1924 Incorporation by James R. Shearl Manager 1978-1996

Looking back over 100-plus years, the single most important decision for Illinois Crop Improvement was its incorporation as a nonprofit association. In 1922, Professor J.C. Hackleman and a handful of business-minded agriculturalists formed Illinois Crop and launched it toward its responsibilities to develop a robust certified seed industry in Illinois focused on quality.

If those leaders had shrugged off the details of incorporation and just made it a University of Illinois service or a State of Illinois entity, the resulting seed industry organization would have been much different. What were they saying? That Illinois Crop should stand alone and earn its way. Other crop improvements that chose university or state relationships may have gotten funds for staffing, facilities and equipment, but they gave up their flexibility.

Flexibility – IL Crop has flexed or changed direction many times over 100 years. First, in its ability to certify different seeds. In the beginning, Illinois Crop had a significant acreage of certified oats. Then, corn came to the front, followed by soybeans. All those changes were agronomic, and it was expected that a seed association would be able to make those changes. However, with seedsmen as the board of directors, the change was quicker and with achievable standards. Then came the years of the 1980’s when certified seed was being pushed aside in favor of non-certified brands. As an incorporated stand-alone entity, Illinois Crop could flex and deliver service through the Quality Assurance program. Other agencies were not able to make that change. They lost contact with their seed customers.

The changes went on with Illinois Crop adding services for grain quality testing and herbicide tolerance, a Puerto Rico winter farm for variety testing and development, and then the seed lab services for testing grass, flower, and vegetable seeds. None of the seed certification agencies organized with university or state ties could make these changes promptly and robustly. Illinois Crop Improvement Association stands strong today because of the smart business minds of the first board of directors.