As you step into the charming little white clapboard building of Little Britain Ag Supply, you see several bright and colorful leaflets containing helpful crop advice on the checkout counter. You’re greeted with a cheerful hello and warm smiles, which instantly make you feel like a valued customer.

As a member of the third generation of Little Britian Ag, an agronomic seed and fertilizer business, that is precisely how Chris Burkhart wants you to feel.  He aims to have customers feel respected, supported, and confident that their needs come first when they walk through Little Britain’s doors.

“I am proud that customers feel that we’re a trusted source. We strive to give good information. We know what we’re talking about, and we don’t just tell customers something to make a sale,” he said.

From a blending plant for fertilizer, custom spreading and spraying, to being an official Channel dealer – selling the brand’s seeds for various crops, to field scouting, custom farming services, and conducting their own research on large test plots at Burkhart’s family 450-acre farm. The Lancaster County-based ag retailer has effectively become a one-stop shop for agronomic needs for Lancaster and surrounding county farmers.

Before side hustles made their way into the cultural zeitgeist, Burkhart’s grandfather, Marlin R. Brubaker, a prominent dairy farmer, began the business by selling fertilizer on the side to neighboring farms in 1962 while farming for himself. It was later in 1977 that he formed a four-member family partnership that included Burkhart’s father, Larry, and, in 1985, incorporated it into its current business form.

“Sometimes the customer just wants to be heard. They don’t really need a solution to the problem; they want to know you heard them, and maybe you have to apologize, and that’s enough because they understand that problems can happen out in the field.”- Chris Burkhart, Little Britain Ag Supply

Burkhart, who joined the family business 20 years ago after earning a Master’s degree in plant pathology, said that as a recent graduate, he wasn’t sure what he would do but had imagined working for a seed company focused on plant genetics. Still, when there was an opening at Little Britain, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work alongside his dad.

“I didn’t necessarily think I was going to join the family business, but I’ve always liked plants, so when I got done with school and there was an opening here, it felt like good timing,” he said.

It’s a decision he hasn’t regretted since day one. Every day, Burkhart finds fulfillment in helping customers, building genuine relationships, and upholding his family’s company values of trust and honesty.

At the beginning of his career, Burkhart would watch his father use a patient approach when discussing crop concerns with customers, whether over the phone or in person.

“He would jump on the phone and talk through the whole situation with them, and at the end, the customer would either be satisfied or not, but they would stay a customer because he cared. He took the time to listen,” Burkhart said.

Burkhart adds that his customer-first philosophy starts with being a little of an investigator: he defines the problem and asks questions to get the full details of the situation. He tries not to jump to any conclusions right off the bat, he said.  

“A lot of time, just walking through the situation solves the problem without you even having to do anything,” said Burkhart. “Sometimes the customer just wants to be heard. They don’t really need a solution to the problem; they want to know you heard them, and maybe you have to apologize, and that’s enough because they understand that problems can happen out in the field.”

Pennsylvania’s Agronomic Industry Is Better Together as a Group

For Burkhart, Little Britain Ag is stronger when working with other members of the agronomic industry. He appreciates PennAg serving as his representative on political and regulatory matters.

“We’re better as a group—like when our industry works together, we can pool our strengths, and it helps give us a voice,” he adds. “I’m not into politics, and I don’t have time to go to the Capitol, so with our membership at PennAg, it’s a way for us to have a seat at the table and so that our voice is heard.”

PennAg has made a real difference in his career and the business, Little Britain Ag, Burkhart said. PennAg facilitates industry meetings, offers continuing education, and has enabled Little Britain Ag to influence legislation affecting its operations.

“I’m not into politics, and I don’t have time to go to the Capitol, so with our membership at PennAg, it’s a way for us to have a seat at the table and so that our voice is heard.” – Chris Burkhart, Little Britain Ag Supply

By being involved in the Agronomic and Seed Council and Legislative board at PennAg, Little Britain helped with terminology and wording in the state’s fertilizer law that was beneficial to ag companies, adds Burkhart.

Beyond industry advocacy, PennAg has helped Burkhart build valuable relationships and contacts with other ag businesses, providing both community and practical support in navigating industry changes.

“ I really appreciate the meetings like the Keystone Crops and Soils and the Pennsylvania Agronomic Education Conference providing opportunities for continuing education, those sessions are valuable to me and my team… even just like the relationships, getting to know other people in the industry has helped us as team and company, because of having contacts with other either industry or outside industry to call upon in a crisis is vital, ” he said.

Story written by: Courtney Love, PennAg Industries Association’s Communications & Marketing Specialist.