Steven Brockshus, Founder and CEO of FarmlandFinder, says:

“Now at FarmlandFinder.com landowners are able to buy and sell farmland, entirely online. Farmland is a highly fragmented and opaque market. There are more absentee landowners today than ever before, farmers are looking for optionality when it comes to expanding their land base, and getting access to reliable information about the farmland market is difficult. We’ve seen books, cars, and houses start to transact online… why not farmland?”

Through the FarmlandFinder Offers Platform, a landowner can request an offer on their land and receive offers from a private network of verified buyers in as little as a week. Once an offer is accepted, FarmlandFinder helps to navigate the rest of the process to ensure a seamless and stress-free transaction.

“Farmland is the foundation for 5% of America’s annual GDP,” says Amanda Donohue-Hansen, Managing Director at Cultivian Sandbox and FarmlandFinder Board Member. Farmland is valued in excess of $2.5 trillion with a staggering 10% — $250 billion – transferring hands in the past 5 years, most of it offline and private. Even more of America’s farmland is projected to change hands in the coming years with generational turnover and growing interest in farmland as a financial and environmental investment.”

By digitizing the farmland transaction process, FarmlandFinder Offers can provide unique optionality to expanding farmers. Not only can they privately buy farms through the platform, but they can also expand their land base without taking on additional debt by partnering with an investor through the FarmlandFinder buyer network. This decreases the barrier of entry for beginning farmers and creates optionality for seasoned growers who are looking for unique ways to strengthen their balance sheets.

Donohue-Hansen says:

“At Cultivian Sandbox, we believe that if there was ever a time for a digital revolution in farmland, the time is now and FarmlandFinder is its pioneer platform. We align with FarmlandFinder’s values to make farmland real estate transparent and accessible to all. We’re proud to support its launch of the Offers Platform to make farmland sales simple, instant, and online.”

Source: FarmlandFinder

The post FarmlandFinder Launches Offers Platform appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Grafing was previously the Senior Vice President at the Farm Credit System Commercial Finance Group (“CFG”) in Minneapolis. The Commercial Finance Group is a joint venture of multiple US-based Farm Credit Associations that have pooled financial capital and resources to support agribusiness and rural infrastructure projects.

Grafing has 14 years of experience in the Farm Credit System and since 2018, Jamey spent his time at the Commercial Finance Group as a senior lending and marketing resource, helping develop and facilitate CFG’s investment strategy in the national food and ag marketplace.

Prior to his tenure at the Farm Credit System, Mr. Grafing spent 10 years at CHS Inc, a Fortune 100 farmer-owned agricultural and energy cooperative. He initially as Chief Financial Officer of the captive finance subsidiary, CHS Capital, before becoming the Cooperative’s first Corporate Treasurer. As Treasurer, Jamey was responsible for all aspects of global debt, preferred stock, and investor relations for CHS.

Grafing said:

“I’m really pleased and excited to join FarmlandFinder. I believe all participants in farmland transactions will benefit from FarmlandFinder’s mission to make those transactions simple, instant, and online. The agricultural industry increasingly relies on technology and the time is right to bring farmland transactions onto a digital platform.”

Steven Brockshus, Founder and CEO of FarmlandFinder said,

“We’ve got a bold mission and we need bold leaders to help make it a reality. Jamey is a heavy-hitter with decades of expertise building world-class companies in the ag finance space. He is rightly suited to lead our commercial efforts as we continue to provide value across the farmland transaction value chain.”

Before joining CHS, Jamey joined US bank as the Senior Vice President and Central Region Manager for Food and Agribusiness. Grafing’s early career was spent in analyst and loan officer roles in agricultural and agribusiness lending. For over 30 years, Jamey has been deeply involved in agriculture lending, corporate finance, and capital markets.

Source: FarmlandFinder

The post FarmlandFinder appoints Jamey Grafing as Chief Commercial Officer appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Morton Fertilizer, which encompasses D&B Morton Fertilizer Service, Inc. of Bureau County, IL and Du-Mor Crop Care, Inc. of Clinton County, IA, will immediately become part of the Brandt organization, strengthening the company’s commitment to Central Illinois while providing Brandt’s first outlet in Iowa.

“We welcome Morton Fertilizer to the BRANDT family,”

said Rick Brandt, CEO & President of Brandt.

“Gary Morton and his team at Morton Fertilizer share our values, putting agronomic service and trusted advice first. A family business, they were even founded the same year as Brandt: 1953.”

The acquisition of Morton Fertilizer fits Brandt’s aggressive corporate strategy of providing superior agronomic advice and services to Illinois growers. The combined company has 27 retail locations throughout central Illinois and one location in Iowa. Brandt serves more than one million acres of production farmland, offering a broad range of services, including plant nutrients, crop protection products, precision Ag, seeds, and custom application.

Morton Fertilizer will be integrated into the Brandt Agronomic Services operating company, under the leadership of Chief Operating Officer & Executive Vice President Tim McArdle and Vice President John Allen.

“We have been working on this transaction for more than five years. It took patience, tenacity and vision to get it done,”

said McArdle.

“I want to thank Gary for sticking with us and recognizing that together we can provide world class services and trusted advice to his legacy customers. That’s what he built his business on and we are committed to carrying that forward.”

Gary Morton, owner of Morton Fertilizer, and his seven full-time employees will become members of Team Brandt immediately. Morton will remain with Brandt as manager of the Brandt Wyanet location, providing operations management and key account leadership. Mark Jacobs, the current manager of Grand Mound, IA, will continue on as the Brandt Grand Mound plant manager.

“I’m excited that we now have certainty for the future with a company that shares our founding philosophy,”

said Morton.

“Our whole team is thrilled to be part of the Brandt organization, as now we can provide an even higher level of customer care. But the real winners are our customers. Brandt Agronomic Services provides the best advice in the business and offers world-class input products. We know: We have been proud to carry Brandt Smart Trio for years.”

Morton Fertilizer was founded in 1953 by Don Morton. He purchased the Iowa location in 1977, beginning operation in the fall of 1977.

“This is an important move for Brandt, representing our first retail foray into Iowa,”

said Rick Brandt.

“We are committed to advancing the business that Gary’s father founded and to taking care of the Morton team. Together we will continue to deliver for our customers and build on this terrific business.”

Source: Brandt

The post Brandt Acquires Retail Agronomy Company appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.