If you need seed, think Proseed.
In January of 1991, The Arthur Companies teamed with Dr. Mounir Abdallah, one of the leading sunflower plant breeders in the industry, to form PROSEED, a hybrid sunflower seed company, incorporated in January of 1992. Proseed had previously been associated with Dr Abdallah when the Arthur Companies had owned ½ of Interstate Seed from 1975-1985. In September of 1994, The Arthur Companies sold their interest in Proseed to Keith Peltier, the current President. Proseed then hired their own sales representatives starting with 2 and expanded their seed lines to include Canola, Corn, Field Peas, Soybeans, and Alfalfa. One additional crop each year starting in 1996.
Proseed secured a trait license from Monsanto in 1996 to sell traited canola, corn, and soybeans so they were in a great position to take advantage of the transition to the trait revolution in corn and soybeans. Initially sunflower and canola sales resulted in about 95% of the sales and corn and soybeans were about 5% of the sales. Proseed has transitioned to current sales which are about 95% soybeans and corn with sunflowers and canola representing about 5% of the sales.
Proseed started out with 1/3 of a small warehouse on the south side of Amenia and has transitioned to two large warehouses, soybean processing, corn blending, treating, and bagging in Amenia with supplemental leased space in Harvey and New Rockford. Our office started out in the back corner of the downtown elevator in Harvey transitioned to the Health Club in Harvey to our new digs in Amenia, featuring 8 offices, a large conference room, huddle rooms, and a large workstation area.
The vehicle fleet started out with a 4 on the floor Nissan Pathfinder inherited from Dr Abdallah. Additions over time have culminated into 14 white pickups, 4 semi tractors, and numerous trailers that have the familiar Proseed wraps. We even have a 1976 bus that was once converted to Governor Doug Burgum’s campaign bus when he successfully ran for Governor in 2016. It was changed back to the Proseed bus after he won the election.
The most important assets of Proseed are its staff and its partner patrons. We started out with me, a plant breeder, two full time salesmen, and a part time bookkeeper and about 30 dealers. In 2003 Dave Gehrtz came aboard as Sales Manager, lead salesman, and partner. We now have 11 salespeople, an agronomist, a sales manager, and support staff totaling 30 people with several of the staff being stockholders. I am especially proud of the longevity of our staff, some of them have been with the company since the late 1990’s. Collectively we have 267 years of Proseed Experience. Our 150 partner dealers include some second-generation partners. Some of our customers have been with us the whole 30 years. Without the life blood of our partners, we would not be where we are today.
We want to thank all who put their faith in Proseed for the past 30 years and helped to establish this independent seed company into the trusted advisor for many growers. It has been a great 30 years and we are looking forward to the next 30.
