Deerfield Ag Services, with locations in Deerfield and Kinsman, has transitioned to employee ownership through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan effective Feb. 1.

The transition is the result of several years of succession planning by second-generation owners Bill Wallbrown, John Wallbrown and Beth Wallbrown-Padisak, the company said in a news release Monday. The ESOP structure allows the company to remain privately held and locally focused at a time when consolidation continues across the agricultural retail and grain industries.

Founded by Boyd and Joan Wallbrown in Deerfield, the company has grown over the past six decades alongside the farm families and the communities it serves. Today, Deerfield Ag Services is a full-service agricultural retail business with four locations and offers a wide range of crop input products and agronomy and grain marketing services, leveraging decades of farming knowledge, advanced technology and a customer-first mindset to help growers maximize their profitability and sustainability.

Its network of locations provides access to a broad range of domestic and international markets, including shipments of grain to Southeast Asia, positioning the company as a key link between local farmers and global demand.

“For agricultural retailers, trust and continuity matter,” Beth Wallbrown-Padisak said. “Our customers will continue working with the same agronomists, grain team, drivers, and customer service staff they know. The difference is that our employees now have an ownership stake in the future of Deerfield Ag Services.”

Under the ESOP structure, Deerfield employees will earn ownership shares over time as a retirement benefit, creating a direct connection between employee performance and the long-term success of the business.

Bill and John Wallbrown will remain actively involved during a transition period to support leadership continuity and operations.