Landus, a Des Moines-based agricultural cooperative, has announced Sam Caton as its interim CEO, effective April 8, after Matt Carstens stepped down as president and CEO on April 4, a position he had held for five years.

“Matt has been a dedicated and forward-thinking leader, and we sincerely appreciate the many contributions he made during his tenure with Landus,” said Matt Chambers, Landus’ board chairman, in an announcement released April 4. “The search for both an interim and permanent successor will prioritize identifying an individual with a deep understanding of the cooperative’s mission and the needs of its farmer-owners.”

In January, it was reported that about 55 of Landus’ 600 employees were being laid off, “to boost employee faith in new endeavors the company is pursuing.”

“We have full confidence in Sam’s abilities to guide Landus forward as the interim CEO. His sincere appreciation for the farmer-owners we serve has quickly built trust within the organization and helped him develop a deep understanding of our operations and vision,” Chambers said. “We have full faith in his leadership as we start the next chapter at Landus and implement the search to identify our next CEO.”

Caton joined Landus as executive vice president of sales in February. He will maintain the responsibilities of his previous position during the transition.

He brings more than two decades of agricultural industry experience, including serving as the business unit director of the northern region at Idaho-based Simplot. Before moving into sales, he owned and operated an 8,000-acre family farm and cattle ranch.

Caton will lead the search for Landus’ next CEO, the release said.

“I’m honored, and frankly humbled, to be trusted with the exciting task of leading Landus forward, and I know the best way to do so is with the guidance of our farmers,” Caton said in a press release. “I’ll be establishing an open line of communication with our farmer-owners to hear directly from them on what they want to see from the next CEO of the cooperative, and I look forward to working with our board to identify the next leader of Landus.”

Last May, the Business Record reported the launch of Landus’ Conduit, a company that combines elements of a farmer-owned co-op with technology, as well as a story about the redevelopment of Landus grain elevators in Bondurant.