FEDERATED REFLECTS ITS PEOPLE, EVEN AS THEY RETIRE

Dec 21, 2020


Jim Barthel, Federated’s crop nutrient (CN) purchasing manager, will retire at the end of this year after 40+ years serving the Federated farming community where he grew up. “Farming was in my blood,” he said, “and I’m thankful I could work in my home area.”

Barthel joined Wright County Co-op in Albertville before it wore the Federated name and he gained agronomic expertise right along with Federated’s expansion as a trusted agricultural co-op. Over the course of time, he became a go-to person at Federated, moving from agronomy sales to manager of the co-op’s western division to managing CN purchases and supply coordination. With his retirement, Barthel takes with him a great storehouse of knowledge about the land, the co-op, and the agriculture community -- knowledge gleaned over years of work.

The biggest change in ag over the past four decades has been technology. The one thing that hasn’t changed is the people, he said, adding that the relationships he’s built over the years have been “crucial and critical to my sticking around and enjoying the job.” Some of those relationships will be “friends forever” – and those people will be out fishing with him during retirement!

Barthel surmised that the “growers, patrons, and employees will map out what Federated will be in the future; the organization reflects the people who are involved.” From his standpoint, Federated looks different at each of its multiple locations, and that’s because they reflect the people who work and live in those communities.

As part of both the community and the co-op these many years, Barthel looks forward to enjoying life from a different viewpoint going forward. His “faith, family . . . and fishing” will take center stage.

Federated thanks Barthel for his years of service and wishes him the best -- and the "biggest catch" -- in retirement.

Read More News

May 24, 2023
When you care about the land, the environment, and making a living, remember the 4 Rs of nitrogen for your crops.
May 24, 2023
Yield Burst™ Technology can enhance growth and increase yields. Federated Agronomists recommend this technology and its “biostimulant actives,” including amino acids, as part of a strong crop management plan.
 
May 24, 2023
If you see four-inch weeds when you scout fields in the next few weeks, your window to control them is closing fast! It's time for post-emerge herbicide applications.
 

Related Topics