Uncategorized - Mustang Seeds

Mustang Seeds is proud to announce the winner of its 60th-anniversary Ford Mustang Car Giveaway. After months of anticipation and excitement, Paul Dahlseng of Starbuck, Minnesota, emerged as the lucky recipient of the iconic Ford Mustang. His name was in the drawing along with our dedicated customers who qualified through seed purchases the past two years. Pictured with Paul are his parents Kurt & Rose Dahlseng along with Nate Hoffmann, Eric Brandenburger and Pato Rodriguez from Mustang Seeds.

The giveaway commemorates six decades of Mustang Seeds’ commitment to excellence, innovation, and serving farmers across the nation. Founded in 1963 by the Schultz family, Mustang Seeds has grown from humble beginnings to become a trusted partner in the agricultural community.

“We are thrilled to celebrate this milestone with our loyal customers and partners,” said Terry Schultz, President of Mustang Seeds. “The Ford Mustang Car Giveaway is our way of expressing gratitude to those who have supported us throughout the years. We are delighted to present Paul Dahlseng with this iconic vehicle and extend our heartfelt congratulations to him.”

Paul Dahlseng, a resident of Starbuck, MN, expressed his excitement upon winning the Ford Mustang. “I can’t believe we won this car! The Mustang is very cool and our family can’t wait for the weather to warm up so we can cruise around town in it.”

The Ford Mustang Car Giveaway underscores Mustang Seeds’ ongoing commitment to its customers and the agricultural industry. As the company looks ahead to the future, it remains dedicated to providing top-quality products, innovative solutions, and exceptional service to farmers.

For more information about Mustang Seeds and its range of agricultural products and services, visit www.mustangseeds.com.

The Ray Schultz Achievement Award began in 2020 in memory of Ray Schultz, founder of Mustang Seeds. This award is given yearly to a Mustang Seeds team member dedicated to helping our customers and the company succeed.

Nominations are judged on personal job growth, attitude towards work and co-workers, contribution to sales growth, and their commitment to Mustang Seeds. The 2023 Ray Schultz Achievement was awarded, by Terry Schultz, CEO, to Kasey Gehrels at the recent fall sales meeting. Mr. Schultz recognized Kasey going the extra mile for both his customers and the company.

“Kasey is a top performer and takes pride in helping our customers to select the best products for their acres. He has been a great resource for other DSM’s and has become a strong leader,” stated Eric Brandenburger, sales manager. Extra mile for customers

Lori Schultz, Human Resources Director, commented, “Kasey goes above and beyond. He is a Mustang Seeds Family Member and does his share! He is a great example to others.”

Past recipients of this award include, Dale Nelson, Corey Strom, and Clay Erdmann.

When Dakota State University Football kicks off this fall, they’ll be playing on a bean field.

This spring the school in Madison, South Dakota, installed artificial turf with a backing made from soybean oil on the first of two of its sports fields, and school officials say they’re happy to give a nod to South Dakota farmers while offering some major improvements for their players.

“We have a great relationship with the ag people in our area. This was a very fortunate way for us to support the industry more,” DSU athletic director Jeff Dittman said.

The first big football game on the new field will be the eighth annual Ag Bowl, set for Aug. 31 against the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. In a celebration of agriculture, local producers get free tickets to the game and tailgate meal.

The next night, Madison High School will open their football season on the turf.

“It’s very exciting to see the crops that we raise locally turn into useful products – from soybean turf to other products like tires, to soles on shoes,” said Terry Schultz.

As CEO of Mustang Seeds, headquartered in Madison, and an industry representative on the South Dakota Soybean Association board, Schultz planted the idea of opting for a soy-based product for the field and helped in the fundraising efforts.

“All of these different forms of soybean-based products help promote soybeans to the general consumer,” he said.

Soy-based turf isn’t exactly new, but it is seeing a resurgence, according to Brock Wilson of Mid-America Golf and Landscape who did the installation at DSU. From golf greens and rooftop gardens to Central Park and road medians, the soy-based turf has been used in many places, including about 30 sports fields in the Midwest.

Made in Dalton, Georgia, AstroTurf is the only company that makes turf products with renewable soybean oil. The soy-based backing and all the turf components are made in the U.S. Midwest Golf is a distributor.

“We work where a large part of soybean growers are found,” Wilson said. “We’re able to use a product of the plentiful industry around there.”

The recently installed AstroTurf in Madison is the first of two fields that will be covered in the soy-based turf. It will eventually be home to DSU’s new soccer program. The second AstroTurf field will be ready next fall when the football team moves into its new stadium.

