Randy Harmdierks, Creative Media Manager

Early in life I knew I wanted to be in agriculture,” said Herb Hasenkamp, who joined Albert Lea Seed as National Sales Manager last May. “When I was young, I had a small-scale ‘farm’ in our backyard with toy tractors and equipment.”

As Herb grew up, that early fascination with agriculture translated into a wealth of practical experience farming with his family in West Point, Nebraska. They farmed conventionally before switching to organic production in 1994. After graduating high school, Herb attended the University of Nebraska—Lincoln, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy. He now runs the family farm along with his wife of 23 years, Karina, and their three sons: Kaleb (20), Landon (17), and Nolan (12).

Herb comes to Albert Lea Seed with decades of experience in seed sales. He previously served as seed director for a Nebraska-based cooperative, where he managed a sales team selling multiple brands. Before that he served at a large seed licensing manufacturer and worked with companies throughout the Midwest.

“I’m excited to be working with both dealers and growers,” he said, adding that he hopes to grow the business and to help both dealers and growers be successful. “There are so many great people in agriculture, and we have a great team at Albert Lea Seed that is always willing to pitch in and get things done.”

Herb acknowledges that there are some significant challenges ahead in agriculture. “Volatility seems to be a big challenge today, as the world keeps getting smaller with advances in technology,” he said. “And as we’ve seen recently, global demand and transportation can greatly influence our markets here in the US, which makes crop planning more difficult as growers try to make the best decisions for their operations.”

But Herb is also hopeful for the future. “Agriculture will always be the foundation of a reliable and healthy food source, which is so critically important,” he said. “Growers are naturally innovative, and I love to watch how they adapt to challenges in front of them.”

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Photo: The Hasenkamps at their homestead in West Point, NE