When one thinks of the CropLife 100 — an exclusive ranking of the top 100 largest ag retailers in the U.S. — it’s easy to draw your attention to those companies based in the Corn Belt. Afterall, about 40% of these dealerships are headquartered in states like Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Nebraska.
1
of
8
1
of
8
8 | Foster-Gardner, Inc.
California rank: No. 8 CropLife 100 rank: No. 98 Headquarters: Coachella, CA 2021 Revenue: Less than $25 million Profile:Foster-Gardner, Inc. in Coachella, CA, has been providing fertilizers, insecticides, and more to the area for more than 60 years.
2
of
8
7 | AgRx
California rank: No. 7 CropLife 100 rank: No. 63 Headquarters: Oxnard, CA 2021 Revenue: $51 to $65 million Profile:AgRx, a leading independent supplier of traditional and organic crop protection and nutrient products, serves Northern Los Angeles County to Southern San Luis Obispo County. The retailer combines state-of-the-art equipment, trained and motivated employees, and more than 100 years of business experience.
3
of
8
6 | Butte County Rice Growers Association
California rank: No. 6 CropLife 100 rank: No. 62 Headquarters: Richvale, CA 2021 Revenue: $51 to $65 million Profile:Butte County Rice Growers Association was founded in 1914 by 30 farmers who felt the need to have combined representation in marketing their rice. Since that humble beginning over a century ago, BUCRA has grown into a company of more than 400 growers, multiple lines of business including Seed, Supplies, Drying/Storage, and Marketing.
4
of
8
5 | Stanislaus Farm Supply
California rank: No. 5 CropLife 100 rank: No. 61 Headquarters: Modesto, CA 2021 Revenue: $51 to $65 million Profile: When you’re a farmer-owned company, the local growers — not big-city investors — drive the way you do business. That’s why the professionals at Stanislaus Farm Supply listen to the area farmers who make up its nine-member board of directors.
5
of
8
4 | Gar Bennett
California rank: No. 4 CropLife 100 rank: No. 38 Headquarters: Reedley, CA 2021 Revenue: $101 to $200 million Profile: The recent merger of GAR Tootelian Inc. and Bennett & Bennett Irrigation and Pump to form GAR Bennett LLC has added a new dimension of services to the nation’s oldest and largest, single location retailer. GAR Bennett’s culture continues to be based on a simple principal… “you take care of the customer, they will take care of you”. The company success lies in a highly engaged, well-trained staff with a laser-like focus on getting things right on the first try for it’s now nearly 2,000 grower customers that farm some 300 crops throughout the Central Valley of California.
6
of
8
3 | Mid Valley Agricultural Services
California rank: No. 3 CropLife 100 rank: No. 25 Headquarters: Oakdale, CA 2021 Revenue: $101 to $200 million Profile:Mid Valley Agricultural Services opened its doors in 1983 with the goal of providing a full range of products and services to customers in the northern San Joaquin Valley of California.
7
of
8
2 | Buttonwillow Warehouse Co.
California rank: No. 2 CropLife 100 rank: No. 22 Headquarters: Bakersfield, CA 2021 Revenue: $201 million to $1 billion Profile:Buttonwillow Warehouse Co. is a family owned and operated business with more than 50 years of experience serving California farmers. Originally started as a grain elevator and warehouse, the company diversified into distributing fertilizers and crop protection products in 1970.
8
of
8
1 | Grow West
California rank: No. 1 CropLife 100 rank: No. 20 Headquarters: Woodland, CA 2021 Revenue: $201 to $1 billion Profile:Grow West is a local, independently-owned operation, with 325 employees, 5,000+ customers, and 15 retail, farm supply, and wholesale manufacturing locations throughout California.
To view the full CropLife 100 list, including historical rankings, visit www.croplife.com/top100.
But a closer look at our rankings reveals a number of first-rate retailers are operating on the West Coast, in particular California. From small, independent operations like Foster-Gardner, Inc. (ranked No. 98 in 2021), to larger dealers such as Grow West (No. 20), the Golden State is home to eight ag retailers in our latest ranking. To find out all of the California-based companies that made the list (in reverse order of sales), view the slideshow.
Advertisement
Editor’s note: Companies included in the 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.
MACA Announces 2024 Young Leader Scholarship Program Recipients
775Top 8 Ag Retailers Based in California in 2021
Subscribe Today For
In today’s complex and fast-paced crop production sector, the team at CROPLIFE keeps 21,000 agricultural retailers, distributors and their suppliers up to date on such decidedly 21st century issues as seed technology, biotechnology, precision agriculture, customer service and retention, and business management. See all author stories here.
