Frequently Asked Questions

There is a simple equation for Profits: (Yield * Price) – Expense = Profit
This equation exists under the unknowns of RISK and TIME
CENTROL helps growers by:

• Increasing Yield
• Reducing Expense
• Decreasing Risk
• Saving Time
• Reducing Stress

CENTROL clients have indicated that they receive from $3.00 to $10.00 return for every dollar they invest for our services.

But let’s hear what others say!

“Crop consultants are one of the best investments a farmer can make!”
- Rick Morgan, Farm Business Management Instructor, Moorhead, MN

“High yield farmers more often hire crop consultants”
- The Farmer Magazine

“Invest in a crop scouting service. You get about a $5 payback for every $1 you spend on crop scouting."
- Martin Entz, Agronomist, University of Manitoba

“Most farmers receive a $2 to $5 return for every dollar they invested in a crop consultant.”
- Iowa State University Survey

“In just two years, Wisconsin farmers participating in an Integrated Pest Management Project saved about $18 per acre.”
- EPA, 1995

In 2003, Top Producer magazine showed the top management challenges over the next 5 years are:

• Profitability
• Environment
• Management
• Labor
• Government

CENTROL can help in all 5 of these categories!

1)     Believe in Agriculture

a)     Have an impact on the present and future of  Agriculture

b)     Listen for farmer needs

c)      Farmers are the purpose of our work

2)     Promote Loyalty

a)     Be loyal to the CENTROL MISSION

b)     Maintain company confidences

c)      Maintain grower confidence

3)     Build Self-Esteem

a)     Respect the individual

b)     Promote a sense of achievement

c)      Maintain a positive attitude

4)     Each consultant is a manager in his or her own area

a)     Commit to Excellence

b)     Maintain a top professional image

c)      Provide quality service

5)     Further training and education

a)     Utilize the network

b)     Be goal - driven

c)      Promote Teamwork

6)     Believe in people

a)     Encourage open communication

b)     Grow only as fast as we can effectively manage

c)      Help each other

7)     Commit To High Ethical Standards

a)     Adhere to the NAICC and ARCPACS code of ethics

b)     Provide unbiased recommendations

c)      Fulfill our responsibilities to growers

8)     ENJOY THE WORK!!

a)     First of all, we pride ourselves on our professionalism, experience and teamwork and we love it when others use CENTROL as the standard and compare themselves to us.

i)        This is a feather in our cap. The truth of the matter is….. Even CENTROL doesn’t do things like CENTROL used to do things. Each of our 26 professional agronomists are constantly trying to find new ways to help you maximize your profit.

ii)      If others are doing things “like CENTROL”, then they are still a year or two behind us!

b)     Some of our competitors may actually be a few cents cheaper, but many have higher total fees.

i)        It is not possible for others to do what we do for much less per acre, and we have had clients tell us that the value of CENTROL’s network of consultants is worth a higher fee.

c)      We really try to keep our prices moderate and our services high. It is like a “balancing act” to get the right blend of enough workload and reasonable fees. If we look at fewer acres, then we will need to charge a higher fee. If we lower our fees, then we will need to look at more acres.

a)     We usually contract with producers on a per acre basis and our fees depend on the crop and the services

b)     We try and charge a fair amount, based upon grower needs.

c)      We use a pricing philosophy that we call “ABCD pricing”

i)        Rates vary depending on:

(1)   crop

(2)   location

(3)   acreage

(4)   number of fields

(5)   services requested

a)  There are no guarantees, but we can get a better idea through satellite imagery, presampling and past history

b)  It is easier to make it pay on beets or other specialty crops.

c)  It usually pays on liming low pH soils.

a)   We are usually on the farm every week, during the growing season. 

a)     It is not cost-effective, and not necessary, to have a consultant look at every field.

b)     We use trained scouts that help us quantify problems and act as an extra pair of eyes.

c)     Consultants see the fields during the critical periods and make all the recommendations.

d)    A consultant’s time is best used helping you make decisions and solve problems, rather than wasting time looking at fields that have no problems.

a)  It is less expensive to sign up the whole farm

b)  Crop planning is more beneficial when we are involved with the complete rotation.

We do not require that you sign up the entire farm, but we do sign up only entire fields.

Growers have signed up all during the year, but late summer and fall are the usual times.

a) Education

b) Certification

c) Experience

d) History

e) References

f) Services offered

We work with many different types of growers. However, many are:

a)  Profitable

b)  Full-time

c) Team Player

d)  Efficient

e)  Aggressive

a)     Be the BEST that we can be

b)     Provide a service to maximize grower profitability

c)      Be worthy of our growers trust

d)     Retain 90%+ of our growers each year

e)     Have fun!

f)       Continually improve

g)     Make the good farmer better