2023 Celebration of Ag Program

Thank you for supporting GreenSeam! We hope you enjoy our speakers, the delicious food, cold drinks, and the MoonDogs game!

Program/Table Sponsor

We are excited to welcome Investor, Christensen Farms to the Celebration of Ag where they will be donating to the South Central MN Food Recovery to help support a great cause! Stop by the Christensen Farm booth, ask an ag related question and 1 pound of pork will be donated to SCMFR! Stop by the booth and help provide meals for those in need.

AGENDA

4:00 pm – Gate Opens
4:45 pm – Program / Speakers
5:30 pm – Networking
6:35 pm – MoonDogs Game

Speakers

Sam Ziegler – GreenSeam
Kevin Born – Environmental Tillage Systems, Inc.
John Schwartz – Schwartz Farms, Inc.
Collette Drager & Molly Byron – The Meatery
Gary Koch – Christensen Farms | GreenSeam

Kevin Born

CEO / President, Environmental Tillage Systems, Inc.

Mr. Born is the President and CEO of Environmental Tillage Systems, Inc., a premier manufacturer of zone tillage equipment. Since 2010, he has been instrumental in delivering value and long-term growth for the company through strategic initiatives and the delivery of high-quality production and solutions from R&D investments. Mr. Born has emphasized competitiveness through service, quality, innovation, and peak performance and has deliberately focused on team member development and the company’s core values to build profitable growth. Over his tenure, ETS, Inc. has experienced six times growth in the past ten years.

Prior to joining ETS, Inc., Mr. Born co-founded a leading agricultural consulting firm that was acquired by Adayana, Inc. in 2004. As Vice President of Sales, he was a major contributor to its growth to 300 employees and $50 million in worldwide sales within 10 years. Mr. Born has worked with a wide range of clients such as John Deere, Kraft Foods, and Pioneer Seed, developing go-to-market strategies for new products as well as sales and marketing integration. His company was listed multiple times on Inc’s 500 Fastest Growing Companies in America.

In addition to his business experience, Mr. Born taught agronomy and crop physiology for two years at Iowa State University. Mr. Born holds a BS in Agronomy from South Dakota State University and a dual MS from Iowa State University in Agricultural Education, and Crop Production and Physiology. He was raised on a cash grain farm in Minnesota and has a comprehensive understanding of the financial, operational, and intellectual assets needed to manage a profitable farm operation.

Mr. Born and his wife have three children and operate a farm in Janesville, MN.

John Schwartz

CEO / President, Schwartz Farms, Inc.

As CEO/President, John is undoubtedly the face of Schwartz Farms, Inc. As CEO, John is responsible for the overall direction of SFI, including business strategies, financial budgeting and forecasting, operational activities, and personnel and community outreach.

John leads the key personnel of Schwartz Farms and is responsible for building viable relationships with our growers, processors, vendors and other members of the industry. John resides on a farm near Sleepy Eye with his wife, Rosie; together, they have four children, two of which have returned to the family farm.

Collette Drager & Molly Byron

Founders, The Meatery

The Meatery is a versatile e-commerce marketplace that caters to a diverse audience, including meat enthusiasts (they call “meathusiasts”), businesses, and gift givers. Their platform aims to foster a strong connection between a passionate community of meathusiasts and an ever-expanding roster of exceptional Midwestern farm producers and small meat markets. When customers make a purchase through The Meatery, their order is shipped directly from the company’s trusted partners to their doorstep.

The Meatery prioritizes eco-friendly practices and sustainability. That’s why they provide each partner producer with high-quality shipping supplies and reliable services that are not only environmentally friendly but also ensure the safe and timely delivery of their products. The Meatery is dedicated to supporting their partner producers by showcasing their unique stories and enabling them to expand their businesses, reaching a wider community of meat consumers.

By choosing The Meatery, customers not only get to enjoy top-notch quality meats but also actively contribute to the growth and success of these exceptional producers and their unwavering commitment to delivering excellence.

The Meatery consists of a team of 11 family co-founders from Southern Minnesota. As farmers themselves, the family brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. Each member of the team possesses a unique skill set and perspective, resulting in a collaboration that is revolutionizing the way we source meat from local producers.

Gary Koch

VP & General Counsel, Christensen Farms | Chair, GreenSeam Board

Gary Koch serves as Vice President and General Counsel, overseeing the business development and legal matters of Christensen Farms. Gary also serves on the Board of Directors and acts as the Trustee to the Christensen Family Trusts. In addition, he is one of the representatives from Christensen Farms that serves on the board of Triumph Foods, Christensen Farms’ integrated pork processing partner.

Gary’s focus has been to support the company’s drive for excellence in undertaking its core businesses. Whether it be in the areas of live production, its integrated platform or ancillary investment of resources, a consistent focus on excellence will lead to continuous innovation and improvement. This will provide a platform for opportunities for development and growth; for the company, people and business partners.

Prior to joining CF, Gary was in private practice in Minnesota for over 30 years. In addition to CF, Gary represented many companies engaged regionally and nationally in production agriculture, as well as companies in allied industries. Gary’s prior private practice was in the general practice of law to include corporate, commercial, regulatory and litigation matters.

Gary holds his bachelor’s degrees in economics, history and political science, as well as a Juris Doctorate in law, all from the University of Iowa.

In addition to his role at Christensen Farms, Gary also serves as the Chair of GreenSeam’s board. Koch found the focus of his professional life to revolve around helping and supporting ag in the Midwest, specifically in Minnesota.