Garst Seed Company

Garst Timeline

1927 - An alliance formed between Roswell Garst and Henry Wallace to develop and promote hybrid seed corn.

1930 - The Garst & Thomas Hybrid Corn Company founded in Coon Rapids, IA. Contract growing and sales distribution begins in the western Corn Belt under the name Pioneer® brand hybrid corn.

1935 - Super Crost Seed Company founded by Edward J. Funk and Sons in Kentland, IN.

1930 to 1945 - U.S. corn growers went from planting no hybrid seed corn to planting it on 100% of their acres.

1969 U.S. corn acreage surpasses 50 million acres.

1983 - Garst Seed Company formed after a split of the Garst and Thomas family businesses.

1985 Garst Seed Company purchased by ICI Americas, a British company.

1990 ICI Seeds purchases the various seed companies of Edward J. Funk and Sons, including Super Crost Hybrids.

1991 Garst Seed Company changes its name to ICI Seeds.

1996 The ICI Seeds name is dropped. The Garst name is "readopted" across the cornbelt and Garst becomes part of a global seed group called Advanta.

1998 Garst Seed Company buys AgriPro Seeds, Inc.

1999 Garst Seed Company purchases PSA Genetics, LLC.

2000 Garst Seed Company purchases the Gutwein retail seed business.

2004 Garst Seed Company is purchased by Syngenta, the world leader in agricultural inputs.