Dakota State University is in the midst of a major, $100 million upgrade of its athletic complex.

The first phase includes the new track and soccer field, replacing Trojan football stadium, as well as an upgraded esports arena, locker, weight and training rooms, gathering areas, classrooms and a biomechanics lab. The larger plan includes an arena for basketball and volleyball, an indoor track, and new turf baseball and softball fields.

Dittman, the athletic director, sees the improvements as a major recruiting tool. That includes the artificial turf, which some high schoolers grew up competing on.

He likes that the soy turf field can handle heavy use. Trojan athletes weren’t allowed to practice on their grass competition field in an effort to keep it in tip-top shape for games. Now the soy turf can host high school and freshman games as well as practices. The first program to use DSU’s new turf will be a football camp for high school athletes in late July.

“You can use it as much as you want,” Dittman said. “There are some big advantages.”

The grass field had to be watered, mowed and babied through the season. It would start out looking great in August, Dittman said, but by the end of the year, it looked rough. It was an aesthetic issue as well as a safety issue, he said.

The turf field won’t require as much maintenance. Field markings and yard lines don’t have to be repainted before each game, and the Trojan logo at center field will stay a vibrant blue.

“It looks fantastic,” Dittman said.

By Janelle Atyeo

Published in the 2023 Summer South Dakota Soybean Leader Magazine

GDM, an independent seed company with U.S. headquarters in Champaign, Illinois, announces a rebrand of W.S. Seeds DBA Midland Genetics as Mustang Seeds. W.S. Seeds has represented GDM business interests in Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska since 2022. This rebrand aligns with GDM’s overarching U.S. growth strategy of partnering with American companies to collaboratively strengthen independently owned businesses who are committed to bringing value to farmers.

″Mustang Seeds is poised to be the first-choice field performance advisor for American farmers; that’s of course something our team is eager and excited to be a part of,″ said Wes Sylvester of W.S. Seeds. ″We are all committed as one strong Mustang team, guided by our shared values and a renewed sense of purpose.″

″This is an opportunity to better serve our customers as we are now positioned to offer GDM’s wealth of research and development, in addition to new technology,″ said Terry Schultz of Mustang Seeds. ″Together – with our expanded Mustang team across the 10-state region we now collectively serve – we take pride in knowing we are part of something bigger, stronger, and even more innovative, everything our customers need to succeed.″

As GDM continues to grow its U.S. footprint through targeted, strategic joint ventures and partnerships, the organization aims to broaden its product offerings to seed dealers and growers while also intensifying its soybean breeding strategy.

″GDM’s presence in the U.S. market is a milestone by itself because for the first time in four decades, the U.S. grower has access to a new source of soybean genetics,″ said Phil Chandler, GDM Branded Business Manager. ″GDM is evolving as a global plant genetics leader and we’re diversifying the U.S. soybean market in unprecedented ways that farmers should be really excited about when it comes to yield possibilities.″

GDM’s ongoing commitment to honoring family-owned and -operated values and culture offers its partners long-term sustainability with seamless, in-house leadership remaining at the helm. Since 2016, GDM has grown its U.S. breeding program investments from the south to the north and delivered more than 100 lines to the market. The company reinvests 25% of its revenue into research and development.

About GDM USA

GDM began in 1982, in Argentina, as a family-owned company, making 2022 its 40th anniversary. In early 2000, GDM expanded to Brazil, and in 2008, launched its genetic breeding program in the U.S., just outside of Memphis, TN. GDM released its first commercial products through GDM Licensing in 2015 with additional research centers open ing in Gibson City, Illinois (2016); Hutchinson, MN (2017); and Des Moines; IA (2022). In 2019, GDM launched DONMARIO and Virtue seed brands and entered a joint venture with Mustang Seeds. In 2020, GDM established its USA headquarters in Champaign, IL, then acquired Local Seed Company in 2021 and W.S. Seeds in 2022. Today, GDM operates in 15 countries, with expansion projects in S. Africa, China, and Europe. GDM operates 16 breeding stations globally, 700 testing locations and tests more than 1.5 million plots per year. GDM is a proven global soybean genetics powerhouse, with over 40% of the world’s soybean acres containing GDM genetics.

As a leader in the agricultural industry, Mustang Seeds is proud to share the recent achievements of our marketing efforts. We are thrilled to announce that Mustang Seeds has received recognition for their exceptional branding efforts, including recent National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) and American Advertising Federation (AAF) awards.

