FBN Spins Off Global Crop Solutions to Expand Crop Protection Market Reach
Farmers Business Network (FBN) has launched a new independent crop protection company, expanding its footprint in the ag retail sector and reshaping how crop inputs reach farmers, co-ops, and distributors.
The new company, Global Crop Solutions (GCS), is a spinoff of FBN's existing crop protection business. The move, announced Tuesday, is intended to allow both entities to scale and better serve distinct customer segments. While FBN will continue focusing on family farms via its digital e-commerce platform, GCS will operate as an independent supplier to ag retailers, cooperatives, and large-scale distributors across North America.
"Our independence unlocks immense growth potential," said Amy Yoder, CEO of Global Crop Solutions. "It allows us to be the most reliable and collaborative partner to the entire agricultural industry."
GCS enters the market with a strong foundation. The company currently boasts more than 250 crop protection product registrations in the U.S. and Canada, with a focus on post-patent herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides - a segment in high demand as farmers and ag businesses seek cost-effective input options.
Yoder described GCS as an "independent powerhouse", signaling its ambition to become a key player in the highly competitive and consolidated crop protection sector, traditionally dominated by a handful of multinationals.
Despite the separation, GCS will maintain a commercial relationship with FBN, continuing to offer its portfolio on the FBN marketplace platform. This hybrid model combines independence with strategic reach, ensuring that GCS products remain accessible to FBN's robust network of farmer-customers while also expanding into broader ag retail channels.
The announcement comes amid a backdrop of elevated input costs, shifting supply chains, and rising demand for post-patent solutions. For growers seeking alternatives to branded products and for retailers looking to diversify offerings, GCS provides a new sourcing option backed by digital infrastructure and a proven portfolio.
By separating the businesses, FBN aims to double down on its mission to support family farms through transparency and direct access, while giving GCS the autonomy to scale in a broader wholesale and distribution landscape.
The launch of Global Crop Solutions reflects broader trends in the U.S. ag input space - from digital transformation to portfolio diversification - and underscores FBN's role as a disruptor in the industry.