SANTA PAULA : Citrus Grower Adds Land in Acquisition

The Limoneira Co. in Santa Paula increased its farm holdings when it acquired the McKevett Corp. this week, company officials announced.

None of McKevett’s 10 employees will be laid off, said Jack Dickenson, president and chief executive officer of Limoneira, a citrus grower and packinghouse. Dickenson said the two companies entered into a stock-exchange agreement Sunday after more than a year of negotiations. Dickenson declined to release details of the deal.

McKevett owned the 463-acre Teague McKevett Ranch just east of the city and the 222-acre Rancho La Cuesta in Santa Paula Canyon. Both properties produce citrus and avocados and will be added to Limoneira’s 5,500 acres of farmland.

Alan Teague, president of the McKevett Corp., was named Limoneira’s chairman of the board. Limoneira employs about 400 people, Dickenson said.