A Lesson in How to Stay Relevant in Ag Retail
April 26, 2023 
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the CropLife 100 list of top U.S. ag retailers. As I noted in my March CropLife® column, Editor Eric Sfiligoj and I are busy accumulating frequent flyer miles as we criss-cross the country visiting with ag retailers, including independents, nationals, and cooperatives, to learn how business for these companies has changed since 1984 and how they stay relevant.
My visit to Kansas-based Mid Kansas Coop (MKC) to meet with EVP and CMO Dave Spears and the team was enlightening, particularly the time we spent at the coop’s Safety Center.
On a recent follow-up call with Spears and Erik Lange, EVP and COO, we talked about MKC’s longstanding goal of “Shared growth, Shared success,” and what that means in today’s marketplace.
Spears noted that in order to achieve that goal MKC takes seriously its role as a partner to the customers it serves, its suppliers and manufacturers, and the company’s employees.
Indeed, when MKC surveys its customers about how they view their relationship with MKC, “partner” is the description that ranks highest. For employees, MKC is also a supporting partner in the 170-plus rural communities where they and their families live.
Over the last 40 years MKC has expanded through mergers and an acquisition. The growth has been thoughtful and strategic, what Spears called “good growth.”
It’s also enabled the company to stay relevant, according to Spears and Lange, which is more important than ever in the current marketplace.
For example, Spears recalled the early years when coops basically operated as warehouses.
Now, the business model is that of a service provider offering a full portfolio of products, services, equipment, and technologies operating in a fast-paced, dynamic environment comprised of proliferating regulatory requirements and changing consumer demands.
Adding to the challenges are labor issues and inflationary pressures, which compound uncertainty and drive up costs.
Staying relevant today requires an understanding of where you need to position yourself for success in the marketplace while simultaneously supporting your customers, industry partners, and employees in their respective growth paths as well.
What’s ahead for MKC and the ag retail industry?
Spears sees a bright future. The global population is increasing and “that’s a huge opportunity for American agriculture,” he said.
For MKC in particular, “We’re constantly focused on the farmer of the future and making sure we meet their needs,” Spears emphasized, adding that, “It’s like Wayne Gretzky said, ‘A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.’”
And that’s a lesson in how to stay relevant.
Let’s get growing.
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