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About Us

roots family portrait on their farm
Our story

Where we started

The roots team started in a farm office, same as you, using tons of spreadsheets. We're agricultural professionals who got tired of fighting with tools that weren't built for real farming operations. The big software companies kept adding features we'd never use while missing the basics we actually needed. We knew farmers deserved better tools that respect their time, understand their work, and actually help them make better decisions.

Mission

Our mission

To provide farmers with approachable, trusted digital tools that simplify complex agricultural decisions,
helping them make informed choices about their operations without overwhelming them with technology.

How we got here

Our goal

How we got here

We wanted to prove that farm software doesn't have to be overwhelming to be powerful. Working with a tech partner and listening to real farmers, we stripped away anything that didn't serve a clear purpose. Our goal became creating tools so straightforward that you spend time making decisions, not learning software. Every budget, every report, and every calculation is designed to give you answers fast, so you can get back to what matters: running your operation.

roots family portrait on their farm

Our Team

Get to know us

Our team

roots family portrait on their farm

John Maxwell

Born and raised on the Maxwell Farm in Iowa, John returned home after military service to work alongside family on the farm and in their retail ag company. That hands-on experience ignited his passion for helping neighboring farmers expand their opportunities and build stronger operations. Today, he channels that drive into roots portal, empowering growers to make smarter decisions that protect margins and sustain the farm for generations.

Ben Blair

A northwest Iowa native, Ben began his ag career after studying engineering at Iowa State University. From his teenage years, he created spreadsheets to simplify his dad's business, and he's never stopped building tools that make farm life easier. With a forward-thinking mindset and sharp data analytics skills, Ben helps uncover hidden aspects of operations through roots portal, giving growers clearer insights into profitability, break evens, and market strategies.

roots family portrait on their farm
roots family portrait on their farm

Zachary Ziffer

Raised in southern Iowa, Zachary has deep roots across the state in dairy, hog, livestock, and crop operations. He graduated from Iowa Central Community College in 2013 with an AAS in Agriculture Technology. Zachary focuses on creating practical tools that growers actually use, helping visualize expenses, track costs, and turn numbers into actionable plans with roots portal so you can budget confidently and farm profitably.