Agronomy

Central Minnesota’s trusted farming partner for 80+ years.

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Agronomy At Central Counties

From quality seed to custom applications of fertilizers and crop protection products, Central Counties Co-op’s full-service Agronomy Division provides everything you need to maximize your farm’s productivity.

Our experienced agronomists work hard to help you maximize yield and profitability on every acre by providing agronomy services like field scouting, soil and tissue sampling, field mapping and variable rate technology solutions.

Not only can you count on us to stand behind our extensive line of products and services, but you can also trust that we’ll always provide the best advice for you and your operation – even if it’s not the best decision for our business. We take great pride in helping you make the smartest and most economical decisions for your farm to ensure that you get the best return on your crop input investments. With agronomy centers conveniently located in Litchfield and Atwater, our quality products and services are always available to meet your needs.

At Central Counties Co-op, we believe you should have a trustworthy partner in agriculture that you’re proud to do business with. Please read on to learn more about why we feel we’re the best partner for you, and give us a call to start realizing your operation’s highest potential.

Agronomy Services

Our dependable agronomy team offers a wide range of quality agronomic services at Central Counties Co-op, including the following:

Composite Soil Sampling


Composite Soil Sampling

Custom Fertilizer Applications


Custom Fertilizer Applications

Field Scouting


Field Scouting

Custom Crop Protection Applications


Custom Crop Protection Applications

Bulk Soybean Seed Treatment


Bulk Soybean Seed Treatment

Producer Input Financing


Producer Input Financing

Precision Ag

Central Counties Co-op’s reliable team of experienced agronomists uses leading technology to provide you with accurate, cost-effective field prescriptions. We leverage Climate FieldView™ to store data and help our customers identify and better manage the acres that provide the best opportunity for increased profit potential. This comprehensive precision farming solution integrates soil and tissue sampling, satellite imagery mapping and harvest data to help create customized variable rate prescriptions for your farm. We’re also proud dealers of Precision Planting® equipment.

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Ag News

Answer Plot
A person holding a stalk of corn and examining its roots, highlighting healthy development

Field Observations: New Biologicals Show Promising Start

As growers look for new ways to enhance plant health and performance throughout the season, the biological crop input market has gained popularity, particularly with row crops. To meet ...

Jul 08, 2025
Answer Plot
Grower holding MasterLock adjuvant and climbing into sprayer.

Make the Most of Your Fungicide Application

If I had a crystal ball, I could tell you how heavy disease pressure will be in the future. But since I don’t, my best advice is to use data and your trusted advisors to determine...

Jun 03, 2025
Answer Plot
Empty rain gauge on a sunny day

Tips For Managing Drought-Stressed Fields

You can purchase the right equipment, seed and inputs to set your season up for success, but you can’t control the weather. Navigating the challenges of Mother Nature is one of tr...

May 23, 2025
Answer Plot
Agricultural sprayer

Help Inputs Work Harder

To maximize profitability potential, every dollar spent on crop protection products must deliver the best possible return on investment. That’s where adjuvants come in. They&rsquo...

Apr 28, 2025

Central Counties Ag Insights

Central Counties Coop
Choosing the Right Adjuvant for the Job

Choosing the Right Adjuvant for the Job

Proper selection of adjuvants is essential for effective weed control with herbicides. In today’s world of tighter restrictions on rates and how and when to apply, the right adjac...

Jun 16, 2020
Central Counties Coop
Field Scouting Tips

Field Scouting Tips

Scouting your fields for weeds, pests, and disease is an investment you can make during the growing season to protect your crop yield potential. Each stage of the growing session has it...

Jun 16, 2020
Central Counties Coop
Getting the Most from your Fungicide Application

Getting the Most from your Fungicide Application

There are many factors to weigh when making any purchase, but ultimately it comes down to maximizing your return on investment. However, variables that are out of your control sometimes...

Jun 16, 2020

Seed

You can always rely on our agronomists to help you select the right seed for your operation. Thanks to our partnerships with the industry-leading seed companies listed below, Central Counties Co-op sells and supports some of the best corn and soybean seed on the market.

Central Counties Test Plot

New hybrids and seed varieties are constantly being introduced, so selecting the right products for your fields can be a tough task. Fortunately we help you sort through the details by providing yield data from our own test plot, which is located just east of Litchfield on Hwy 12.

Every year, we plant a variety of the region’s leading corn hybrids and soybean varieties at the test plot to observe how they perform locally. Study examples usually include straight up yield trials, precision planting technique trials and chemical trials. We hold a tour day for growers in September to view the progress; the date and time will be listed here when determined. Check out the most recent test plot results below.
 

SOYBEAN DATA CORN DATA

Seed Treatments

Once you’ve selected the right seed for your fields, it’s important to protect your investment. Central Counties Co-op has cutting edge bulk soybean seed treatment equipment on standby at our Litchfield and Atwater agronomy locations, ready to defend your soybean crop against early season disease and pests. 
 

