Transitioning to Simplot Grower Solutions
Mar 21, 2023
Written By: Jeremy German
This has been a year of evolution for our team. Our agriculture industry continues to innovate and adapt to the pressures to produce food. In this article my goal is to present you with some perspective on this “new” company that is entering your communities. The evolution of our retail supporting your farms is a long tale that requires more time than this single-cup-of-coffee read can deliver!
I want to start by reiterating some strong words that came at a recent leadership meeting from Simplot CEO, Garrett Lofto (actually a Manitoba boy), that the purchase of G-Mac’s AgTeam by the J.R. Simplot Company is “a long term commitment” to Canadian Agriculture and more specifically, food production in Western Canada. The J.R. Simplot Company has a history that started in potato production in Idaho and now works every day to advance agriculture and food production in countries around the globe. As I dove into researching the current state of the company, I was amazed at their investments in Australia, Mexico and even China. I know that G-Mac’s AgTeam could have sold to a number of other companies and I am proud that we have the opportunity to bring the vast experience in areas such as fertilizer technology, field agronomy, irrigation and food production to Western Canada.
Most farms in our area are familiar with the name “Simplot” as one of the major phosphorous fertilizer manufacturers in North America. There is excitement within our team to learn more about the production and supply of phosphate fertilizer. Our soils are naturally low in phosphorous and as we see farms expand, it typically means seeding into colder soils.
The challenge to get your crops off to a faster, more vigorous start is an agronomy challenge that Market Development Lead, Amy Grindheim, and Agronomy Leads, Candice Harris (North), Jaden Wood Sparrow (Central), and Brandi Buhr (South), will be tackling through the agPROVE Trial Program. We want you to know that we have, and will continue to invest in local results that are generated using your practices, on your farms. The data we gather through our agPROVE efforts has provided us with the confidence to recommend and support new products and production techniques. It is our intention to continue to support and expand the agPROVE Trial Program and we are fortunate to have the strong support of Simplot Grower Solutions in the future.
Our dedication to providing products and services such as CROPTICS and SoilConnect will only expand. In a recent meeting I had the opportunity to cross paths with our VP & General Manager of Retail Business, Troy Bolt. I was pleased to learn he is Saskatchewan born and raised, and has an Agriculture Degree from the University of Saskatchewan. I hope all our customers feel comfortable knowing that we have Western Canadians leading the growth and support of your farms. Although we have only been a part of Simplot Grower Solutions for two months, I feel that the ability to provide leading agronomy services will be an even greater part of our value proposition to your operations in the future. We have a commitment to continue to develop local Apprentice Agronomists through local College and University Students that will become the next Agronomists and Agronomy Consulting Experts (ACEs) to live in your communities and support your farm growth.
In your communities, the legacy G-Mac’s AgTeam company will be owned and managed in the future as Simplot Grower Solutions. The J.R. Simplot Company has a long history as a family owned, privately held company that has rural roots and a focus on improving agriculture from “Mine to Plate”. In Canada, there are places such as Portage la Prairie where the J.R. Simplot Company is a household name largely because of their investments in potato processing in the 1960’s. I know that the Manitoba communities have greatly benefitted from the J.R. Simplot Company business expansion in the past and we look forward to a future of new opportunities across Western Canada. To end, I want to say that G-Mac’s AgTeam was an innovative, agronomy focused business that served farms and communities in West Central Saskatchewan for over 20 years. We are excited for this next chapter in the business evolution and look forward to hanging Simplot Grower Solutions banners, continuing to support local events, and allowing our people to continue their important work as community builders and supporters.
This has been a year of evolution for our team. Our agriculture industry continues to innovate and adapt to the pressures to produce food. In this article my goal is to present you with some perspective on this “new” company that is entering your communities. The evolution of our retail supporting your farms is a long tale that requires more time than this single-cup-of-coffee read can deliver!
I want to start by reiterating some strong words that came at a recent leadership meeting from Simplot CEO, Garrett Lofto (actually a Manitoba boy), that the purchase of G-Mac’s AgTeam by the J.R. Simplot Company is “a long term commitment” to Canadian Agriculture and more specifically, food production in Western Canada. The J.R. Simplot Company has a history that started in potato production in Idaho and now works every day to advance agriculture and food production in countries around the globe. As I dove into researching the current state of the company, I was amazed at their investments in Australia, Mexico and even China. I know that G-Mac’s AgTeam could have sold to a number of other companies and I am proud that we have the opportunity to bring the vast experience in areas such as fertilizer technology, field agronomy, irrigation and food production to Western Canada.
Most farms in our area are familiar with the name “Simplot” as one of the major phosphorous fertilizer manufacturers in North America. There is excitement within our team to learn more about the production and supply of phosphate fertilizer. Our soils are naturally low in phosphorous and as we see farms expand, it typically means seeding into colder soils.
The challenge to get your crops off to a faster, more vigorous start is an agronomy challenge that Market Development Lead, Amy Grindheim, and Agronomy Leads, Candice Harris (North), Jaden Wood Sparrow (Central), and Brandi Buhr (South), will be tackling through the agPROVE Trial Program. We want you to know that we have, and will continue to invest in local results that are generated using your practices, on your farms. The data we gather through our agPROVE efforts has provided us with the confidence to recommend and support new products and production techniques. It is our intention to continue to support and expand the agPROVE Trial Program and we are fortunate to have the strong support of Simplot Grower Solutions in the future.
Our dedication to providing products and services such as CROPTICS and SoilConnect will only expand. In a recent meeting I had the opportunity to cross paths with our VP & General Manager of Retail Business, Troy Bolt. I was pleased to learn he is Saskatchewan born and raised, and has an Agriculture Degree from the University of Saskatchewan. I hope all our customers feel comfortable knowing that we have Western Canadians leading the growth and support of your farms. Although we have only been a part of Simplot Grower Solutions for two months, I feel that the ability to provide leading agronomy services will be an even greater part of our value proposition to your operations in the future. We have a commitment to continue to develop local Apprentice Agronomists through local College and University Students that will become the next Agronomists and Agronomy Consulting Experts (ACEs) to live in your communities and support your farm growth.
In your communities, the legacy G-Mac’s AgTeam company will be owned and managed in the future as Simplot Grower Solutions. The J.R. Simplot Company has a long history as a family owned, privately held company that has rural roots and a focus on improving agriculture from “Mine to Plate”. In Canada, there are places such as Portage la Prairie where the J.R. Simplot Company is a household name largely because of their investments in potato processing in the 1960’s. I know that the Manitoba communities have greatly benefitted from the J.R. Simplot Company business expansion in the past and we look forward to a future of new opportunities across Western Canada. To end, I want to say that G-Mac’s AgTeam was an innovative, agronomy focused business that served farms and communities in West Central Saskatchewan for over 20 years. We are excited for this next chapter in the business evolution and look forward to hanging Simplot Grower Solutions banners, continuing to support local events, and allowing our people to continue their important work as community builders and supporters.