Burrus Story

Roy and Wilbur acquire enough foundation seed to produce one acre of hybrid seed production to sell to their neighbors and use themselves. It is new and untested, so one acre is all the Burrus brothers can gamble on.

In the fall, the Burrus brothers borrow $10,000 to build a facility on the current site where they can shell, store, bag, and grade hybrid seed corn.

Burrus purchases its first detasseling machine, a Finco, which can carry six people to hand detassel a row per person.

Burrus purchases Monier Seed Farms’ farmer-dealer organization.

Burrus begins selling 80,000-kernel units on single crosses only.

Burrus introduces interplant seed production replacing the traditional 6:2 planting pattern. They plant female on every 38-inch row, and for every other pair of females, they put a male pollinator on a 19-inch center. Burrus learns to grow inbreds at high populations for them to yield. This system utilizes 100% of the land inside the isolation barrier rather than 75% in the old 6:2 system or 80% in the 4:1 planting pattern. Interplant also allows for better pollen distribution with the male never more than 19" away from a female plant.

Burrus builds a concrete block dryer to fill the need for additional and more modern drying space.

Burrus builds a new sizing tower. It has the ultimate in cleaning capabilities. It also features a potato chip elevator leg, called an Assecco leg, to minimize seed corn damage.

Burrus decides to increase their drying and sorting capacity. They go to a "husk-on" harvest and add a pit, husk and sort facility, dryer, and shuck accumulation area.

Burrus makes major plant improvements by adding new technology. Satake color sorters make sorting seed more efficient and precise. Burrus also adds additional bagged warehouse space to facilitate its growing business.

Burrus purchases Hoblit^® Seed Company of Atlanta, IL, reaffirming the Burrus commitment to independence and to delivering quality products and services by strengthening the Burrus core strategy and positioning Burrus Hybrids for further market share growth.

At the Burrus plant, a 16,800-square-foot refrigerator storage unit along with a new staging and dock area are added. The cold storage facility protects seed by maintaining a constant 50-degree temperature and 50% humidity to maximize germination.

2009 marks the first time a soybean Product Selection Guide is produced by Burrus and the first time a brand of seed corn other than Burrus – Hoblit – is offered for sale.

A strategic alliance is created between Burrus and Hughes Hybrids of Woodstock, IL.

To facilitate their ever-growing soybean business, Burrus adds the Chillicothe, MO distribution location.

Plant upgrades at the Arenzville facility include a new blending unit to make single-bag refuge products along with a new packaging line that features a robotic stacker and high-rate seed applied insecticide treating.

Burrus purchases a Jacksonville, IL warehouse facility, adding an additional 70,000+ square feet of storage and office space.

Downstream soybean treater added in Arenzville to enhance inventory management options.

Participated in Dow’s Field Forward™ program, having the only Enlist E3™ field of its kind in Illinois.

DONMARIO^® brand soybeans are added to the product lineup for sale in 2019.

Burrus expands their Jacksonville, IL campus by purchasing the adjacent property that includes additional warehouse and office space.

Robert Burrus, along with his double cousin Martin, owned Burrus Seed until 1971 when Martin bought out Rob to make room for Martin’s sons, Tom & Todd.

Tom and Todd Burrus both join the business upon graduating from Illinois College and the University of Illinois, respectively. 

Tom's son-in-law Tim Greene joined the business, first in  production, and later in sales and management. Todd's son Kevin Burrus and daughter Martha Krohe also joined the business leading the production and financial teams, respectively.

Tim Greene's sons, Griffin and Gannon both joined the company following their graduation from the University of Illinois. Griffin is currently an Account Manager and Gannon serves as Financial Lead.