Who we are and what we do.
Midwestern BioAg is a program, not a quick-fix. We fertilize most every crop known to man – from alfalfa to zucchini. So whatever you farm and whatever size your operation, we can help you be more productive.
Our knowledge is based on decades of experience. Tillage, no-till, organic – it doesn’t matter. We work with it all so you can be more profitable.
What drives us.
We’re a company driven by ethics. While we’re dedicated to helping farmers and ranchers become more productive and profitable, we’re equally dedicated to an agriculture that is safer, healthier, and more sustainable for future generations.
We believe that the principles of biological farming provide the basis for a revitalization of agriculture and rural communities. Working with nature gives abundant yields, superior quality crops and livestock, and, equally important, a better quality of life.
The name BioAg stands for Biological Agriculture. It’s a dramatic contrast to ‘conventional’ or ‘assembly line’ agriculture. Bio stands for life, and logical represents common sense. Therefore, biological farming is working with the life in the soil, with plants, and animals – using a common sense approach that embraces, rather than attempts to dominate, nature. We do everything we can to promote life. And, while quantities of commodities produced on your farm remain important, we place equal importance on quality. Knowledgeable consumers are demanding natural, unadulterated foods, and our goal is to help you profitably tap into that ever-growing market.
We truly believe in our mission statement: We’re here because we have a passion for farming, a desire to change agriculture for the better, and the belief that farming should be profitable and fun.
A Letter from our CEO, Dan Smith.
As Chief Executive Officer of Midwestern BioAg, please allow me to welcome you to our company and to the exciting world of Biological Farming! It is a world I have spent my life in, having operated my own dairy farm in northwestern Illinois for some thirty years. While doing so, I was able to observe daily the tremendous advantages biological practices, products and principles bring to a farm. As I have said many times, farming biologically keeps a farmer in touch with why he wanted to be a farmer in the first place, which is to grow good, healthy crops and livestock in harmony with nature.
Midwestern BioAg began when four gentlemen (see Founder’s page) came together with the ambition to improve agriculture through on-farm consultation, backed by selected ingredients and practices that stimulated the biological life of the soil. The tremendous growth of Midwestern BioAg, along with biological farming practices since that beginning, are direct results of the success farmers have realized all across the United States and Canada. Biological farming improves soils, resulting in healthy plants and livestock, and in turn, builds profits.
After retiring from farming, I spent a few years providing financial consultation to farmers across the state of Wisconsin. I encountered the same problems over and over on many of these farms. Crops required additional inputs just to stay constant on yields, feed quality was low and livestock health issues were high. In essence, the farm system was not sustainable. Biological farming starts in the soil, the basis for agriculture, and promotes a system which lays a foundation for long term farming and financial success.
At Midwestern BioAg, we are passionate about farming. We have it in our blood. Please continue to explore Biological Farming and what Midwestern BioAg can do for your farming operation. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to spend my life in agriculture. There are great opportunities ahead-let’s explore them together!
The People Behind Midwestern BioAg.
Gary Zimmer, President & Chairman of the Board
Gary Zimmer is an internationally known author, speaker and consultant in biological farming. He helped begin Midwestern BioAg in 1984 as one of the founding partners. He is the author of two books, numerous articles on soils and livestock nutrition, and has addressed audiences around the globe. He serves as President and Chairman of the Board, and as “Chief Visionary Officer” for Midwestern BioAg. He has made a profound impact on thousands of farms across the United States, and helped improve agriculture worldwide.
Zimmer owns and operates, with his family, Otter Creek Organic Farm, near Lone Rock, WI.
Daniel Smith, CEO
Daniel Smith joined Midwestern BioAg as Chief Executive Officer in July, 2011. He brought with him a lifelong dedication to, and understanding of, biological farming and agribusiness. Smith learned the value of the BioAg program during the three decades he operated his own dairy farm in Northwestern Illinois. That farming experience, coupled with his work as a farm financial consultant for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, enables Smith to provide the primary link between BioAg’s customers, program and corporate operations.
Smith lives with his wife, Cheryl, on a farm in Iowa County, WI.
To learn more about Dan, visit his LinkedIn profile.
Duane Siegenthaler, COO
Duane Siegenthaler has been a key person in Midwestern BioAg since 1991. Beginning as an Independent Consultant in southwestern Wisconsin, his understanding of the BioAg program and ability to transfer that knowledge to the farmer allowed his business to grow substantially over the years. In 2008, Siegenthaler merged his business with the MBA organization. He was named Chief Operating Officer in 2012, and is responsible for the daily sales and operations of the company throughout the Upper Midwest.
Siegenthaler lives with his wife, Brenda, near New Glarus, WI.
To learn more about Duane, visit his LinkedIn profile.
Ron Mason, CPO
Ron Mason joined Midwestern BioAg at its inception in the 1980”s and has served the company in numerous roles over his career. He brings a thorough understanding of products, formulas, logistics, regulatory requirements and finance to his role as Chief Procurement Officer. Mason works with MBA’s providers of raw materials, manufacturers and storage providers to ensure adequate product flow into the MBA system. He maintains key contacts throughout the fertilizer and mineral industries as the primary contact person for MBA.
Mason lives with his wife, Ann, near Barneveld, WI.
To learn more about Ron, visit his LinkedIn profile.
Ronnie Kurschner, VP of Operations
Ronnie Kurschner relies on his more than 20 years of experience in operations, product flow and application to serve MBA as Vice President of Operations. He is responsible for the daily plant operations of the Blue Mounds and Utica, MN facilities, including inventory control, staffing, equipment, maintenance, application services and logistics. Along with his son, Jeff, Kurschner directs the Dispatch Department of Midwestern BioAg.
Kurschner lives with his wife, Cherie, in Blanchardville, WI.
To learn more about Ronnie, visit his LinkedIn profile.
Bruce Baker, CFO
Bruce Baker joined Midwestern BioAg as Chief Financial Offer in June, 2012, after working as a Certified Public Accountant. Baker, who grew up on a farm near Mineral Point, holds both a CPA license and a Masters of Business Administration Degree from Edgewood College. He is responsible for the financial management of the company in all areas of accounting, taxes, human resources, budgets and strategic financial planning.
Baker, a former college athlete and high school football coach, lives with his wife, Tasha, and their three children in Fort Atkinson, WI.
To learn more about Bruce, visit his LinkedIn profile.
Tom Vander Heiden, VP of Growth and Development
Tom Vander Heiden joined Midwestern BioAg in the fall of 2012 after three decades of working in agribusiness. His extensive experience in production agriculture, fertilizer plant operations, livestock nutrition and business development uniquely qualified him to lead Midwestern BioAg into new markets and opportunities. Vander Heiden relies on his extensive network within the industry, along with his market analysis skills, to lead MBA’s growth in new products, programs and geographic areas.
Vander Heiden lives with his wife, Beth, in New Praque, MN.
Jennifer Hasburgh, Senior Staff Analyst
Jennifer Hasburgh assumed the role of Senior Staff Analyst for Midwestern BioAg in the fall of 2012, after two years as a primary member of the Dispatch Department. During her time in that role, her dedication to detail, analytical skills, IT capabilities and her understanding of complex processes and procedures, distinguished her as a vital member of the management team. Ms. Hasburgh directs and completes numerous research and analytical projects, as well as assists the Chief Executive Officer in daily operations.
Ms. Hasburgh holds a Bachelor Degree in Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. She lives with her husband, Scott, and their daughter Niki, in Highland, WI.
To learn more about Jen, visit her LinkedIn profile.
