SOURCE | Fall 2022 9 we are not just slapping it on price fighter products . We can ’ t be the default economy brand . We didn ’ t really brand anything in the past . And so , the mindset needs to be the brand matters and we can ’ t dilute it .”
Dreckman is no stranger to agricultural cooperatives . A Wisconsin native , he spent a good part of his career in the Midwest working in the CHS cooperative system , primarily on their energy teams . He was then promoted to a position in Colorado to oversee energy , retail , and agronomy based out of Eaton . The dry environment though would prove tough on Dreckman ’ s wife who ended up having asthmatic problems . Dreckman originally thought they would end up back in the Midwest but was soon approached by a recruiter for the General Manager position at Orange Madison . He says he didn ’ t have a lot of interest initially .
“ It was presented as a location manager position with about $ 30 million in sales , and I was coming from a position that oversaw more than five times that . But that recruiter ended up calling back a couple days later and told me the opportunity was actually for an independent cooperative . And one of the things I recognized in Virginia and along the East Coast , is that there really hadn ’ t been any consolidation . I started doing research and realized that consolidation was inevitable , that it was right on the cusp of what the Midwest had been going through for the past two decades , and the opportunity to cultivate that and grow an entity and put a stamp on that change was pretty exciting .”
Now more than three years later , Dreckman can look back on the hard work that ’ s been done so far . When he arrived , the main office staff was only comprised of himself and a credit manager on the second floor above their main retail location in Orange , Virginia . Now , he ’ s surrounded by a team of division managers , accountants , marketers , HR staff , and a controller .
“ Looking back on it – change can be slow , and you don ’ t realize how things have changed until you take a few minutes and look back .”
That change continues with EverGRO officially joining the GROWMARK System .
Orange Madison becomes the newest FS member company named EverGRO Cooperative
Dreckman says there is a lot of competition in the region and aligning with an organization the size of GROWMARK helps solidify their future .
“ We do many things well but there are many things we don ’ t have the resources to take to the next level for our producers . And that was one of our primary motivations – to fill in the gaps , not with the fundamentals but rather assistance with the things that economies of scale can help us do .”
Dreckman says training and education of the team is critical , specifically in technology and sustainability .
“ We want to make sure we are leading so our growers lean on us to provide that education – not simply to provide goods and services , but to help them be more profitable . If we are being a successful co-op at fulfilling our mission , we need to look at everything from precision ag to risk management to financing , to ensure our farmers are going to be the most profitable .”
Internally , Dreckman believes the team has made that shift and now they need to make sure their members and future customers understand that .
“ They need to understand the whole value proposition of EverGRO . That it ’ s not all about price but what our mission actually is , helping them become better producers and growers , and make sure they are around longterm . Otherwise , why does a farm co-op exist , if there are no farmers left ? That is why we are here . We think this is going to be a really great opportunity with the GROWMARK System to ensure success well into the future .”