After decades of serving producers across the region, Friend Fertilizer is changing hands — not as a goodbye, but as a continuation. The longtime irrigation dealership is now owned by Milford cousins Daron Stauffer and Levi Roth, who say their goal is to carry forward the service and relationships built under previous owners Dean and Judy Crawford.
Friend Fertilizer Inc. has long served area producers as a Reinke irrigation dealership in Friend, providing sales, installation, maintenance and service for center pivots, lateral-move systems and related irrigation equipment. The transition to County Line LLC took effect Oct. 1, 2025, as Dean and Judy Crawford began stepping back from day-to-day operations. Judy Crawford is staying on to help with the office side of the business and assist with the transition.
Stauffer and Roth are both graduates of Southeast Community College’s electrical program and started County Line in 2021 with a focus on ag-related electrical work. They said irrigation has already been a significant part of their business through wiring, trenching and underground work connected to pivot systems.
The opportunity came after they learned the Crawfords were ready to retire and reached out to start a conversation. Stauffer said taking over an established dealership was an uncommon opportunity and said the priority is continuing the level of service customers have come to expect while getting to know existing customers.
The timing of the ownership change coincided with significant pivot damage caused by the Aug. 9 windstorm, which led to immediate service needs across the area. The new owners said those early repairs helped introduce them to customers in the field. They plan to host an open house in the coming months to meet more producers and recognize the Crawfords’ years of service.
Roth said one goal is to expand what the business can offer by providing electrical and trenching work as part of the same project when customers purchase a pivot system. He said that approach can help streamline the process for growers who previously coordinated separate contractors.
Stauffer said irrigation technology continues to evolve and said growers are increasingly able to monitor, start and stop systems remotely. He said the business intends to remain involved after installation through ongoing service and long-term support.
Dean Crawford began selling pivots in 1974 and Judy Crawford joined the operation in the early 1990s. Judy Crawford said much of her work focused on shipping calendars, invoices and maintaining relationships with producers across many communities. She said she plans to remain in the office a few days a week while also spending time with her grandchildren.
Crawford said hearing positive feedback from customers about the new owners has helped make the transition easier.
Both Stauffer and Roth said their belief in agriculture is closely tied to family and the way they were raised. Their approach to the business is shaped by the same agricultural values they carry into their homes where both are raising young families. Stauffer is married to Jelayna and they have two sons, Jett, 7, and Judd, 5. Roth is married to Brandi and they have four children, Kase and Tripp, 11, Mavrix, 8, and Eme, 5.
The new owners said they plan to continue serving Saline County and Seward County and to grow through referrals and relationships in surrounding areas.
