Global Prairie sues ag tech firm FarmLink for loan default
January 5, 2017 | Bobby Burch
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.
Featured Business

2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Combat to capital: Vetelligence founder secures NMotion investment, accelerator deployment
A Kansas City-based startup focused on guiding military service members into tech careers is among the latest companies selected for a top regional accelerator — strengthened by its founder’s own background as a veteran-turned-entrepreneur. Vetelligence — led by Zachary Oshinbanjo, who served nearly four years as an indirect infantryman and specialist in the U.S. Army…
Bird ridership soars during NFL Draft amid exclusive e-scooter partnership with KCMO
Daily rides in Kansas City increased by 724 percent during April’s NFL Draft weekend, Bird reported, following the three-day series of events that brought more than 300,000 fans to festival grounds at Union Station. “We’re thrilled to have partnered with Kansas City and the NFL to support the 2023 NFL Draft by providing efficient, affordable,…
Former KC startup acquired by Atlanta-based banking platform, uniting two of the largest Black-owned fintechs
ATLANTA — Greenwood, a digital banking platform for Black and Latino individuals and businesses, announced this week its acquisition of Kansas City-founded Kinly — a neobank building generational wealth for Black America. The deal will help grow Atlanta-based Greenwood’s ecosystem of more than 1 million members and provide Kinly’s community of more than 300,000 with…
