The Partners of Gold Dust & Walker Farms

 Meet the Minds Behind Gold Dust & Walker Farms’ Growing Success

Back in 1973 it was unlikely that Bill and John Walker foresaw their budding farming operation growing as much as it did. As the original two partners, with help of Bill’s wife, Jan, the brothers grew their modest grain farm into what would become Gold Dust Potato Processors and Walker Farms.

Over time and as Gold Dust & Walker Farms grew, Bill’s children, Weston and Tricia, joined the team. Tricia and Weston would eventually become partners as well, increasing the management team to four.

Looking to the future, the four partners realized they needed people on the management team who are invested in keeping these businesses growing, successful and sustainable. With that in mind, they brought Matthew Thompson and Bart Crawford on board as Junior Partners. Along with the experience and dedication of Salvador Vera, Gold Dust & Walker Farms is arguably the most successful farming and agri-businesses in the Klamath Basin.

Learn more about our Management Team and what each Partner brings to the table.

Our Founders

Bill Walker One of the founders of Gold Dust & Walker Farms, Bill and his wife, Jan, have been an incredible influence on where the businesses are today. Bill serves as CEO and is integral to growing the sales and providing a vision of where to take the businesses.

John Walker John is one of the most knowledgeable potato farmers in the Klamath Basin, and that combined with his experience in growing grain has been an influence on Walker Farms and the practices we implement in the field. 

Jan Walker Having grown up as a fourth generation farmer, it only makes sense Jan would help her husband, Bill, grow Gold Dust & Walker Farms. Not only did Jan drive harvest truck during the early years, she helped manage the office, create systems and act as CFO to keep the businesses moving forward.

Our Partners & Managers

Weston Walker From farm kid to sales manager, Weston is an important part of the variety of crops we grow. Seeing an opportunity in the dairy hay market and exports, he guided our farms into those areas. He’s also a large part opening up Asian markets to Oregon potatoes. 

Tricia Walker As a practicing attorney, Tricia never envisioned coming back to the farm until she received Weston’s late-night call from Korea. With her legal training and head for numbers, Tricia keeps the farm’s growth sustainable, looks over contracts and leads the businesses. 

Salvador Vera Sometimes referred to as “Uncle Salvador” by Tricia and Weston, Salvador is as important in the shed as he is in the field. He puts in long hours to make sure everything gets done and is a key player in recruiting for help during shipping, planting and harvest.

Bart Crawford Born and raised in the Klamath Basin, Bart is a natural farmer. He grew up on his family’s farm in the Midland area and graduated from OSU with a degree in crop and soil sciences. From checking water quality to running equipment to installing systems, Bart is a classic utility player that keeps all of our farm operations running smoothly. 

Matt Thompson  Originally from Red Bluff, California, Matt came to the Klamath Basin to play baseball at OIT. After graduating with a management degree, he came to Gold Dust and started working on the production floor. Now, Matt is the shed manager and keeps our potato processing facility firing on all cylinders so our customers receive high quality potatoes on time.