Glades Crop Care

What Glades Crop Care does

Glades Crop Care, Inc. (GCC) is an independent, privately held agricultural research and consulting firm headquartered in Jupiter, Florida, founded by Madeline Mellinger in 1972. The firm provides integrated pest management (IPM) scouting and consulting, GLP-compliant contract research, and web-based pesticide spray tracking services to fresh-market vegetable and fruit growers, agricultural chemical manufacturers, and harvest crew and packinghouse operators primarily across Florida and the southeastern United States. Its underlying technology stack includes proprietary scouting methodologies, a computerized THRIPS Knowledgebase covering nine major thrips species, and a password-protected web-based spray tracking platform hosted on its own secure server.

GCC generates revenue through three professional service lines (scouting & consulting, contract research, and food safety training) plus a recurring-revenue spray tracking subscription. Scouting and consulting engagements deliver bi-weekly field reports to high-value produce growers; contract research supplies efficacy, residue, and variety trials to crop protection manufacturers; and ancillary products such as bilingual Food Safety DVDs and Food Safety Resources extend the firm's reach into worker compliance use cases. The go-to-market motion is sales-led and relationship-driven, supported by 27 industry awards, extensive peer-reviewed publications, and senior leadership roles across NAICC, EPA PESP, and UF/IFAS advisory bodies. GCC is one of the nation's ten largest independent crop consulting firms, with 65,000+ acres under IPM coverage, 4,000+ confidential research studies since 1975, and an 83.3% client renewal rate, all delivered by a team of 11-50 employees averaging over 17 years of agricultural experience.

Name

Glades Crop Care

Legal name

Glades Crop Care, Inc.

Website

https://gladescropcare.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Glades Crop Care is an independent Florida-based agricultural consulting firm (founded 1972) providing IPM scouting, GLP-compliant contract research, and web-based pesticide spray tracking services to fresh-market produce growers and crop protection manufacturers across the southeastern United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Consulting Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Crop Production (1151), Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Crop Scouting & Field Monitoring Services (AFACABAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Plant Tissue, Soil & Water Sampling Coordination (Agronomy-Focused) (AFACABAH)

Keywords

• Agricultural consulting services
• Integrated pest management
• Crop scouting services
• Contract agricultural research
• Pesticide spray tracking

Headquarters

HQ city

Jupiter

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Scouting & Consulting Services: Professional crop scouting and IPM consulting services providing field observations, bi-weekly reports, and science-based recommendations to grower clients for profitable crop management decisions.
2. Contract Research: Agricultural research services including efficacy studies, GLP-compliant residue trials, product screening, variety testing, and phytotoxicity studies. Conducted since 1975 with over 4,000 confidential research studies completed.
3. Pesticide & Spray Tracking Service: Web-based records management service for regulatory compliance including WPS postings, REI/PHI adherence tracking, and inventory management.
4. Food Safety Education Products: Training DVDs for harvest crews and packinghouse employees available with volume discounts. Bilingual Spanish/English content.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Glades Crop Care provides IPM-based crop scouting and consulting, GLP-compliant contract agricultural research, and a web-based pesticide and spray tracking service for fresh-market vegetable and fruit growers. The firm sells supporting educational products such as bilingual Food Safety DVDs and provides free access to a proprietary THRIPS Knowledgebase resource, serving clients primarily across Florida and the southeastern United States.

