Growing the Future: Insights from Our Interns

In the agriculture industry, innovation and fresh perspectives are more crucial than ever. At Premier Companies, we believe that the future of this industry lies in the hands of the next generation. Our internship program is designed to empower young talent, providing them with hands-on experience, mentorship from industry leaders, and the opportunity to contribute to meaningful projects.

We talked with a few of our current interns, some returning for a second year and some starting their first year with us, to gain insights into their experiences, challenges, goals, and the innovative ideas they bring to the table. These are the bright minds that are at the forefront of driving change and shaping the future, not just for Premier, but for our communities as a whole. Join us as we dive into their journeys, explore their contributions, and discover how they are impacting the dynamic world of agriculture.

Returning Interns

We are excited to be working with a few returning interns, who have already had the opportunity to learn about Premier and the industry, and are joining us for a second year to continue making an impact.

Q: Thank you for talking with us today. Can you please tell us a little bit about where you attend school and what you are studying?

Brooks Werner (BW): Purdue University class of 2026, studying Agronomy.

Christian Mehne (CM): Purdue University, Senior, studying Ag Business Management.

Jackson Metz (JM): Purdue University, Junior, studying Agronomy.

Q: What motivated you to pursue an internship in agronomy, and why did you choose to return for another internship?

BW: In high school I completed two mentorships with Premier Ag, worked as a part time employee in 2022, was a 2023 intern and continued this year because I love the people and the atmosphere. Premier is a great company that pushes you to be the best you can and all the people around you are there to lift you up!

CM: I enjoyed the agronomy classes I had taken and love working on our family farm. I wanted to learn more and get real world experience for what I learned in my classes. The reason I chose to come back is that I really enjoyed my first summer, and what I was offered for my internship for this year is very special and wasn’t very common for someone still in college.

JM: I have always loved production agriculture and especially in row crops. The atmosphere that Premier has produced is very welcoming and makes you feel like family.

Q: Reflecting on your previous internship experience, what were some of the most valuable lessons you learned?

BW: Work hard. Everything in life tells you to work hard, the past mentorship showed me that if I work hard, it will be noticed and rewarded.

CM: The most valuable lessons I’ve learned is a better understanding on when applications should be made, as well as other agronomic decisions that need to be made throughout the season.

JM: Some of the most valuable lessons I have learned is to always be willing to do the stuff no one else wants to. This can range from sweeping a shop to climbing in a fertilizer blender to help fix it. I would also say to make as many connections as you can because you never know when you might need these connections.

Q: How has your understanding of agronomy evolved since your first internship, and what new skills have you developed?

BW: My understanding has increased tremendously, not only agronomically, but personally. Sales is something hard to learn in a classroom, the way to deliver yourself, the way you represent yourself, and the way you treat customers is something only learned from doing. Agronomically, the material covered in classrooms has been put in front of me in a work setting to help me understand it even better.

CM: My understanding has become quite a bit stronger and I believe that comes from getting more in-field experience and being able to apply the things I’ve learned in school.

JM: My skills have developed from what I learned in a lecture to how this knowledge can be applied to a real life situation. I would say I have gotten better at identification of not only weeds and disease but also identifying problems in application and such things.

Q: What advice would you give to new interns joining the agronomy program?

BW: Learn all you can, listen to the professionals you deal with day to day, because their wisdom about life in general, work ethics, and agronomics is something very valuable to learn.

CM: Try to see every part of the business and get experience in each of them, so you can better understand what it takes to get each job done.

JM: I would say don’t be scared of the people at a branch or even the farmers you will meet. Everyone is here for a common goal so it’s important to work together and learn from everyone.

Q: How has the internship experience influenced your career aspirations or academic pursuits?

BW: My career aspirations have always been to be a farmer, or work in agriculture. When I got older and was in high school, I found I wanted to help farmers grow the best possible crop they can. I completed my mentorships in high school and this confirmed that I wanted to work in the ag field and have decided to keep coming back because I love it.

CM: The internship has supported my desire to be in the ag retail industry.

