From the Seed We Plant, We Will Harvest

Planting season 2022 has been a challenge for many in the ag industry and is still going on in some parts of the Grain Belt.
Whatever the crop, when farmers plant, there is a distinct beginning and a definite finish line to the planting season.

However, in our personal lives and careers, planting season and harvest are intertwined. Each day we plant new seeds, positive or negative, into those in our circle of influence. And each day we harvest the fruits of the seeds we have previously sown. Our tongues can build up and encourage or tear down and destroy. The daily choice of what seeds we sow is ours, and that choice will impact the fruits of the harvest we receive for days and years to come.

On a recent Focus on the Family broadcast, Controlling Your Tongue, Deborah Pegues discussed her book, "30 Days to Taming Your Tongue". She shared her own amazing story, including taking a "tongue fast", a time where she focuses on not saying anything

negative…including no lying, gossiping, or complaining. In doing this, she has learned to honor those who are close to her, including her family, friends, and co-workers.

What seeds are you sowing? By your words and actions, are they seeds of trust or distrust, encouragement or discouragement, acceptance or disapproval? Remember, whatever seeds we sow become the source of what we will harvest. Galatians 6:7 says, "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." May we each start a new planting season today using only the best seeds!

4111 CFO - Fractional Agriculture - United States

A leading Financial Services firm specializing in the Agribusiness Industry is seeking a full-time Fractional Agricultural Chief Financial Officer. Salary is based on your experience, marketable skill set, and certifications and will likely range between $150,000 and $180,000. In addition, a generous bonus and a retirement program round out a complete benefits package.

3882 Agronomy Department Sales Manager - Northeast Indiana

Large agronomy cooperative in northeast Indiana is seeking a Sales Manager for their Agronomy Division. This is a unique role in that are no direct reports associated with the job. The primary responsibilities are more behind the scenes developing and implementing sales plans for front line salespeople and sales programs for farmer customers. You will also be responsible for representing the company at functions, create promotional materials, corporate communications, and mailings, and working very closely with staff. The preferred candidate will be someone who can understand financial reports and provide analysis.

6238 Account Executive - Illinois

Highly successful Midwest-based agricultural hedging and consulting firm, which is an industry leading and rapidly growing commodity futures brokerage and hedge advisory group, is seeking an Account Executive to work in the firm’s Chicago office within the Cattle Team.

5774 Grain Manager - Central Illinois

Financially solid Illinois grain company is seeking a Grain Manager to guide the continued success and growth of their multi-location company.

3908 Agronomist - Upper Midwest

A fast-growing crop inputs company is seeking an Agronomist for its upper Midwest territory. In this role, you will work closely with and provide support to the sales team to enable them to educate their dealer and grower networks on agronomic products and principles. You will be the lead consultant for the sales team, dealers, and growers.

4110 VP of Agriculture Asset Management - United States

An industry-leading institutional investment managing company is seeking an entrepreneurial-minded VP of Agriculture Asset Management. This is an excellent opportunity to join a financially solid company with an exceptional track record for success. This position will be a part of the management team with its offices located in one of the most desirable cities to live within the United States. Salary is based on experience and will likely range between $150,000 and $180,000+ with a generous bonus and retirement program as part of a full benefits package.

1258 Equipment Sales - Ag and Lawn and Garden - Central Illinois

Full-service equipment dealership is seeking a salesperson to sell agricultural, lawn and garden, and material handling equipment. You must communicate well and have a professional appearance. You'll need to have familiarity with the territory and have the ability to be a part of a team yet work by yourself. This is a role that will require you to begin and end your day at the dealership and work one-half Saturday occasionally. The job will require you to work closely with the parts and service departments, plus understand buying cycles and financing options.

5773 Grain Operations Manager - Southwest United States

Southwestern grain company is seeking a Grain Operations Manager for one of the large shuttle satellite facilities with the region.

5770 Grain Facility General Manager - Eastern US

Grain handling facility in the eastern United States is seeking a hands-on General Manager to oversee all operations at this grain-in, grain-out facility. Open Monday through Friday, it has a very nice, stable and consistent business.

3905 Marketing Manager - Missouri

An innovative agronomy company located in the Midwest is seeking a Marketing Manager. As the Marketing Manager, you will be a valued member of a growing company that is leaving its mark in the agronomic industry.

