Delta Native Now Leading Largest Global Ag Retail Company in the World
Jeff Tarsi grew up on a farm in the Mississippi Delta, and as a young man, all he wanted to do was farm. But, when he graduated from Mississippi State in 1985, the farm economy was in a deep downturn and his dream of becoming a farmer was not possible at that time.
Instead, he pursued a degree in agricultural economics from Mississippi State University and joined a global agriculture input supplier—a move that would launch a forty-year career in the agricultural industry. Today, he serves as Executive Vice President and President of Global Retail at Nutrien Ag Solutions, the world’s largest agricultural retailer, with more than 1,900 retail locations and 25,000 employees worldwide.
“I get a bird’s eye view of some of the largest agricultural regions in the world,” says Tarsi, who’s based in Memphis but rarely there. “I’ve been traveling to Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile and Australia since 2010. It opened my eyes to global agriculture. You learn a lot by seeing how growers approach similar challenges in different areas of the world. I’ve always been curious about science and agronomy. Farmers may speak different languages, but no matter where you go, they’re driven by the same passion—to produce food and fiber for a growing world.”
Tarsi leads Nutrien’s global retail operations across North America, Latin America and Australia, supporting around 600,000 customers every day. “We provide agronomic solutions and services that help growers feed and clothe the world,” he says. “What work could be more purposeful than that? I consider it a privilege to work in agriculture. I wake up every morning knowing the work we do makes a real difference. Our customers count on us – not just for our products, but for solutions that help maximize their return on every acre.”
“Jeff is such a valuable leader for Nutrien’s retail business, thanks to his deep knowledge of our markets and customers,” says Bubba Morris, General Manager, South Central Division of Nutrien in Collierville, Tennessee. “Born and raised in the Mississippi Delta, agriculture has been in Jeff’s backyard and influenced every day of his life.
“Nothing can compare to Jeff’s level of experience and understanding of the challenges faced at every level of our business—whether it’s working with grower customers, retailers, supply chain teams, and multinational suppliers. Whether he’s presenting in a corporate boardroom, delivering strategic plans to Wall Street investors, or empathizing with a farmer on the edge of a soybean field, he is equally at home.”
Rooted in Delta Values
Tarsi grew up in a Catholic Italian family. While there weren’t many Catholic Italians living in the Delta at the time, the community was very close-knit, grounded in strong family ties and a shared work ethic.
“We didn’t have a lot, but we didn’t know we didn’t have a lot,” says Tarsi. “I wasn’t a great student in high school, and I didn’t expect to go too far from Cleveland. But, my mother, Jeanette, who taught in Cleveland for thirty-seven years, pushed me to go to college. When I graduated college in 1985, agriculture was facing some of its toughest times. I didn’t feel there was any opportunity to return to the farm.”
Today, Tarsi reflects on how his mother’s emphasis on education has shaped his ability to keep learning every day, especially as agricultural technology continues to revolutionize the industry. He also credits his father, Eugene, a talented salesman who worked at a successful farm implement business, as a role model who instilled in him the value of hard work.
From the Delta to the World Stage
After college, Tarsi began his career with BASF, where he spent ten years before joining UAP, prior to its merger with Crop Production Services, which eventually became Nutrien Ag Solutions. Over the years, he’s held nearly twenty different roles.
“In my forty-year career, I’ve never found myself in a room where I thought I was the smartest person, but I’ve never been in a room where someone could outwork me,” says Tarsi. “Alongside my parents, I worked on my grandfather’s farm. For Italians, work was the hobby. They started with nothing, yet carried a deep appreciation for education because they didn’t have one. They really pushed it, valued it, and set powerful examples that have stayed with me.
“I never asked for a promotion or new job. I was fortunate to work my way up through the organization and alongside great people. I wasn’t afraid to take chances or step into a role even if I didn’t fully understand what it consisted of,” he adds.
When Nutrien had its Initial Public Offering, he had a feeling the company would grow significantly or potentially be acquired. The CEO asked him to lead Mergers and Acquisitions—a term he wasn’t even really familiar with at the time. He walked into the CEO’s office and asked, “What does M&A stand for?” He said, “Boy, are we in trouble.”
It turned out to be one of the most valuable learning experiences of his career.
“Over the next fourteen-year period, I led efforts to acquire more than two hundred retail businesses across Canada, the U.S., Argentina, Brazil and Australia. That was my first exposure to global agriculture.”
Life on the Move
“I can honestly say I could never have managed twenty-five years of traveling without the support of my wife, Cindy,” says Tarsi. “She made a lot of sacrifices. In most cases, she was the one raising our kids.”
