Waterloo, Nebraska
June 4, 2002

Saying it will redefine what a farmer should expect from its seed corn company, JC Robinson Seeds announced today its new company strategies. The company’s actions will accomplish three primary goals:

• Concentrate the company’s efforts on corn customers and value-added products;
• Strengthen JC Robinson Seeds’ competitive position in the marketplace; and
• Accelerate new product development and introduction.

“We want to improve our position as a corn specialist making sure we’re getting the right corn hybrid and technologies in the right field to maximize our customer’s profitability,” said Doug Robinson, senior
vice-president for JC Robinson Seeds. “We have a 114-year history of providing excellent service and high-value products for our customers and with these changes we’re building on that success to make us even more competitive in a changing agri-business environment,” Robinson said.

The company will strengthen its competitive position by shifting resources to take advantage of technical and market opportunities and improving internal information gathering and analysis. The company also will further develop strategic partnerships with technology suppliers and prepare to make acquisitions for long-term growth.

“The cost shifts will allow us to move faster in a dynamic, ever-changing marketplace,” Robinson said. “The improved information system we’ve implemented provides a more accurate and detailed picture of our products and markets. Better information means better business decisions which will mean better products for our customers.” Robinson said the company must think like a market and product specialist because it is one. He said strategic staff changes will put the right people in the right jobs for the new market opportunities and challenges facing the company. Growth alone will not be the measure of the company’s success, Robinson said, but being the best seed corn company, providing the best service to dealers and customers by focusing on their needs and getting new products to market more quickly will be the new measuring stick. The changes bring more genetic development and testing, more agronomy research locations and a larger product development effort. Robinson said the changes will mean the company can bring more and newer products to their dealers even faster.
The company’s changes also come with internal shifts in personnel and the release of some employees.

“The personnel decisions have been especially difficult because our company really is one big family,” Robinson said. “Employee reductions haven’t had to happen here for almost two decades, but these changes were necessary to strengthen our position. We have taken steps to be extremely fair with the released employees.

“Our employees know how much we appreciate their effort and dedication,” Robinson said. “As we move forward, our employees will have a thorough understanding of our company’s renewed commitment to our goals and the critical role each employee will play in our success. It’s an exciting
time with a bright, clear future for JC Robinson Seeds,” Robinson said.

The J. C. Robinson Seed Company is the largest of five member companies comprising Golden Harvest Seeds Inc., the nation’s 4th largest seed brand. Family-owned and family-led since 1888, The J.C. Robinson Seed Company has grown into a network of more than 1,500 employees, farmer-dealers and distributors. The company markets to the Western Corn Belt states of Colorado, Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming, the West Coast, plus international sales in Europe and Mexico. 

Golden Harvest® is a registered trademark of Golden Harvest Seeds, Inc.