b'PRODUCTIONHow to Knock Down the Physical Walls That Limit Your Companys Growth PotentialJIM SCHWEIGERT President, Gro Alliancejim.schweigert@groalliance.comgroalliance.com@GroAllianceTHERE HAS BEEN Afundamental change in the way ourexperiences from family-owned companies, from major seed team at Gro Alliance views the term production location. companies like Bayer, Corteva, Syngenta and HM Clause, and Our opportunities were once limited to the proximity of ourfrom outside the seed industry too. This unique blend of per-seed production sites. Despite having five Midwest locations andspectives allowed us to see the business from all sides and deliver one in Chile, we often lost projects to competitors with facilitiessolutions in new crops and regions.just 3060 minutes closer to a client. It was frustrating.We used those relationships to build a network of supporting One of the big stumbling blocks to growth that many compa- farmers and companies that have allowed us to expand our work nies face is their geographic reach, which is often limited by theirwell outside of our company walls.production location. Its something we struggled with too, untilOur expansion has been remarkable! Weve extended seed we fundamentally changed our mindset. supply chain solutions to Nebraska, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, We started to build a set of grower and partner relationships.Delaware, and Maryland, with Oklahoma and Texas in progress. Our expertise is in seed production, nursery services and logisti- New sites include Cedar Rapids, IA, Janesville, WI, and Central cal procedures and practices. If we could bundle that expertiseIndiana. In November 2024, well launch a vegetable seed improve-and extend our geography by coordinating with companies andment center in Davis, CA, featuring Seed-Xs AI technology.farmers closer to the clients needs, we could essentially be inRedefining locations has transformed Gro Alliance, breaking two places at once. down barriers, expanding services, and increasing crop solutions. This would take a methodical and intentional approach.Weve eliminated the physical limits that once constrained our We rethought what a Gro Alliance asset is. Its not just world- business! Were always seeking new partners! Expand your seed class seed production locations. Its alsoand more importantlycompany or diversify your farmconnect with us on LinkedIn orour team of experienced seed professionals who bring diverseat www.groalliance.com to GRO together.PLANT BREEDING SOFTWAREFamily is at The Heart of Our CompanyCHRISTOPHER LEONARD President, Agronomix Softwarechristopher.leonard@agronomix.comagronomix.comAGRONOMIX SOFTWARE WASfounded in 1990 by mystarted, we only had five or six employees. Now there are 17, but father-in-law, Dieter Mulitze, to provide plant breeders, cropthat feeling of family remains. Its important to me and to my researchers and agronomists throughout the world with special- staff. Several members have commented over the years about ized tools to help them better manage and analyze their data,how much they value the feeling of family within the company. improve their research productivity and increase crop yields.We often get together outside of work for barbecues, dinners From the start, family has been central to Agronomix. Dietersand other social activities.wife was the companys CFO until it was acquired in 2022 bySuccession is important for any family-run business and Cultura Technologies and their daughter was responsible forAgronomix is no exception. Dieter has long had the future on cleaning the office as a teen. More recently, shes provided thehis mind and broached the topic of his daughter taking over the company with some of the photographic material and dronehelm many years ago, but she declined in favour of pursuing footage used on our website and social media feeds plusdreams of her own. the photo art for our office walls. Ive often joked that havingFast forward several years and the topic of succession came Agronomix in the family must have been like having a littleup again. I told my father-in-law that I had a strong interest in brother since it required the same degree of nurturing, guidingoverseeing the companys future. We started down that path, and understanding as a growing child.meeting regularly so that I could gain a deeper understanding Ive run other companies, but this one feels different. There isthe complexities of running a software company dedicated to a greater sense of responsibility and commitment when a busi- improving the working lives plant breeders worldwide. ness is family-owned and operated as well as an additional senseWhen we were acquired by Cultura just over two years ago, of pressure. I feel the need to honor Dieters vision and make surethe company started to go in a slightly different direction than Agronomix thrives well into the future.when it was family-owned, but the support and personal devel-Since joining Agronomix in 2008, Ive had the honor of work- opment that Ive received from Cultura has been significant and it ing with a diverse group of highly talented individuals. When Ifeels like we are part of a new family now.22/ SEEDWORLD.COMJANUARY 2025'