As sustainability expectations from various stakeholders persist, CPG companies are under pressure to demonstrate meaningful progress within their supply chains. Yet many overlook one of the most valuable partners in this work: the local ag retailer. The role of an ag retailer extends far beyond farm-gate product recommendations: they are uniquely equipped to help companies design practical interventions, accelerate adoption, and ensure accurate reporting.
Positioned at the intersection of commodity production, data analytics, and trusted farmer relationships, ag retailers bring insights and influence that can significantly strengthen sustainability initiatives. Ag retailers are an often overlooked but essential teammate for CPG companies seeking authentic connections and tangible impacts. Including them strengthens your strategy in three key ways:
1. Local Expertise Drives Long‑Lasting Solutions
On‑farm sustainability is never one‑size‑fits‑all. Each farm, and often each field, requires tailored management recommendations. What succeeds in one region may fall short in another. Ag retailers work closely with farmers, regularly walking fields, evaluating performance, recommending solutions, and analyzing post‑harvest data. Their familiarity with local conditions allows them to develop realistic, long‑term recommendations that farmers can have confidence in. Practice change is only sustainable if it works in the long run, and ag retailers can help ensure it does.
2. Trusted Advisors Accelerate Adoption
Changing production practices carries cost, risk, and uncertainty. Farmers get one chance each season to make the right decisions, so they rely heavily on trusted advisors. According to a 2025 Purdue University Large Commercial Producer survey, retailers and salespeople are consistently ranked as being influential drivers in the decision-making process for farmers Because they’ve earned farmers’ confidence, ag retailers can help introduce new practices more effectively than outside voices.
3. Accurate Data Strengthens Reporting
High‑quality sustainability reporting depends on accurate, primary on‑farm data. Asking growers to share their production data can feel as intrusive as requesting their financial records. Concerns about scrutiny, regulation, or the burden of compiling data can limit participation in sustainability programs that require this type of detailed reporting. Ag retailers help bridge this divide by collecting, verifying, anonymizing, and aggregating accurate data before sharing it downstream, improving both data integrity and farmer comfort.
Building a sustainable supply chain requires more than ambitious goals—it requires partners who understand the realities of modern farming and can bridge the gap between corporate objectives and on‑farm outcomes. Ag retailers offer the localized expertise, trusted relationships, and data integrity needed to make sustainability efforts both credible and lasting. Including an ag retailer in your strategy isn’t just beneficial; it is essential to achieving durable, measurable progress.
Want to know more about how to incorporate an ag retailer into your sustainability program? Check out this article from the Midwest Row Crop Collaborative: https://midwestrowcrop.org/news-press/agricultural-retailers-are-key-in-scaling-regenerative-practice-adoption/
Mercer Landmark is a leader in on-farm sustainability and seeking supply chain collaborators. Let’s make progress together https://mercerlandmark.com/contact/
The mission of Mercer Landmark Inc. is to make a difference by providing profitable solutions that keep agricultural producers and communities growing. Mercer Landmark is a farmer-owned cooperative with over 300 employees and 20+ locations throughout northwest Ohio. Our team is fully equipped to provide customers with the industry knowledge and expertise they need to make smart, profitable decisions for their operation. Our continuous investment in our people, facilities and technology has allowed us to expand our offerings, provide the best service and solutions for our customers and help contribute to our mission to safely and effectively Feed the World.