Agriculturist

Position Title: Agriculturist

Location: Greeley, CO

Position Overview

The Western Sugar Cooperative has a challenging opportunity for an Agriculturist. This position is responsible for maintaining grower/shareholder relationships with the cooperative. They will provide technical agronomy advice on raising sugar beets, contract sugar beets for delivery and manage the harvest of the cooperatives sugar beet harvest. The agriculturist will also monitor sugar beet piles being stored for processing at the local factory.

Essential Functions

• Live our Core Values of: Being a Safety Leader, Integrity, Openness & Trust, Teamwork, Entrepreneurship, and Social Responsibility,
• Advise and provide counsel with growers in all phases of beet growing from land selection through harvest.
• Advise growers in rotation, fertilizing, irrigation, and cropping practices, and encourage proper soil sampling. This will require frequent visits to all grower fields during the growing season.
• Understanding and discussing terms of beet contract and represent the Company in the actual signing of this and other related documents with the grower.
• Work with individual growers in his/her assigned district to promote increased sugar content and improve sugar beet quality.
• Continue to keep abreast of new programs and research that will help to meet the needs of the grower.
• Keep abreast of current developments in the fields of herbicides, insecticides, nematicides, fertilization, irrigation practices and approved sugar beet varieties.
• Supervise the harvesting and receiving of all sugar beets grown in assigned district.
• Supervise the pile covering, storage, and reloading of beets at assigned stations.
• Responsible for ensuring that all training and safety orientation is completed.
• Knowledge of the equipment used to prepare the soil, plant, spray, Cultivate, and harvest sugar beets, and is able to relate this basic knowledge to their growers.
• Oversee the root sampling of the grower’s fields.
• Prepare crop and acreage estimates and other reports as required.
• Maintain complete grower agronomic records and use them to promote improved beet quality.
• Communicate verbally and in writing, including the ability to read and understanding oral and written policies, safety and environmental requirements, and other company policies.
• Work with other Agronomists of the Cooperative, as well as personnel from the University of region, to determine the needs and parameters of the research to be conducted.
• Oversee the setup and implementation of appropriate sugar beet trials in their district.
• Represent the Company in their community organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, service organizations, committees, etc., and advise Company management of community concerns.
• Participate in grower education meetings, the Annual Agricultural Symposium and other training meetings.

Skill & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree preferred, with an emphasis on degree in an Ag or business-related field.
• 2-3 years experienced preferred as an Agronomist or Crop Consultant
• Excellent computer competence (outlook, word, PowerPoint, excel, safety process software)
• Considerable knowledge of sugar beet harvesting production and agronomy.
• Ability to manage multiple projects effectively.

• Hold a valid driver’s license.
• Possess farming knowledge/experience and agricultural aptitude.

• Friendly, results oriented, and collaborative.

• Understanding of the sugar beet industry including the process from planting through harvest (i.e., operations, beet crop purchase, storage, trucking operations, etc.).

Working Relationship:

• Reports to Vice President of Ag.

Employment Requirements:

• Must be at least 18 years of age.

Travel Requirements:

• Up to 25%