MNP partnering with 6 agronomy companies in Sept.

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This article was published 18/07/2024 (570 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MNP, a national professional services firm, is partnering with six agronomy companies starting in September to offer Canadian farmers a comprehensive solution for optimizing operations and profitability.

The six companies — 4R Agronomy, Annex Agro, Arrow Crop Management, Elite Ag, Max Ag Consulting and Sure Growth Solutions — will join MNP in one of the largest agronomy consolidations that Canada has seen.

MNP Agriculture senior vice-president Marvin Slingerland said the consolidation demonstrates his firm’s commitment to supporting the long-term success of Canadian farmers.

“We’re constantly looking for new ways to bring Canadian farmers the expertise they need to succeed, not just today, but for tomorrow and into the future,” Slingerland said. “What these companies are doing is at the leading edge of agronomy practices and they are all recognized as essential partners for innovative, future-focused farmers.”

He said MNP is delighted to add these specialists to its team, “all of whom combine personalized, face-to-face interactions with transformative digital tools and enable us to offer farmers in Canada a comprehensive solution for optimizing operations and profitability.”

In a press release, MNP said each of the companies excels in farming expertise, technology management and crop planning. They currently have more than 1.5 million acres of farmland under management across more than 300 farms.

Convergence Growth will also join MNP as a partner and leader of the company’s agronomy practice. Its co-founder, Warren Bills, said the Calgary-based firm is dedicated to helping agricultural businesses across the world, adding he had already been speaking to the six companies about joining forces when the opportunity to work with MNP came about.

“There are more than 34,000 farms in Canada that exceed 1,120 acres in size, many of which need specialized agronomic advice,” Bills said. “Less than 20 per cent of these farms have access to professional agronomic advice services and so we aimed to build Canada’s largest professional ag and technology consulting firm; a team that empowers agricultural prosperity and intelligence through the succession and generations of both farms and agriculture professionals.”

Bills said all six companies share the same values and approach to client service and had already been looking at how to work together. When the opportunity arose to do so as part of MNP, he said, they all saw the potential to quickly scale up their agronomy services and provide more Canadian farmers with the critical support needed to succeed.

He added that they expect to grow the agronomy practice over the coming years and that these mergers are just the start of their journey, rather than the destination.

Tanya Knight, MNP’s executive vice-president for clients and services, said the geographic spread of the merging-in firms is part of MNP’s strategy to reach businesses wherever in Canada they might be based.

“Our business model has always been designed to support clients in the communities where we live and work regardless of the size of a city or town,” Knight said. “That’s a strategy that we believe differentiates us. These mergers are about helping us to reach and support more Canadian farmers with their journeys and so we’re delighted to welcome all six businesses into the MNP family.”

All of the agronomy companies joining MNP will remain in their current locations and connect with MNP’s offices across the country, including 47 in the Prairies, MNP said.

Founded in Brandon in 1958, MNP has grown to more than 125 locations across Canada and delivers a wide range of services and specialized expertise in every sector and area of business.

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