. That’s what I have been doing for 32 years.

Bill Sutherland, where he got his start at Jon Meilziner & Friends

OPN: Describe the organic produce industry in the early days?

It was much different than today. All a grower had to do was sign an affidavit claiming the produce was grown organically. That led to some conventional produce being sold as organic produce. I remember one situation where it was discovered that some carrots were simply taken out of a conventional bag and put in another bag that was marketed organic. Charlie and I were leaders in advocating for certification. In the very early days we worked with CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers) and other certifiers to create standards for the industry. We were very supportive of creating the National Organics Program with standards and rules.

OPN: What has surprised you most about the growth of organic produce?

Who of us could have imagined that the grass-roots efforts of bunch of hippies with pick-up trucks and co-ops, who simply wanted to eat clean food, would start a completely new industry that would explode into the mainstream?

OPN: What are you going to miss the most?

I’m going to miss the camaraderie, the traveling, parties, the laughs, the drinking, success, waking up each day and not knowing what the heck will happen next. These people became my friends. I’ve spent most of my life with them.

OPN: How do you feel about the direction the organic produce industry is going today?

To tell you the truth I’m not crazy about it. I’m proud and glad that I helped start it and I’m happy that more people have access to organic produce. But all the big growers getting into it has made it different. I’m sure they are doing it right but they don’t care about it as much as we did. Organic people had a culture and I think that’s going away. The little growers are having trouble making it anymore. The Berkenstock people have been pushed out by the three piece-suit guys.