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September 16, 2020

3 Min Read
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Farmer’s Business Network, Inc. is no longer charging for membership.

"From the trade war, to unpredictable weather conditions, to the COVID-19 pandemic, these are challenging times for farmers," said Amol Deshpande, CEO and co-founder, Farmers Business Network. “We view this as an investment in our customers. By providing free membership now, all farmers will have access to a select range of products and services that are focused specifically on supporting their independent businesses, both in good times and in bad."

Farmer's Business Network, or FBN, is a direct-to-farm ag tech platform and farmer network, which strives to help farmers reduce their cost of production and maximize the value of their crops. FBN has nearly 14,000 farmer members around the world, representing 45 million acres - an area roughly the size of the state of Wisconsin. In 2020, the company has seen a 42% surge in new members.

Now, any U.S., Canadian or Australian farmer can become a member for free and benefit from the company's direct-to-farm commerce, crop marketing, and sustainability platform. Existing members will receive a prorated credit for the value of their paid membership, which can be used in the online FBN Direct Store or towards a Market Advisory Pro Subscription.

Related:Farmers Business Network announces new offerings

Free membership will enable farmers to explore which products and services will be most useful to their operation. Not only will farmers be able to shop online for inputs through FBN Direct and manage marketing contracts and bids through FBN’s Profit Center tool, but they also will be able to take advantage of the advanced agronomic and decision-making software available for free to all members, including:

  • Price Transparency: Unlocking the prices other farmers pay for common chemical and seed inputs.

  • Seed Finder: Access large scale yield and price information on over 1,400 seed varieties.

  • Free satellite imagery: Enabling farmers to monitor their fields to protect their yield from pest pressure.

  • FBN Community: Connect and learn from a network of close to 14,000 farmers online, in our farmers-only discussion forum.

  • Shop for insurance, financing and brokering options.

“Being able to utilize FBN Direct has been a huge savings for my operation,” said Mike Bergen, a farmer based in Nebraska who grows irrigated corn and soybeans as well as dryland corn. "Not only can I price and compare chemicals, but I have the ability to purchase some for substantially less. I’m glad we’re welcoming more members because the bigger the network gets and the more information that's put into it, the more valuable a service it is for everyone."

Related:Farmers Business Network raises money to expand

FBN depends on direct input from farmers to develop the company's offerings. For example, in response to longstanding complaints about the high cost of seed, FBN started its own seed line, F2F Genetics Network, in August 2018. The company launched FBN Health in 2018 after concerns were raised about the growing costs and challenges of healthcare on the farm. In January 2020, the company rolled out HedgeCommand to help farmers market their grain.

Source: FBN, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset. 

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