ARDEN HILLS, Minn. and RICHMOND, Va. —  Winfield U.S. (Winfield United Suppliers) and Southern States Cooperative Inc. have signed a letter of intent to enter into a supply agreement for Winfield US to exclusively provide a majority of Southern States’ requirements for crop inputs.

“We are very pleased to be working with Southern States to help meet their supply and operational needs and bring WinField products and services to new customers,” says Chris Policinski, president and CEO of Land O’Lakes Inc. and Winfield U.S. chairman. “This agreement furthers our commitment to helping agricultural retailers continue to compete in this era of industry consolidation.”

The intent is for Winfield U.S. to supply a majority of crop inputs requirements to the Southern States network of 1,200 retail locations across 23 states serving 200,000 farmers, including products and services delivered under the WinField brand, which will be new offerings for Southern States customers.

“We’re excited about the possibilities of aligning with a company known for industry-leading operations and with some of the best products and services to help us better serve our customers and grow our business,” says Jeff Stroburg, CEO of Southern States Cooperative Inc.

With the agreement, Winfield U.S. gains access to a new geographic region.

“We are looking forward to the potential of bringing our WinField portfolio of products, including our WinField seed, seed treatments, adjuvants, micronutrients and plant growth regulators to a new customer base,” says Mike Vande Logt, COO of Winfield U.S. “The products, paired with our decision agriculture technologies will provide real value to Southern States customers looking to increase productivity in the most sustainable ways. We look forward to defining the details of the agreement and getting to work with new retail partners and the farmers they serve in this region.”

The agreement is expected to be complete in early summer and effective fall 2016.