Legacy Farming Family DM Camp & Sons Celebrates 80 Years

DM Camp & Sons is celebrating something old, with something new.  In celebration of their 80th anniversary, they are launching an extensive new website.

In 1917, the USDA sent WB Camp “west” to ?nd a new source of cotton for America’s WWI e?ort (uniforms, canvas, fabric for aircraft covering, etc.) following the devastation of the cotton boll weevil in the southeast. 

He landed in Shafter, started the USDA Cotton Research Station and became the leading authority on cotton in the west.  Thus began the birth of the cotton industry in California.

In 1936 Camp began farming on his own as WB Camp & Sons, established his headquarters east of Shafter, and of course grew cotton, and the California Long White potato, which soon became an important Kern County crop as well.

Don Camp, son of WB Camp, expanded the farm and the type of crops grown.  In the 1960’s, due to the development of the California aqueduct, he undertook the task of turning west side desert into productive agricultural land, particularly for cotton.  During this same period he started the John Deere farm equipment business then known as West, North, and South Kern Machinery, with stores in Buttonwillow, Delano and Bakers?eld.

Fast forward to today and DM Camp & Sons has expanded to grow multi-­?purpose almonds, wine and table grapes, easy-?peel tangerines, baby carrots, gourmet baby potatoes, fresh onions, fresh garlic and now its newest venture, popular sweet potatoes.  The farm includes locations north, west and east of Bakers?eld as well as sites in the southern portion of the San Joaquin Valley. 

DM Camp & Sons is blessed to farm exceptionally productive ground with very good water sources in order to bear high quality, nutritious food, much of which is shipped throughout North America as well as around the globe.

The Camp Family also operates John Deere dealerships in Kern and LA counties, known as Kern Machinery, recently expanding into Oregon and Idaho with 3 additional stores known as Camp Equipment. 

In addition the family operates a John Deere engine distributorship, Western Power Products, covering California, Hawaii, Utah, and much of Nevada and Arizona.

“Since I began working full-­?time on the farm in 1979, it feels like change is just a part of our culture, be it strategic or forced,” said Edwin Camp, president of DM Camp and Sons.  “There is today an unbelievable amount of technology to sift through as we try to ?nd the tools to honestly help us improve as farmers in our quest to become more e?cient at what we do and more productive in what we grow, as we seek to improve our soil biology in creating healthier plants, all with the endgame of producing nutritious, safe and tasty food that we can continue for many Camp generations yet to come.”

“With all of the change over the past three Camp generations,” said Edwin Camp, “ one thing doesn’t change at DM Camp and Sons, the belief that honesty and integrity are principles that are both the past and the future of this family business.”

For more information about the 80 year history of D.M. Camp & Sons, visit their new website at www.dmcamp.com.

Source: DM Camp & Sons