We predominantly use Warden® CX seed treatment, which contains three fungicide modes of action to protect against threatening early season disease and the active ingredient from Cruiser® insecticide for protection against seed and foliar-feeding insects.

 

Agronomy Fertilizer

Fertilizer 

As your local source for dry and liquid fertilizers in central Minnesota, Central Counties Co-op offers a full line of crop nutrient products to help your crops stay healthy and optimize their yield potential. Many area producers rely on our custom fertilizer applications to provide their fields with the nutrients needed to optimize crop production. To maximize the return on your crop investment, our team of knowledgeable agronomists will customize the right fertility package for your fields and your bottom line.

  • Anhydrous ammonia (NH3)
  • NutrientStar ESN® polymer-coated urea
  • Liquid UAN 32% (Urea Ammonium Nitrate)
  • Custom dry blends
  • Complete lineup of WinField® United plant nutrition products, including MAX-IN® micronutrients 

We offer composite soil sampling and analysis services to help you create the ideal growing conditions in your fields before planting. Central Counties agronomists can also provide in-season scouting observations and NutriSolutions® plant tissue testing to help you determine if in-season nutrient applications are needed to give your crops a boost.

  • Toolbar & chisel plow applications
  • NH3 side dress & top dress applications
  • Variable rate treatments of up to six products at a time
  • Manure application

Crop Protection Products & Services

Central Counties Co-op carries a complete lineup of quality herbicide, insecticide and fungicide products from all of the major manufacturers to help prevent yield loss in your fields. Our experienced field agronomists are always happy to help you select the right products to tackle the challenges that weeds, pests and diseases can bring to your field in any given season.


Our Crop Protection Services
  • Crop scouting
  • Custom ground applications with high-clearance sprayers
  • Relationships with aerial applicators
Bayer Rewards Program

Through our partnership with Bayer Crop Science, we bring you the Bayer Rewards Program. Through this program, you can earn back more on every acre when you partner your seed purchase with other products in the Bayer product portfolio.

  • More Choices. Choose from a broad portfolio of high-performance products.
  • More Access. All you have to do to start taking advantage of this program is activate your account.
  • More Money. Earn money back with more flexibility. For more information on the Bayer Plus Rewards Program, contact your Central Counties Agronomist.
Bayer Rewards Registration Process
Through this program, you can earn back more on every acre when you partner your seed purchase with other products in the Bayer product portfolio.
Learn how to sign up by clicking here.
Agronomy Crop Protection

Locations

 

Central Counties Agronomy

Litchfield Agronomy 

511 Polydome Drive

Litchfield, MN 55355

Phone: 320-693-6014


Atwater 

16319 US-12

Atwater, MN 56209

Phone: 320-974-8868


Craig Bulau
Craig Bulau
Agronomy Manager

Atwater Agronomy

Kim Boike
Kim Boike
Business Administration
Zachary Carlson
Zachary Carlson
Operations
Dave Hentges
Dave Hentges
Crop Advisor
Jody Homan
Jody Homan
Ashley Kniefel
Ashley Kniefel
Business Administration
Brady Mages
Brady Mages
Crop Advisor
Wesley Miller
Wesley Miller
Operations
Tom Molenaar
Tom Molenaar
Operations
Matt Nelson
Matt Nelson
Operations
Garth Ninow
Garth Ninow
Operations
Dylan Rossell
Dylan Rossell
Atwater Location Manager
Ryan Schroepfer
Ryan Schroepfer
Operations
Brittney Schultz
Brittney Schultz
Precision Ag
Gerald Schwartz
Gerald Schwartz
Crop Advisor
Payge Swenson
Payge Swenson
Operations
Tyler Vlaminck
Tyler Vlaminck
Operations

Litchfield Agronomy

Andy Bipes
Andy Bipes
Sales
Danny Buer
Danny Buer
Sales
Ashley Hansen
Ashley Hansen
Operations
Paul Johnson
Paul Johnson
Sales
Brad Karl
Brad Karl
Precision Ag Lead
Melanie Korn
Melanie Korn
Business Administration
Harold Mackedanz
Harold Mackedanz
Operations
James Nelson
James Nelson
Operations
Tyler Nothnagel
Tyler Nothnagel
Operations
Jim Olson
Jim Olson
Sales
Todd Reinke
Todd Reinke
Crop Advisor
Nick Rudie
Nick Rudie
Operations
Pete Schmidt
Pete Schmidt
Sales
Kathy Skalberg
Kathy Skalberg
Business Administration
Brian Stafford
Brian Stafford
Operations
Scotty Straub
Scotty Straub
Operations
Mike Tintes
Mike Tintes
Operations
Joseph Carlson
Joseph Carlson
Operations
Jeremy Chastek
Jeremy Chastek
Operations
Paul Hervey
Paul Hervey
Operations
Ricky Kalkbrenner
Ricky Kalkbrenner
Operations
Nickolas Kuechle
Nickolas Kuechle
Operations
Ely Peterson
Ely Peterson
Operations
Kevin Seidel
Kevin Seidel
Operations
David Urdahl
David Urdahl
Operations