By Andi Anderson
U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley recently marked a major milestone in American agriculture by celebrating the centennial of Pioneer Seeds, an Iowa-based company that transformed corn production across the nation. The recognition focused on the legacy of the Wallace family and their lasting impact on farming innovation.
Grassley began by sharing the history of the Wallace family, which played a key role in shaping agricultural policy and research. Three generations of Wallaces served the nation and agriculture. Henry C. Wallace was Secretary of Agriculture under President Harding, and his son, Henry A. Wallace, later served as Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Commerce, and Vice President under President Franklin Roosevelt. In 1948, Henry A. Wallace was also the Progressive Party candidate for president.
While touching on their political service, Grassley emphasized their agricultural contributions, especially Henry A. Wallace’s work in corn research. Wallace grew up surrounded by Iowa soil and farming traditions. Along with his father and grandfather, he co-founded the respected farm publication “Wallaces’ Farmer,” which helped educate Midwest farmers.
Exactly 100 years ago, on April 20, 1926, Wallace incorporated his hybrid seed corn business. At the time, farmers relied on open-pollinated corn, and average yields were only about 20 bushels per acre. For decades, corn production stayed near 25 bushels per acre until new research brought change.
Henry A. Wallace revolutionized corn farming by crossing open-pollinated corn varieties. With an Iowa State University professor, he developed the Iowa Corn Yield Test and won in 1924 with a hybrid called “Copper Cross.” These advances led to higher yields and better reliability for farmers.
In 1935, Wallace renamed the Hi-Bred Corn Company as “Pioneer.” Pioneer became a trusted name among farmers and remains well known, now operating under Corteva. Iowa earned its title as the “Tall Corn State” largely due to hybrid corn adoption.
Grassley noted that Wallace helped farmers move from 20 bushels per acre to averages exceeding 200 today. Contest fields have even reached 350 bushels per acre. Reflecting personally, Grassley said that when he began farming in 1960, yields were about 50 bushels per acre, showing how far agriculture has progressed.
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Categories: Iowa, Crops, Corn