Beck's Hybrids Expands Operations Into Iowa.

Oct 09, 2014

By Joe Dales, Farms.com

Beck's Hybrids, the largest family-owned, retail seed company in the USA has traditionally operated in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, southern Michigan, western Kentucky, Tennessee and eastern Missouri.

Recently Beck’s announced the acquisition of a seed production facility located in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. The 62-acre, fully operational production plant will provide Beck’s with seed processing capabilities, expanded warehouses and offices for sales and agronomic activities.

“We’re excited to bring the Beck’s culture to Iowa farmers through the acquisition of the Mount Pleasant facility,” said Scott Beck, vice president of Beck’s Hybrids. “As a family-owned seed company, serving farmers is not only our job, but a passion that drives us each day. The purchase of the Mount Pleasant facility is a reflection of our commitment to Iowa farmers and our dedication to providing them with the best choices in genetics and traits.”

The company has been researching, testing and evaluating corn hybrids in Iowa to provide products that are designed for their soils. Beck’s will be marketing a wide range of corn, soybean and wheat products. In addition to the Mount Pleasant facility, Beck’s also has a corn breeding and research facility near Marshalltown, Iowa. In 2014, Beck’s is testing about 3,000 hybrids at 11 locations in Iowa.

The Farms.com had the opportunity to learn more about Beck’s Hybrids with Harold Lovin Regional Business Manager who shared his thoughts on the company values, goals and their current expansion into Iowa. The Beck's Hybrids website is http://www.beckshybrids.com

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.