CORE Ag Inputs Carstairs has been serving the local Alberta agricultural community since 2016. As part of the CORE Ag Inputs family, this location is a member of a Western Canadian-based independent retail organization that offers top-quality products and services. CORE Ag Carstairs provides a comprehensive range of seed, crop protection, fertilizer, animal supplements, forage seed, custom application and agronomic expertise.
At its centre, CORE Ag Inputs Carstairs is driven by a simple yet powerful mission: to help. WinField United Canada is proud to work with the talented team at CORE Ag Carstairs, whose passion for supporting farmers and strengthening their community inspired us to share their story.
The decision to establish CORE Ag Inputs came from a natural evolution of Mike Preston and Rebecca Wiebe’s experiences. The team had worked for large, established agricultural companies and collaborated with some incredible people along the way. But when the opportunity to create CORE Ag Inputs came into view, it was an instant connection.
“It wasn’t about ‘should we do this,'” reflected Rebecca. “It was about ‘when do we start?'”
The concept of being an independent retailer resonated so strongly that it dominated their conversations, becoming a vision they couldn’t ignore.
The Freedom to Truly Help
As an independent retailer, CORE Ag Inputs can make decisions quickly and effectively. Without the constraints of multiple levels of approval, it can adapt to unexpected challenges and pivot to meet farmers' needs in real-time.
This independence also allows them to stock products that work for the specific conditions in their trading area. Their approach isn’t based on assumptions—it’s built on firsthand knowledge. The team spends countless hours in the field, scouting crops, checking conditions, and reporting observations. Each visit strengthens their expertise, enabling them to recommend the right solutions at the right time.
Rebecca and the team believe independence fosters adaptability and community-focused decision-making. They also collaborate with neighbouring businesses to deliver solutions like direct-to-farm fertilizer services, demonstrating their belief in the strength of community partnerships.
CORE Ag Carstairs believes in giving back. From supporting local Ag Societies, 4H clubs, schools, and sports teams to hosting annual fundraisers they seek to contribute to the community in a meaningful way. This retailer also provides various products to the Town of Carstairs including the Golf Course and Parks & Recreation Department, helping to maintain the town’s green spaces.
Tailored Solutions and Meeting Local Needs
Rebecca expressed to us that she finds the most rewarding part of her role is working closely with farmers to develop tailored farm plans that truly work for them.
"When you collaborate with farmers to create a comprehensive plan during the fall and winter, the spring becomes about executing that plan together," she explains.
The team’s deep agronomy knowledge enables them to understand their customer’s operations and support them through a successful growing season—year after year. Rebecca also recognizes that while agronomy's purest standards may be the goal, practical limitations often dictate what’s possible.
“Oftentimes things aren’t done to the purest agronomic standard not because the farmer doesn’t want to, but rather because there is some limiting factor. They might not have the proper equipment or manpower, or maybe it’s just not in the budget at the time.”
WinField believes the CORE Ag team's strength lies in crafting practical, customized plans that maximize the resources that are available to each operation.
One significant challenge in the Carstairs area has been the decline of custom applicators in recent years, leaving many farmers grappling with the costly decision to purchase their own equipment. To address this gap, CORE Ag has stepped in to become one of the few remaining custom applicators in the region. This service ensures farmers have access to the support they need during critical seasons when time is at a premium.
Commitment to Growth and Education
The team at CORE Ag continually seeks out the latest industry research and technology, connecting with research agronomists from supplier partners to gain valuable on-the-ground insights into product performance. We found that Rebecca’s curiosity and commitment to asking "why" ensures that she can provide growers with meaningful answers and practical solutions tailored to their unique needs.
For this retailer, education is a cornerstone for their entire team, fostering a legacy of excellence and shared values. Guided by the philosophy of “Always hire for and develop your replacement,” CORE Ag Carstairs takes pride in hiring local talent whenever possible. With a dedicated team of 4.75 full-time staff, they seek specific qualities in every hire, ensuring that each member is committed to serving local farmers.
In the past, CORE Ag Carstairs hosted replicated seed variety trials and well-attended field days, providing growers with valuable insights into the latest genetics and agronomic practices. When they became a partner in Carstairs AG Seeds, they scaled back variety trials due to their small team size. However, they embraced new opportunities by collaborating with various suppliers, agricultural councils, and organizations to conduct field-scale trials with growers, focusing on short-season canola varieties, fertilizer sources, fungicide performance, and biologicals.
