BRANDT acquires retail agronomy company - Morton Fertilizer

Date:08-06-2020

BRANDT has acquired a retail agronomy company, Morton Fertilizer, with full-service locations in Wyanet, IL, and Grand Mound, IA.

Morton Fertilizer, which encompasses D&B Morton Fertilizer Service, Inc. of Bureau County, IL and Du-Mor Crop Care, Inc. of Clinton County, IA, will immediately become part of the BRANDT organization, strengthening the company’s commitment to Central Illinois while providing BRANDT’s first outlet in Iowa.

“We welcome Morton Fertilizer to the BRANDT family,” said Rick Brandt, CEO & President of BRANDT. “Gary Morton and his team at Morton Fertilizer share our values, putting agronomic service and trusted advice first. A family business, they were even founded the same year as BRANDT: 1953.”

The acquisition of Morton Fertilizer fits BRANDT’s aggressive corporate strategy of providing superior agronomic advice and services to Illinois growers. The combined company has 27 retail locations throughout central Illinois and one location in Iowa. BRANDT serves more than one million acres of production farmland, offering a broad range of services, including plant nutrients, crop protection products, precision Ag, seeds and custom application.

Morton Fertilizer will be integrated into the BRANDT Agronomic Services operating company, under the leadership of Chief Operating Officer & Executive Vice President Tim McArdle and Vice President John Allen.

“We have been working on this transaction for more than five years. It took patience, tenacity and vision to get it done,” said McArdle. “I want to thank Gary for sticking with us and recognizing that together we can provide world class services and trusted advice to his legacy customers. That’s what he built his business on and we are committed to carrying that forward.”

Gary Morton, owner of Morton Fertilizer, and his seven full-time employees will become members of Team BRANDT immediately. Morton will remain with BRANDT as manager of the BRANDT Wyanet location, providing operations management and key account leadership. Mark Jacobs, the current manager of Grand Mound, IA, will continue on as the BRANDT Grand Mound plant manager.

“I’m excited that we now have certainty for the future with a company that shares our founding philosophy,” said Morton. “Our whole team is thrilled to be part of the BRANDT organization, as now we can provide an even higher level of customer care. But the real winners are our customers. BRANDT Agronomic Services provides the best advice in the business and offers world-class input products. We know: We have been proud to carry BRANDT Smart Trio for years.”

Morton Fertilizer was founded in 1953 by Don Morton. He purchased the Iowa location in 1977, beginning operation in the fall of 1977.

“This is an important move for BRANDT, representing our first retail foray into Iowa,” said Rick Brandt. “We are committed to advancing the business that Gary’s father founded and to taking care of the Morton team. Together we will continue to deliver for our customers and build on this terrific business.”