The History of Stewart Seeds Inc.

Arthur C. Stewart

Gilman Stewart

John Stewart

A Rich History...

Arthur C. Stewart was born in Rush County, Indiana on September 23, 1888. At three years of age his parents moved to an 80 acre farm five miles northeast of Greensburg, Indiana which is the present location for Stewart Seeds, Inc.

Arthur sold his first seed corn to a few neighbors in 1918 and won his first major award at the State Corn Show, at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana in 1923.

During the late 1920's and early 1930's, hybrid corn was discussed at corn shows and at educational meetings sponsored by the Purdue Extension Service. Arthur had confidence in hybrid corn. In 1935 he planted 2.5 acres in production, yielding 100 bushels of hybrid seed corn to sell in 1936. Every farmer who bought a bushel from him in the spring of 1936 was amazed at the standability of hybrid corn over open-pollinated corn plus yielding ten to thirteen bushels more per acre. Hence, farmers in Decatur County planted more of the hybrid seed in 1937 and by 1938 most of the corn planted in Decatur county was hybrid.

Arthur and Mary Stewart had five children including a baby girl that died at birth. The two sons, Gilman and John, spent three and a half years in the military service during World War II and upon their discharge they went back home and started farming with their father. Seed corn sales continued to increase and by 1955 production had doubled from 1945.

Arthur Stewart died in January 1958. Gilman and John decided they should continue with the seed business. In 1955, a herd of purebred Angus cattle was purchased and used to produce seedstock for the cattle industry.

In 1974 the third generation of the Stewart Family started graduating from the Purdue University School of Agriculture and joined Gilman and John in the formation of Stewart Seeds, Inc. In the 1980's, Gilman and John retired from being active in the business and the third generation assumed the management and the ownership of the business. Gilman Stewart passed away in July 2004.

In September 2005, Tom Stewart, Jim Stewart and Steve Gunn working within the Stewart Mission separated the different entities of their one company - Stewart Seeds, S&G Seeds and Select Stewart Angus . The Stewart family has always prided itself in taking the long term view and doing what is best for customers and employees.

New Start
In September 2005, Stewart Seeds was acquired by American Seeds, Inc. a holding company owned by Monsanto Company. This alliance gives Stewart Seeds the opportunity to bring customers the best of the new genetics and traits from one of the most advanced pipelines of research and development.

Stewart Seeds is under the leadership of Jim Stewart. Currently Stewart has 35 District Sales Managers and sales support staff covering Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and portions of Illinois and Kentucky.

S & G Seeds with Tom Stewart and Steve Gunn as managing partners was formed to provide the production, conditioning and shipping of seed product for Stewart Seeds as well as other ASI companies.

S & G Seeds has an experienced production and processing crew which are second to none. Their commitment to the quality of product Stewart sells shows in every bag delivered to the farm.

In December 2006, American Seeds Inc added Corn Belt Hybrids, St. Marys, OH under the management of Stewart Seeds. This move put Stewart in Michigan and greater coverage throughout Ohio.

Stewart Select Angus remains under the close eye of Herd Manager, Dave Smith.

In 2008, the Stewart family and employees will be celebrating 90 years of being in the seed business. Several of the fourth generation of the Stewart family is already working in the business ensuring the Stewart family will remain an active part of the seed and agriculture business.

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