Traveling to Australia can be challenging; from his doorstep to Melbourne is a thirty-hour journey, with time zones so vastly different that Cindy is awake when he’s sleeping—requiring careful coordination just to stay connected.
“Many nights I wake up thinking, ‘I’m a long way from the Delta’,” he says. “On my last trip to Australia, it hit me that I was as far from home as I could possibly be.”
Tarsi particularly loves Australia and has traveled there extensively—at least thirty times—to oversee the company’s network of over 700 retail locations. He values the Australian people and holds great respect for the farmers and ranchers who work there.
“I’ve learned a lot from those growers,” says Tarsi. “Our business in Australia is much broader than in other countries. We sell wool, cattle, sheep and insurance. We are also in the water and real estate business, in addition to selling merchandise out of our stores—offering anything a grower might need. Most of the Australians are broad acre growers—wheat, barley, cotton—but they are also extensive livestock producers. I’ve been on many farms spanning more than two million acres. They are very large and they operate with great efficiency. They don’t have the luxury of an ag retail location fifteen miles away. They use fixed wing airplanes or helicopters to go over vast areas.”
Driving Innovation
With agriculture facing new challenges, Tarsi believes information, innovation and services matter more than ever.
“We take it very seriously,” says Tarsi. “At Nutrien, we work to build solutions that satisfy a need or challenge in a crop cycle. We work diligently to make sure growers get exactly what they need to get the best results.”
Nutrien provides seed, chemical and fertilizer crop inputs through their global retail network and is the world’s leading provider of potash, second-largest supplier of phosphate, and third-largest supplier of nitrogen globally. The company also offers competitive financing solutions and has invested $500 million in research and development in the agricultural biological space, products that enhance nutrient uptake and improve plant health.
“Biological products are the future of agriculture,” says Tarsi. “We’re learning so much about how natural organisms can help crops better utilize nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to produce healthier plants in a thriving environment.”
He’s also excited about the huge role Artificial Intelligence (AI) is going to play in agriculture.
“As an organization, we likely have one of the largest collections of data of any company,” he says. “With AI, we can mine that data and use it in the most informative way possible, placing that information at the fingertips of agronomists in real time. Agriculture is truly one of the most advanced technology-driven industries in the world.”
“Jeff leads with humility and grit,” says Katelyn Maass, Senior Manager, North American Retail Communications of Nutrien. “He doesn’t chase the spotlight, but his impact is everywhere—from the boardroom to the field. He puts people first, helping everyone grow while making them feel valued. It’s no wonder he’s respected across Nutrien, in every role and at every level.
“Farmers trust Jeff because he knows the business—and because he genuinely cares. Forty years in ag retail have given him deep expertise, paired with his integrity and ability to listen that leave a mark. As I’ve heard him say, ‘Being nice goes a long way.’ And he proves it every day in the relationships he’s built across the industry.”
When it comes to nutrients, the goal is to ensure they are applied efficiently avoiding overuse or waste. According to Tarsi, that starts with the four Rs: right product, right rate, right time and right place. This allows farmers to operate more sustainably while maximizing productivity.
The most valuable asset any farm has is its soil. Tarsi says soil health is central to everything they do and finding ways to protect it remains a critical priority.
Nutrien’s work doesn’t slow down in the winter. Following harvest, the company works with Waypoint Analytical, the largest agricultural laboratory network in North America, to begin soil testing immediately. This early analysis helps Nutrien work with growers to determine actions they can take now to get ahead for the upcoming spring.
Back to His Roots
Tarsi rarely travels anywhere in the world without finding people familiar with the Mississippi Delta. He’s certain that many of the opportunities he’s had in life wouldn’t have come his way if he hadn’t been from there.
“In the ag world, so many successful people have come out of the Mississippi Delta,” says Tarsi, who has three younger sisters. “It’s a very unique area. Like any place, it has its good and bad points, but I believe the good far outweighs the bad. I love hunting birds and deer, and my greatest passion is turkey hunting. I also enjoy hunting large game. Outside of hunting, my hobbies are spending time with family and anything related to Mississippi State athletics.”
Tarsi and his wife, Cindy, have three children. Their eldest, Elizabeth Tarsi Ward, is a urogynecologist in Tupelo and recently welcomed her first child, Lucy Elizabeth. Their son, Andrew, lives in Memphis where he works as an architect and is the father of a 16-month-old daughter, Maggie Suzanne. Their youngest, Mia, is a junior at Mississippi State University majoring in Interior Design. All three children attended Mississippi State.
“Cindy and I tried to set a good example, but they each chose their own career paths,” says Tarsi. “We are incredibly proud of each of them.”