Exploring the Growing Role of Biologicals in Agriculture
Rebecca noted that the biologicals market is booming, with nearly every supplier offering biological products and some expanding into inoculants for the first time. The surge in biological options has the potential to be a win for farmers, as these products cater to diverse needs, including plant stimulants, biofertilizers, and biochemicals.
“This "au naturel" approach offers potential pathways for farmers to continue feeding the world. We’ll be facilitating field scale trials again this year and going forward,” explains Rebecca. “Let’s face it, when you’re asking a farmer to spend another $10-$15/acre, with already tight margins, the on-farm benefit simply needs to be there.”
Rebecca emphasizes that in her region, success isn't solely about yield—timing is critical.
"Days to harvest makes a huge difference here," she shared with our WinField team. "If it's in the bin even a few days earlier, it can mean a lot."
The shorter and often hotter and drier growing seasons help drive her interest in how biologicals could potentially help local farmers.
"If the crop can hold on better or longer during a heat wave and in dry conditions, that's a win," Rebecca explains.
Rebecca believes biologicals have potential in the future if used strategically. However, the market is still in its educational phase, with much to learn.
"We’ve barely scratched the surface," she concludes, expressing excitement about continuing trials to identify what works best for their area.
Soil, Seed, and Streamlined Service
At WinField United Canada we know that soil health is a cornerstone of sustainable farming, and the team at CORE Ag are working to enable regular soil testing practices. The conversation is expanding to also include the potential for soil health testing—unlocking insights into what’s truly happening below the surface.
Soil testing ensures growers have access to reliable information about their residual nutrient profile, enabling more informed economic decisions about fertilizers and biofertilizers.
"Why guess?" Rebecca asks. "Soil testing tells you exactly what your crop needs. Why leave potential revenue on the table when the knowledge to optimize your inputs is right at your fingertips?"
“In farming, there are so many factors you can’t control, like the weather. Rain, no rain, too hot, too cold, hail, frost,” Rebecca explains. “You have no control over those things, but testing is something that you do have control over. It’s measurable and within your power to change.”
CORE Ag collects soil samples for their customers, making the process seamless and stress-free. This year alone, they’ve shipped over 280 soil samples to a certified lab. To support this service, CORE Ag invested in retrofitting a truck to be equipped with an in-cab hydraulic unit. Unlike tailgate-mounted systems, this setup provides a greater weight advantage and enables deeper sampling—up to 24 inches—even when the ground starts to freeze.
CORE Ag goes beyond soil testing—they also offer seed and feed testing.
"You don’t have to worry about finding a courier or figuring out where to send your sample," Rebecca says. “Bring it to us, and we’ll handle everything.”
If a grower wants to use farm-saved seed, CORE Ag will ship the sample to a certified lab, interpret the results, and recommend optimal seeding rates for the specific seed lot if the disease and germination test results meet satisfactory levels.
WinField United feels that CORE Ag is committed to empowering growers with knowledge that leads to informed decisions and producing the best crop possible with the resources available. With their hands-on support for soil, seed, and feed testing, they’re simplifying the process and making it an essential part of modern farming. We observed that for CORE Ag, it’s not just about running tests—it’s about enabling growers to take control of their operations, one sample at a time.
A Rewarding Journey
While the road to where they are today has had its ups and downs, the team at CORE Ag Inputs shared that they see the experience as overwhelmingly positive. They’ve created a business that reflects their values, allowing them to focus on what matters most: doing what’s best for their customers, their communities, and their families.
We found the heart of CORE Ag to embody a deeply collaborative spirit. Every member of the team plays a vital role in delivering exceptional customer service—from the administrator greeting visitors at the door, the field techs scouting or soil testing customers’ fields, the drivers delivering fertilizer, to the custom applicators out spraying or floating. The team exemplifies the power of working together, proving that when each person contributes to shared goals, they can achieve extraordinary results. From our perspective, in their small but mighty team, there’s no “I”—just a unified commitment to making a difference.
Pictured from left to right:
- Rob Gordon, Operations Manager
- Candice Kerr, Field Tech
- Rebecca Wiebe, Agronomist
- Lindsay Visser, Administrator
- Mike Preston, General Manager
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