On May 1, ag retailers joined Clinton Griffiths on Farm Journals’ live daily webcast to discuss how the planting season of 2020 is progressing, particularly in light of doing business amid COVID-19.
Kreg Ruhl, Crop Nutrients Division Manager at Growmark, says their team has been able to rally, at least virtually, to serve farmers.
“I think the most surreal moment of realization we had was on our busiest day in April there was virtually nobody in the office. We challenged an old stereotype that everybody had to be there and together to get things done. And I think we proved as a system that that it can be done differently. We were proud of the hard work of our teams,” he says.
“We proved we can get work done in a variety of ways, but I don’t know that we want to stay as distant as we are right now,” he continues.
That’s the balance ag retailers are working to strike this spring—continuing to provide farmer’s personal service while maintaining guidelines for safety.
“For a majority of growers and farmers, working this spring has meant a lot more steps to take to be cautious,” says Kyle Allen, a Channel salesman and co-founder of Gateway Precision Ag. “When we take them seed or we’re working on a tractor—especially with the monitor—we’re taking precautionary measures.”
Shane Myers, the second co-founder of Gateway Precision Ag, says it’s hard to not shake hands when you arrive at a farm.
Allen shares the story of a long-time seed customer who for the first time watched from the window as Allen unloaded his seed into the shed.
“I’ve been in the seed business for 10 years and have had the chance to work with these guys. They’re taking precautions and it’s not just them, it’s their family members that want them to be safe,” he says. “So, we’re doing the best we can to be accommodating and trying to keep a positive outlook.”
Allen is already wondering if social distancing will be a consideration at harvest.
“I continue to try to wrap my mind around if this going to stay the same in the fall. We spend a lot of our harvest time in combine cabs. And you know, there might be a time that farmers may not want a salesman in the cab, which is hard for us,” he says.
Ruhl echoes some concerns on how ag retailers can stay connected with farmers through the growing season.
“This is still a very personal business. These are these are high stakes, high dollar decisions that these growers are making on a day to day basis and they want the assurance of their trusted partners to help make those so I think you’re always going to have a personal touch in there somewhere,” Ruhl says.
Watch the full interview with AgDay and Farm Journal’s Clinton Griffiths, including crop progress reports:
