Latham’s Sales Agronomist Intern Has a Passion for Ag, the Outdoors and Working With Farmers

Maycee Wilkie
Paintbrush strokes dividing page
Jett Fridley

From a young age, Jett Fridley knew he wanted to one day get a job in the ag industry so he could work closely with the farmers. Latham Seeds fulfilled those interests by giving Jett a sales agronomist internship, which allows him to work with both customers and dealers. 

“One of the most valuable things I have learned is getting comfortable talking with customers and dealers,” Jett says. “I have learned to have someone that you can call with questions to help yourself grow as a person, but also to give the person asking the question an accurate answer.”

Jett is a junior at Iowa State University studying Agricultural Business with a minor in Animal Science. Being around the outdoors as a child ignited his passion for the ag industry and sparked an interest in connecting with people who have a similar passion. Jett enjoys being active and involved at ISU by participating on the intramural volleyball and softball teams.  

Jett with his grandpa Mike and dad, Troy Fridley.

When Jett was growing up, he would visit his great grandparents’ 400-acre farm. Today, Jett and his family use the property to spend time hunting, fishing, riding side-by-sides and planting deer food plots.

Jett’s large family is a mighty support system for him. He has one sister and six step siblings. Jett’s love of the outdoors goes back to his childhood, when his family spent most of their time on the Mississippi river, boating, hunting and fishing in Muscatine, Iowa. In high school, Jett continued his wrestling career that started when he was six years old. 

Previously Jett interned with River Valley Cooperative in Sunbury, IA as an agronomy sales intern with River Valley Cooperative in Sunbury, Iowa.

“That internship gave me a great overview of how a cooperative works and what services they provide,” Jett said. 

Jett appreciates being able to spend time outdoors as part of his internship with Latham Seeds. In his spare time, you’ll find him fishing, hunting, boating and working out.

We are appreciative of Jett’s skills that have been clearly shown as he has diligently worked with customers and dealers. 

 

Below is Jett’s favorite recipe, Homemade Style Meatloaf.

Classic Homemade Meatloaf

Recipe by BUDGET BYTE$

  • Prep15 minutes
  • Cook50 minutes
  • Total1 hour, 5 minutes

Ingredients

Meatloaf

  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 cup minced onion
  • 1.5 lbs. ground beef (85/15)

Glaze

  • 1/2 cup ketchup ($0.40)
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp yellow mustard

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a small bowl whisk together the egg, milk, and Worcestershire sauce. In a separate small bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mince the onion.
  2. Add the ground beef, egg mixture, breadcrumb mixture, and minced onion to a large bowl. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together until evenly combined. Avoid over mixing.
  3. Place the meatloaf mixture on a rimmed baking dish and shape it into a loaf that is approximately 4-inches wide, 8-inches long, and 2-inches tall.
  4. In a separate small bowl, stir together the glaze ingredients (ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard). Spread the glaze evenly over the top and sides of the meatloaf.
  5. Bake the meatloaf for 50-55 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Allow the meatloaf to rest for 5-10 minutes after baking, then slice and serve.