DeKalb AgResearch Records

Collection

Identifier: RHC-RC-190

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains many of the records generated by the DeKalb Genetics Corporation. The materials, dating from 1910-2011, provide information for a basic history of the company; for ascertaining the role played by the industry in the DeKalb area, the United States, and around the world; for the research in the company's areas of expertise; and for analyzing marketing techniques and approaches. The collection is organized into 10 series: Historical Research and General Corporate Records, Sales and Production, Research, Publications, Subject Files, Subsidiaries, Charlie Gunn, Dave Wagley, Rubendall, and Audio-visuals. While most of the collection is in English, there is material in various languages. The Historical Research and General Corporate Records series (I) is divided into two subseries. The Historical Research subseries consists of histories, historical research, and merger information from DeKalb Genetics subsidiaries. The second subseries, General Corporate Records, contains annual reports, correspondence, personnel changes, and some financial information. Also included in this subseries are flowcharts and information pertaining to company actions and government property purchased by DeKalb Genetics. The second series, Sales and Production includes the information used by the dealers in the selling of the DeKalb Genetics commodities as well as the production of seed to sell. This includes such material as handbooks and manuals, price lists, catalogs, direct mailings sent to the farmers, ads, and ad campaigns. Seed Sales Summary reports, production and yield estimates, variety summaries and a sales journal complete this series. The Research series (III) is divided into nine subseries: Corn, Cotton, Poultry, Sorghum, Wheat, Wintergraze, Soybeans, Swine, and Other. Each subseries consists of the research accomplished by the research teams in such areas as diseases, breeding, and production. Included in the Other subseries are general information pertaining to agricultural research and multiple plant research. The Publications series (IV) includes the magazines and newsletters published by DeKalb Genetics. The Subject Files comprise the fifth series and includes speeches, publicity, movie scripts, competitor companies' literature, the American Farmer campaign, scholarships and awards, Field Days, and information on the Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Farm Policy, and the Sycamore Preserve Works. The sixth series, Subsidiaries, consist of four subseries on different companies owned by DeKalb Genetics. The subseries include: Calgene; Heinhold, a swine and commodities brokerage firm; DeKalb Energy, an oil and natural gas company; and Trojan. Series seven, eight and nine consist of records from individuals that worked in DeKalb Genetics. Series seven is Charlie Gunn who was an early corn breeding expert for the company. This series contains early corn breeding information from 1924 to the 1940s. The Dave Wagley is the eighth series in the collection. This series consist of sales and stock reports, some from the 1980s, many from the 1990s. The ninth series is the Duane Rubendall series. This series consists of advertising and design related items divided into four subseries: International, General Company, Ads, and Audio-visuals. These subseries contain sketches, booklet and calendar designs, film, and sales tapes. The series also contains awards presented to Rubendall and community related work including Kishwaukee Hospital Plaque designs. The Audio-Visual series (X) encompasses the different types of media used in the public relations field by DeKalb Genetics. The series consists of fifteen subseries: Photographs, Glass Plate Negatives, Negatives and Transparencies, Slides, Cassettes, Filmstrips, Records, Sound Recordings, Films, VHS, Betacam, Large/small VC-Umatic, CDs, Miscellaneous, and Artifacts. The photographs, glass plate negatives, and negatives and transparencies include such subjects as animals, machinery, research, facilities, and personnel. A searchable database exists for these photographs, but researchers must contact the Regional History Center to inquire about its use. Some of the photographs have negatives which are located in the negative subseries under the same title listed on the envelopes. The slides consist of dealer programs and presentations while the cassettes encompass interviews, commercials, and a history of DeKalb Genetics. Some slide presentations contain related script and tape. Slides are arranged by date of slide, not image, within a given presentation. The filmstrips, records, reel-to reels, films, sound recordings, VHS, Betacam, Large/small VC-Umatics contains such subjects of interest as corn, sorghum, poultry, corn borers, training, and commercials. Some of the films are categorized as film produced by or for DeKalb AgResearch; voice-over commercials; farmer testimonial commercials and miscellaneous films. All films are in black and white except for the ones indicated in color in the collection inventory. Of special interest in the film subseries is a film produced by Walt Disney entitled, "The Grain That Built a Hemisphere." Some of the filmstrips have accompanying records and are listed under the same title in the subseries. Of special interest is a record with a description of the July 26, 1955 Russian visit to DeKalb Genetics. The Compact Disk subseries includes presentations as well as photographs of hats, pens, and other items with the DeKalb Genetics flying ear corn logo. Included in the miscellaneous subseries is 3.5 floppy disks, a unipak (filmstrip and reel-to-reel sound recording in the same case), and an unidentified wire recording. The last subseries of audio-visuals contains artifacts. Artifacts include bumper stickers, signs, bags, hat with flying ear corn logo, puzzles and other materials. In addition, artifacts are divided further into two works of art, two containers of plant samples, a container of postcards, and books. Located in drawers 31 and 32 are oversized items. Drawer 31 contains blueprints from various office buildings and poultry facilities and promotional and advertising material connected to series two as well as posters related to conventions, planter plate information, and others. Drawer 32 contains a sorghum bumper sticker and coverage maps, as well as artifacts such as a seed bag and other ads.

