Шаблон:OrphanШаблон:Infobox companyFarmers Business Network (FBN) is a farmer-to-farmer network and e-commerce platform based out of San Carlos, California.[1] The company was co-founded by Amol Deshpande and Charles Baron, and launched as a startup in 2014.[2][3][4] Deshpande stepped down as CEO in 2023 and was replaced by John Vaske.[5] As of 2021, FBN has approximately 30,000 farmers in their network between the U.S. and Canada.[2]
In 2016, FBN launched an online input buying system called FBN Direct.[6] The platform aggregates data on seed prices and performances to assist farmers in agronomic resource management.[2]
Файл:Sonny-Perdue-Charles-Baron.jpgU.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue speaks with FBN Co-founder Charles Baron at the company's 2019 Farmer2Farmer event in Omaha, Nebraska.Файл:Sonny Perdue Farmer2Farmer Conference.jpgU.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue addresses Farmers Business Network's 2019 Farmer2Farmer Conference in Omaha, Nebraska.
The company introduced their first non-GMO corn and soybean seed offerings with F2F Genetics Network in August 2018.[6] Some farmer members have reported saving thousands of dollars through the purchase of FBN seeds.[7] Later in 2018, FBN announced a partnership with Amazon.[6]
In February of 2020, a Canadian federal court issued subpoenas to a group of major agriculture companies in order to conduct an antitrust probe based on allegations that businesses cooperated in an attempt to block online farm-supply startup Farmers Business Network Inc (FBN).[9]
In 2020, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Canadian Competition Bureau was investigating allegations that Bayer, BASF, and Corteva engaged in anti-competitive practices toward FBN in Canada.[10]
