Farm Horizons, February 2010

New staff members at Mid-County

Farmers who do business with Mid-County Co-op have probably noticed a few new faces around the agronomy department.

Jim Aritt, originally from Winsted, recently joined the company as the new agronomy division manager; and Art Templin of Plato was hired as the new agronomy administrative assistant. Both Aritt and Templin bring many years of farming and agronomy service knowledge to their positions, and they both enjoy having direct contact with local farmers.

Jim Aritt

As a former dairy farmer, Aritt has a passion for agriculture and a desire to help others.

“I like the teamwork and working with the staff,” said Aritt, whose first day at Mid-County was Dec. 1, 2009.

“I also like the direct contact with farmers,” he added.

Aritt grew up in Winsted, graduating from Holy Trinity High School in 1975.

He dairy farmed in southern Wright County for 20 years before switching to the agronomy services industry.

For the past eight years, Aritt has been working in agronomy management positions at co-ops in Minnesota. Most recently, he was the plant manager for a co-op in Lake City.

Aritt has a wide range of professional training, such as business management courses through Cenex Harvest States, and agronomy courses through the University of Minnesota.

For Aritt, the most interesting aspect of his training has been learning about new chemicals and technology.

At Mid-County, Aritt hopes to build a relationship with current customers and pick up new clients.

Aritt is currently renting a house, and plans to purchase a country home in the Belle Plaine or New Prague area.

Aritt’s wife, Mary, has family living in Faribault, so it will be nice to be closer to them, Aritt said.

Jim and Mary have a son, Brandon, who is an electrician, and a daughter, Dominique, who is training to be a medical assistant. Aritt is an outdoor sportsman whose hobbies include fishing, snowmobiling, and camping with family and friends. The Aritts also have two horses that they enjoy riding in their spare time.

Art Templin

With 33 years in the agronomy industry, Templin jumped right into his position at Mid-County, serving the company with his experience and expertise.

Templin, who started at Mid-County Dec. 14, 2009, is already enjoying his work, which includes inventory, billing, and other administration tasks.

“I’m pretty much right where I want to be,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed the paperwork and data entry.”

Before coming to Mid-County Agronomy, Templin had been the location manager for Hutchinson Co-op.

Templin had been at the same company since 1976, although he worked in different locations and the company had a few name changes. He had been the location manager at what had previously been Glencoe Butter and Produce for more than 25 years.

For Templin, a career in the agronomy industry was a perfect fit.

“I grew up on a farm,” he said. “This was as close as I could get without actually farming.”

Templin’s father owned a dairy farm near Plato. Templin, who graduated from Glencoe High School in 1968, cash cropped on 80 acres before starting his career.

“I enjoy working with the customers and farmers,” Templin said, adding that he also likes visiting with fertilizer and chemical representatives.

“I really enjoy the new technology that keeps coming down the road,” he said.

Templin has taken several agronomy classes, management courses, and training sessions to stay up-to-date on current issues. He has also been a certified crop advisor.

When he’s not working, Templin enjoys spending time with his wife, Diane, as well as his two children and two grandchildren.

His granddaughter, Chloe, and grandson, Riley, are both 2 years old. “They were born nine days apart,” Templin said.

Templin’s hobbies include hunting, fishing, and classic cars. He owns a 1971 Chevy El Camino and a 1957 Chevy Bel Air.

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