NAMA awarded Mustang Seeds with four regional awards including a First Place award in the “Branding: Identity Campaign – Small Company” category. While the SD-AAF chapter awarded Mustang Seeds with six awards including the night’s most prestigious honor of “Best of Show” for the Untamed Campaign. This recognition is a testament to Mustang’s focus on exceptional branding and our commitment to delivering impactful marketing.

At Mustang Seeds, we understand the importance of branding in the agricultural industry. The right branding strategy can help distinguish a business from its competitors and attract new customers. Over the past few years, we’ve partnered with Caliber to help us develop and execute effective branding campaigns and evolve the Mustang marketing strategies.

“Facing the sixtieth anniversary, we decided to give the brand not just a refreshment but taking our branding message to the next level. The “Untamed” campaign has been very successful since its launch and given our people-customers and staff- lots of satisfaction and sense of identity.” says Marketing Manager, Pato Rodriguez.

“We wanted to keep on building from this pillar. So the Untamed message continues to be our north, reinforced with the American Spirit, the Anniversary and a great pride for our roots. We are proud of being sixty years in business and stronger every day.” says Rodriguez.

As we continue to work on our branding and marketing initiatives, we have no doubt that we will continue to deliver exceptional results. The recent recognition from NAMA and AAF is well-deserved and a testament to the creativity, expertise, and dedication from our marketing team.

In conclusion, we celebrate our achievements and thank the management of Mustang Seeds for entrusting the marketing team and Caliber to push the limits of the Mustang brand. As we work together to grow our business and reach new customers, we’ll continue to evolve the Mustang brand to position us for success in the competitive agricultural industry.

Mustang Seeds, a family-owned independent seed company based in Madison, SD is proud to announce the addition of Jim Field back to the Mustang Seeds team. Jim has recently been hired as an Interim District Sales Manager in Western, MN and Sales Advisor for Mustang Seeds, Inc. in Madison, SD.

Jim is a well-known force in the seed industry as he spent much of his career working for Dow Agro Science. He joined Mustang Seeds in 2015 as our Business Development & Agronomic Manager. Jim spent the last two years with GDM Seeds as a Product Placement Technician. Jim is a great addition to have return to the Mustang Team and will be valuable addition to the sales team development.

Jim and his wife Vicki reside in Brookings, SD. Jim stated, “Coming back to Mustang is a natural fit, working with a team of professionals and family atmosphere. Coming back to the Mustang family was like coming home.” During his free time Jim enjoys playing golf, hunting, fishing, flying and being with his grandkids.

“I am happy to have Jim back on our team as an interim DSM and Sales Advisor. His years of experience in agriculture will be a great asset to Mustang and our customers,” stated Eric Brandenburger, Sales Manager.

Mustang Seeds has a complete line-up of seed corn, soybeans, and small grains suitable for growers in the upper Midwest. Mustang Seeds prides itself on exceptional customer service and offering a wide range of products to fit any farm.

Mustang Seeds, a family-owned independent seed company based in Madison, SD is proud to announce the addition of Andrew Erickson to the Mustang Seeds team. Andrew has recently been hired as a District Sales Manager in southeastern South Dakota and northwestern Iowa for Mustang Seeds, Inc. in Madison, SD.

Andrew has over three years of experience in seed sales. He grew up on a family farm in Centerville, South Dakota. Andrew, his wife Jenny and 2 children reside on a small acreage north of Tea, South Dakota. They enjoy spending time as a family, golfing, playing softball and bowhunting. Andrew stated, “I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with such a great company and all their loyal customers. Mustang Seeds has everything a grower needs in order to be successful.”

“I am excited to work with Andrew to serve our valued customers in SE SD, SW MN, and developing new customers to the south. His experience and drive will make him a valuable member of Team Mustang”, stated Eric Brandenburger, Sales Manager.

Mustang Seeds, a family-owned independent seed company based in Madison, SD is proud to announce the addition of Carson Powers to the Mustang Seeds team. Carson has been hired to fill the role of Location and Area Sales Manager for the Mitchell, SD location. Carson is from Chamberlain, SD and spent time working around family members who farm which sparked his interest in agriculture. Carson graduated from South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD with a degree in Agriculture Systems Technology.

Carson recently completed his internship with Mustang Seeds where he worked alongside the DSM’s and gained valuable experience. “Mustang Seeds generates a family atmosphere and has phenomenal leadership, which made it an easy decision to take on this role. I am very excited to have the opportunity to expand the Mustang Seeds brand around the Mitchell area.” During his spare time, Carson enjoys hunting, fishing and being outdoors.

