Look ahead to future innovation, service for customers

Each year, the Meister Media CropLife Top 100 ranks the nation’s leading agricultural retailers based on revenue. The annual list of national and regional cooperatives and independent ag retailers in its 40^th year in 2023 has become the gold standard for the recognition of ag retailers’ performance based on sales and service to grower customers. And the 2023 version of the list released last month features seven Aligned Ag Distributors (AAD) owners who uniquely embody the spirit of service that’s a common thread among all CropLife Top 100 members.

“The AAD owners who made the list for 2023 share some common characteristics but all provide unique leadership that enables them to maintain and strengthen both the services they provide customers as well as the relationships they develop as a result,” said AAD President Mary Tolke. “Though it wasn’t the easiest year for our owners in 2023, they all did what they needed to do to support their grower partners. That to me is what makes them leaders in the ag retail sector.”

AAD owners and their rankings in the 2023 CropLife Top 100 are:

• The McGregor Company: #24
• Grow West: #25
• Buttonwillow Warehouse Company: #28
• Mid Valley Agricultural Services, Inc.: #35
• Land View, Inc.: #58
• Willard Agri-Service: #61
• Butte County Rice Growers Association: #65

At a time when the development and adoption of new technology is becoming common in just about every corner of crop production around the country, the recognition as one of the top U.S. ag retailers is more than just a badge to Ian McGregor. The president of Colfax, Washington-based The McGregor Company, AAD owner and recent Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) president said as a longtime independent retailer, such innovation has been fundamental to his ability to evolve, maintain and advance his company’s services to growers. And AAD is a big part of that equation — and his ascension on the CropLife Top 100 — for the fourth-generation leader of his family company.

“Partnerships are so important in our business today, and as an AAD owner, we’re able to work with like-minded partners,” McGregor said. “That’s allowed us to be more focused on innovating solutions for our customers, investing time in product development and just being a better service provider for our growers.”

Those types of relationships will continue to drive continued evolution that enables AAD owners and CropLife Top 100 list members to remain among the nation’s top ag retailers in doing what their customers need.

“We know we have to show up on a regular basis, and being involved with AAD helps fortify our relationships with partners and suppliers that are actively engaged in our business,” said Grow West President Ernie Roncoroni. “Working together, we’re able to create strong relationships at the national level, and that translates to positive results all the way down to the field. Having those relationships helps us innovate and continue to serve our marketplace.”

See the full 2023 CropLife Top 100 list and find out more about McGregor, Roncoroni and other AAD owners.