April 20, 2026
By: Kyle Oppenhuizen
A Century of Innovation and The Long Look
Henry A. Wallace was not content with the status quo.
As a 15-year-old, he was already experimenting with processes that he thought could change the agriculture industry. He questioned the long-standing practice of choosing seeds for planting corn that had resulted in decades of largely flat U.S. corn yields.
After studying genetics at Iowa State College and experimenting with hybrid corn breeding, he developed a hybrid line in 1923 that outyielded current varieties. In 1926, Wallace and a small group of partners established the Hi-Bred Corn Company in Johnston, a decision that changed history.
![speaker at Pioneer event]()
Pioneer 100 Years
In the short-term, these new hybrids produced sturdier plants, better resistance to pests and disease, and more reliable performance across different soils and weather conditions, which produced higher, more consistent yields.
In the long-term, Hi-Bred Corn Company turned into Pioneer, which today celebrates its 100-year anniversary.
Wallace went on to become the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and Vice President of the United States. The legacy of innovation he started at Pioneer lives on.
“I’ve always seen him as a true visionary. He challenged conventional thinking and believed agriculture should be driven by science and results farmers could see for themselves,” said Jeremy Dirks, President, North America Business of Corteva Agriscience, the parent company of Pioneer.
When Pioneer started 100 years ago, farmers could produce 20 to 30 bushels per acre. Today, they produce more than 170 bushels per acre on average, Dirks said. Pioneer holds the world record for yields in corn, soybeans and dryland sorghum.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary, hundreds of people attended an event at Pioneer in Johnston on April 20 to celebrate and hear remarks from company leaders and state leaders including Governor Kim Reynolds via a video message and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.
![crowd at Pioneer event]()
The Long Look
About 25 years after Pioneer was founded, a couple of company leaders were getting ready for a sales meeting. As they talked about what had driven the company’s significant growth, they jotted down a few simple ideas – literally on the back of an envelope.
Those notes became what Pioneer now refers to as “The Long Look.” These principals have guided Pioneer ever since.
At its core, The Long Look comes down to four simple commitments that Pioneer lives by:
Make the best products we can.
Deal honestly and fairly with everyone we work with.
Market our products aggressively — but truthfully.
Help customers be more successful and profitable.
Throughout leadership transitions, company mergers and acquisitions, new products and any other changes faced by Pioneer over the decades since, The Long Look has remained a constant.
“Like most companies that have been around as long as we have, we’ve experienced changes in ownership, leadership and operations,” Dirks said. “What’s always remained consistent is our focus on improving livelihoods of farmers, a relentless pursuit of innovation, and working alongside farmers to provide on-the-ground support.”
An Attractor of Global Talent
Being part of a global company with locations on six continents, Pioneer draws talent from across the country and world. Dirks himself is an Iowa transplant, moving to Greater Des Moines from Kansas.
He notes that it’s a combination of the work and community that helps Pioneer attract and retain people.
“Professionally, employees are attracted by the opportunity to do meaningful, global work while living in a community that feels connected and grounded,” Dirks said.
Becoming the Best
Pioneer is the #1 seed corn brand in North America and in the Europe/Middle East/Africa and Asia Pacific markets. It is the #1 soybean brand in North America, and #2 in cotton and canola.
“Simply put: Farmers have put their trust in us for one of their biggest input decisions for 100 years,” said Dirks.
From Henry A. Wallace to Dirks and everyone in between, The Long Look continues into Pioneer’s second century.
For more information on Pioneer’s history of innovation, click here.
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Kyle Oppenhuizen
Kyle Oppenhuizen is the Vice President of Communications at the Greater Des Moines Partnership.