Tim Laatsch grew up on his family’s diversified grain and livestock farm in Effingham County, Illinois. He attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant and Soil Science in 1992. In 1998, he received a Masters degree from Michigan State University in Crop and Soil Science. Tim’s graduate work focused on microbial biology and agricultural water quality.

Prior to joining The Maschhoffs in 2003, Tim worked for the University of Illinois Extension in Effingham, IL. Today, Tim and his wife, Jane, live on their family farm near Altamont, Illinois.