2025 ended with a flurry of appointments across the agriculture industry as companies prepared for a prosperous 2026, appointing CEO, rounding out boards, and adding regional expertise to grow in markets.
This month, John Deere leads the last Ag movers & shakers column with an appointment to its board of directors, followed by people news from water conservation company UpTerra, mycorrhizal inoculant producer Groundwork BioAg, crop breeding company Meiogenix, and crop nutrition supplier Pivot Bio.
John Deere adds Cargill expertise to the board of directors
John Deere appointed Brian Sikes, board chair and CEO of Cargill, to the original equipment manufacturer’s board of directors. The appointment marks the 11th member of the board, which includes 10 independent and non-employee directors.
Sikes joined Cargill in 1991 and worked across the company’s agricultural supply chain, food ingredients, and protein businesses, John Deere shared in a press release. He was appointed Cargill CEO in 2023, where he oversaw operations in more than 70 countries, and appointed to chair of the board of directors in 2024.
“Brian’s decades of leadership at Cargill have given him a deep understanding of the agricultural value chain and the challenges faced by farmers and food producers worldwide. His commitment to innovation and sustainability will be instrumental as we continue to transform our business and deliver smarter, more sustainable solutions for our customers,” John C. May, chairman and CEO of Deere & Company, said in a press release.
UpTerra makes appointments, announces VC funding
UpTerra announced that Stephen Birch — who has been a board member since 2022 — was appointed CEO. A couple of weeks later, UpTerra appointed Brian Poindexter as chief operating officer.
Birch will grow UpTerra’s market penetration across its main crops and regions by expanding grower and channel partnerships and building regional teams, the company shared in a press release. UpTerra also announced a strategic investment from Big Idea Ventures’ Generation Food Rural Partners Fund, as part of the CEO press release.
With over 15 years of experience, Poindexter will help UpTerra scale its flagship technology, TerraFlow, which improves infiltration, plant absorption, and nutrient delivery, the company shared. Previously, Poindexter served as managing director at Catalytic Strategy and was project leader at the Boston Consulting Group.
“Our goal is simple to apply the UpTerra proven successes to every irrigated farm in the United States. We will do this by providing value field by field, helping farmers deliver higher yields, and making farm agronomics work better. With GFRP’s support and our demonstrated momentum this year, we can help more farms turn irrigated water into rainwater,” Birch said in a press release.
Groundwork BioAg supports Brazil expansion with appointment
Groundwork BioAg is supporting its expansion into Brazil by appointing Roberto Gajardoni as its Brazil country manager, a new position to bolster the expansion of its Rootella products.
Before joining Groundwork BioAg, Gilardoni held business development, marketing, and commercial operations positions at Syngenta, Monsanto (now Bayer), Limagrain, and Microxisto.
Brazil is a market of strategic importance for the company, given the country’s “continued strong growth” in biologicals, and the need to maximize yields on limited hectares, the company shared in a press release.
“Brazil is one of the most important agricultural markets in the world, and our growth there has reached a point where additional dedicated local leadership is essential. Roberto’s experience and deep understanding of Brazilian agriculture make him the right leader to guide our next phase of expansion, increase awareness, and bring Rootella to more growers across the country,” said Hanan Dor, chief commercial officer at Groundwork, in a press release.
Meiogenix reveals strategic advisory board
Meiogenix formed its strategic advisory board, tapping into expertise from some of the largest agriculture companies, to grow its platform for non-GMO traits, the company shared in a press release.
Neal Gutterson, former Corteva and DuPont pioneer, will serve as chairman of the board and advisory board leader for the agtech company. Additionally, André D’Aoust, Alain Nicolas, Jerry Steiner, Marc Albertsen, Marlin Edwards, and Wojtek Pawlowski were also appointed to the advisory board.
“Meiogenix represents the most significant advance in targeted recombination since it was first described nearly a century ago. By accessing previously unavailable natural genetic diversity, Meiogenix is reinventing how we breed for resilience, productivity, and sustainability,” Neal Gutterson, Meiogenix chairman of the board and advisory board leader, said in a press release.
Pivot Bio builds out management and commercial teams
Pivot Bio made a slew of management and commercial team news across two press releases. In senior management news, Pivot Bio announced the following appontments:
- Deepak Pillai, head of digital;
- Katie Liberatore, senior director of product operations and execution;
- Peter Jensen, senior director of regulatory and quality affairs;
- Rick Williamson, director of corporate communications – external communications and media;
- Shekar Govindaswamy, principal scientist; and
- Theresa Myers, director of corporate communications – thought leadership and global impact.
In commercial news, the agtech company appointed A.J. Hohmann and Brian Larrington as regional distribution leads, and Travis Denison and Tony Goede as regional commercial agronomy leads. Additionally, Dan Benson and Travis Bitker will serve as regional sales leaders for the Heartland and Northern Plains, respectively.
“We’re entering an important next phase for Pivot Bio, one shaped by what we’ve learned alongside growers and the continued refinement of our best management practices that help them get the most from our innovative nitrogen solutions,” Chris Turner, chief commercial officer at Pivot Bio, shared in a press release.
He added. “These appointments further strengthen the team that supports farmers every day. Each leader brings the on-farm experience, strategic insight and practical judgment that growers rely on as they navigate the complexities of today’s farming realities to make more confident, whole-system crop nutrition decisions.”
Earlier this year, Pivot Bio released an impact report, stating that its biologicals can replace up to 40 pounds of synthetic nitrogen per acre, as AgTechNavigator reported.
