Walla Walla, Washington, USA
November 29, 2022
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John Dodd has deep roots in agriculture. The new Limagrain Cereal Seeds (LCS) Pacific Northwest regional commercial manager is descended from five generations of Washington growers.
“My family homesteaded the Touchet area as dryland wheat farmers,” says Dodd. “I grew up listening to stories of farming with mule teams, how the mules got traded in for the first John Deere propelled equipment, and how farming changed after World War II and nitrogen fertilizer.”
There was never any doubt in Dodd’s mind what he wanted to do for work. Since the family farm was being tended by relatives, he set his sights on helping other local farmers succeed. He earned a degree in Integrated Pest Management and Agronomy from Washington State University. After graduation, he landed a research position with FFR Cooperative, which would be the start of a 36-year career in seed research, development and production.
Dodd dug into his work with forages: alfalfa, Timothy grass, orchard grass, tall fescues and red clover. Breeding research expanded to seed production and eventually product development. When his research station was purchased by Forage Genetics, Dodd made the move and served customers from his home state as well as Oregon and Idaho — the same territory he covers today for LCS.
“In addition to being a forage seed expert, John has been around wheat and built relationships with PNW wheat farmers his whole career. We’re thrilled to have him on the team,” says Jeff Widder, national sales and marketing manager for LCS.
Dodd has decades of experience in both dry and irrigated agriculture farming practices. Working with LCS gives him the opportunity to bring the newest wheat genetics to the market, expand his network of relationships, collaborate with partners like the GMG Group and Varsity Idaho, and keep fulfilling his vocation — helping farmers thrive.
“Being a farm kid, I’ve always been about impact. To see a product you’ve worked on go into seed production right in your backyard with families you have long histories with — watching them be able to increase their farm, hire more people, send their kids to school and build bigger houses because of the work you’ve done? That’s just super cool.”
Not to mention everyone else involved in the supply chain, says Dodd. Agronomists, seed dealers and retailers make a good living selling seed at distributorship. Millers, bakers and brewers turn wheat into bread, cake, noodles, beer and beyond. Consumers bring all that hard work into their homes to feed their families.
“The impact of how many lives you touch with your blood, sweat and tears when you work in ag is awesome,” says Dodd.
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