Montna Farms

What Montna Farms does

Montna Farms is a family-owned, vertically integrated rice farming operation based in Yuba City, California's Sacramento Valley, founded by the Montna family in 1884 and currently led by Nicole Montna Van Vleck as Chairman & CEO across three generations of family stewardship. The company grows, dries, mills, and stores super-premium short grain rice on 5,600 acres that are permanently protected under conservation easements — the first rice ground in California to be placed under permanent agricultural easement. Its core products include Tamanishiki Super Premium Short Grain Rice, Tamanishiki Brown Rice, Nozomi, and Yume short grain rice varieties, which are sold to premium rice brands worldwide through Japanese Food Company (JFC), via Amazon retail for Tamanishiki and Genmai lines, and processed through a strategic milling partnership with American Commodity Company (ACC) for global delivery.

The operation is distinguished by a set of proprietary conservation and water management practices developed with university and conservation partners, including alternative wetting and drying methods that reduce methane emissions by 40-60% without yield loss, early fall flooding for shorebirds and Sandhill cranes, salmon-supporting water releases that have improved juvenile salmon growth rates three-fold downstream, gradual drawdown practices supporting 35 waterbird species, and rice straw reincorporation that adds 4-5 tons of organic matter per acre annually. The farm supports over 230 wildlife species on its lands and serves as a living lab for agricultural conservation through partnerships with Ducks Unlimited, Point Blue Conservation Science, Audubon Society, California Trout, UC Davis, The Nature Conservancy, and the California Rice Commission, among others. Over 200 shorebirds have been tagged and monitored on the property since 2021.

Montna Farms operates a hybrid go-to-market combining sales-led wholesale distribution to premium rice brands with direct-to-consumer retail through Amazon. Customers include enterprise premium rice brands (Tamanishiki, Nozomi, Yume), the ACC milling and distribution partner, and retail consumers purchasing through Amazon. Revenue is generated through one-time transactional sales of rice, with the company functioning as a vertically integrated producer managing every stage from seed selection through shipment. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company employs 1-10 people and remains privately held by the Montna family with no external investors or parent company indicated.

Name

Montna Farms

Legal name

Montna Farms

Website

https://montnafarms.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1884

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Montna Farms is a family-owned, vertically integrated rice farm in California's Sacramento Valley that grows, dries, mills, and stores super-premium short grain rice on 5,600 permanently protected acres, supplying premium brands Tamanishiki, Nozomi, and Yume through JFC and Amazon worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rice Farming and Production

NAICS

Rice Farming (11116), Rice Milling (311212)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Grain Mill Products (2040)

akta.pro primary industry

Rice Farming (AFAGAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rice & Grain Processing (milling, polishing, parboiling, blending) (AFAKABAE), Farm-to-Consumer Produce Boxes / CSA Delivery (AFAIANAC)

Keywords

• Premium short grain rice
• Rice farming
• Sustainable agriculture
• Vertically integrated rice
• Rice milling services

Headquarters

HQ city

Yuba City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Rice Production and Sales: Growing, drying, milling, and storing super-premium short grain rice for sale to premium rice brands and direct to consumers. Vertically integrated operation managing every stage from seed to shipment.
2. Premium Rice Brand Partnerships: Supplying rice to trusted premium rice brands worldwide including Tamanishiki, Nozomi, and Yume brands sold through JFC (Japanese Food Company).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Montna Farms is a vertically integrated rice farming operation that grows, dries, mills, and stores super-premium short grain rice on 5,600 acres in California's Sacramento Valley. The company sells its rice under branded product lines including Tamanishiki (white and brown), Nozomi, and Yume to wholesale premium rice buyers worldwide through JFC and American Commodity Company, and directly to consumers through Amazon. The operation is distinguished by conservation-driven farming practices developed with university and conservation partners.

Product overview

Montna Farms operates as a vertically integrated rice operation that grows, dries, mills, and stores super-premium short grain rice in California's Sacramento Valley. The company manages every stage from seed to shipment, offering its rice under multiple branded product lines including Tamanishiki (Super Premium and Brown varieties), Nozomi, and Yume short grain rice. These products are distributed through retail partnerships (Amazon) and premium rice distributors (JFC). The company also processes rice through its partnership with American Commodity Company (ACC) for milling and global delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tamanishiki: Super-premium short grain rice sold on Amazon. Includes Tamanishiki Short Grain Rice and Tamanishiki Brown Rice.
• Nozomi
• Yume

