On behalf of our farmer-owners, Landus 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 are an integral part of a remarkable story that begins with planting soybeans 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.
These soybeans, in turn, are processed at Landus 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 find the dairy products—from milk to cheese, baby formula and more—in their grocery stores.
Landus is a farmer-owned cooperative that elevates and uplifts thousands of farmer-owners throughout North America. Headquartered in Des Moines, Landus bolsters local communities and works to bridge the gap between urban and rural, farmer and consumer. We are focused on sustainable growth and helping our farmers find added value through partnerships that create downstream opportunities. By activating the power of data to connect key contributors across the ag supply chain, we’re helping farmers build sustainable businesses and cultivating a more secure food and fuel future.
History
The History of Landus is the History of Iowa Cooperatives
The earliest known roots of Landus 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. Take a look at our family tree, which lists the 60+ companies that helped build Iowa agriculture.
Matt Carstens
President and Chief Executive OfficerCarstens leads Landus' 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.
Kathleen Lyons
Chief Financial OfficerKathleen has been with Landus for over 25 years, serving most recently as corporate controller. She spent 13 years working as a public accountant auditing cooperatives prior to joining this team. Over the course of her career, she’s developed a deep understanding of the cooperative business and agriculture.
Chairman: Matt Chambers, Audubon, Iowa
Vice Chairman: Matt Showalter, Hampton, Iowa
Secretary/Treasurer: Dan Reynolds, Rockwell City, Iowa
Lynn Barry, Manilla, Iowa
Ron Buse, Lake City, Iowa
Bryce Caple, Maxwell, Iowa
Jeff Frank, Auburn, Iowa
Brett Heineman, Ogden, Iowa
Kaitlyn Kokemiller, Madrid, Iowa
Tim Kolder, Ackley, Iowa
Dan Ory, Earlham, Iowa
Associate Board Member:
Halie Renze, Auburn, Iowa
Leadership Opportunities
Are you interested in becoming part of the Landus 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@landus.ag