Grain Dealer Fails to Pay Nebraska Farmers

LINCOLN, Neb. (DTN) -- The Nebraska Public Service Commission suspended the grain dealer license of a Nebraska firm after the company failed to pay nearly $2 million to about 38 farmers for deliveries of grain to the Omaha-based business. Investigations are underway in some of the nine other states where the company operates.

Nebraska regulators at the end of last week filed a complaint against Hansen-Mueller Co., after receiving a complaint from a farmer who told them the company failed to pay for a grain delivery.

"In response to the producer's complaint on Oct. 23, 2025, an inspector with the grain department conducted an on-site examination at the respondent's facility," the complaint said.

"During the examination respondent provided a file identifying all Nebraska producers with unpaid grain obligations."

The PSC said the unpaid deliveries occurred between Aug. 30, 2025, and Oct. 21, 2025.

During an emergency meeting of the Nebraska Public Service Commission on Oct. 24, 2025, Terri Fritz, director of the Nebraska Grain Warehouse and Dealer Department, said officials in all states where Hansen-Mueller operates are "looking into the allegations of non-payment to producers" as it pertains to their states.

HANSEN-MUELLER LOCATIONS

The company is headquartered in Omaha and operates a grain merchandising office in Grand Island.

In addition, Hansen-Mueller operates elevators and merchandising offices in Council Bluffs, Iowa; Duluth, Minnesota; Houston, Texas; Salina and Kansas City, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri; Sioux City, Iowa; Superior, Wisconsin; Tallulah, Louisiana; a merchandising office in Alabaster, Alabama; as well as a processing mill in Toledo, Ohio.

A spokesperson with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry confirmed with DTN on Monday that "the Louisiana Agricultural Commodities Commission is investigating similar claims from producers in Louisiana regarding Hansen-Mueller." The department did not provide further details.

In Kansas, a spokesperson for the department of agriculture told DTN: "We are familiar with the situation and have heard about it from stakeholders." Hansen-Mueller is not under the jurisdiction of the state of Kansas, the spokesperson said.

It appears the state of Iowa is looking into the company's business in Council Bluffs.

"We are aware of the regulatory action taken by the state of Nebraska late last week," said Don McDowell, public information officer for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

"Regarding the company's Iowa operations, our grain warehouse bureau is reviewing the situation and gathering additional information."

Spokespersons in the departments of agriculture in Minnesota, Missouri and Ohio told DTN that as of Monday morning they had not received any complaints and currently don't have open investigations into the company's elevators in Duluth, Kansas City and Toledo. In Wisconsin, Hansen-Mueller's elevator in Superior is a federally licensed grain warehouse.

USDA's Federal Grain Inspection Service did not respond to DTN's request for information prior to publication time.

NEBRASKA COMPLAINT RESPONSE

Hansen-Mueller Co. will have 20 days to file an answer to the Nebraska complaint.

"Except for good cause shown, failure to answer will be construed as an admission of the allegations in the complaint," the PSC said in the complaint.

"Due to the severity of the allegations, civil penalties should be assessed against respondent, respondent's grain dealer license should be temporarily suspended pending the determination of this complaint, and respondent should be ordered to cease and desist operations in Nebraska," the complaint said.

According to state law, the commission may impose a civil penalty of $10,000 per day for each violation and up to $2 million per violation per year.

"While we don't often hold emergency meetings, the commission felt it was in the public good to move forward with the temporary suspension of this grain dealer's license at this time," commission Chairman Tim Schram said in a statement.

With the filing of a formal complaint, the company will be required to show why its grain dealer license should not be revoked and a civil penalty assessed, according to a news release from the Nebraska Public Service Commission.

"We encourage producer sellers to always be vigilant," Schram said.

"It is imperative with harvest season underway that they are well aware of this company and that it cannot act as a grain dealer in Nebraska at this time."

DTN's attempts to reach the company for comment were unsuccessful.

A spokesperson for the Nebraska Public Service Commission told DTN on Monday that Hansen-Mueller does not have a grain warehouse license in Nebraska. Rather the suspension of the grain dealer license prohibits the company from brokering grain from its office locations in Nebraska.

Hansen-Mueller does have a federal grain warehouse license.

Producers and sellers who have done business with Hansen-Mueller and have questions are encouraged to contact the Nebraska PSC grain department. Grain department contact information along with a list of licensed grain dealers in Nebraska can be found on the grain department page of the PSC website, https://psc.nebraska.gov/….

Todd Neeley can be reached at todd.neeley@dtn.com

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