Spring is the season of optimism. Every spring, farmers wake up the soil after the winter nap and plant tiny seeds. The farmer places nutrients in the soil to help feed the seeds. Water and warmth help the seed burst forth with new life. The optimism grows as we first see the tiny seedlings in the row. There is nothing more enjoyable than driving in your pickup as the sun peaks over the horizon and you can “row” your crop. We nurture the seedlings and a few months later we reap the harvest.

The same applies to us. We connect with people and plant tiny seeds of hope, faith, and optimism in lives. We invest and nurture each other. We watch people grow, mature, and begin their journeys with goals for success. The harvest is reaped when we see those we have invested in investing in the lives of others.

How do you invest in the lives of others? What does your business do to invest and retain your team members? We are living in a time that is being termed as The Great Resignation. Why are people leaving the workforce and not returning? Have workers become disenchanted? Have they realigned their priorities? Space does not allow us enough room to answer these complex questions, but what I do know is that hiring key people takes time and can be quite costly if the hire is not successful. Retention on the other hand takes commitment. As an employer, you must be committed to investing in your employees to retain them in your business.

Onboarding is the first step in investing in your employees. Some agricultural businesses are not prepared to get a new employee onboarded and off to a good start. More often than not, new employees are not getting the appropriate training to give them a good starting experience. If you have not done so, I encourage you to develop an onboarding plan and a retention plan. Know the answers to the questions before they are asked. Mentor your employees. Provide key training. Reward your employees and show them you care. A pat on the back or an “attaboy” can go a long way in keeping your team together.

At AGRI-SEARCH, we believe in helping our candidates and clients to be successful. Our commitment to you does not stop with the hiring. We are here to help you at each step along the way.

The relationship between cause and effect is visible in all things. We truly reap what we sow, and the essential question is not whether the events of one’s life are good or bad, fair or unfair. Rather, the question is if you are plowing a field by intention and design to produce a harvest of your own self-determination, or if you’re leaving the harvest to other people or circumstances by default. We must take responsibility for our destiny and seek to create our harvest.

By loving your life instead of waiting for life to give you reasons to agree, you reap the benefits, both personal and professional. Personal bounty includes harmony, freedom, a sense of life’s mission being fulfilled, and alignment with your own inner guidance.

Business and professional bounties include clearer focus; new opportunities; greater financial returns; higher levels of performance; and greater impact on the world. Corporate harvests include resilience in the face of challenge and disruption and clarity in the face of uncertainty.

Try this: Your new beliefs allow you to live by choice, instead of default. They give you vision, resilience, and harvest. Which beliefs are holding you back? Which can drive you forward? Start today by identifying and mapping your opportunities.

We are excited to announce Brad Jansen has joined the AGRI-SEARCH team. Brad grew up on a grain farm near Effingham, Illinois. He graduated with a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Illinois in 2010. He spent 10 years in the grain business in Operations, Management and Merchandising. During that time, he lived and worked in Arkansas, Nebraska, Texas, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana.

Brad and his wife are the owners of a Montessori Preschool located in Effingham, Illinois. They are the proud parents of four children. Brad’s interests include Fighting Illini Basketball, quail hunting, hiking, playing and coaching sports, and spending time with family. Brad joined AGRI-SEARCH in 2022 as a recruiter specializing in Grain.

Do you have the grit to not give up and stay true to the course, no matter how difficult it may be? Are you competitive and possess a strong sales mentality where every “no” is just one step closer to a “yes”?

If so, and you have a passion for connecting with and helping people, plus a strong agricultural industry background in agronomy, grain, or other areas, please contact Dave Allen. We would enjoy having a discussion with you about how a recruiting career may be a great fit for you.

Founded in 1995, AGRI-SEARCH is a professional recruiting firm providing clients with customized recruiting solutions in various niches within the agricultural industry. Our success results from our industry focus, our specialized approach to recruiting, and our staff's lifelong roots in, dedication to, and vast understanding and knowledge of the agricultural industry.

At AGRI-SEARCH, our mission states that we “are committed to serving the agricultural industry with integrity, passion and excellence by assisting our candidates to reach their career goals and helping our client companies build successful teams.”