Bonnie Bargstedt, Key Account Manager for Novonesis. Photo provided.
By Eric Jenks, Special to NEAFA
This month’s NEAFA highlight is on Bonnie Bargstedt, a Key Account Manager at Novonesis for the past six years. Novonesis is a new company with deep roots. It was formed earlier this year as Novozymes and Chr. Hansen joined together to create a leading company in biosolutions. “Chr. Hansen started in 1874 in Denmark by extracting rennet to make the enzymes for cheese. To this day people make cheese with our rennet.
We currently have more than 10,000 employees working in 30 different industries across the globe. Our biosolutions enable feeding and fueling the world more sustainably, from healthy and sustainable nutrition to biofuel. They also reduce the use of fossil-based resources, chemicals, energy and water.”
“Our US headquarters is in Milwaukee, WI, while our corporate headquarters is in Copenhagen Denmark.,” said Bargstedt
Beyond her work with Novonesis, Bargstedt is no stranger to agriculture. “I grew up on a dairy farm in Fonda, NY,” said Bargstedt. “My entire career has always been in agriculture where I have been fortunate to have good jobs and great leadership. Agriculture, particularly dairy, is engrained in me, and providing solutions to customers that have become my friends is very important to me. Selling products that make a farmer’s life easier and their business more profitable is rewarding. Personally, I am a partner at Envision Dairy where we milk 580 cows. When you are a dairy farmer and in sales you understand the challenges that your customers face. I wouldn’t sell my customers something that I don’t believe enough in to use myself.”
Bargstedt’s participation in NEAFA began when she first joined Novonesis. “There was a NEAFA annual meeting that my boss asked me to attend,” said Bargstedt. “He felt that it was important for me to be involved since NEAFA does so much to represent agribusiness in the Northeast. I think it’s important to develop policies that represent the interests of agriculture and agribusiness in the Northeast. The opportunity to network is a huge plus as well. Networking with your peers and developing an understanding of issues that you may not come across in your day-to-day life but that effect the industry at large is important.”
Looking at the future of agriculture in the Northeast from a personal level, Bargstedt is excited for the growth of new dairy processing facilities in New York State. "That expansion is going to offer many opportunities for the agricultural industry moving forward,” said Bargstedt. “It’s not just dairy producers, the industry as a whole will benefit. Feed mills, veterinarians, trucking companies, milking equipment companies, nutritionists, etc., will all benefit from having increased processing capacity in the Northeast.”
For more information on Novonesis, you can visit: https://www.novonesis.com/en