Ag Trading Systems originated on the High Plains of Texas to create better connections for those in the U.S. agricultural commodity feed trade. Koby Reed, a fifth-generation cotton farmer, grew up on the turn rows of West Texas, and in 2014, saw a desperate need to modernize the cotton trading process, as gins and merchants were still utilizing fax machines to gather daily pricing information. So, in the fall of 2017, Koby launched the K-Link Cotton Marketing System, a web-based platform allowing sellers to promptly send cotton lists to buyers, creating a quick turnaround on bidding information. K-Link has helped producers sell cotton more efficiently, while exposing them to more buyers.
The need to enhance trade of other agricultural commodities exists across the U.S., and Ag Trading Systems (ATS) was developed specifically to fulfill this unique need. Piggybacking on the success and experience of K-Link, Koby developed a new platform to link buyers and sellers in one single digital marketplace. This new digital arena creates greater exposure to a larger market and provides a faster price discovery mechanism within the industry.
After many months of research and development, Koby launched ATS in the spring of 2024. He currently resides on the outskirts of Lubbock, Texas with his wife Elizabeth and their three children, where they strive to teach them the importance of agriculture. Koby has a deep-rooted passion for the agricultural industry and continues to advocate for the sustainability of its infrastructure.