Selling in Agriculture Starts with Authenticity, Empathy and the Long Game

In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia sits down with Ged Sippel, Head of Vegetable Seeds at Syngenta, responsible for Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

Recorded live at Hort Connections in Adelaide, they discuss what it's really like leading a global seed business through challenging market conditions and why the future of agricultural sales isn't about having all the answers—it's about asking better questions.

Ged shares why Syngenta sees itself as part of the same ecosystem as growers, experiencing many of the same pressures, and why empathy, authenticity and curiosity are essential for building trusted relationships in agriculture.

Together they explore why selling in agriculture is different, why growers value genuine partnerships over polished sales pitches, and why the best salespeople are prepared to learn before they lead.

• Why agriculture is different from almost every other sales industry
• How empathy builds stronger customer relationships during difficult seasons
• Why authenticity matters more than trying to be the expert
• The importance of curiosity when working alongside growers
• How trial work creates trust long before it creates sales
• Why farmers are some of the best teachers if you're prepared to listen
• The value of industry events like Hort Connections for both customers and teams
• Why strong internal relationships are just as important as external ones
• How networks built today often become opportunities months or even years later

Whether you're selling seed, fertiliser, machinery, finance or advisory services, this episode is a reminder that the strongest commercial relationships are built on genuine conversations, shared learning and playing the long game.

Key Quote

"Come from a genuine, authentic position. Our role isn't to tell growers how to grow a crop—it's to understand their challenges and see where we might be able to help."

— Ged Sippel

Connect with Georgia

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In this episode you'll hear: