Heartland Co-op

What Heartland Co-op does

Heartland Co-op is a farmer-owned agricultural cooperative headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa (with operational offices in Clive, Iowa), incorporated in Iowa and serving member-farmers across Iowa, Nebraska, Texas, and New Mexico. Founded in 1987, the cooperative operates 75 grain elevator and agronomy input locations and supports approximately 6,000+ member-owners with five integrated business lines: grain handling and marketing, agronomy (fertilizer, crop protection, seed, precision application), feed production, energy (propane and refined fuels) and conservation agronomy (cover crops, bioreactors, saturated buffers, and sustainability-linked financing). Sub-branded proprietary offerings include alignN (nitrogen management via "intelligent leaf delivery technology"), Holganix biological products, and the Safeguard crop input line (Silver and Gold variants). The cooperative is led by CEO Tom Hauschel (named 2020 NCFC Robert B. Engel Farmer Cooperative Manager of the Year) with executive leadership spanning Grain and Risk Management, Operations, Sales and Marketing, and Agronomy. The company sits within the U.S. ag retail vertical and ranks in CropLife Magazine's Top 10 for grain revenue among agricultural retailers (2024).

The cooperative monetizes primarily through transactional margins: it purchases member grain at posted, location-specific bid prices (corn ranges $3.78–$4.14/bushel across locations; soybeans $10.87–$11.10/bushel), markets the grain through export, processor (ADM, Cargill, POET), and futures channels, and captures handling/basis spread. Agronomy, feed, and energy/propane revenues follow similar transaction-based economics. The GTM motion is predominantly sales-led through 75 physical locations staffed by local account managers, supplemented by event-driven engagement (Winter Grain Meetings, Iowa Ag Expo, FFA/Scholarship programs) and a digital self-serve layer comprising a customer mobile application (Apple/Android), the myaccount.heartlandcoop.com online portal, a website with real-time/delayed market data, weather, and USDA news feeds, plus Barchart/AgriCharts integrated futures and options quote feeds for grain, livestock, and dairy. Marketing channels emphasize content, email newsletters, Facebook, agricultural earned media (Iowa Farm Bureau, Wallace Farmer, Successful Farming, Market to Market), and community sponsorships.

The strategic posture emphasizes geographic expansion, conservation-linked differentiation, and member-equity retention. Recent moves include June 2025 openings of new Texas elevators in Gruver and Capps Switch, the 2025 acquisition of Legacy Propane in Allison, Iowa, a first-of-its-kind CoBank sustainability-linked loan, and the 2023 launches of the Heartland mobile app and alignN/Safeguard product lines. The cooperative participates extensively in public-private conservation partnerships (ACWA, IAWA, Truterra/Land O'Lakes, Practical Farmers of Iowa, IDALS, RCPP) contributing documented $12M+ in in-kind support to help secure $20M+ in USDA-NRCS funding. Distribution and partner ecosystem integration, combined with farmer-member equity alignment and conservation leadership, represent the company's primary competitive moats.

Name

Heartland Co-op

Legal name

Heartland Co-op

Website

https://heartlandcoop.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Heartland Co-op is a farmer-owned agricultural cooperative operating 75 grain, agronomy, feed, energy, and conservation locations across Iowa, Nebraska, Texas, and New Mexico, serving 6,000+ member-owners with grain marketing, crop inputs, livestock feed, propane, and conservation services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

West Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices57 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Grain Handling and Marketing: Heartland Co-op purchases grain from farmer-members at posted bid prices, handles storage, and markets commodities through various channels including export, processing facilities, and futures markets. Revenue is generated through margins on grain purchases and sales.
2. Agronomy Products and Services: Sale of fertilizers, agricultural chemicals, and application services for crop production. Includes seed, crop protection products, and precision application services.
3. Feed Products: Livestock feed products and processing services for cattle and other livestock operations.
4. Energy and Propane: Propane distribution and refined fuel products for farm and rural residential customers. Recently expanded through acquisition of Legacy Propane in Allison, Iowa.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Heartland Co-op is a farmer-owned agricultural cooperative that purchases, stores, and markets grain on behalf of its members, while selling fertilizer, crop protection chemicals, seed, livestock feed, propane, and refined fuels through a network of 75 locations across Iowa, Nebraska, Texas, and New Mexico. The cooperative complements its physical grain elevator operations with a digital platform including a customer mobile app, online account portal, and commodity futures/options quote feeds, and supports specialized services such as the alignN nitrogen management program and Conservation Agronomy offerings.

Product overview

Heartland Co-op is a farmer-owned agricultural cooperative operating a multi-divisional platform with integrated grain marketing, feed production, energy distribution, agronomy services, and conservation programs. The cooperative serves members across more than 70 communities in Iowa, Nebraska, Texas, and New Mexico through 75 locations. The core product portfolio includes grain handling and marketing, livestock feed production, propane and refined fuels, fertilizer and chemical application, and conservation agronomy services. Specialized offerings include alignN (nitrogen management with intelligent leaf delivery technology), Holganix biological products, and the Safeguard product line. The cooperative also provides digital platforms including a customer web portal and mobile app for account management, bill pay, and grain contracting, along with futures and options trading services for commodity risk management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• alignN: Nitrogen management program with intelligent leaf delivery technology.

Products and services

• Grain Handling and Marketing Grain handling, storage, and marketing services including cash prices, futures overview, custom charts, and grain offer contract submissions across multiple locations for farmer-members delivering corn, soybeans, and other commodities.
• Feed Products and Services Livestock feed production and processing services including feed mill operations and show feed clinic programs for cattle and other livestock producers.
• Energy Services Agriculture energy products including propane services (with customer acquisition and existing customer management), refined fuels, and energy sales operations for farm and rural residential customers, recently expanded through the acquisition of Legacy Propane in Allison, Iowa.
• Agronomy Products and Application Services Fertilizer production, custom application services, agricultural chemicals, seed, and crop protection products for row crop farming operations across the cooperative's territory.
• Conservation Agronomy Services Conservation services including cover crop programs, edge-of-field structures, bioreactors, saturated buffers, constructed wetlands, sustainability-linked loans for water quality improvement, and partnership-driven access to USDA-NRCS RCPP cost-share programs.
• My Heartland Account & Bill Pay Online customer portal providing full account access, bill payment, equity inquiries, and grain contract management for cooperative members.
• Futures and Options Trading Services Commodity futures and options trading platform covering grains (corn, soybeans, wheat), livestock (cattle, hogs), and dairy products with real-time and delayed quotes for price risk management.
• alignN Nitrogen Management Program Nitrogen management program featuring intelligent leaf delivery technology for precise fertilizer application in crop production.
• Holganix Biological Products Biological soil health products and programs offered through partnership for enhanced crop nutrition and soil microbiology.
• Safeguard Crop Protection Product Line Agricultural crop protection or input product launched in 2023, available in Silver and Gold variants.
• Heartland Co-op Mobile App Mobile application providing full account access, grain price checking, bill pay, propane ordering, refined fuel inquiries, equity inquiries, and grain offer contract submissions, available for Apple and Android phones.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served more than 6,000 farmer-members across 75 locations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Iowa FFA FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeartland Co-op has partnered with the Iowa FFA Foundation to create a farmer-driven checkoff program supporting Iowa FFA. A 1/10 cent deduction per bushel of corn or soybeans sold goes to the Foundation, with Heartland matching voluntary member contributions. The cooperative has been a long-term supporter through career development events, proficiency awards, event sponsorship, and annual scholarships.
• Agriculture's Clean Water Alliance (ACWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeartland Co-op is a founding member of ACWA, an association of 11 ag retailers supporting farmers in the Des Moines and Raccoon River basins. ACWA's mission is to help agriculture identify and implement solutions that reduce nutrient loss to Iowa waters. Heartland participates in the voluntary Code of Practice for Nitrogen Fertilization and water quality monitoring programs.
• Truterra (Land O'Lakes)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTruterra (formerly Land O'Lakes SUSTAIN) partners with Heartland Co-op on conservation programs. Heartland was recognized with the 2020 IAWA Public-Private Partnership award for its role in RCPP projects that leveraged $12M in in-kind support to secure $20M+ in USDA-NRCS funding for conservation.
• Iowa Institute for CooperativessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeartland Co-op partners with the Iowa Institute for Cooperatives to deliver the Leadership Development Program, enhancing skillsets of newly assigned managers within the cooperative. The program is a 13-month commitment designed to provide tools for growth and leadership development.
• CHS Inc.supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeartland Co-op partners with CHS through a match program to support the Iowa FFA Foundation, increasing the impact of contributions to support youth in agriculture and FFA chapters.
• UnileversupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeartland Co-op's Conservation Agronomy team supports Unilever's cover crop cost share program in partnership with Practical Farmers of Iowa. In 2022 alone, over 300 of Heartland's Iowa and Nebraska farmers participated in the program.
• Practical Farmers of IowasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeartland Co-op partners with Practical Farmers of Iowa on cover crop and conservation programs. The partnership includes cost-share programs, farmer field days, and educational presentations on conservation practices including edge-of-field structures and cover crops.
• Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land StewardshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeartland Co-op collaborates with IDALS on conservation initiatives including the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), water quality monitoring, and the Cover Crop Seeder Partnership project with the City of Des Moines and Des Moines Water Works.
• Des Moines Water WorkssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Cover Crop Seeder Partnership project aimed at increasing cover crop acres in the Des Moines River and Raccoon River watersheds, contributing to improved water quality.
• Iowa CornsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the founding organizations of Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA), working together to build public-private partnerships focused on implementing water quality solutions.
• Iowa Soybean AssociationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding organization of IAWA alongside Iowa Corn and Iowa Pork Producers Association, focused on water quality improvement partnerships and conservation programming.
• Iowa Pork Producers AssociationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding organization of IAWA working to increase the pace and scale of farmer-led efforts to improve water quality in Iowa through public-private partnerships.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CHS Inc. Largest U.S. farmer-owned cooperative, operating grain handling, agronomy, energy, and feed businesses across the Midwest. Highly comparable to Heartland on cooperative structure, multi-division platform, and grain origination footprint.
• Growmark: Midwest agricultural cooperative providing grain, agronomy, fuel, and feed services to farmer-members. Closely comparable on cooperative governance, regional Midwestern footprint, and full-service ag retail model.
• Ag Processing Inc (AGP): Farmer-owned cooperative engaged in grain processing, soybean processing, and ag product marketing. Comparable on cooperative ownership, Iowa/Midwest grain origination, and member-driven economics.
• MFA Incorporated: Regional farmer-owned cooperative offering crop inputs, livestock feed, grain marketing, and energy products across the Midwest. Highly comparable multi-division cooperative model and farmer-member base.
• Co-Alliance: Indiana-based farmer-owned cooperative providing energy, agronomy, and grain marketing services. Comparable cooperative structure and bundled rural services model.
• NEW Cooperative: Iowa-based farmer-owned grain and agronomy cooperative with a footprint overlapping Heartland's Iowa heartland. Directly comparable on member services, grain origination, and agronomy supply.

Broad incumbents

• Land O'Lakes: Large farmer-owned cooperative with WinField United agronomy inputs and Truterra sustainability platform — the same Truterra partner Heartland works with. Comparable cooperative structure and conservation/sustainability programming.
• Cargill: Global agribusiness that posts processor bids at Heartland's elevators (ADM, Cargill, POET). Competes for the same Iowa grain origination volume and operates adjacent commodity-trading capabilities.
• ADM (Archer Daniels Midland): Global agribusiness and grain processor; cited as a Heartland processor bid partner. Tim Cassidy (now Heartland EVP) previously held senior roles at ADM, underscoring the operational comparability.
• Bunge: Global agribusiness and grain processor with significant U.S. origination presence. Competes for the same farmer-delivered grain and operates processor-side bids at cooperative elevators.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLp4S8Bv9jgxarDoVlKn_Gwc3YHS_swolY
• Facebookfacebook.com/HeartlandCoop
• Instagraminstagram.com/heartlandcoopofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heartland-co-op

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Heartland Co-op