About

Agriculture isn’t just my profession—it’s my foundation.

I grew up on a family farm in central Minnesota, where we raised corn, soybeans, and sheep. Like many farm kids, I learned early that success in agriculture comes from hard work, resilience, and a willingness to adapt. Farming also taught me that no matter how well you plan, there are risks beyond your control—weather, markets, disease, and countless other uncertainties that can change a season overnight.

Those lessons were reinforced in another unique way. Throughout my childhood, I worked alongside my father helping build and operate Farmfest and Dakotafest, two of the Midwest’s largest agricultural trade shows. Those experiences introduced me to thousands of farmers, ranchers, equipment manufacturers, seed companies, researchers, and agricultural leaders. I watched new ideas emerge, listened to producers share their challenges, and developed a deep appreciation for the innovation that drives American agriculture.

Those experiences shaped my career.

For more than 25 years, I have dedicated my work to helping farmers and agribusinesses better manage risk. I founded AgriCap Group with a simple belief: agriculture deserves risk management solutions designed specifically for agriculture—not products adapted from other industries.

Today, AgriCap partners with producers, processors, cooperatives, lenders, and agribusinesses to create customized insurance and financial solutions that strengthen resilience, improve profitability, and prepare businesses for the future. Our work spans crop insurance, captive insurance, parametric insurance, property and casualty programs, processor risk management, regenerative agriculture, and carbon market solutions.

As agriculture enters a new era, I believe insurance has an opportunity to do much more than pay claims. It can encourage innovation, reward stewardship, accelerate the adoption of regenerative practices, and create new economic opportunities for farmers. That vision is driving our work in next-generation crop insurance and the development of the Insured Carbon Registry, where we’re helping build trusted, insured infrastructure for the evolving carbon economy.

Everything we do at AgriCap is guided by a simple mission: to deliver practical, forward-thinking risk management solutions that help agriculture thrive for generations to come.

• Over 45 years of crop insurance experience (1977); currently involved with AgriCap Group, LLC.
• Served at all levels of senior management of 4 insurance companies: CEO, COO, President, Sr. V-P, V-P, etc.
• Designed nationally implemented crop insurance policies and policy administration technology (based on precision ag technology)
• Served on the National Crop Insurance Services, American Association of Crop Insurers and AgGateway Board of Directors; currently serving on AgGateway North America Steering Committee and Standards and Guidelines Committee.
• Currently involved in AgriSemantics Working Group overseeing the development of a global standard controlled-vocabulary for digital agriculture.

• Senior insurance executive and entrepreneur with extensive experience across agricultural risk management, crop insurance, and commercial property & casualty.
• Held executive leadership roles with national and regional insurers, including John Deere Risk Protection, Vermont Mutual Insurance, and IGF/American Agri Insurance.
• Deep expertise in crop insurance, underwriting, reinsurance, and USDA/RMA programs, with a strong focus on long-term farm profitability and sustainability.
• Proven strategic leader with a track record of building teams, driving revenue growth, and translating complex risk frameworks into practical, profitable solutions.
• Entrepreneur and business owner with hands-on experience building and scaling a food-based agricultural brand from startup to national retail distribution.
• MBA and BBA in Finance & Insurance from the University of Iowa; Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU).

Gary Otte, Founder of AgriCap Group, LLC, was a visionary leader and passionate advocate for the agricultural community. With more than 45 years of experience across banking, insurance, and investment industries, Gary brought deep expertise and an unwavering commitment to innovative risk management solutions for farmers and agribusinesses.

Throughout his distinguished career, Gary held senior management positions in banks, financial institutions, and insurance agencies. He was a Certified Insurance Counselor and a nationally recognized expert in Property and Casualty insurance. His work in developing and marketing national insurance and investment products earned him the title of Professional Agent of the Year from the Minnesota Professional Insurance Agents Association, where he also served as Past President.

In 2017, Gary founded AgriCap Group, LLC with a mission to create captive insurance solutions tailored specifically for agriculture. Under his leadership, AgriCap became a trusted partner for clients seeking smarter, more resilient approaches to risk management. His dedication to the agricultural industry and its people remains at the heart of AgriCap’s work today.

Gary’s legacy lives on through the values he instilled, the relationships he built, and the innovative spirit he brought to every endeavor. He will be deeply missed by colleagues, clients, and the entire agricultural community.