Inside Ag Retail Excellence with Brad Oelmann, CEO of Farrell Growth Group

In the first episode of the Upstream Ag Insights interview series, Shane Thomas sits down with Brad Oelmann, CEO of Farrell Growth Group, to unpack what defines top-performing ag retail businesses today.

Brad brings decades of experience across the crop input value chain — from his early days at American Cyanamid and UAP, to leading United Suppliers through its merger with Land O’Lakes, and now advising retailers through Farrell Growth Group.

This conversation dives into:

- How Farrell benchmarks ag retail performance and what the strongest operators do differently

- Financial and strategic indicators that define a thriving ag retail business

- The evolving dynamics of crop protection, fertilizer, and seed margins

- How leading retailers are adapting through cost-to-serve models, offer design, and service unbundling

- The future of ag retail amid consolidation, new technologies, and changing farmer expectations

Whether you’re in retail, manufacturing, or agtech, this discussion offers a grounded look at where the ag retail business is heading and what it takes to stay ahead.

For a full transcript, and detailed key takeaways, become an Upstream Ag Professional member at www.upstream.ag