Approximately three years ago, OHIGRO surveyed its customers and found that almost two-thirds had Internet access. “With more than 600 active customers, we felt those numbers said it was time to develop a Web site,” says Jerry Ward, CEO of OHIGRO Inc., headquartered in Waldo, OH. The site, initially managed by Rooster.com, is now designed and maintained by OHIGRO's controller, Jeffrey Ward, and focuses on exposure and communication with customers rather than direct sales.

“Our Chemical Feature column is sponsored by several crop protection companies,” Ward explains, “and is a popular feature with both the customer and the companies.” Each company sponsors a column on a rotating basis; the column remains posted for one month. OHIGRO uses the sponsorship fee to help defray costs associated with maintaining its Web site.

Customer communication plays the lead role in the company's Web site. The extensive Viewpoint section features updates from company personnel on happenings or new developments in their divisions. A personal message from Ward to OHIGRO customers is always posted as well. Another popular feature is the classified section open to OHIGRO's customers.

“As a small, independent, family-owned business, we strive to treat our customers like we would like to be treated,” Ward stresses. “We're in a mature market that continues to lose farmers, so we value and take care of our clients. Our business is based on service.”

OHIGRO was founded in 1965 by James H. Ward and two business partners. James served as the plant manager in Waldo, OH. Today the business has grown to three locations in central Ohio: Waldo, Richwood and Delaware.

The business now includes a third generation of the Ward family. James's son Jerry serves as president. Jerry's son Jeffrey serves as controller, and son Joe is a crop consultant and assists in the company's site-specific division.

From the company's three locations, OHIGRO offers custom fertilizer and crop protection application; seed cleaning, treatment and sales; fertilizer and crop protection sales; precision ag services, including grid sampling, variable-rate technology and mapping; and transportation services.

“We're close enough to terminal markets that we don't offer grain storage,” Ward says, “but we do maintain a fleet of eight semis to handle farm-to-terminal grain transportation for our customers.”

Ward believes that, with 25,000 acres enrolled in its site-specific program, OHIGRO has only touched on the potential for this service. “Growers try grid sampling and they like what they see. It helps them do whatever they're doing better,” he says.

OHIGRO's pledge is to help growers obtain M.E.Y. — maximum economic yield — by applying fertilizer to nutrient-deficient areas, ensuring optimum pH and controlling input costs. Soil testing on 2.5-acre grids, variable-rate technology, and tile and yield mapping are all steps toward achieving M.E.Y.

“While we have no plans to take orders or do business over our Web site, I do see the potential for allowing farmers to access field history, soil and yield maps online,” Ward acknowledges. He still prefers to talk with customers, whether it's over the phone or face to face, for their product needs.

Ward reports that every day brings a different challenge but two of the biggest challenges for the small independently owned retailer are steadily rising health and liability insurance rates and loss of farmland to development.

“We continue to lose farm ground near Columbus to development,” Ward says, “and when we start working east to try and pick up more customers, then we're stepping on another retailer's toes.”

As in all of agriculture, the size of Ohio's farms continues to change. “Our customers either farm 300 to 600 acres with another job in town, or they're the large farmers with operations from 1,500 to 2,500 acres or larger,” Ward says. “The middle-range farmer with 600 to 1,200 acres has disappeared.”

Located primarily in corn and soybean territory, OHIGRO sells several seed brands in addition to being an Ohio certified seed dealer. It also offers seed beans, oat, rye and wheat in bags, mini-bulk and bulk containers; seed treatment for soybeans and wheat; and specialty cleaning of clover and timothy.

Forty OHIGRO employees at the three locations serve customers in Delaware, Crawford, Licking, Marion, Morrow and Union counties. Equipment rental and sales are also available.

Visit OHIGRO's Web site at OHIGRO.com.

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2007 Penton Media, Inc.