Independent Fertilizer Advisory

A fertilizer trading desk, sized to your business.

Procurement, price risk, and market intelligence for co-ops and ag retailers, from a trader who ran fertilizer books with full P&L ownership at CHS and ADM.

What AgBridge does

Covered hopper and other bulk commodity freight cars on railway tracks

Procurement and Price Risk

An annual engagement where I execute the buy for you, deciding how much to own, when to price it, and when to ship it. I also manage contracts, monitor risk exposure, and line up alternative supply options before you need them.

Conceptual world map with curved connections illustrating global commodity trade

Market Intelligence

Weekly updates, monthly outlooks, and alerts when something major moves, covering proprietary global indicators, regional basis and logistics, and the farmer demand that shapes your delivered price.

Golden farm field at sunset

Commercial Due Diligence and Transaction Advisory

For lenders, investors, and acquirers looking at a fertilizer business: market structure, margin sustainability, and supply chain and counterparty risk. Fertilizer focus, with experience across grain and oilseeds.

In the spring of 2019, record flooding hit the central US. I saw what would follow: rivers closing, a plant faltering, and wholesalers selling out. We positioned urea ahead of all three, and the cooperatives we supplied across the Southern Plains had the only supply within 700 miles, so their farmers got nitrogen at the right place, time, and price.

Portrait of Zach Sturm, founder of AgBridge Advisors

About

Zach Sturm, Founder and Principal Advisor

I grew up on a corn and soybean farm in Springfield, Minnesota, and have spent 16+ years trading grain and fertilizer.

Experience

  • Land O'Lakes: Bought corn for the company's feed mills
  • CHS: Traded global urea, negotiating directly with domestic and international manufacturers
  • ADM: Led all fertilizer trading, logistics, operations, and strategic growth, with full P&L ownership, until 2025
  • Most recently: Built a fertilizer division from the ground up, trading physical tons into 2026

Both sides of the table

I've worked the buy and sell sides, so I know how manufacturers and wholesalers price, when they'll move, and what a buyer can push back on.

Why AgBridge

To give you firsthand knowledge of the fertilizer system, from the global manufacturer to the farmer, so you can keep serving your farmers and community. At AgBridge I don't sell tons or carry a physical position, so my only interest is yours.

Outside of work: Active on the farm, family, golf, college football, and hunting.

Firsthand insights. Global perspective.

Let's talk through your next fertilizer buy. Whether we end up working together or not, you'll leave the call with a clear read on the market and at least one idea you can put to use.

Set up a 15-minute call

zach.sturm@agbridgeadvisors.com