GROWMARK has been looking at alternative sources of energy for its Alpha, Ill. distribution center since 2010. After previous opportunities to use solar or wind power did not add up for the company, they found the right fit with a solar project completed in the summer of 2018. GROWMARK is working with Straight Up Solar and investment partner Shine Development …
GROWMARK Wants More Interns to Stay
GROWMARK would like to see more of their interns to choose a full-time career at the cooperative after completing the internship experience. The Exploring Agriculture program is geared towards community college students and those with an interest in the operational side of GROWMARK’s business. This year a total of 32 interns joined that program, being placed throughout the cooperative’s core …
GROWMARK Endure Initiative Continues to Grow
GROWMARK‘s Endure 4R Advocate Awards program and Enduring Farms program are working together to recognize individuals for using best management practices and to tell that story to those outside of agriculture who want to know how farmers are practicing stewardship on their land. GROWMARK Director of Agronomy Marketing and Agronomy Services Ryan White said they continue to grow the programs, …
GROWMARK Foundation Announces Scholarship Recipients
Fifteen agriculture students have been selected as the second class of recipients of the GROWMARK Foundation scholarship. “Each scholarship is worth 1500 dollars,” says Karen Jones, Youth and Young Producer Specialist at GROWMARK. “We’ve awarded some to incoming freshmen but about half are going to students that are sophomore level or above.” Click here to see the full list of …
GROWMARK: Agriculture Background Not Required
Although GROWMARK and its FS Member companies are clearly rooted in agriculture, a farming or agribusiness background is not required to thrive as an employee there. GROWMARK’s Director of Talent Management Tom Swearingen is a prime example of that. Originally a commercial airline pilot, Swearingen left that industry after the events of 9/11/2001 changed it forever, and came back to …
GROWMARK Recruits and Retains Top Talent
GROWMARK and FS member companies work hard to recruit and retain top talent, and there are a few reasons they’ve had success. “The two things that we’ve done to really try to recruit top talent are to make sure that there is great, positive brand awareness around our employment brand, and the increased use of technology to make sure our …
GROWMARK Talks Farm Bill Priorities
The House version of the farm bill is expected to come to the floor this week, and GROWMARK is among those weighing in with policymakers about priorities for the legislation. The cooperative is particularly looking for support of the Conservation Title, among others. In this interview, Spencer also discusses how sustainability in agriculture has become an important issue when talking …
GROWMARK and FS Announce Enduring Farm Award Winners
GROWMARK and local FS member cooperatives are recognizing 26 sustainable farming operations for the inaugural Enduring Farm awards. These farms were nominated for the award for their implementation of sustainable nutrient management practices such as following the 4R principles for all nutrient applications, monitoring nitrogen levels through soil sampling, and implementing variable rate technology for phosphorous applications. Nutrient management cropping …
ZimmCast on Ag Careers and Farm Wifi
This podcast episode includes two Golden ZimmComm Microphone interviews from #NAMA18 (Agri-Marketing Conference). Featured are Matt Wetterson, Kayla Portwood and Melissa Williams with GROWMARK. Matt talks about his responsibilities with GROWMARK and challenges and opportunities. Kayla and Melissa talk about Ag Careers and how important reaching out to young people who want to work in the industry is to GROWMARK. …
GROWMARK, NRCS Partner for Conservation
GROWMARK and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recently signed a national Memorandum of Understanding to further sound agronomic and conservation practices. Ryan White, Dir. of Agronomy Marketing and Agronomy Information Services for GROWMARK, says the MOU is about the GROWMARK system commitment to working with farmers in a profitable and sustainable way. “We both have the same customer and …
ZimmCast on GrainXchange and Supporting Checkoffs
In this week’s program you’ll get to hear the lates episode of the GROWMARK Podcast. GROWMARK has been a long term sponsor of the ZimmCast and we thought we’d feature one of their own podcasts. You can subscribe to the podcast in iTunes and Google Play. Additionally, I talk with Rob McLelland and Heidi Nelson of FLM Harvest about their …
ZimmCast from #Classic18
In part this week’s program was sort of hijacked by the Shark Farmer and Farmer Derek. But there is so much more than that. It is probably the busiest week of the year for the ZimmComm Team. From the Bayer AgVocacy Forum to Commodity Classic to Pork Industry Forum to Farm and Gin Show and to the American Association of …
GROWMARK Continues Nationwide Scholarship Program
For the second year, the GROWMARK Foundation is offering a $1,500 scholarship program for students in the United States and Ontario, Canada, who are pursuing college degrees or trade school certification in an agriculture-related field. “In the past, we offered some smaller regional scholarships but as our business has grown and evolved, we saw a need to provide a scholarship …
AgriVisor’s Insight Program Kicks Off Eighth Year
Farmers will again have the opportunity in 2018 to commit bushels into the Insight managed bushel program through participating elevators across the Midwest. Participating farmers can choose any or all of four analysts including AgriVisor, who will then price grain out for them during a specific time period. Farmers can commit corn, soybean or wheat bushels to the program. They …
FS FAST STOP Retailers Registered as TOP TIER™ Diesel Fuel Sites
FS FAST STOP locations are among the first to become registered TOP TIER™ Diesel Fuel sites under a program developed by leading diesel equipment manufacturers who recognized the benefits of additized diesel fuel in their engines. The TOP TIER program, originally launched in 2004, focused on gasoline standards before introducing a diesel fuel standard this September. FAST STOP locations featuring …