April 30, 2024 – Des Moines, Iowa. Today, leading agriculture solutions company Landus announces Conduit, a first of its kind company that combines the best elements of a farmer-owned cooperative and a technology company. The Conduit platform will change the way farmers do business by initially offering low cost and user-friendly online financing, ultimately offering tools that support all aspects of agricultural commerce, insurance, and sustainability.
“Cooperatives have been offering the same dependable support to farmers for the past 100 years and Landus will continue to honor that tradition. But the next 100 years will look a lot different, and the farmer of tomorrow will need a different set of tools to succeed,†says Landus President and CEO Matt Carstens, “With Conduit, we are focusing on the needs of the farmer of tomorrow using cutting-edge technology to serve them. Conduit offers farmers more accessibility and more options so farmers can operate more efficiently and make more informed decisions.â€
While Landus and its farmer-owners will be the majority investors, Conduit investors will also include individual farmers, Landus and Conduit employees, and mission-aligned partners. By including farmers as investors and shareholders, Conduit will draw upon the experience and knowledge of committed farmers throughout the technology development process, ensuring that the farmer remains at the center as Conduit makes products and services more accessible than ever to all farmers across the Midwest and around the world.
“Landus is rooted in strong relationships with our farmer-owners and our partners. We keep the farmer at the center of everything we do, and we are committed to continue finding innovative ways to serve them,†said Carstens, “Our supply chain and logistics network is ready to reach farmers across the Midwest and we have found the right technical expert to create an integrated interface designed specifically to address farmer’s needs.â€
As part of this new platform, Landus has brought on Amol Deshpande as an advisor. Amol is widely known as a mission driven entrepreneur who cares about rural America with a proven record of innovation. Amol’s deep knowledge and experience in evolving traditional systems to modern technology platforms is unmatched. He is a proven innovator across multiple industries who brings the necessary technical expertise and proof of concept as Conduit makes this digital transformation.
Farmer and Landus Board Chair Matt Chambers says, “Farmers today are expecting greater speed and agility with products and services. They deserve access to financing, to inputs and materials in whatever manner they want, and they need options that are easily available so that they can stay focused on execution. If they want to buy from their local supplier in a traditional way, that’s great. And if they want to explore other products and services, they need to be able to find new partners and learn about new solutions.â€
As part of the launch and as an ongoing initiative, Conduit will offer 0% financing to qualified borrowers on all input purchases in season, addressing one of the biggest challenges for farmers today as they battle the rising cost of operating capital. Additionally, Conduit will be making financing opportunities available in certain states for land, input, and equipment loans.
About Landus
Landus is a forward-thinking agriculture solutions company that keeps the farmer at the center. Landus connects thousands of farmer-owners with the world through grain, agronomy, and distribution, deploying traditional and nontraditional methods fueled by innovation and sustainability across 34 states and 16 countries. Landus is known for transforming the traditional cooperative model with its innovative approach to technology and strategic partnerships, identifying the challenges that farmers face today and developing data-backed individualized solutions that impact every part of the supply chain.
