Dealer Spotlight (Northeast): Agro-Chem
/Going strong after 38 years in business, Wabash, Indiana’s Agro-Chem is a leader in BBI’s dealer network.
Founded by Ernie Peas in 1975, Agro-Chem operates locations in Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio. The company started as a way for Peas to address farming needs in the area, as local farmers began applying their own chemicals to their crops. Through the years, Peas and the team at Agro-Chem have expanded their product line to include equipment for storing, handling and applying chemicals, liquid fertilizer, dry fertilizer, and anhydrous ammonia.
Agro-Chem has also defined itself as a leader in providing precision agriculture technology products. Through its Precision Ag department, the dealership connects customers with BBI-compatible software from leading providers like Tee-Jet, Raven, and AgLeader.
Over the last decade, Agro-Chem has continued to grow under the expanded leadership with Ernie’s three sons, Mark, Brian, and Brad. The Peas brothers, all graduates of Purdue University, one of the top agribusiness schools in the country, have kept the company moving forward, integrating new equipment and technologies critical to taking local farmers to the next level of production.
Agro-Chem routinely collaborates with BBI Spreaders on the ag show circuit. In the last year, the two companies have worked to promote BBI products at the national level through the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky, in addition to sharing a booth presence at three regional shows in Agro-Chem’s territory: Indiana’s Fort Wayne Farm Show, the Illinois-Indiana Farm Show, and Ohio State University’s area favorite, the Farm Science Review.
The company stocks a full complement of BBI Spreaders, including MagnaSpread and Endurance, the company’s flagship hydraulic lines for large-acreage applications of fertilizer, lime, and organic materials, as well as Liberty, BBI’s top line of mechanical, ground-wheel-drive spreaders geared for small to mid-sized farms.
According to Lee Kilpatrick, BBI’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Agro-Chem represents a true cornerstone of the company’s dealer network. “Agro-Chem has always been a well-run company, staying true to what we want to see from our dealers,” stated Kilpatrick. “Ernie Peas built this business through always seeing ahead, adding new innovations to keep his customers happy and advancing their businesses. Over the last several years, I’ve seen Ernie transition the leadership of Agro-Chem to his sons, much in the same way many of our farming customers must do. His sons have added their own personal touch to the business, taking many of their father’s ideas and adding many of their own to make Agro-Chem stronger than ever.”
For more information on Agro-Chem, please visit their dealer website at www.agrochem.com.
A strong start is vital for the successful growth of any crop, including winter wheat. While many wheat growers focus on preparing the seedbed and ensuring optimal seed placement, there is one important element that may be overlooked in some winter wheat programs: starter phosphorus.