Product overview

Glades Crop Care (GCC) is an independent agricultural consulting firm offering a suite of integrated services for high-value fresh-market produce growers. The company provides three core services: Scouting & Consulting (IPM field scouting and crop health consultations), Contract Research (GLP-compliant efficacy and residue trials since 1975), and Pesticide & Spray Tracking (web-based record-keeping for regulatory compliance). These are complemented by specialized products including the THRIPS Knowledgebase (computerized thrips identification resource), Food Safety DVDs (bilingual training materials), and Food Safety Resources (regulatory guidance). The company operates primarily in Florida and the southeastern United States, serving clients in fresh-market vegetables, fruits, citrus, rice, and sugarcane.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scouting & Consulting Integrated Pest Management (IPM) scouting and consulting services for fresh-market vegetable and fruit crops, providing bi-weekly field observation reports interpreted by experienced crop consultants. Sold to enterprise fresh-market growers in Florida and the southeastern U.S.
• Contract Research Confidential contract research services including efficacy studies, GLP-compliant residue trials (FIFRA 40 CFR Part 160), product screening, variety testing, and phytotoxicity trials. Sold to agricultural chemical manufacturers and product developers globally.
• Pesticide & Spray Tracking Subscription-based web service for pesticide application record-keeping, providing password-protected client access, WPS posting compliance reports, REI/PHI adherence tracking, and inventory/cost tracking by field or farm. Sold to growers for regulatory compliance.
• Food Safety DVDs Bilingual Spanish/English training DVDs covering worker hygiene, field sanitation, food safety protocols, and Worker Protection Standards compliance for harvest crews and packinghouse workers. Sold to growers and packers with volume discounts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 83.3% client contract renewal rate in 2021
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants (NAICC)coreOthersGCC founder Madeline Mellinger was founding member and served as President in 1991. Dr. Mellinger served as Treasurer and Director on the Board. The company adheres to NAICC Code of Ethics. GCC has received multiple NAICC awards including Consultant of the Year.
• University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with UF/IFAS including EREC, GCREC advisory committees, Doctor of Plant Medicine Program advisory council. Madeline Mellinger serves as UF delegate to CARET. Multiple collaborative research projects and grant work.
• Florida Fruit and Vegetable AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on Food Safety Initiative project with development of Food Safety Toolkit. Introduced over 300 farming entities to food safety principles. Active involvement in annual meetings and awards programs.
• EPA Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharter member of EPA PESP. Four-time Champion award winner (2001-2005) for positive pesticide risk reduction. Founding supporter of the program.
• Protected Harvest FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. H. Charles Mellinger serves as Board member since 2004 (original member). Organization focused on sustainable agriculture standards.
• American Phytopathological SocietyminorOthersStaff members hold membership. Dr. Mellinger received Excellence in Industry Award from this organization.
• Entomological Society of AmericaminorOthersStaff membership and active participation. Multiple staff affiliated with this society.
• Florida Entomological SocietyminorOthersStaff membership. Dr. Mellinger named Pioneer Lecture Honoree in 2008. Company received Pioneer Award.
• Agricultural Chemical ManufacturerscoreOthersConducted research for the 7 largest agricultural chemical manufacturers plus 115 additional organizations in last 10 years. 5 of the largest manufacturers have contracted multiple times, 2 for 6 consecutive years.
• Farm FoundationminorOthersMadeline Mellinger elected to The Farm Foundation's Bennett Agricultural Round Table in 2001. Company holds Farm Foundation Fellow status.
• Foundation for Environmental Agricultural Education (FEAE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMadeline Mellinger is founding member and President. FEAE supports the UF Doctor of Plant Medicine Program.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Crop Production Services (Nutrien Ag Solutions): Largest U.S. retail agronomy provider offering in-house crop scouting, IPM, and precision services bundled with fertilizer and crop protection product sales; competes for the same grower wallet though tied to product sales versus GCC's independent model.
• Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS): Federal in-house agricultural research arm that conducts crop, pest, and IPM research serving growers and policy makers; comparable in the contract research and applied agricultural science space, though operating as a government institution rather than a commercial firm.
• WinField United (Land O'Lakes): National agronomy services and crop input retailer offering crop scouting, prescription agronomy, and IPM-style recommendations; broad incumbent offering overlapping scouting and consulting capabilities across the U.S.

Direct peers

• Servi-Tech, Inc. One of the largest independent crop consulting and agricultural testing organizations in the U.S., offering field scouting, soil sampling, and IPM-style recommendations — a close functional analog to GCC's scouting and contract research services.
• Heartland Ag Consulting: Mid-sized independent crop consulting firm serving specialty and row-crop growers with IPM, fertility planning, and field scouting; comparable service mix and customer profile to GCC.
• Centrol Crop Consulting: Independent agronomy and crop consulting firm providing field scouting, IPM, and precision agriculture services to growers across the Upper Midwest; directly comparable as a large, independent (non-product-selling) crop consulting competitor.

Others

• Bayer Crop Science: Major ag-chem manufacturer and repeat GCC contract research client; relevant peer as a customer of independent GLP field research and a key determinant of contract research demand.
• Syngenta Foundation / Syngenta Crop Protection: Major agricultural chemical manufacturer and one of GCC's contract research clients; comparable as a buyer of GLP-compliant field research services and a strategic counterparty in the contract research business.

Emerging players

• Taranis: AI-driven precision agriculture platform using aerial imagery and computer vision for crop scouting and pest/disease detection; emerging competitor targeting the same scouting and pest-monitoring workflows that GCC performs manually.

Regional players

• Agri-Growth Consulting: Independent crop consulting practice focused on specialty crops in California and the Western U.S., offering IPM and agronomic services — comparable offerings to GCC but serving a different production geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=AsBj9vN7jcs

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Glades Crop Care