What is now Buchanan Cellers, began in 1970 when I accepted a job working for Albers Milling which was owned by Carnation. Albers was my first employer after I left the US Navy where I was a lieutenant in the Supply Corps. I served a tour of duty on the USS Sphinx ARL24. first as a member of the precommissioning detail, and later after commissioning, sailed to Vietnam and operated on the Mekong River in support of river patrol boats.
My first job was as a manager trainee. After a few months, I was tasked with dairy feed sales. It was in this position where I came face to face with the various problems associated with herd health. I developed an interest in raising calves from babies to the milking herd. At this time, barely half of all heifer calves matured enough to even enter the milking string. During the seven plus years I worked for Albers, I developed a passion to own my own business and subsequently purchased Valley Feed & Supply. After two years in McMinnville, we had the opportunity to purchase the Buchanan Cellers feed mill and store-where we currently have our retail store. The feed mill itself was closed down in the early 1980’s. Even while working for Albers, I gathered information and developed contacts that would later lead me to developing my own formulas to improve animal health and production outcomes (I will highlight a few of these products in later blog posts).
In 1997, we completed building our mixing operation which opened the door for producing our own formulas. Over the next few years, I began to see and more fully understand that the single most important aspect of livestock production is to support the immune system. In those early years, I consulted with a medical doctor and practitioner of herbal medicine along with several individuals with doctorate degrees primarily in microbiology. They gave me insight into the importance of supporting digestion with yeasts in various forms and probiotics and enzymes to support digestion. These, in turn, relieve stress on the immune system. Prebiotics and antibodies have also been key additions to immune support. We formulated a B Vitamin package that is used in many species. Many livestock naturally produce their own, however in situations of stress, they need this support.
As our business grew, we built a distribution center that allowed us to grow our business to other dealers. Some key vendors recognized what value we bring to the industry and they work closely with us to provide delivery service to their customers. We feel that every faction of our business has its own growing edge and needs to continuously show improvement. With this in mind, we strive to improve in all areas of product offerings, as well as service to all customers including the taking, picking, loading and delivering to producing an accurate invoice.
If you have any questions concerning the store or our products, please reach out to Jerry Legard at:
Cell: 971.241.2515
Email: Jerry.Legard@BuchananCellers.com
We will answer your questions on the blog!