A Q&A With AGCO’s Darren Goebel: What It Means to Be a Part of PACE
September 26, 2022 
We sat down with PACE Advisory Council member Darren Goebel from AGCO Corporation to hear his thoughts on the inaugural PACE Executive Forum — a new conference born out of CropLife Media Group’s longstanding PACE Initiative. For over 25 years, the PACE Advisory Council has been effective in breaking down silos among the many sectors of agriculture and ag input distribution by sharing challenges and opportunities, learning from one another, and developing strategies for future action.
CropLife: Hi Darren, can you take a moment to tell us a little bit about yourself?
Darren Goebel: I grew up working on an average size farm in Southwest Indiana. We raised hogs and grew corn, wheat, soybeans, and pumpkins. My Dad sparked my interest in agriculture and encouraged me to go to Purdue University to study Agronomy. There I finished with an M.S. in Agronomy with a focus in Soil Fertility and Crop Diagnostics. After a brief stint back on our family farm, I joined John Deere as an agronomist and then later in various sales, marketing, and management roles.
After 10 years with Deere, I joined DuPont Pioneer as an Area Agronomist and then later as a Precision Services Sales Lead. I learned a lot over those 10 years with Pioneer, having a chance to really hone my agronomy skills by consulting with farmers throughout Southern Indiana, Southern Illinois, and Eastern Missouri.
When I saw a chance to join AGCO I jumped at the opportunity because I truly love the equipment side of farming. I have been with AGCO for the past seven years and have had an opportunity to work with our Crop Care division and our Fuse (Precision Agriculture) division in both commercial and product-centric roles. Today, I lead a Global Agronomy team that is working to understand top agronomic and economic problems that farmers need help solving. We work with our product development team to develop innovative smart solutions to tackle tough problems. It is a role that I relish because it keeps me and my team in the field working closely with farmers.
CL: How long have you been a member of the PACE Advisory Council?
DG: I have been associated with PACE for the past five years.
CL: What made you want to be part of PACE?
DG: A colleague at AGCO told me about PACE and recommended that I participate. Once part of the group, I found a very diverse group that was interested in learning from one another.
Darren Goebel, AGCO
CL: Have you attended past PACE meetings? What value came out of those meetings for you?
DG: I attended three PACE meetings prior to COVID. The biggest value is the opportunity to network and discuss key trends and industry drivers. Many of the issues are challenging the way farmers farm and others affect the industry that supports farmers. We always have animated debates that tend to go over the allotted time…and we do that because the topics we are discussing are interesting and beneficial as we work to find ways to continue to make agriculture and how we support farmers better.
CL: As a board member, why do you think it is beneficial to have opened this forum to a larger group of delegates?
DG: It would be a shame to keep all of the learning to ourselves, and it’s equally important to hear from new thought leaders.
CL: What are you most looking forward to this October?
DG: Unfortunately, I have a conflict and will not be able to attend (AGCO will instead be represented by Craig Jorgensen). I would love to see everyone face to face and hear what’s changed in the last few years. I also think the outlook for the future of farmers is going to be good but not without challenges. I would have liked to hear everyone’s thoughts on that.
CL: What would you tell your colleagues about PACE?
DG: It’s worth your time. Gaining new perspectives not only keeps you fresh but also helps prepare you and your business for the future.
CL: What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our industry today?
DG: There are a lot of challenges but probably the toughest one is the volatility in commodity markets and input prices. It makes it very difficult for farmers to plan, which leads to challenges up and down the supply chain. We also have some pretty big issues regarding how we farm. On one hand, our population is growing and will continue to demand more and more food. On the other hand, many are beginning to demand that we change the way we farm, reducing fertilizer, pesticides, and tillage while at the same time expecting higher quality food. This will require innovation and likely education to avoid food shortages.
CL: Considering these challenges, why do you feel this event is critical to attend?
DG: As mentioned earlier gaining insights from the conference as well as from attendees will help get participants prepared for the future.
Note: Craig Jorgensen, who is the National Accounts Manager for Application Equipment at AGCO Corporation, will be a panelist at the PACE Executive Forum taking place October 27-28 in Kansas City, MO. During this panel discussion, he’ll be talking about how data-driven agriculture is reshaping agriculture and creating a new environment for retailers to enhance and expand value. You can view the agenda, learn more and register, here.
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