On behalf of our farmer-members, Landus Cooperative is honored to support the full circle of the food chain—from seed to commodity, from product to feed and from cow to the kitchen table.
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Something That Matters
The farmer-members of Landus Cooperative are an integral part of a remarkable story that begins with planting AcreEdge® seed and includes working with our agronomists to maximize yields.
Farmers sell their harvested soybeans—which represent a season’s worth of sacrifice, hard work and hope—back to Landus Cooperative.
These soybeans, in turn, are processed at Landus Cooperative facilities and transformed into a line of specialized, high-quality, soybean meal-based dairy cow feed that is distributed worldwide.
Dairies in six continents use SoyPlus, SoyChlor and PasturChlor to help improve cow health and performance for optimum productivity.
And eventually, the farmer-members of Landus Cooperative find the dairy products—from milk to cheese, baby formula and more—in their grocery stores.
Landus Cooperative is a farmer-owned agricultural cooperative headquartered in Ames, Iowa.
We’re proud to provide value for approximately 7,000 member-owners.
Our unique capabilities include offering agronomy services, precision ag, field services, AcreEdge soybean seed, grain marketing and animal nutrition. We also manufacture a line of specialized feed for dairy cows, which is distributed globally.
At Landus Cooperative, our team enjoys serving members, uplifting agriculture and enriching lives in local communities. We employ more than 600 people and serve more than 60 communities in Iowa and Minnesota. We are governed by a member-elected board of directors and guided by an experienced executive team.
History
The History of Landus Cooperative is the History of Iowa Cooperatives
The earliest known roots of Landus Cooperative developed in 1888 with Farmers Elevator and Livestock Company in Jordan, Iowa.
Over the years, dozens of elevators, grain companies, feed millers and suppliers, agronomy facilities and even a hardware store and energy company have merged, changed hands and banded together to remain relevant and strong in a global marketplace.
The transformations culminated in 2016 with the founding of Landus Cooperative. Take a look at our family tree, which lists the 60+ companies that helped build Iowa agriculture.
Matt Carstens
Chief Executive OfficerCarstens leads Landus Cooperative’s work to advocate for farmer-members and customers, empower employees, and lean into the future of the ag industry. His passion for, and experience in, agriculture spans every step in the supply chain from agronomy retail to end-user grain customers, food manufacturers, grocery stores and consumers.
Carstens most recently served as Senior Vice President of Truterra, a division of Land O’Lakes. There, he provided leadership for farmer-driven sustainability collaborations with food manufacturers and consumers by focusing on technology, data, and precision offerings. Previously, he served at United Suppliers, where he was responsible for the crop nutrient business, including sales, marketing, supply chain logistics, financial performance, and commodity procurement. He has also held various sales, marketing, and management positions at several other agronomy businesses.
Carstens graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business.
Mark Miner
Chief Financial OfficerMiner brings to Landus Cooperative three decades of cooperative experience. He was previously chief financial officer/vice president of administration at Farmers Cooperative. He was also location manager at Mid-Iowa Cooperative and began his career at his family’s agronomy company, Miner Farm Supply.
Ryan Risdal
Executive Vice President of AgronomyRisdal oversees the cooperative’s agronomy business, including sales, marketing, product procurement and precision ag. His experience in agronomy business leadership includes research and development, sales, marketing and management at Key Cooperative and Land O’ Lakes. Most recently, he was a senior product manager with WinField United. Risdal holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Iowa State University.
Mark Cullen
Executive Vice President of Animal NutritionCullen is responsible for Landus Cooperative’s dairy, beef and swine nutrition manufacturing businesses. Under his leadership, SoyPlus, SoyChlor and PasturChlor branded dairy nutrition products, which are marketed domestically and internationally, saw significant growth. Cullen has more than 20 years of experience in the cooperative system in management, sales and manufacturing operations, including oversight for HACCP and ISO certifications. Cullen holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business from Northwest Missouri State University.
Robert Barker
Executive Vice President of Data and TechnologyBarker oversees Landus Cooperative’s technology, integrating every aspect of the business and providing real-time data internally and to customers. In his nearly three-decade career, Barker has implemented business intelligence strategies, modernized companies’ online presences and improved customer experiences. Barker has served in IT leadership roles at Ingram Barge Company, The Manitowac Company and Ford Company. He graduated from Purdue University and holds PMP Certification from the Project Management Institute.
Tim Unruh
Executive Vice President of AdministrationUnruh is responsible for Landus Cooperative’s human resources, safety, and communications programs. Additionally, he oversees the cooperative’s quality management system, business development planning and supply chain optimization efforts. His experience includes more than 20 years in various segments of the agriculture industry, at companies that include Winfield United, John Deere Financial and Helena Chemical. Unruh holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Ashford University.
President: Jim Carlson, Gowrie, Iowa
Vice President: Nate Stewart, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Secretary: Matt Showalter, Hampton, Iowa
Ryan Bristle, Polk City, Iowa
Ron Buse, Lake City, Iowa
Gary Graber, Forest City, Iowa
Craig Heineman, Ogden, Iowa
Dan Heller, Irwin, Iowa
Tim Kolder, Ackley, Iowa
Jim Long, Maxwell, Iowa
Dan Reynolds, Rockwell City, Iowa
Sue Tronchetti, Paton, Iowa
Associate Director: Bryce Caple, Maxwell, Iowa
Leadership Opportunities
Are you interested in becoming part of the Landus Cooperative board of directors? Each director serves a three-year term and is then eligible for re-election. To learn more, visit with your local director or email communications@landuscooperative.com.
