On Mar. 16, 1999, Pioneer Hi-Bred was acquired by DuPont Co. for cash and stock valued at about $7.7 billion. In 1926, the Hi-Bred Corn Company, later known as Pioneer Hi-Bred International, was founded in Des Moines by J.J. Newlin, Si Casady, Fred Lehmann, Jr., Walter Welch, George Kurtzweil, Earl Houghton, Jim Wallace, and future Vice President Henry Wallace.

In 1927, an alliance was formed between Roswell Garst and Henry Wallace to develop and promote hybrid seed corn. Garst & Thomas Hybrid Corn Company founded in 1930, now known as Garst Seed Company, is one of the world’s leading hybrid seed companies. Today, DuPont Pioneer is the world’s leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics, providing high-quality seeds to farmers in more than 90 countries.