Land O'Lakes' Truterra Creating Specialized Agronomy Network To Provide Technical Expertise To Ag Retailers

Truterra, LLC, the sustainability solutions business and subsidiary of Land O'Lakes, Inc., one of America's largest farmer-owned cooperatives, recently announced the launch of a network of specialized agronomists to support farmers' transitions to more sustainable practices. Members of the network will provide technical assistance to ag retailers and farmers working with Truterra to help them tackle common challenges farmers say they face when transitioning to regenerative management systems.

The network will leverage the expertise of three specialized agronomists: Jeremiah Durbin, Founder and CEO of Sustainable Legacy Consulting; Mitchell Hora, Founder and CEO of Continuum Ag; and Jason Strand, Owner and Operator of Strandgard Stewardship. These agronomists will be available to Truterra ag retailers, enabling them to deliver more specialized technical support for farmers seeking to transition to conservation management systems.

"The network will be a fantastic resource for both ag retailers and farmers to get extra assistance as they expand their management practices to include additional soil health benefits on their fields," said Derrick Anderson, Truterra Grower Support Specialist overseeing the network. "Truterra has identified technical expertise, especially when it comes to transitioning, as a key way we can add value for farmers and ag retailers. We are excited to make this new resource available through our network of ag retailers."

It is Truterra's goal for the network to cover a wide geographical area and assist with staff trainings, one-on-one consultations, and farmer-facing events like field days.

"The hardest thing for me when I started implementing more advanced conservation practices was not knowing where to turn. I look forward to being able to support other farmers on this same journey," said Durbin. "When you are working with soil, it's critical to have a partner out there alongside you, interpreting and helping you to understand what is happening on the ground and in the soil. Through the network, I look forward to getting out in the field to see what farmers are seeing."

"I am the seventh generation on my family's farm in southeast Iowa," said Hora. "We have been aggressively pushing the principles of soil health since 1978 and through some mistakes and a lot of learning, we have had our lightbulb moments. As a conservation agronomist, I want to help farmers uncover their own lightbulb moments to help advance the sustainability movement and position them as leaders in it."

"When I got involved with Land O'Lakes and Truterra specifically, their mission really made sense to me," said Strand. "My involvement in the network is a way for me to help other farmers take care of their soils and make a better ROI so they have a brighter future on their farms, and if they wanted, for their children to have a future in farming too."

To learn more about the network and how to tap into its expertise, visit www.truterraag.com.