Customize your wyffels experience
You don’t have to work for wyffels to be an insider
Get access to exclusive agronomic content, product downloads and more.
So much of who Wyffels Hybrids is today, and where we’re going tomorrow, is directly connected to where we’ve been.
This is the history of how an independent, U.S. Farm Family-Owned seed company focused on farmers for over 75 years to become the fastest growing seed corn brand in the Corn Belt.
Born to Belgian immigrants, Bill Wyffels Sr. and his wife Alma were married in 1941 and began their pursuit of the American dream. By the mid 40s, they were able to purchase a 160-acre farm in northern Henry County, Illinois and established their farming operation. Always exploring ways to improve productivity, they were soon led by a single-minded vision to produce higher-performing seed for their neighbors and friends. The vision that launched their seed business in 1946 still guides Wyffels Hybrids today.
Bill Wyffels, Sr. (right) got his start producing oats to support nearby pork producers.
University of Illinois oat trials on Wyffels Farm, late 1940s
By the 1950s, farmers were growing more corn and fewer acres of oats. Bill Wyffels, Sr. responded to the needs of his customers and began selling his first seed corn to neighboring farmers in 1956. Since that time, Wyffels Hybrids has been relentlessly focused on one thing: developing top-performing corn products that yield better for farmers all across the Corn Belt.
A natural curiousity drives Bill, Sr. to find ways to improve production agriculture.
Bill Wyffels Sr, on right, and assistants use a two-row planter to put in an early planting date trial on the Wyffels farm, near Atkinson IL.
Bill Wyffels, Sr. with sons Bill, Jr. and Bob on the family farm.
1973 was a big year for Wyffels Hybrids. W26, a unique, high-performance product, earned the attention of growers and raised the stature and awareness for Wyffels Hybrids. A year later, Bill Sr. died unexpectedly. His sons Bill, Jr. and Bob picked up where he left off. They expanded the business through partnerships with seed dealers and by marketing the brand to a larger geographic area.
Wyffels Hybrids moved from the family farm to a new production facility in Atkinson, Illinois in 1980 and led by a second generation of the Wyffels family, continued to distinguish itself by promoting not just great products, but also industry-leading research, testing, production and customer service practices. A new research facility opened in Geneseo, Illinois, in 1993. A lot was about to change for the Wyffels lineup. In 1995, Wyffels launched elite Wyffels products with herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant traits, and introduced Wyffels high oil corn products to the market.
Groundbreaking at Atkinson Production Facility
Hand pollination underway at the Wyffels Geneseo Research facility.
In 2002, Wyffels built its new headquarters in Geneseo, Illinois, literally 46 steps from a corn field where it could develop and test products and stay connected to the land. From this new command center, Wyffels continued to grow, while remaining close to what’s really important to farmers.
Bill Wyffels, Jr. and Bob Wyffels
Wyffels Hybrids Headquarters, Geneseo, Illinois
This decade marked one of the most successful periods in company history, as years of hard work, dedication to farmers and a single-minded focus to develop the very best corn products for the Corn Belt paid off. John Wyffels took on the role of President from his father, Bill Jr., and the company’s leadership transitioned to the third generation of Wyffels.
There are many well-run agricultural companies filled with bright people and great products, flush with outside financial backing. But at Wyffels Hybrids, we’re confident in the business foundation we’ve built to grow and succeed in the decades to come.
We’re unlocking tomorrow’s opportunities through preparation, innovation and continued investment. So you can count on Wyffels to keep developing and marketing the very best products for the Corn Belt. And delivering quality and service that’s second to none.
Bill Wyffels, Jr., Blake Wyffels, Bob Wyffels, Jacob Wyffels, John Wyffels
In fact, you can talk to all five of them. After 75 years, the management of Wyffels Hybrids has been handed off to a third generation of the family and president John Wyffels. But Bill Jr. and Bob, sons of the founder, remain active in the business and accessible, valued advisors.