JM: ​​This internship opened my eyes to seeing that I don’t have to pick a career in just one subject like seed sales or chemical sales. This experience includes all of those but it also includes being an applicator, truck driver, and so much more so it’s always something different everyday.

Q: Are there any specific goals or projects you hope to accomplish during your current internship?

BW: I am looking forward to dealing with customers one on one with the help of an account manager. I love working with people and helping, especially helping those that feed us, and those in the industry that is so amazing.

CM: Work on learning the products that my customers are using and better understanding why they’re using them. As well as, doing everything I can to make their season as successful as possible.

JM: I hope to get myself established here as an account manager and build a mutual respect between coworkers as well as customers.

Q: Looking ahead, how do you envision your future involvement in the field of agronomy or agriculture?

BW: Looking ahead, I see my involvement in agriculture in general, agronomy especially, to be something that will be a key part of my life and career.

CM: I envision myself continuing to farm as well as staying in the ag retail industry.

JM: Coming out of college I hope to become an account manager here and work my way up to a more leadership role in the future.

First Year Interns

Along with our returning interns, we were able to bring on a couple of new interns for this summer to help them start their journey in the industry.

Q: Thank you for talking with us today. Can you please tell us a little bit about where you attend school and what you are studying?

Hannah Kerkhof (HK): Purdue University, Junior, studying Agricultural Communication.

Kate Spurgeon (KS): Purdue University, Senior, studying Farm Management with minors in Crop Science and Agribusiness.

Q: What inspired you to pursue this internship, and what are your expectations for this experience?

HK: Premier has always been a great company to work with from the customer side, so I was quick to apply when I found out there was a chance to work for them as an intern.

KS: I had heard some really good things about Premier and thought an internship would be a good way to learn more. And I want field experience!

Q: What specific aspects of agronomy are you most interested in exploring during your internship?

HK: I am a marketing intern, so I work less with agronomy than the other interns. However, I am excited to learn everything I can about the agronomy department.

KS: I have really enjoyed going to the field plots and seeing different types of growth with different varieties. I really enjoy meeting the farmers and creating connections. And I like learning about new weeds and insects I’ve never seen.

Q: Can you share a bit about your academic background and how you hope to apply your knowledge and skills to this internship?

HK: Purdue has taught me aspects and skills of Agricultural communication and marketing like digital design, journalism, video production, and more. I am excited to see how it all comes together in the workspace.

KS: I minor in crop science so that has prepared me for field scouting and other aspects of this internship. With my major of farm management and agribusiness, I hope to apply that to understanding Premier as a whole company and the different aspects within it. Also it helps me understand the farmers perspective during this experience.

Q: Are there any particular projects or areas of research that you’re eager to dive into?

HK :I am looking forward to helping create marketing material and working with a team to promote Premier!

KS: I really enjoy helping wherever I’m needed, I enjoy test plot research but I’m really flexible. Overall I just want to meet new people and gain new knowledge and experiences!

Q: What do you hope to achieve or learn during your time as an intern?

HK: I am hoping to learn at least one new skill in creating content and build on the knowledge I already have from school. I want to make practical applications of the skills I have for the betterment of the company.

KS: I want to create good connections with those within Premier, and the farmers and those I’m helping. I also really want to walk away confident that I could help identify and treat problems found in the field.

Q: Looking ahead, how do you envision this internship shaping your future career path or academic pursuits?

HK: I hope that my time at Premier this summer helps me to solidify the aspects of communication that I am most passionate about and to determine what my greatest strengths are.

KS: Overall I can already tell that this internship will be very beneficial for my future. In all the skills I’ve learned already, and the knowledge and experience I’ll continue to gain during my time here. I feel like this will help me better understand what area of agriculture I want to start a career in or not in. I really like Premier and will also consider a future career here as well throughout this summer! I’m just very thankful for this opportunity!

We are excited for a successful summer with our interns, and can’t wait to see what they learn and are able to contribute! Stay tuned for a follow up at the end of the summer for a look into their experiences and to learn what the future holds.