“I was impressed with Carson’s work ethic he displayed during his internship. I am looking forward to working with Carson to serve our current and future Mitchell area customers,” said Eric Brandenburger, Sales Manager.

Mustang Seeds, a family-owned independent seed company based in Madison, SD is proud to announce the addition of Ryan Sinner to the Mustang Seeds team. Ryan has recently been hired as a location manager for the Casselton, North Dakota warehouse.

Ryan grew up in Casselton, North Dakota and spent his early years working on his family farm. Ryan graduated from NDSU with a Crop and Weed Science degree. In March of 2017, he left the farm to take a position as Location Manager at an agronomy center in North Dakota. Ryan will bring valuable experience to Mustang Seeds from his previous employment.

Ryan and his wife Jo live in Casselton and have been married for nine years. They have 3 boys: Nick, Reed and Casey. In his free time Ryan enjoys spending time with his family and watching Minnesota Twins and Green Bay Packers. Ryan stated, ” I am really excited to join the team at Mustang. I look forward to the challenges this opportunity presents and really enjoy the “team” atmosphere and culture that Mustang prides itself in.”

Ryan’s has 25 years’ experience in the ag industry including retail agronomy in chemical and seed management. “Ryan will lead the Casselton location in continuing to provide excellent customer service to our farmers and dealership network. We are excited to welcome him to the Mustang Team and are looking forward to growing and expanding our footprint across the region”, stated Clay Erdmann, Regional Sales Manager.

Mustang Seeds, a family-owned independent seed company based in Madison, SD is proud to announce the addition of Roberta Iverson to the Mustang Seeds team. Roberta has recently been hired as an accounting and administrative assistant in Madison, South Dakota.

Roberta graduated high school in 2020 at Chester Area and continued her education at Lake Area Technical College in Watertown, SD. She graduated in the spring of 2022 with an associate degree in Agriculture Business. Roberta grew up helping with cattle on her family farm which sparked her interest agriculture. During college, Roberta completed an internship at Mustang Seeds and became interested in learning more of the row and cover crop side of things. She then returned the following spring after graduation as a Production Intern.

Roberta grew up in Wentworth, SD with her parents and 2 younger siblings. She recently moved east of Trent with her boyfriend, Riley, and their dog Jax. In her free time, she enjoys working on her grandparent’s farm, camping, going on walks, and helping anyone in need. Roberta stated, I’m excited to put my Ag Business degree in practice with this great team at Mustang. Because I come from a strong loving family, I’m excited to continue to work in such a family-friendly environment.”

“We are excited to have Bobbi Jo in the accounting department. She is already contributing to the team in a major way and we look forward to seeing how big of an impact she can have on the organization!”, stated Peter Schultz, Controller at Mustang Seeds.

Carter Bergheim has recently been promoted to Warehouse Supervisor within the Row Crop Division of Red Horse Seed Production in Madison, SD. Carter is responsible for providing supervision and guidance on warehouse responsibilities and to employees. “I am excited to take on a bigger role with RHSP and help lead the Warehouse Team Members,” Carter stated. “I look forward to growing my career with the company.” Carter has been with RHSP for over a year as a Warehouse Team Member. In his free time, Carter enjoys watching sports and playing golf.

With his recent promotion to Warehouse Team Lead, Logan Larsen will serve as lead for corn retagging and provide training on equipment to Warehouse Team Members. Logan stated, “I am excited to work with great people everyday doing a job I enjoy and take pride in.” Logan has worked for RHSP for nearly three years as a Warehouse Team Member. He lives outside of Madison with his fiancée, Morgan, and their dog, Ranger. Outside of RHSP, Logan serves in the South Dakota Army National Guard, and enjoys playing amateur baseball and hunting.

“Carter and Logan have both been amazing assets to RHSP for a few years now and have proved that they can be leaders. They both show up everyday and work hard doing whatever they can to make the company better,” stated Jon Waba, Row Crop Location Manager at Red Horse Seed Production. “Not only that, but they strive for RHSP to run more efficiently for all of their coworkers. I am excited to see what these two young men continue to learn in their new roles.”

Red Horse Seed Production (RHSP), a family-owned seed production company, based in Madison, SD was developed in 2019 by Mustang Seeds Inc. to fill a need for seed conditioning and distribution not only for Mustang Seeds but for other seed companies as well. RHSP conditions, packages, and distributes small grains and row crop products. RHSP carries with it the outstanding reputation of Mustang Seeds, a long-time employer in Madison, and strives to be competitive and respected not only in the seed production industry but in Madison as well.