Growmark has combined its seed and crop protection businesses. In describing the restructuring, Brad Drake, the cooperative’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, said the goals are to align the two areas with strategy, give suppliers a single point of contact, streamline decision-making and improve coordination.
The co-op has posted three executive director roles at its Bloomington, Illinois, headquarters: Seed Portfolio, Crop Protection Portfolio, and Crop Protection & Seed Sales. All three report to a vice president of crop protection and seed.
Two of the roles center on suppliers. The seed director would negotiate seed supply, licensing and trait agreements and manage a multi-supplier portfolio. The crop protection director would negotiate and administer supplier, rebate and program agreements and oversee manufacturer program administration.
The company said there are no significant changes to its supplier network for 2027.
The sales director would build relationships with manufacturer representatives and run sales incentive programs and business builder and market impact funds. That role would also lead sales strategy across the system and guide FS member company sales leaders and crop specialists.
Growmark’s own brands are part of the job too. Each portfolio leader will be responsible for how Growmark’s proprietary and private label products sit alongside national brands. The seed director owns the System Supported Brand strategy and the proprietary seed brands. The crop protection director leads branded, private label and proprietary products, including adjuvants, biologicals and specialty products, and handles their registration in the U.S. and Canada.
