Turnrow Talk with
Todd Harris, Nutrien Ag
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Turnrow Talk with
Todd Harris started his career at Nutrien Ag by collecting soil samples. With 17 years at the company, he now is the sales manager at the Tipton, Indiana, and Fairmount, Indiana, locations. His supervisor recognized the relationships Harris had in the community and asked him to try sales, but Harris had to prove himself. Within six months, he had met his supervisor’s goals, and he and his team have been helping grow the business ever since.
Relationships drive success, and Harris works at building relationships with his customers so they know they can call him with questions, concerns and wins. Harris enjoys watching his team and customers succeed and feeling like he plays a part in it. The camaraderie with his Nutrien Ag team and the farmers he serves is his favorite part about agriculture.
“You have to be happy with what you do, and that’s what I love about being here with all these guys. All I’ve ever wanted to do was be a part of ag.”
Although he doesn’t consider himself a farm kid, Harris did spend a lot of time with his grandfather who raised show pigs.
“I had no desire to do anything but raise pigs when I was kid,” Harris says. “I knew there were easier careers to get into, but I also knew my heart wouldn’t be in those jobs.”
After running a commercial hog farm for 15 years, Harris wondered what was next. One thing was certain: He knew it would be in agriculture. Through the relationships he had developed, he connected with Nutrien Ag and began the next phase of his career.
“People give me a hard time and ask why in the world would I go to work at 4 in the morning,” Harris says. “But to me, it doesn’t seem like a job. It’s fun.”
Harris likes to have the day lined out for his team members so when they arrive between 6 and 7 a.m., they can grab their clipboards and do what they need to for the day.
“I have a tremendous team,” Harris says. “We spend more time together than we do with our families six months or so out of the year. So, we’re family.”
For Harris, one of his main goals is for everyone who works for him to be happy. He is a firm believer that you treat people the way you want to be treated, and that goes for the farmers he and his team work with, too.
Harris has three basic rules for those who work with him:
- Don’t lie to him.
- Don’t come in late.
- If you mess up, just tell him because everyone makes mistakes.
Harris is grateful Nutrien Ag has let him learn the business and grow with the company. He credits his two supervisors for giving him that chance.
“I was a kid who didn’t know anything about ag, and they let me grow with them,” he says. “They put trust in me. I tell people that with Nutrien, the sky’s the limit. I feel like I’m part of something big.”
Ten years ago, when Harris became a manager, he joined Monday manager meetings with five others. Now, there are 16 managers on the call. Harris also has helped install an automated system to load crop protection products more efficiently, and he is excited about the new Tipton facility, currently under construction. Harris says it’s amazing to see where they’ve been and how they’ve expanded over time. “We’ve grown the business a little bit,” he says humbly.
One partner that has helped Harris build the business is Corteva Agriscience.
“When I first started as a salesperson, I had a rep who came in and helped me absolutely build my business,” Harris says. “She was very good. She knew the products, and I learned how to sell her products by listening to her over and over.”
Although the Corteva Agriscience territory manager has changed throughout the years, Harris says, the stellar service has remained. Corteva helps with Harris’ questions and those of his customers, and to top it off, Corteva’s products work the way the company says they will. Of course, no job is 100% complaint-free, but the support from Corteva coupled with the relationships Harris works hard to build help him navigate times when plans change or don’t go as intended.
“Things don’t always go right, and farmers may give us a hard time sometimes, but they also show they appreciate what we’re doing for them.”
Harris started recommending SureStart® herbicide years ago, and he and his team now are incorporating new products, such as Resicore® REV and Kyro™ herbicides, from the portfolio. He also recommends N-Serve® and Instinct NXTGEN® nitrogen stabilizers to protect the growers’ nitrogen investment.
“I truly believe in using a nitrogen stabilizer,” Harris says. “I had it explained to me like this: If you have a hole in your fence, do you buy more cows or just fix the fence?”
Corteva provides the training Harris and his team need to make sure they are up to speed on products. The open-door relationship with his Corteva Agriscience representative keeps him prepared for anything new that he and his customers may need.
“Corteva has always been very, very good to me, and I appreciate that,” Harris says. “They’re the ones that ultimately got me on a roll of selling things due to the help I had from my first rep. I will always be grateful for that.”
Instinct NXTGEN®, Kyro™, Resicore® REV and SureStart® are not registered for sale or use in all states. Kyro, Resicore REV and SureStart are not available for sale, distribution or use in Nassau and Suffolk counties in the state of New York. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Do not fall-apply anhydrous ammonia south of Highway 16 in the state of Illinois. Always read and follow the label directions.
Todd Harris, Nutrien Ag
Todd Harris says his longevity with Nutrien Ag is thanks to the relationships he’s built along the way with customers, his team and his Corteva rep.