Michigan Sugar Company — guided by its core values of Excellence, Pride, Integrity, Compassion, and Trust — is hiring a full-time Agronomist for its West District (East portion of growing area) on a remote basis in Michigan. Founded in 1906 and now a grower-owned cooperative producing 1.3 billion pounds of sugar annually from nearly 160,000 acres of Michigan sugarbeets, this is a rare opportunity to serve as the primary agronomic advisor for a cooperative whose mission is Creating Growth and Opportunity — for growers, for communities, and for careers.
About Michigan Sugar Company — Grower-Owned Cooperative
Heritage: Founded in 1906 — became a grower-owned cooperative in 2002, merged with Monitor Sugar in 2004
Scale: Michigan’s third largest sugarbeet processing company — one of nine in the entire United States
Facilities: Processing plants in Bay City, Caro, Croswell, and Sebewaing, Michigan
Brands: Sugar sold under the iconic Pioneer and Big Chief brands to industrial, commercial, and retail customers
Community: #1 employer in Huron County — #2 in Bay and Sanilac counties — $65M+ annual payroll
Purpose: Making Life Sweeter — Mission: Creating Growth and Opportunity for growers and communities
Michigan Sugar Company Core Values
Excellence: Commitment to the highest standards of agronomic practice, crop management, and grower service
Pride: Pride in American-grown Michigan sugarbeets and the communities and growers who produce them
Integrity: Honest, transparent, and ethical relationships with growers, partners, and the cooperative community
Compassion: Genuine care for growers, team members, and the communities that Michigan Sugar serves
Trust: Building long-term trusted relationships between agronomists, growers, and the cooperative
West District, Michigan — Remote Agronomist Territory
Territory: West District — East portion of Michigan Sugar Company’s growing area across up to 20 Michigan counties
Workplace: 100% remote position — field-based work across assigned grower districts throughout the growing season
Cooperative Footprint: Nearly 900 grower-owners plant sugarbeets across Michigan and Ontario, Canada
Harvest Support: Agricultural Operations harvest support including monitoring incoming loads and weather-related risk evaluation
Position Overview
The Agronomist at Michigan Sugar Company serves as the primary agronomic advisor for assigned growers across the West District — a trusted, data-driven expert who supports sugarbeet growers throughout the entire production cycle. From variety selection and crop planning at the start of the season, through intensive field scouting for disease, insects, weeds, and emergence issues during the growing season, to harvest coordination and load monitoring at the end of the year, the Agronomist is the grower’s single most important technical resource within the Michigan Sugar cooperative.
Beyond direct grower advisory work, the Agronomist also coaches and develops Agriculturists within the team — mentoring colleagues to strengthen technical knowledge, improving effectiveness across the entire agronomy program. The role contributes to Michigan Sugar’s outreach initiatives including youth and young farmer programs, collaborates with industry partners and agricultural retailers, and partners with the Agronomy Manager during winter to plan and deliver grower education programs that ensure Michigan’s sugarbeet growers enter every new season fully equipped with the latest agronomic knowledge and best practices.
Why This Role Matters: As an Agronomist at Michigan Sugar Company, you become the primary trusted advisor for sugarbeet growers across Michigan’s West District, support a grower-owned cooperative producing 1.3 billion pounds of American sugar annually, work remotely with real field autonomy and direct grower impact, receive 100% company-paid medical insurance plus dental, 401k match, paid holidays, and vacation, and build a meaningful agronomic career within an organization whose purpose is genuinely to Make Life Sweeter for everyone it serves.
