Rediscovering The System

In Southeast Iowa, Jim Yule stands out not only as a successful farmer, but as a trusted advisor and independent associate of the Maximum Farming System. With more than two decades of experience using the System on his own farm, including a unique journey of stepping away and returning, Jim brings valuable insight and credibility to the farmers he works with.

From Client to Dealer

Jim first encountered Ag Spectrum 25 years ago when he was invited to a Maximum Farming Forum by a friend who was a dealer at the time. The company’s viewpoint resonated with him. “One of Ag Spectrum’s founders, Cliff Ramsier, stood on stage and said, ‘Our Creator didn’t put just enough P and K in the soil to last until He could come up with a fertilizer dealer. It’s there for humanity,’” Jim recalls. “I decided right then that this System is what I wanted to use.”

He began implementing the Maximum Farming System on his own farm but was later swayed by others who promised similar results at a lower cost. “Within 4 or 5 years of switching to that other program, I could tell it wasn’t the same. There was no leadership or company support. They were just showing up once a year to sell products,” Jim says. Feeling lost, he searched for answers and eventually found his way back to Ag Spectrum, becoming a dealer a few years later in 2013.

Leadership Goes Beyond Products

What sets Ag Spectrum apart, according to Jim, is the commitment to leadership and education. “I wasn’t looking for any answers from a fertility standpoint. I was looking for all the other things Ag Spectrum provides, that they don’t sell,” he explains. “Nobody else in the industry talks about anything other than their product, and Ag Spectrum has always offered much more than that.”

Jim emphasizes that leadership means being a reliable resource for farmers. “My farmer-clients and I have good relationships, we talk every week or so. They value my opinion, and I value theirs. As a dealer, I strive to prove myself and become the person they trust to call for guidance.”

The Power of a Proven System

Jim’s experience as both a farmer and dealer gives him a unique perspective on the value of the Maximum Farming System. “Previously, I was trying to take this piece and that piece and fit it all together. And that’s the nice thing that this System does. It combines it all and it’s refreshing that I don’t have to think about all those things,” he says. “Our overall input costs are lower, our yields may or may not be higher than neighbors on any given year, but our ROI is higher because we’re getting the most out of our fertilizer budget.”

Foliar feeding, a key component of the System, is something Jim strongly believes in. “It can be a pain to apply foliar, but one year, one of my 2 sons who farm on opposite sides of the road from each other decided not to foliar and there was a 20 bushel per acre difference,” he shares. “Now we do 2 foliar applications on corn because that is what the research clearly says. It’s an investment that pays off.”

Invaluable Support

Jim credits Ag Spectrum’s support network as a major factor in his success. “The team we have supporting us is invaluable! I start making phone calls to other dealers, my management team, technical support, clear to the Board of Directors and they’re all accessible. That’s unheard of.”

Jim takes what he is taught by the company and communicates in a way that is meaningful to him and his farmers. His District Sales Manager, Ethan Morford, says, “Jim doesn’t see himself as a salesman. All his conversations are farmer-to-farmer and that’s what makes others trust him.”

Passion for Helping Others

For Jim, his role as a dealer is a great fit. “My passion is helping people, whether it’s through this role or something else. I do honestly feel like I’m helping people doing this,” he says. “Farmers delight when you walk out in their corn fields because very few people do that.

Before becoming affiliated with Ag Spectrum, I never walked into a corn field with anybody, never dug up roots. Now it is my favorite thing to do and it is a joy to help people.”

Jim Yule’s journey from customer to stepping away, and ultimately returning as a dedicated dealer, reflects the credibility of the System. His commitment to helping fellow farmers drives his success. Jim expresses, “If you enjoy agronomy and working with farmers, even if you’re like me and don’t necessarily enjoy talking to people, you can have a lasting impact as a Maximum Farming System Associate.”