Global Prairie sues ag tech firm FarmLink for loan default

January 5, 2017  |  Bobby Burch

court-gavel

Kansas City-based marketing firm Global Prairie has filed suit against a local ag tech firm for defaulting on a loan, according to a document that was filed Nov. 14 in Jackson County Court.

In the document, Global Prairie alleged that Kansas City-based FarmLink failed to fulfill payments on a promissory note in the amount of $568,390 plus interest. A promissory note is a financial tool used to put the terms of a loan in writing and contains a written promise to pay a stated sum on a specific date.

FarmLink — whose website is now inoperable — offers a suite of tech services for farmers, including its analytics platform TrueHarvest and machinery sharing platform MachineryLink Sharing.

Led by CEO Ron LeMay, the company has raised about $77 million in capital. LeMay is also the managing director of OpenAir Equity Partners, which is a top investor in FarmLink.

FarmLink in February announced that it would split its company into two businesses, FarmLink and MachineryLink Solutions. The court filing includes two other affiliate organizations: FarmLink LLC and FarmLink Analytics.

Anne St. Peter founded Global Prairie in 2008. The firm has since opened offices in Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Fort Worth, Washington, D.C., Berlin and Brussels.

“This is a legal matter and we intend to limit any comments to our court filings,” said Greg Wolf, an attorney at Dentons that’s representing Global Prairie.

FarmLink has not yet responded to request for comment. The ag tech firm was selected by Startland News as one of Kansas City’s top 10 startups to watch in 2016. 

startland-tip-jar

TIP JAR

Did you enjoy this post? Show your support by becoming a member or buying us a coffee.

Tagged
Featured Business
    Featured Founder

      2017 Startups to Watch

        stats here

        Related Posts on Startland News

        He took over a house-trained side hustle; meow it’s time scale the gourmet catnip brand 

        By Tommy Felts | October 14, 2025

        Adam Larson might be severely allergic to cats, but he’s following his own advice — pawing away at a gourmet catnip side hustle and toying with the best market fit for the business (and his life). Larson — who also is a network convener for MOSourceLink, the founder Decimal Projects, and a former program coordinator at…

        How Main Street Summit is putting homegrown small business on stage with Tim Tebow

        By Tommy Felts | October 14, 2025

        COLUMBIA, Missouri — Small businesses don’t stay small on purpose, said Colby Kraus, echoing a mantra popular among organizers of the Main Street Summit — an immersive downtown experience rich with enough Americana capital for entrepreneurs and community builders from all walks of life.  Approaching its third year, Main Street Summit is set to return Nov.…

        ICYMI: MTC says it’s moving forward with select entrepreneur programs despite steep state funding cuts

        By Tommy Felts | October 14, 2025

        Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Missouri Business Alert, a member of the Kansas City Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, Kansas City PBS/Flatland, and The Kansas City Beacon. Click here to read the original story. The Missouri Technology Corp. has released its annual implementation plan, announcing which programs will…

        KCultivator Q&A: Jessica Powell gets candid about ‘KC Nice’ (and how she’d spend $1M)

        By Tommy Felts | October 13, 2025

        Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Let’s get real, Jessica Powell said with a wry smirk, explaining her vision for a Kansas City that works together — and stops cannibalizing its own.   “I’m a startup junkie,” the community champion and founder of Social…