Key Responsibilities
Grower Advisory & Crop Consulting
- Serve as the primary agronomic advisor and agronomy specialist for assigned growers across the West District — providing expert, trusted, data-driven guidance on all aspects of sugarbeet crop production
- Consult with growers on variety selection and placement, disease management programs, soil fertility strategies, and overall crop health management throughout the full production cycle
- Scout fields throughout the growing season — identifying and recommending solutions for emergence issues, disease pressure, insect activity, weed competition, and other crop challenges as they arise
- Utilize and actively support agronomic technologies including variable rate seeding programs and satellite imagery to improve precision, efficiency, and yield outcomes for growers
Harvest Support & Agricultural Operations
- Assist Agricultural Operations during the harvest season by monitoring incoming sugarbeet loads — evaluating quality, storage conditions, and crop condition to support optimal processing outcomes
- Evaluate weather-related risks that may impact harvest timing and logistics decisions — providing timely, evidence-based recommendations to help growers and operations teams make the best possible harvest decisions
- Manage assigned early delivery lotteries (Bay City) — coordinating logistics and grower communication for early delivery program management
- Partner with Ag Logistics to support Maus operations — contributing to the smooth coordination of harvest and logistics activities across the cooperative’s growing area
Grower Education & Outreach
- Develop and deliver compelling, technically sound presentations at grower meetings and internal Michigan Sugar events — communicating complex agronomic topics clearly to diverse grower audiences
- Partner with the Agronomy Manager during winter to plan and deliver grower education programs that prepare Michigan sugarbeet growers for the coming season with the latest research and best practices
- Contribute actively to Michigan Sugar Company’s outreach initiatives including youth agriculture programs and young farmer development efforts that build the next generation of Michigan growers
- Collaborate with agricultural retailers, industry partners, and university extension professionals to maintain strong working relationships and access the latest agronomic research for growers
Team Development & Collaboration
- Coach and support Agriculturists within the agronomy team — sharing expertise, providing mentorship, and helping team members grow their technical knowledge and grower advisory effectiveness
- Collaborate with Agronomy and Research leadership to identify and implement agronomic practices that deliver measurable benefits for growers and the Michigan Sugar cooperative as a whole
- Support and promote Michigan Sugar Company professionally and positively in all interactions with growers, partners, and the broader agricultural community across Michigan
Requirements & Qualifications
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Crop Science, Plant Science, Soil Science, or a closely related field — or equivalent professional experience in agronomic consulting or field advisory roles
- Experience in field consulting or agronomic advising is preferred — hands-on experience working directly with growers on crop production challenges in a commercial agricultural setting
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint — for data analysis, reporting, and grower presentation development
Key Competencies
- Strong agronomic knowledge and technical expertise across crop production, soil fertility, disease management, and integrated pest management
- Proven ability to provide trusted, data-driven recommendations that genuinely improve grower outcomes and build long-term advisory relationships
- Strong communication and public speaking skills — comfortable delivering presentations at grower meetings and industry events across Michigan
- Self-motivated with the ability to work independently in a remote, fast-paced, and evolving agronomic environment with minimal daily supervision
- High level of integrity and ethical standards — ability to handle confidential grower information with appropriate discretion and professionalism
- Strong interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to influence grower practices, mentor team members, and build sustainable long-term relationships across the cooperative
Michigan Sugar Company Benefits Package
Medical Insurance: 100% company-paid medical insurance — one of the most competitive healthcare benefits in Michigan agriculture
Dental & Life Insurance: Comprehensive dental and life insurance coverage included
Retirement: 401k with company match — supporting long-term financial security for all agronomist team members
Paid Time Off: Paid holidays, vacation leave, and sick leave — generous PTO structure
Salary: Competitive salary commensurate with experience and agronomic expertise
Growth: Opportunity for professional growth within one of Michigan’s most iconic and economically impactful agricultural cooperatives
About Michigan Sugar Company Excellence
Michigan Sugar Company is one of Michigan’s most beloved and economically vital agricultural institutions — a grower-owned cooperative with roots stretching back to 1906 and a mission that has never wavered: Making Life Sweeter. With nearly 900 grower-owners farming up to 160,000 acres of sugarbeets across 20 Michigan counties and Ontario, Canada, and four processing facilities converting those beets into 1.3 billion pounds of Pioneer and Big Chief brand sugar every year, Michigan Sugar is far more than a company — it is the backbone of agricultural communities across central and eastern Michigan.
As the #1 employer in Huron County and a top employer in Bay, Sanilac, and Tuscola counties, Michigan Sugar’s $500 million annual local economic impact makes it one of the most important agricultural organizations in the state. For agronomists who want to build a career that genuinely matters — one where your advice shapes the livelihoods of nearly 900 farming families and the health of hundreds of thousands of Michigan acres — Michigan Sugar Company offers a purpose-driven agronomic career that is truly hard to replicate anywhere else.
Join the Cooperative: Michigan Sugar Company’s values of Excellence, Pride, Integrity, Compassion, and Trust are not just words on a wall — they are the foundation of how every team member, from the Agronomy Manager to the newest Agronomist, does business every day. If you are an agronomic professional ready to plant your career where your values and your expertise both matter, apply now and become part of the Michigan Sugar family.
Who Should Apply?
- Agronomy Graduates: With Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Crop Science, or related field and genuine passion for grower-focused field advisory work in Michigan agriculture
- Field Crop Consultants: With hands-on field consulting or agronomic advising experience in sugarbeet, row crop, or specialty crop production across Michigan or the Great Lakes region
- Remote Agriculture Professionals: Self-motivated, independent agronomists comfortable managing their own district territory remotely with strong organizational and communication skills
- Precision Agronomy Specialists: With experience in variable rate seeding, satellite imagery, and data-driven crop management technology in commercial agricultural settings
- Agricultural Educators & Presenters: With public speaking confidence and experience delivering grower education programs, research presentations, or extension-style outreach events
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