For Immediate Release – Monday, April 22, 2024
The Equity Acquires Littlejohn Grain, Inc.
A historic deal between two well respected Illinois grain and agronomy companies.
Effingham Equity, a leading farmer-owned cooperative, announced today that it will be purchasing all grain facilities and assets from Littlejohn Grain, Inc., a 5th generation family-owned grain company that has been in business for over 100 years. The deal, which will be finalized in June 2024, includes four grain elevators located in Martinsville, Westfield, and Snyder, with a shuttle train loader on Route 40 in Martinsville, Illinois
“We are thrilled to welcome the customers and employees of Littlejohn Grain to The Equity family,” said Tim Bence, Managing Executive Officer of The Equity. “Littlejohn Grain has a long and proud history of serving the farmers and communities in this region, and we are honored to continue that legacy. We look forward to providing the highest quality of service and grain marketing that our customers have come to expect from us.”
Littlejohn Grain, Inc. was founded in 1923 by Oscar Shawver, Kent Littlejohn’s grandfather, who started buying and selling grain from local farmers. The company grew over the years, adding more facilities and services, and was passed down through five generations of the Littlejohn family. The current owners, Kent, Doug and Greg Littlejohn, decided to sell the business to The Equity after careful consideration of the future of the grain industry and the best interests of their customers
and employees.
“We are very proud of what our family and our team have accomplished over the last 101 years,” said Kent Littlejohn, President of Littlejohn Grain. “We are grateful to our loyal customers and dedicated staff for their support and trust. We believe that Effingham Equity is the right partner to take our business to the next level and to offer our customers the best opportunities and solutions in the market. We are confident that this transition will be smooth and beneficial for everyone involved.”
The Equity is a farmer-owned cooperative that was established in 1919 and serves over 5,000 member-owners in Illinois and Indiana. The cooperative offers a wide range of products and services, including grain marketing and storage, feed, fertilizer, seed, crop protection, energy, and retail. With the acquisition of Littlejohn Grain, Effingham Equity will now operate 7 grain facilities with a total storage capacity of over 21 million bushels.
To learn more about The Equity, please visit www.theequity.com.
