Golden Harvest announces the promotion of Dr. Kevin Barber to Administrative Director.  Barber has worked as Golden Harvest/Thorp Seed Co. Director of Agronomic Research since 2000 at both the Clinton, IL and Stonington, IL production facilities.  Barber has been instrumental in servicing and taking the Agronomy Up Front® research findings to farmers in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky.

Barber has a Bachelor of Science degree in Agronomy from the University of Minnesota, a master’s degree from Purdue University and his Ph.D. from Kansas State University. A Certified Crop Advisor, he also holds memberships in the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. Prior to joining Golden Harvest, Barber worked for the University of Illinois.

According to Nelson Thorp, President of Thorp Seed Co. “The combination of his strong administration background and knowledge of agriculture and the seed industry, along with his remarkable patience and understanding makes him the perfect candidate for the position.”

As the Director of Administration, Barber will oversee and manage the company insurance program, employee benefits, coordinate all of the internal company communications, check all DOT, EPA, and OSHA paperwork, as well as directly supervise the agronomic research, IT, and shipping departments.

The Golden Harvest brand of hybrid corn, soybeans, sorghum and alfalfa is produced and marketed by five family-owned and managed seed companies serving farmers throughout the U.S. Corn Belt, Europe, South America and Canada. These five companies share research and marketing resources nationally, while continuing to offer the nearby service that is the heart of the seed industry.