b'Seeding a Culture of CareInvesting in community can come in all kinds of forms and carries benefits way beyond the obvious.Melissa ShipmanLIKE THE FARMSand farm families they work with, agricultural corpora-tions are rooted in their rural community. In countless ways both big and small, ag companies invest in those communities, pouring dollars, manhours and heart into everything from grassroots projects to major initiatives. Is your company keen on getting started in investing in com-munity, or looking for fresh ways to show commitment to the people and places that support your operations? Seed World reached out to several seed com-panies for ideas about how they invest, why those investments matter so much and why its important to showcase and celebrate community building efforts. The most obvious benefit of invest-ing in community is that it immediately and positively impacts that community. The efforts made and dollars donated byAbove: Scott Sanders,companies can enable programs, buildgeneral manager ofcommunity pride, allow new opportuni- Peterson Farms Seed.ties, and so much more. Generosity also carries spin-off benefits for both the com- Right: A plot of sweet corn that Peterson Farms Seeds staff pick and deliver to food pany that makes community investments,pantries and a homeless shelter.PHOTO: PETERSON FARMS SEED.and for the greater agriculture industry as a whole. The efforts can be agricultureannual sweet corn donations to homeless A Culture of Caring related or not.shelters, food pantries and jails.When done in ways that directly engageScott Sanders, general manager ofCommunity-minded efforts are a great employees, investment can help corpo- Peterson Farms Seed, says regular bloodway to showcase what a company stands rations build a culture of caring, whichdrives, book drives and support of thefor. supports employees goodwill, workplaceSalvation Army are backbones of theirThese projects allow the community engagement and corporate pride. Fromcommunity involvement, even thoughto see what Peterson Farms Seed is all donation matching programs to allow- those initiatives arent always directlyabout and what values drive us as a com-ing employees to take paid time off torelated to agriculture.pany, Sanders says. It helps potential volunteer to asking employees for recom- We try to focus on areas that provideand current customers see who we are mendations on where to direct charitablethe most benefit, Sanders says.and what we value at Peterson. Our repu-giving dollars, there are many creativeThat said, Peterson Farms Seed alsotation is very important to us and being ways to align the company and employ- tries to participate in agriculture-basedinvolved in community work allows us to ees in community giving. projects wherever possible, such asbuild on that reputation.16/ SEEDWORLD.COMSEPTEMBER 2023'