Products and services

• Tamanishiki Super Premium Short Grain Rice Super-premium short grain rice grown in California's Sacramento Valley and sold under the Tamanishiki brand through Amazon and JFC. Targeted at premium retail consumers and food service buyers of Japanese-style rice.
• Tamanishiki Brown Rice Brown rice variety from the Tamanishiki super-premium line, providing whole-grain nutrition while maintaining the brand's premium quality. Targeted at retail consumers and food service buyers seeking premium brown rice.
• Nozomi Short Grain Rice Premium short grain rice variety prized for consistency and flavor, distributed through the Japanese Food Company (JFC). Targeted at top chefs and premium buyers worldwide.
• Yume Short Grain Rice Premium short grain rice variety sold under the Yume brand through the Japanese Food Company (JFC). Targeted at premium retail and food service buyers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Methane emissions reduced by 40-60% through alternative wetting and drying methods while maintaining yields
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Ducks UnlimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor conservation organization partner supporting rice farming and wildlife habitat collaboration. Montna Farms works with Ducks Unlimited on conservation easements, waterfowl habitat programs, and sustainable farming practices that benefit both agriculture and migratory waterfowl.
• Point Blue Conservation SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation research partner that has conducted shorebird tagging and monitoring on Montna Farms lands since 2021. Over 200 shorebirds have been tagged and monitored through this partnership.
• Audubon SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner collaborating on shorebird monitoring and migration tracking programs on Montna Farms lands since 2021.
• California Trout (CalTrout)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner focused on salmon conservation and river ecosystem restoration, supporting Montna Farms' strategic water releases that benefit juvenile salmon growth.
• California WatermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater management partner supporting conservation irrigation practices and habitat water programs on the farm.
• Northern California Water Association (NCWA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association partner focused on water resources and sustainable agriculture in the Sacramento Valley, featuring Montna Farms leadership in podcast content.
• UC DavismajorTechnology or IntegrationUniversity research partner providing scientific collaboration and research for agricultural conservation practices and sustainable farming methods.
• American Commodity Company (ACC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrategic partnership for expert rice milling and delivery to markets around the globe. Through this partnership, Montna rice is processed and distributed to premium buyers worldwide.
• CRC (California Rice Commission)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry organization representing California rice producers, supporting industry-wide conservation and sustainability initiatives.
• Sutter ButtesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservation partner in the Sacramento Valley region.
• The Nature ConservancymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal conservation organization partner working on habitat protection and sustainable agriculture initiatives.
• California RicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner representing California rice producers and supporting sustainable farming initiatives.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Japanese Food Company (JFC International): Distributor of Montna-grown rice under Tamanishiki, Nozomi, and Yume brands. A channel ecosystem participant serving Japanese and Asian food markets in North America and globally, comparable as a downstream distributor for premium Japanese rice.
• California Rice Commission (CRC): Industry organization representing California rice producers. An ecosystem participant supporting Montna and comparable farms with sustainability initiatives, research, and policy advocacy.
• American Commodity Company (ACC): Rice milling and distribution partner of Montna; an ecosystem participant providing processing and global delivery services to California rice producers. Comparable as a key infrastructure counterpart in the same value chain.

Direct peers

• Lundberg Family Farms: Family-owned California rice producer in the Sacramento Valley with a vertically integrated operation and a broad portfolio of branded premium rice products. Most direct comparable to Montna in geography, heritage, premium positioning, and sustainability messaging.
• Koda Farms: Multi-generational California rice farm with a heritage/premium brand portfolio including Kokuho Rose and Sho-Chiku-Bai. Directly comparable as a small, heritage California rice operation serving Japanese-style rice markets.
• Specialty Rice Co. Specialty rice producer and supplier focused on premium and varietal rice for foodservice and retail. Comparable as a small-to-mid player in the specialty/premium rice segment with overlapping customer types.

Broad incumbents

• RiceTec: Rice seed and production company developing hybrid rice varieties with sustainability and yield focus. Comparable as an adjacent industry player with overlapping interest in sustainable rice production and agronomic innovation.
• Botan Rice: Established premium rice brand with broad retail and foodservice distribution. Comparable in product category (premium short and medium grain rice) and end-customer segments.
• Hinode Rice: Established premium and specialty rice brand distributed through mainstream retail and foodservice channels. Comparable in product positioning (premium rice for Japanese/Asian cuisine) and target customers.
• Sun Valley Rice: Larger California rice company with vertically integrated growing, drying, and milling operations. Comparable in core commodity and California geography but at greater scale and broader market orientation than Montna.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/montna-farms

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Montna Farms