After more than 117 years of upholding a commitment to quality and innovation, Dairyland Seed continues to go the extra mile for every customer, setting the standard on how business should be conducted and delivering superior service and products to farmers.
A History of Seed
In 1907, brothers Simon and Andrew Strachota began purchasing White Dutch clover seeds from local farmers near St. Kilian, Wisconsin. They would then transport these seeds to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where large seed firms bought the popular seeds and supplied them to customers who used the clover for seeding lawns.
From 1920 until his untimely death in 1940, Simon ran the seed business, building it to great success. Wanting to preserve his father’s legacy, Simon’s only son, Orville, left college and took over his father’s operation. Like his father and uncle, Orville worked hard for the American farmer, purchasing and distributing only the highest quality products.
Piloting the business through hard times, Orville truly made his father’s business his own. When the White Dutch seed market collapsed, Orville made a switch. The newly established Strachota Seed would no longer buy seed but, instead, supply seed to dairies and farmers throughout the region.
In 1961, a new sales network was established to distribute Strachota Seed’s premium products. The company became the first to offer farmer-dealers a full lineup of forage seed and hybrid seed corn. By the mid-1960s, the farmer-dealer network had grown to over 500.
After 56 years as Strachota Seed, Orville changed the company’s name. An agricultural icon was born: Dairyland Seed. Up to this point, Orville had run the business mostly from his house. In 1967, he moved Dairyland Seed headquarters near West Bend, Wisconsin, where it remains to this day.
Dairyland Seed Today
Since its relocation and reestablishment, Dairyland Seed continues to cultivate deep roots in the farming community. As a leading regional seed brand of Corteva Agriscience, Dairyland Seed has become the Upper Midwest’s premier brand, delivering products and services tailored to the farms of the region.
A full lineup of hybrid corn products leads the charge, with independent research confirming that Dairyland Seed growers plant some of the highest-yielding grain corn in the area. Today, growers have even more tools for their toolbelt. The introduction of a full maturity range of Enlist® corn hybrids featuring PowerCore® and Vorceed® trait technology means farmers will have superior genetics and innovative trait technology specifically for their fields and conditions.
True to its roots, Dairyland Seed also offers standard corn silage products with the flexibility to handle whatever the growing season brings. Its exclusive line of HiDF silage products optimize milk per acre, and, for farmers looking to maximize their milk output, Brown Midrib (BMR) products are also available.
Additionally, growers have a plethora of options on the soybean front. The 2025 lineup will feature the largest class of high-yielding, next-generation Enlist E3® soybean varieties from an exclusive Corteva genetic library to ensure better weed control, cleaner fields and an expanded application window for growers.
But why do regional growers continue to choose Dairyland Seed?
The Dairyland Seed Difference
Dairyland Seed offers the unique combination of rich pedigree, advanced products and experienced, dedicated people. As a respected local resource, our distinct farmer-dealer model is ingrained in our communities. We consider our offices as farmhouses and our desks as family supper tables, where everyone is welcome to come in and grab a seat.
We have robust sales and leadership teams with eyes on the future and boots on the ground, collaborating with farmers across the region. Agronomists and a strong agronomy support network provide comprehensive advice tailored to meet our customers’ needs.
Our heritage and solid foundation in the seed industry drive us to continually seek new and better ways to help our customers achieve success.
We are Dairyland Seed. We have been putting farmers first since 1907, and we are committed to supporting them for centuries to come. Visit DairylandSeed.com today to contact a representative and start working toward a better seed experience and a greater bottom line.
