Farmers Cooperative Joins Land O’Lakes, Inc. and Radicle Growth to Participate in AgRogue Growth Partners to Find, Fund and Scale the Future of Ag
Sep 30, 2025
At a time when public funding for ag research is falling behind, Farmers Cooperative is investing in the discovery and adoption of technologies to support farmers.
Farmers Cooperative announced its participation in the newly launched AgRogue Growth Partners, a bold initiative aimed at fast-tracking promising agricultural technologies.
The platform is managed by Radicle Growth, a global ag tech investment firm tasked with sourcing, evaluating and guiding startup companies that are positioned to reshape agriculture. Farmers Cooperative, Land O’Lakes, Inc. and a coalition of ag retailers across the country will then work to fund and scale promising new technologies. The group will invest up to $7 million into each of 10-15 early-stage companies focused on ag innovation — including crop inputs, data-driven tools, supply chain improvements and new business models.
“Farmers Cooperative is committed to making sure our farmer-owners have access to the tools and technologies that will keep them competitive for generations to come,” said Allan Zumpfe, President/CEO of Farmers Cooperative. “Now is the right time to invest in innovation that delivers real results on the farm.”
Through this initiative and in connection with Radicle Growth, Farmers Cooperative, Land O’Lakes and the other partners will work together to:
“Right now, we’re seeing a wave of necessary innovation stall before it reaches the farm gate — often lacking the local trust and infrastructure needed to succeed,” said Brett Bruggeman, chief operating officer and executive vice president of ag business at Land O’Lakes, Inc. “As one of the largest farmer- and retailer-owned cooperatives in the U.S., we know our retail-owners are uniquely positioned to bridge that gap and get proven innovation into farmers’ hands faster.”
Farmers Cooperative announced its participation in the newly launched AgRogue Growth Partners, a bold initiative aimed at fast-tracking promising agricultural technologies.
The platform is managed by Radicle Growth, a global ag tech investment firm tasked with sourcing, evaluating and guiding startup companies that are positioned to reshape agriculture. Farmers Cooperative, Land O’Lakes, Inc. and a coalition of ag retailers across the country will then work to fund and scale promising new technologies. The group will invest up to $7 million into each of 10-15 early-stage companies focused on ag innovation — including crop inputs, data-driven tools, supply chain improvements and new business models.
“Farmers Cooperative is committed to making sure our farmer-owners have access to the tools and technologies that will keep them competitive for generations to come,” said Allan Zumpfe, President/CEO of Farmers Cooperative. “Now is the right time to invest in innovation that delivers real results on the farm.”
Through this initiative and in connection with Radicle Growth, Farmers Cooperative, Land O’Lakes and the other partners will work together to:
- Invest in and scale breakthrough technologies that deliver real impact for farmers.
- Pool capital and expertise to uncover innovations often overlooked by traditional investment models.
- Accelerate adoption by leveraging the deep trust between local ag retailers and their farmer-customers.
“Right now, we’re seeing a wave of necessary innovation stall before it reaches the farm gate — often lacking the local trust and infrastructure needed to succeed,” said Brett Bruggeman, chief operating officer and executive vice president of ag business at Land O’Lakes, Inc. “As one of the largest farmer- and retailer-owned cooperatives in the U.S., we know our retail-owners are uniquely positioned to bridge that gap and get proven innovation into farmers’ hands faster.”