Corn field planted with DeKalb DKC 53-45 seed

DeKalb Genetics Corporation (often stylized DEKALB; formerly DeKalb Agricultural Association and DEKALB AgResearch) was a diversified company headquartered in

DeKalb, Illinois DeKalb ( ) is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,290 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city is named after decorated Franconian-French war hero Johann de Kalb, who died during the Ameri ...

that marketed agricultural

seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...

s and other products. The company was best known for its leading role in the development of hybrid corn and for its "winged ear" logo. DeKalb Genetics Corporation was purchased by the

Monsanto Company The Monsanto Company () was an American agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation founded in 1901 and headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Monsanto's best-known product is Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide, developed in ...

in 1998 and has been owned since 2017 by Bayer. The DeKalb seed business, the DEKALB brand and the winged ear logo are now owned and managed by

Bayer Bayer AG (English: , commonly pronounced ; ) is a German multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company and is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies and biomedical companies in the world. Headquartered in Leverkusen, Bayer' ...

Corporate history

The history of DeKalb Genetics Corporation can be traced back to the Farm Bureau county organization, founded in DeKalb, Illinois in 1912.Troyer, A. Forrest. ''Development of Hybrid Corn and the Seed Corn Industry.'' ''In:'' Handbook of Maize Genetics and Genomics. Bennetzen, Jeff L.; Hake, Sarah (Eds.) Springer, 2009, pages 87–114. Tom Roberts, Sr. became the assistant manager in 1919 and then manager from 1920 to 1932. In 1923 Henry C. Wallace, the

Secretary of Agriculture The United States secretary of agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments The department includes several organiz ...

, spoke at the DeKalb Farm Bureau picnic and recommended development of hybrid

corn Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout Poaceae, grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples of Mexico, indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago ...

. Roberts took up the project, even though he understood there would be a 12-year lead time before he could bring a product to market. As a result of this effort DeKalb AgResearch sold hybrid corn seed beginning in 1935. Sales expanded rapidly as Roberts organized a force of farmer-dealers, who were paid a 15% commission. The first popular hybrid was DeKalb 404A, which sold 508,000 bags in 1947, the same year total DeKalb sales exceeded 2,000,000 bags of seed corn. The first popular full- and short-season, large volume, single-cross maize hybrids were DeKalb hybrids 805 and XL 45. As a result, DeKalb was the leader in U.S. hybrid seed corn sales from the mid-1930s until the mid-1970s (Crabb 1948. Roberts 1999). In 1982 DeKalb formed a joint venture with

Pfizer Pfizer Inc. ( ) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headquartered at The Spiral (New York City), The Spiral in Manhattan, New York City. Founded in 184 ...

, called DeKalb-Pfizer Genetics, and in 1985 the name was changed to DeKalb Corporation. The seed business was spun off as DeKalb Genetics Corporation in 1988. Monsanto first entered the corn seed business when it purchased 40% of DeKalb in 1996. It purchased the remainder of the corporation in 1998.Justice Dept Press Release
The last president of the company before the acquisition was Richard O. Ryan.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dekalb Genetics Corporation Multinational companies Agriculture companies of the United States Seed companies Companies based in DeKalb County, Illinois Monsanto Defunct agriculture companies of the United States 1912 establishments in Illinois