Meristem Crop Performance Group, LLC and Bill Rutledge of Buckeye Ag Solutions of New Washington, Ohio, announced a new dealership agreement to serve farmers in North Central Ohio.
Under the new relationship, Bill Rutledge and Garrett Kraft and their business, Buckeye Ag Solutions, will carry the Meristem Crop Performance product line and become Meristem’s allies in helping Ohio farmers make the most of every dollar they spend on crop inputs.
“These two agronomy professionals are known for good advice that helps growers make the most of every dollar they spend on crop inputs,” says Mitch Eviston, Meristem Founder and CEO, in announcing the agreement. “They are exactly the sort of service-oriented leaders we want to work with to serve as many growers as we can with high-quality products at a lower cost to farmers.”
Buckeye Ag Solutions currently offers Pioneer Seed, agronomic consulting, crop protection and custom application. The alliance with Meristem will now add adjuvants, micronutrients and biologicals to the line-up. Rutledge, who also farms his own ground, says he and Kraft are building Buckeye Ag Solutions to provide the best return on investment (ROI) to their grower-customers and Meristem aligns perfectly with that mission.
“Meristem Crop Performance is geared to reducing waste in the distribution system and that attention to cost control helps keeps costs lower. That, combined with the quality we’ve seen them deliver, is what’s attractive to us.” He says the alliance with Meristem will enable Buckeye to help farmers make the most of every pass they take through the field, with high quality inputs at prices that help farmers make more money and keep more of what they earn.
Buckeye Ag Solutions will now offer Meristem’s product portfolio, including seed treatments under the brand RACEREADY and HOPPER THROTTLE, REVLINE plant growth regulators, TRUTRACK drift control, AQUADRAFT water conditioners and surfactants, UPSHIFT starter fertilizers and HOMESTRETCH nitrogen stabilizers, micronutrients, and foliar nutritionals. Of special interest is a line of biologicals Meristem is bringing to market, including EXCAVATOR, a new biological designed to break down tough crop residue.
“We are especially impressed with the all-in-one adjuvants they have,” says Rutledge, “as well as their foliar products. We need to help our growers make the most of every trip they take through the field and Meristem has high-quality products that can help us do exactly that.”
Rutledge says he and Kraft are intent on building a lasting business and view Meristem as part of the continued sustainability. Both partners are married and have children growing up in the area around New Washington, Ohio.
“We’re rural farm families,” he says, “just like the farm families we serve around here. We want to be good stewards of what we have, land, farms and family.”
“We’ve set up Meristem to cut waste from the distribution channel while providing high-quality crop input additives to help American farmers reduce costs and increase yield, so they are more competitive in a global market,” adds Eviston. “Now, with the help of Bill and Garrett and Buckeye Ag Solutions, we’ll be able to connect with more of the farmers who can benefit.”
