Established in 1983, Leist Mercantile began as a brokerage business offering farmers and investors in central Ohio an opportunity to trade commodities with a local office. Founder Jerry Leist focused on his knowledge and experience in agriculture to grow the business and service clients all over the grain belt. Leist Mercantile entered the crop insurance field in 1987, recognizing it as an important risk management tool to complement the hedging business. In 1992 grain marketing was added to the list of risk management services and in 2001 we added property and casualty insurance to our service offerings. These combined services allow Leist Mercantile the unique ability to help their clients manage risk on many different levels.