Simplex Seed, a startup seed company based in North Dakota but with a strong presence in Iowa, hosted an open house Thursday at its new Perry outlet.
Pulled pork sandwiches, roasted soy nuts, homemade cookies and the chance to win $100 in Perry Bucks brought in well wishers from Guthrie Center, St. Charles and places even farther afield to the offices at 913 Evelyn St. in Perry, the former home of Mark Seed.
Greg Winterquist, fourth-generation farmer and owner of Simplex Seed, came to town for the celebration along with many of the company’s district salespeople. General Manager Mike Goudie, Simplex Seed’s point person in Perry, welcomed the many visitors with the help of his local team.
Goudie and Rodger Reinhart, director of sales and marketing, introduced visitors to Cyst Tech, Simplex Seed’s line of non-GMO soybean seeds that controls cyst nematodes, a tiny worm that damages soybean roots and reduces yield.
Described as a multi-line variety of soybean seed, Cyst Tech “let’s you rotate your soy and control soy nematodes without the use of nematicides,” Goudie said. “It’s a natural way to control soy cysts.”
Simplex Seed also sells Liberty Link soybeans and a line of conventional non-GMO beans, Goudie said.
George Pollak of Guthrie Center was the lucky winner of $100 in Perry Bucks.
I have talked to Fred Beane.