CropLife released its annual list of the top 100 ag retailers in December. At first glance, the 2021 ranking looks extremely similar to its predecessor. Once again, sitting atop the list were agribusiness giants such as Nutrien Ag Solutions, Helena Agri-Enterprises, Simplot Grower Solutions, and GROWMARK.
Rank: 56 Previous rank: 48 2021 Revenue: $66-$100 million Allied Cooperative formed in 2013 following the merger of Wisconsin River Co-op and Farmers’ Co-op Supply & Shipping Association. The Wisconsin-based cooperative fell seven spots in the 2021 rankings.
Rank: 43 Previous rank: 35 2021 Revenue: $66-$100 million River Valley’s main goal is to increase the efficiency and productivity of its members’ agribusiness operations. The Iowa-based cooperative fell seven spots in the 2021 rankings.
Rank: 17 Previous rank: 8 2021 Revenue: $201 million-$1 billion Since its beginning as Virginia Seed Service in 1923, Southern States has been at the forefront of agricultural advances throughout its years in business. The Richmond, VA-based cooperative fell nine spots in the 2021 rankings.
Rank: 64 Previous rank: 73 2021 Revenue: $51-$65 million AgriPartners takes great pride in building strong relationships with successful growers across the region, and we turn those relationships into bonds that span the generations. The South Dakota-based dealership jumped nine spots in the 2021 rankings.
Rank: 70 Previous rank: 79 2021 Revenue: $26-$50 million Sims Fertilizer & Chemical is committed to being the best at identifying and delivering solutions along with outstanding services to enhance our customers, bottom line. The Kansas-based retailer climbed nine spots in the 2021 rankings.
Rank: 78 Previous rank: 68 2021 Revenue: $26-$50 million Farm Service, Inc. is a member-owned agricultural retail cooperative based in Walnut Ridge, AR. The retailer fell 10 spots in the 2021 rankings.
Rank: 47 Previous rank: 57 2021 Revenue: $66-$100 million Premier Companies is a farmer-owned cooperative founded in 1927. The Indiana-based retailer climbed 10 spots in the 2021 rankings.
Rank: 55 Previous rank: 44 2021 Revenue: $66-$100 million Carolina Eastern-Vail Inc., better known to the ag community as CaroVail, has been dedicated to serving farmers for more than 40 years. The New York-based dealership fell 11 spots in the 2021 rankings.
Rank: 49 Previous rank: 32 2021 Revenue: $66-$100 million Frenchman Valley Cooperative, Inc. has a long history of serving area agricultural producers, providing crop and livestock inputs and services, grain marketing and storage, finance and crop insurance services, petroleum and transportation. Headquartered in Imperial, NE, the cooperative fell 17 spots in the 2021 rankings.
Rank: 71 Previous rank: 93 2021 Revenue: $26-$50 million In 1946, farmers in the community of Pratum, just east of Salem, OR, founded a co-op to handle the prime seed produced in the fertile soil of our Willamette Valley. The co-op became known as Pratum Co-op and became a supplier of fertilizer, crop protection and petroleum products. The retailer jumped 22 spots in the 2021 rankings. To view more CropLife 100 content, including the full 2021 list, historical rankings, company profiles, and a downloadable report, visit www.croplife.com/top100.
But a closer look reveals the prestigious CropLife 100 also has numerous movers and shakers that jumped up (or down) the rankings. The reasons for the volatility within the list are plenty — continued consolidation, trade tariffs, weather woes, and of course, the pandemic.
While it’s common to see companies moving up or down a few spots from year to year, this past year’s ranking saw 10 ag retailers either rise or fall at least eight spots, including one Oregon cooperative that skyrocketed up the CropLife 100. View the slideshow above to look at some of the companies that improved their standing (or fell significantly) since the previous year, in reverse order of movement.
Editor’s note: Companies included in the 2021 CropLife 100 listings were limited to independent dealerships and cooperatives that offer fertilizer, crop protection, seed, and custom application services. Figures do not include a host of services, such as data management, consulting/scouting, or grain elevator revenue. Dealerships and cooperatives are ranked in order by total sales in their respective sales group.
