Seed and Farm
Owner: Irene Thomas, Manager, Martin Bunton (pictured below)
Location: Liberal, Mo.
Company History: The owners of Seed and Farm in Liberal, Mo., have been working to meet their customers’ needs since before their facilities were built. Don and Irene Thomas opened their business during June of 1977, just in time for wheat harvest. After Don passed away in 1992, Irene’s brother Don Bunton became involved in the business. A few years later, Irene’s nephew, Martin, started working at Seed and Farm and is now the manager. However, Irene is still the driving force behind the grain side of the operation. Martin told how grain marketing professionals all around the country may not know the name Seed and Farm, or their location, but they all know instantly who Irene is. “She has more grain marketing experience than anyone in this area,” Martin proudly said. She helps producers market grain through the elevator, as well as off the farm.
Products and Services Offered: The small town of Liberal, Mo., where Seed and Farm is located, is somewhat isolated. Martin pointed out that they are the only business of their kind within 25 miles. They offer a large variety of products and services. On the field crop side of the business, they sell fertilizer and crop chemicals. Seed and Farm has a seed cleaning operation and sells Certified and name-brand seeds like Asgrow and Dekalb. They also sell and erect grain bins all over the area. For each of the last four years, they have sold over one million bushels worth of storage capacity annually. They also sell many types and brands of animal feed, medications and various livestock working equipment. And, as a self-professed “country grain elevator”, they stock or can order countless other products to assist their customers.
Company Philosophy: “We don’t guarantee not to make a mistake,” Martin said, “but we guarantee to make it right.” However, when a prospective customer looks at Irene’s 30 years of marketing experience, Martin’s 14 years of managing and almost 30 years of familiarity with selling grain bins, and Russ Massa, local feed and livestock consultant, his nearly 30 years of experience feeding animals and calculating how to help others optimize a plan for their herd, mistakes don’t happen often at Seed and Farm.
By Adam Stratton
