A Century of Seed Innovation: Insights from Pioneer Leaders

One hundred years ago, Henry A. Wallace and the founders of Pioneer transformed modern agriculture by creating the first company to develop, produce and commercially sell hybrid corn seed. Today, Pioneer stands as the global flagship brand of Corteva Agriscience – trusted by farmers in more than 70 countries.

The Hertz Lecture panel will be moderated by Daniel J. Robison, endowed dean’s chair in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Panelists and senior Corteva leaders Geoff Graham, vice president of seed product development, Mark Deterding, vice president of integrated seed operations, and Jeremy Dirks, president of North America business, will discuss the company’s deep and enduring partnership with Iowa State and how the brand continues to evolve to meet the needs of farmers around the world. Each panelist will introduce one dimension of Pioneer’s early leadership in hybrid corn – creating, producing and bringing hybrid seed to market – and reflect on how these foundational elements have evolved over the past century.

The Carl and Marjory Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture was created in memory of the founders of Hertz Farm Management Inc. to inspire generations of industry leaders, research scientists and young professionals to reach their full potential.

This lecture recording can be found on the Available Recordings page approximately two business days after the event and will remain accessible for three weeks.