Latham® Dealers gathered this week in Mankato, Minnesota, for our annual sales kickoff meeting. We celebrated two days of connection and prepared for what promises to be one of our most exciting sales years yet.
This year’s event introduced our Freedom of Independence theme — a rallying cry that reflects exactly who we are and how we operate. As an independent seed company, Latham Hi-Tech Seeds is free to select the very best genetics and trait packages for the fields across our footprint. We answer to farmers and dealers, not shareholders or Wall Street. That freedom allows us to focus on what truly matters: helping you succeed!
J-Class Soybeans Take Center Stage
One of the most talked-about moments of Latham Dealer Kickoff was the debut of our J-Class Soybeans. Designed to give our dealers and customers an edge on every acre, Latham’s J-Class Soybeans are so good they’re in a class by themselves.
We’re introducing 32 new J-Class varieties for 2026 planting, 12 of which carry our Ironclad™ protection for superior disease resistance and standability. With yield potential and agronomic strength like this, we’re confident J-Class will be a game-changer for farmers across Latham Country.
Learning from the Experts
Dealer Kickoff also featured an engaging presentation from Dr. Greg Tylka of Iowa State University, a leading authority on soybean cyst nematode (SCN) management. Dr. Tylka shared the latest research on SCN-resistant soybean varieties, how resistance is changing over time and the critical role of field scouting in protecting yields. His insights reinforced the importance of pairing top-tier genetics — like J-Class — with proactive SCN management strategies.
Dr. Greg Tylka, Iowa State University
Raising Money for Cancer Research
Midwesterners mark celebrations with special foods, and Latham Dealer Kickoff is no exception. This year we held a dessert auction to raise money for our Seeds of Hope campaign and raised more than $4,600. Special thanks to Tony Friesen of 2 Pins Bakery in Mankato for working with us to provide 15 different types of delicious cakes and pies including Whopper, Reece’s, Andes Mint, Snickerdoodle, French Silk and more!
During our annual banquet, we feasted on pork loin. Special thanks to Iowa Pork for sharing the following recipe with us!
Building Momentum for 2026
Dealer Kickoff isn’t just about new products. It’s about building relationships, sharing strategies and setting the tone for the year ahead. From networking with fellow dealers to learning about programs designed to drive early orders, every conversation pointed toward one goal: helping farmers make the most of every field, every season.
With the Freedom of Independence guiding our decisions and the unmatched performance of J-Class Soybeans in our lineup, we’re ready to make the 2026 sales year one for the record books.
Thank you to every dealer who made the trip to Mankato. Your dedication is the reason we can remain independent, innovative and focused on what matters most.
Pork Loin
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Large resealable plastic bag
- 1 Roasting pan, rimmed cookie sheet, or 9×13 pan
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 large garlic cloves chopped
- 1 bunch of rosemary 1/2 cup, leaves only, coarsely chopped OR 2 1/2 Tablespoons dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 pounds center-cut pork loin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- In a small bowl, mix olive oil with the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper.
- Rub the mixture all over the pork. Transfer the pork and marinade to a large, resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.
- Spray oil in a roasting pan if you have one. If not, use a rimmed cookie sheet or 9×13 pan. To re-create the roasting rack, place a metal cooling rack in the bottom or use aluminum foil. Tear off approximately 12” of foil; form it into a snake and then into a ring. Make as many rings as you need to keep the pork loin off the bottom of the pan. This promotes circulation of the heat underneath and around your loin, which helps the meat to cook evenly.
- Place your seasoned pork, fat side up, in your prepared pan.
- Add oiled/seasoned vegetables around your pork loin to make it a complete meal. Use vegetables that require longer cook times like potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, and carrots.
- Roast in a 400 F oven for 15 minutes. This gives you that nice crispy crust that everyone loves!
- Turn your oven temperature down to 325 F (no need to open the oven) and continue cooking until pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 F. The time will vary based on the size of your loin and what you are cooking with it. Check it after 30 minutes with a meat thermometer and add small time increments as needed. Do not exceed 145 F with any pork loin recipe! Pork is very lean, so overcooking it will result in a dry and tough product.
- Once your pork loin has reach 145 F, remove it from the oven and cover it loosely with aluminum foil. A 3-minute rest will redistribute the juices throughout the meat before you cut into it. This is key to succulent pork!
At a time when the world’s population is increasing, cropland is decreasing and climates are changing, it’s more important than ever to equip farmers with new technology and tools to take the guesswork out of planting decisions. One such tool is multiplex gene editing, which quickly adjusts a plant’s DNA to improve its resiliency and to use fewer natural resources like land and water.
