Among the four crop inputs/services categories tracked by our CropLife 100survey, fertilizer performed the best during 2022. According to survey respondents, total fertilizer revenue for the top 100 largest U.S. ag retailers topped a record $23.4 billion during the year. This marked an impressive 53% increase from the 2021 category sales total of $15.3 billion. With this sales gain, the fertilizer category improved its overall market share of all crop inputs/services within the CropLife 100 to 51%, up from 43% in 2021 and the highest market share the category has enjoyed since 2008 — the year before the infamous fertilizer market crash of 2009!
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10 | Agtegra
2022 Revenue: $201 million-$1 billion Revenue by input: Crop Protection: 24% | Fertilizer: 55% | Seed 15% | Custom Application: 6% Profile:Agtegra Cooperative is an innovative, farmer-owned grain and agronomy cooperative with more than 6,700 active member-owners in eastern North and South Dakota. In 2022, fertilizer sales represented 55% of the cooperative's total revenue ($201 million-$1 billion). Pictured is Agtegra's Warner, SD, agronomy and grain facility.
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9 | Co-Alliance
2022 Revenue: $201 million-$1 billion Revenue by input: Crop Protection: 23% | Fertilizer: 63% | Seed 9% | Custom Application: 5% Profile:Co-Alliance is a member-owned supply and marketing operation delivering innovative solutions for farmer-members and customers across Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. In 2022, fertilizer sales represented 63% of the cooperative's total revenue ($201 million-$1 billion).
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8 | MFA
2022 Revenue: $201 million-$1 billion Revenue by input: Crop Protection: 20% | Fertilizer: 64% | Seed 11% | Custom Application: 5% Profile:MFA Inc. is a Midwest-based regional farm supply and marketing cooperative serving more than 45,000 farmer/owners in Missouri and adjacent states. In 2022, fertilizer sales represented 64% of the cooperative's total revenue ($201 million-$1 billion). Pictured is MFA's Albany, MO, facility.
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7 | Wilbur-Ellis
2022 Revenue: More than $1 Billion Revenue by input: Crop Protection: 48% | Fertilizer: 38% | Seed: 9% | Custom Application: 5% Profile: Established in 1921, Wilbur-Ellis is a leading international marketer and distributor of agricultural products, animal feed and specialty chemicals and ingredients. In 2022, fertilizer sales represented 38% of the company's total revenue ($1 Billion+).
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6 | CHS
2022 Revenue: More than $1 Billion Revenue by input: Crop Protection: 24% | Fertilizer: 55% | Seed: 15% | Custom Application: 6% Profile:CHS Inc. is a leading global agribusiness owned by farmers, ranchers and cooperatives across the U.S. In 2022, fertilizer sales represented 55% of the cooperative's total revenue ($1 Billion+). Pictured is CHS' blending facility in St. Charles, MN.
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5 | GreenPoint AG
2022 Revenue: More than $1 Billion Revenue by input: Crop Protection: 32% | Fertilizer: 65% | Seed: 2% | Custom Application: 1% Profile:GreenPoint Ag Holdings, LLC is an American-owned agricultural input supplier, resulting from three financially strong businesses coming together to better serve farmers and rural communities of the Southeastern U.S. In 2022, fertilizer sales represented 65% of the company's total revenue ($1 Billion+). Pictured is GreenPoint AG's Decatur, AL, location, which includes a corporate office, a fertilizer terminal, and an agronomy distribution center.
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4 | Simplot Grower Solutions
2022 Revenue: More than $1 Billion Revenue by input: Crop Protection: 40% | Fertilizer: 49% | Seed: 9% | Custom Application: 2% Profile: J.R. Simplot serves more than 40,000 farmers through its wholly-owned subsidiary Simplot Grower Solutions. In 2022, fertilizer sales represented 49% of the company's total revenue ($1 Billion+). Pictured is an aerial view of Simplot Grower Solutions' St. Anthony, ID facility. Photo credit: Marcus Construction
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3 | GROWMARK
2022 Revenue: More than $1 Billion Revenue by input: Crop Protection: 24% | Fertilizer: 56% | Seed: 11% | Custom Application: 9% Profile:GROWMARK is a cooperative organization based in Bloomington, IL. In 2022, fertilizer sales represented 56% of the cooperative's total revenue ($1 Billion+).
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2 | Helena Agri-Enterprises
2022 Revenue: More than $1 Billion Revenue by input: Crop Protection: 38% | Fertilizer: 44% | Seed: 14% | Custom Application: 4% Profile:Helena Agri-Enterprises, headquartered in Collierville, TN, is one of the foremost agronomic solutions providers in the U.S. In 2022, fertilizer sales represented 44% of the company's total revenue ($1 Billion+).
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1 | Nutrien Ag Solutions
2022 Revenue: More than $1 Billion Revenue by input: Crop Protection: 32% | Fertilizer: 49% | Seed: 12% | Custom Application: 7% Profile: Operated by Nutrien Retail, Nutrien Ag Solutions is a unit of Nutrien Ltd., the world’s largest agriculture inputs company. In 2022, fertilizer sales represented 49% of the company's total revenue ($1 Billion+). Pictured is an aerial view of Nutrien Ag Solutions in Holdrege, NE. Photo: Stueve Construction
“Looking just at the large numbers put up by the fertilizer category doesn’t tell the entire story,” said CropLife Editor Eric Sfiligoj. “As many market observers are sure to point out, much of the talk during 2022 centered around the fact that crop nutrients prices from suppliers were double (or sometimes triple) what they were during 2021 as supply chain disruptions and global conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war messed with the availability of many macronutrients throughout the entire 2022 growing season. By extension, this meant ag retailers were paying out more money to purchase various fertilizers before being able to turn around and sell them to their grower-customers. Surely, they will say, this explains the huge revenue increases for the fertilizer category.”
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Some observers might assume that profitability took a serious hit during the 2022 growing season. But this doesn’t seem to be what actually happened. According to the survey, the percentage of ag retailers making more money between 2021 and 2022 actually increased. Last year, 77% of respondents said that their profitability level went up between 1% and more than 5%. Another 15% said that their profit level was the same as in 2021. Only 8% reported seeing a profit level decline between the two years.
And behind ag retailers’ fantastic financial year — with increased revenue and profitability — was their fertilizer sales. In total, the top 10 companies in fertilizer revenue generated $16.8 billion this past year, which comprised 72% of total CropLife 100 fertilizer revenue ($23.4 billion) in 2022. To find out which companies made that list (in reverse order of sales), view the slideshow above.
Editor’s note: Companies included in the CropLife 100 listings were limited to independent dealerships and cooperatives that offer fertilizer, crop protection, seed, and custom application services. Figures do not include a host of services, such as data management, consulting/scouting, or grain elevator revenue. Dealerships and cooperatives are ranked in order by total sales in their respective sales group.
225CropLife 100: Top 10 U.S. Ag Retailers by Fertilizer Sales in 2022
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May 28, 2023 
Among the four crop inputs/services categories tracked by our CropLife 100 survey, fertilizer performed the best during 2022. According to survey respondents, total fertilizer revenue for the top 100 largest U.S. ag retailers topped a record $23.4 billion during the year. This marked an impressive 53% increase from the 2021 category sales total of $15.3 billion. With this sales gain, the fertilizer category improved its overall market share of all crop inputs/services within the CropLife 100 to 51%, up from 43% in 2021 and the highest market share the category has enjoyed since 2008 — the year before the infamous fertilizer market crash of 2009!
