Raising the Bar Together: Rick Warner and Midwest Ag Advisors

Rick Warner, Midwest Ag Advisors and ProAg

A ProAg 100th Anniversary Agent Story

For Rick Warner, his relationship with ProAg has always been about more than crop insurance. It’s about having a true partner.

Rick’s connection to ProAg began in 2014, when he joined the company as a National Sales Manager and worked closely with senior leaders, claims professionals and colleagues throughout the organization.  That firsthand experience stayed with him when he left in 2016 to start Midwest Ag Advisors. As Rick puts it, “Those relationships with ProAg personnel made my agency more successful.”

Today, Midwest Ag Advisors has 10 agents and additional support staff serving farmers throughout the Upper Midwest, primarily in Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Iowa. Headquartered in Windom, Minnesota, they also have additional offices in Buffalo and Albert Lea, Minnesota and Watertown, South Dakota. The agency serves corn, soybean and livestock producers, along with specialty and organic crop growers.

Through the years, one aspect of ProAg has stood out above all others for Rick is claims.

“ProAg’s commitment to claims has always stood out to me,” he says. “It’s the most impactful thing for farmers. The service is top-notch, and it’s been consistently good for 20 years.”

Rick saw that commitment firsthand following a massive hail event in southeastern Minnesota. ProAg brought a regional team of adjusters into the area to process claims quickly and consistently across thousands of acres.

“They just knocked it out of the park,” Rick recalls. “That’s one of the reasons my customers remain and want to stay with ProAg. They’ve experienced professional claims service for more than two decades, and they know how well things go when they need their insurance.”

That same commitment extends beyond claims. Rick points to ProAg’s training, educational resources and in-person events as important parts of helping his agency grow. He particularly values opportunities such as ProAg’s livestock training and Strategic Partner events, where agents can strengthen relationships and connect directly with ProAg leadership.

For Rick, those relationships extend throughout the organization. He credits numerous ProAg employees and leaders over the years with contributing to his agency’s success—from claims professionals Jason Lloyd and Jamie Albrecht to CFO Russ Klein and CEO Kendall Jones, whom Rick describes as approachable and willing to discuss challenges, celebrate successes and listen to his agency’s needs.

As ProAg celebrates 100 years, Rick believes the balance between innovation and stability will be increasingly important in the years ahead. Agents and farmers expect the companies they rely on to adapt, solve problems, and keep improving while remaining dependable when it matters most. “We have to keep improving constantly, together,” Rick says. “The status quo just isn’t good enough anymore.”

He compares a strong partnership to two people lifting opposite ends of a weight bar. Each has to carry their share, follow through on their commitments and work toward the same goal.

“We’re either true partners or we aren’t,” Rick says. “ProAg is a true partner, and we’re raising the bar together.”

And that is the message he would most like other agents to understand.

“If you’re looking for an AIP to come alongside you and be a true partner, rather than just a vendor, ProAg is your choice.”