Each year, growers in central Illinois harvest some of the best yields in the country. With rich fertile soil, the region is in the heart of the Corn Belt. It’s here where the boots-on-the-ground team at Evergreen FS strives to help these growers reach their highest potential return on investment (ROI).
“The main service we provide to farmers has very little to do with products,” says John Tuttle, Evergreen FS CEO. “Our main job is providing value to our customers. Any product we bring to them is the result of us walking the fields with them and believing the product will improve their ROI. We pride ourselves on offering the best service.”
Operating in five counties, Evergreen FS has four primary divisions: agronomy, energy, turf and grain. It is a member of GROWMARK FS Cooperative System.
“Our member-owners are the ones on the ground who best understand what the customers need,” says Jeff Bunting, GROWMARK vice president of crop protection. “The crop specialists — like the ones John has on his team — work with the farmers to understand their needs and the challenges they face growing a crop each season. They share that information with the member company and GROWMARK. Our focus, then, is to be a reliable supplier, create the perfect order, and do it safely and timely.”
Each season, the team uses their experiences to help GROWMARK and Evergreen FS improve the training and development provided to the crop specialists so they can stay at the forefront of new technology and innovations.
Bunting recalls summers at his family’s central Illinois farm where he would walk soybeans with his brothers. Even then, he thought there must be better, more-efficient ways to control weeds. Advancements in crop protection over the last two decades have made the scale and scope of farming change, Bunting says, and the services GROWMARK member-owners offer have evolved to address those changes.
“We can do many things more efficiently, and we can do a better job with the products we have today,” Bunting explains. “The products are much more efficacious in controlling weeds, insects and diseases. We’ve come a long way in the last 10 years with application technology, and there’s a lot about AI and its role in crop protection.”
Technology, including artificial intelligence, continuously progresses, and the team members at Evergreen FS, Tuttle says, push themselves to use the latest tech available. Tracking tender trucks is one example of how the team members can be even more organized when they take product to the field. They also are changing the way scouting looks throughout the summer.
“Our agronomists and interns are out scouting fields with a salesperson, and although that’s not unusual in our line of work, we’re coupling it with proprietary technology that helps with disease modeling,” Tuttle says. “That helps predict what kinds of diseases may be coming, and that can give us a leg up on prevention and control for our customers.”
GROWMARK and Evergreen FS work with companies like Corteva Agriscience, and Bunting and Tuttle say that helps bring the latest crop protection knowledge and innovations to their member-owners. They appreciate the investment Corteva makes in research and development to bring different technology and products — including the Enlist® weed control system and Resicore® REV herbicide — to the market to meet their customers’ needs.
“Corteva is finding ways to control and stay ahead of the tough weeds our farmers see today,” Bunting says, noting weed resistance continues to be a concern for growers. “We’ll have to stay on top of the challenges to meet farmers’ needs. It’s exciting to see GROWMARK and our member companies move in the direction to be timely and more efficient.”
The local Corteva Agriscience representative is a key part of the relationship, because the rep shares at field days and training events — helping make sure customers have a positive experience with the crop protection products.
“Corteva fits hand in hand with our vision statement: To be the best of the best with our partners in all that we do. We view companies like Corteva not as a vendor but as a partner,” Tuttle says. “Corteva can help us be more successful, and by working together, we’re doing what’s best for our customers. We can take advantage of the knowledge Corteva brings to us.”
The research on nitrogen stabilizers is one example. Nitrogen loss continues to be a discussion topic, and Tuttle wants to help farmers keep the nitrogen in the soil for the plants to use.
“We’re big believers in Instinct NXTGEN and N-Serve nitrogen stabilizers. They help the soil retain the nitrogen, which is great for the farmer and the environment,” Tuttle says. “Evergreen FS will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026. Throughout these 100 years, our goal has remained constant. We are always working toward helping farmers be successful.”
To hear more from GROWMARK, Evergreen FS and Corteva, visit Corteva.us/TurnrowTalk.
Legals:
™ ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. Following burndown, Enlist Duo® and Enlist One® herbicides with Colex-D® technology are the only herbicides containing 2,4-D that are authorized for preemergence and postemergence use with Enlist® crops. Consult Enlist® herbicide labels for weed species controlled. Enlist Duo and Enlist One herbicides are not registered for use or sale in all states and counties; are not registered in AK, CA, CT, HI, ID, MA, ME, MT, NH, NV, OR, RI, UT, VT, WA and WY; and have additional subcounty restrictions in AL, GA, TN and TX, while existing county restrictions still remain in FL. All users must check “Bulletins Live! Two” no earlier than six months before using Enlist One or Enlist Duo. To obtain “Bulletins,” consult epa.gov/espp/, call 1-844-447-3813, or email ESPP@epa.gov. You must use the “Bulletin” valid for the month and state and county in which Enlist One or Enlist Duo are being applied. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency if you have questions about the registration status of Enlist® herbicides in your area. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. IT IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL AND STATE LAW TO USE ANY PESTICIDE PRODUCT OTHER THAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS LABELING. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. USE OF PESTICIDE PRODUCTS, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, 2,4-D-CONTAINING PRODUCTS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR USE WITH ENLIST CROPS, MAY RESULT IN OFF-TARGET DAMAGE TO SENSITIVE CROPS/AREAS AND/OR SUSCEPTIBLE PLANTS, IN ADDITION TO CIVIL AND/OR CRIMINAL PENALTIES. Additional product-specific stewardship requirements for Enlist crops, including the Enlist Product Use Guide, can be found at www.traitstewardship.com. Instinct NXTGEN and Resicore® REV are not registered for sale or use in all states. Resicore REV is not available for sale, distribution or use in Nassau and Suffolk counties in the state of New York. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Do not fall-apply anhydrous ammonia south of Highway 16 in the state of Illinois. Always read and follow label directions. ©2025 Corteva.031606BR (09/25)CAAG5CPRO051