Dates

created: 1910-2011
Other: Date acquired: 07/00/1988

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on access to the collection. Twenty- four hours advanced notice is requested for the audio-visual material due to the need of special equipment.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights in the collection belong to the Regional History Center; literary rights are dedicated to the public.

Biographical or Historical Information

In 1912, a group of DeKalb area farmers, bankers, and newspapermen, led by Henry H. Parke, founded the DeKalb County Soil Improvement Association. This Association was later known as the DeKalb County Farm Bureau. Due to a lack of seed laws, Illinois farmers were supplied with inferior seed and the Association was started to help farmers lime their soils and to bring in vigorous alfalfa and clover seed in order to get more nutrients from their soil. The members of the Soil Improvement Association were required to sign notes totaling as much as $30,000 a year for the purchase of good seed. In June, 1917, Parke suggested that a separate organization to care for the seed business be formed. This coalition was called the DeKalb County Agricultural Association. William G. Eckhardt, a professor in the soils department at the University of Illinois, was hired by the Soil Improvement Association as the first county farm advisor. Charles L. Gunn joined the co-op in 1917 as a seedsman working with Western Plowman, an open-pollinated seed corn. He was attempting to eliminate the inconsistencies that were found in the corn. Thomas H. Roberts, Sr. joined the operation in 1919 as assistant farm advisor and became the farm advisor on Eckhardt's resignation less than a year later. Gunn and Roberts began to research hybrid corn. Following a decade of research and testing, the Association's first hybrids were marketed. A new technique in the marketing of this hybrid seed was used. Area farmers served as dealers, personally visiting their neighbors to sell the seed unlike the seed store and grain elevators operators who that waited for their customers to visit them to make their purchase. Not only was the Association in the forefront in hybridization and marketing techniques, they also moved ahead in the area of advertising. The Association ran the first full-page hybrid corn ads, had the first hybrid corn with national coverage, and was the first to run a four-page full color hybrid corn insert (as early as 1938). In 1936, the Association dropped the "County" from its name and started to supply farmers outside of the DeKalb County area. With the expansion of sales areas, the Association began to diversify, adding oil drilling in 1937, raising chicks that would lead to DeKalb's "Profit Pullets" in 1944, developing the first sorghum hybrids in 1956, and working with cotton hybridization in 1960. Because of the expansion of selling districts and of products offered, additional facilities had to be built to accommodate the growth. Plants were built in Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Illinois, Ohio, and Texas to meet these needs. In 1938, the company developed into two organizations under one management: DeKalb Hybrid Seed Company and DeKalb Agricultural Association, Inc. The Hybrid Company was used for research only, while the Agricultural Association was responsible for the production and distribution of retail seed corn. The name "DeKalb AgResearch, Inc." was adopted in 1968. The goals of the company include better service to the customer through improved stock and specialized agricultural development and taking a leading role in agricultural technological expansion. The change of name to DeKalb-Pfizer Genetics, Inc. in 1982 was the result of a merger between DeKalb AgResearch and Pfizer, Inc. This allowed DeKalb AgResearch to use part of the money that Pfizer had budgeted for research and also enabled them to enlarge their staple products with Pfizer's sorghum, soybean, and alfalfa products. Bought by Monsanto in 1998, DeKalb Genetics continued to employ genetics and biotechnology in producing seed for farmers. Despite being bought by Monsanto, DeKalb seed is still sold under the DEKALB winged ear corn logo.

Note written by

Extent

196.00 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement Note

The collection is organized into 10 series: Historical Research and General Corporate Records, Sales and Production, Research, Publications, Subject Files, Subsidiaries, Charlie Gunn, Dave Wagley, Rubendall, and Audio-visuals. The Historical Research and General Corporate Records series is divided into two subseries. The Historical Research subseries and General Corporate Records. The Research series is divided into nine subseries: Corn, Cotton, Poultry, Sorghum, Wheat, Wintergraze, Soybeans, Swine, and Other. The Subsidiaries consist of 4 subseries on different companies owned by DeKalb Genetics. The subseries include: Calgene, Heinhold a swine and commodities brokerage firm, DeKalb Energy a oil and natural gas company, and Trojan. The ninth series is the Duane Rubendall series. This series consists of advertising and design related items divided into four subseries: International, General Company, Ads, and Audio-visuals. The Audio-Visual series encompasses the different types of media used in the public relations field by DeKalb Genetics. The series consists of fifteen subseries: Photographs, Glass Plate Negatives, Negatives and Transparencies, Slides, Cassettes, Filmstrips, Records, Sound Recordings, Films, VHS, Betacam, Large/small VC-Umatic, CDs, Miscellaneous, and Artifacts.

Source of Acquisition

Leo Olson

Method of Acquisition

Leo Olson, Communications Director for DeKalb Genetics, donated the company's records to the Northern Illinois Regional History Center throughout 1980 and continued to donate additions until July 1988.

Accruals and Additions

An addendum was added in March 2001 by Monsanto through the DeKalb Alumni Group.

Related Materials

Researchers interested in the research and development of corn genetics may also want to consult the Sherret S. Chase Papers (RC 346).

http://archon.lib.niu.edu/index.php?p=collections/controlcard&id=2088