A visit to Thompsons Ltd. might be the only stop farmers need to make

Producers can get crop inputs and access profitability mapping through their local Thompsons location

By Farms.com

An Ontario agribusiness is striving to be a one-stop shop for producers.

Thompsons Limited offers “full service for farmers. We’re a full-service retailer and a majority of our businesses work with grain purchasing as well,” said Bryan Stennett, sales manager for farm services and seed at Thompsons.

Farmers can purchase their fungicides, herbicides, fertilizer and seed from Thompsons. They can also monitor their crop inputs’ performance using the company’s Farm Pro profitability mapping software.

When all of this information is combined, it gives farmers a unique look at their operations, said Colin Elgie, an agricultural consultant with Thompsons.

“The software gives farmers a different way to look at their fields,” he explained. “Instead of focusing strictly on yield per acre and productivity, it puts a cost of production on every part of their fields. The software uses yield data, as well as any as applied data or satellite imagery, to give us a picture of where we’re making or losing money within every field.”

After farmers harvest their crops, they can also market their grain through Thompsons’ grain marketing services.

The experienced grain originators are in constant contact with producers, ensuring they receive the latest market information.

“We communicate through email and text, and I pass information onto (clients) about what’s going on in the market,” said Heather Moffatt, a grain originator with Thompsons. “Then we pick a point when we think it’s a good time to sell grain.”

Farmers can visit one of 13 Thompsons locations in Ontario: