A usten Cargill II is an American billionaire heir and one of the many descendants of William W. Cargill, who founded the agribusiness giant Cargill Inc. in 1865. He is a great-grandson of the founder and, along with his brother James Cargill II and sister Marianne Liebmann, is part of one of the wealthiest families in the world. Cargill Inc. is the largest privately held company in the United States, with vast operations in commodities trading, food processing, and agricultural services.

Like most members of the Cargill-MacMillan clan, Austen Cargill II has maintained an extremely low public profile. He worked at the company for many years in various roles, including as a vice president, but is no longer involved in its day-to-day management. His wealth, and that of his extended family, is derived from their ownership of an estimated 90% of the massive and highly secretive company. The family's continued private ownership of Cargill has allowed it to operate with a long-term perspective, away from the quarterly pressures of public markets.