CHS: Meet Our Agronomists

As consumers, it can be easy to forget all the hard work, time, people, and even science that goes into producing our food. All we need to do to put food on our family’s table is go to the grocery store, farmer’s market, or order it online for delivery. When it’s that easy, it’s no wonder we often overlook what’s going on behind the scenes. But even if you have some knowledge of farming and the crop industry, there’s much more going on in the background — and even underground than meets the eye. That’s where agronomists come in!

In a basic sense, agronomists are scientists who research ways to optimize field-crop production and soil management. But they do so much more. Below, learn about CHS agronomists and all the ways they help our agricultural industry thrive.

1. Agronomy is more than just the study of field-crop production and soil management.

It’s no secret that running a farm is no easy feat, but just how much science is involved is an often-forgotten fact. Agronomists make chemical and fertility recommendations for crops as well as help with farm planning to optimize production. CHS agronomists are able to analyze a producer’s soil and offer council about the right fertilizer, laid at the right time, in the proper places. This, in turn, can improve the health of their land, increase yield, and boost overall crop health. 

2. Agronomists make small decisions that have big impact.

When a CHS Big Sky agronomist was a child, she watched as her father made choices for their family farm that went on to cause big changes. “After attending college for agriculture and becoming a producer with my husband on our farm, I realized it is the single decisions that the producer makes in the field that make an impact in the agriculture industry.” These choices can reduce compaction and erosion, increase overall crop production and quality, and maintain sustainability. They may be single decisions, but they end up impacting thousands of people from the farmer all the way to the consumer.

3. Agronomy is about caring for and making connections with the local community.

Helping a farmer get the most out of the land means that you’re not only benefiting them, you’re helping hundreds, if not thousands of people get fresh, local produce. “I’m contributing to something larger than just me,” says a CHS agronomist about why she became one. “Agriculture is filled with a vast number of unpredictable variables and to the producer, some of those variables can be a make-or-break-it point for their operation. If I have the ability to help producers sustain their form of production, then I am not only contributing to agriculture as a whole, but I am contributing to something much larger; those producers’ livelihoods.” Another CHS agronomist echoed that sentiment: “I enjoy working with growers, learning about their operations, listening to their challenges, and trying to find ways to help them be more productive.”

Agronomy is an ever-changing field, but it’s based on a passion for nature, a devotion to agriculture, and an ability to adapt to change. To learn more about the agronomists at CHS and all the incredible things they’re doing for the local community — and beyond, go to CHSBigSky.com and CHSCutBank.com.