Building a Family Business

Jake’s business partners, Ben Steele and Seth Maxwell, along with a talented team that includes agronomy, precision ag, shop and seed specialists, have helped MCS thrive. At home, Jake and his wife, Jamie, are raising three kids — Ella, Emmett and Ensley — all while staying deeply rooted in their community through school activities, local sports, and church.

“I can’t see myself doing anything outside of ag,” Jake says. “We love building relationships, helping customers succeed and being part of a family company like Latham.”

Choosing Latham Seeds

The MCS team first learned about Latham Seeds when a district sales manager visited their office and shared the Latham story. From the start, they were impressed with the family-first mentality and no-pressure sales approach.

“Meeting John and Shannon Latham in Alexander was key,” Jake explains. “The warm welcome, the plant tour, the support — it felt like we mattered from day one. Plus, Latham products consistently perform in the field, running right alongside the biggest names in the industry.”

Supporting Seeds of Hope

One of the things that makes MCS stand out is its commitment to giving back. This year, Jake and his team are once again pledging $1 per unit of Seeds of Hope hybrids sold to support the American Cancer Society. Their donation will directly support Latham’s Final Drive for 75 campaign — a goal to raise $75,000 in honor of the company’s 75th anniversary.

“It’s important for us to be part of something bigger than ourselves,” Jake says. “We’ve all been impacted by cancer in some way, and this is a way we can make a difference.”

A Dealer Who Rocks (Literally)

Jake’s passion for farming and seed sales is matched by his love for music. A lifelong drummer, he’s played in bands since age 13, even winning a “Battle of the Bands” contest that earned him the chance to open for national rock acts. These days, he still plays occasionally with his dad’s old band, and with his kids’ busy sports schedules, he’s happy to keep the beat both on and off the farm.

Whether it’s selling seed, supporting customers, raising a family or giving back through Seeds of Hope, Jake Edmondson and Montezuma Crop Service are proof that independent dealers are at the heart of what makes Latham Seeds special.

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Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Dill Pickle Slaw

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Equipment

• 3 bowls
• 1 pan

Ingredients

Chicken + Marinade

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ½ Tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ Tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large chicken breast about 8 oz.

Dill Pickle Slaw

• ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon avocado oil mayo
• 1 Tablespoon pickle juice
• 2 stalks green onion chopped
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves
• ½ cup sliced dill pickles
• Salt + pepper to taste
• Coleslaw mix

Spicy Mayo

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoons sriracha sauce or to taste
• 1 teaspoons honey optional
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice optional
• ¼ teaspoon minced garlic optional

Instructions

Chicken + Marinade and Dill Pickle Slaw

• Whisk marinade ingredients in a bowl.
• Slice the chicken breast in half, pound to ½ inch thickness, and toss in marinade.
• In a separate bowl, mix all slaw ingredients until well combined.
• Grill chicken 5-6 minutes per side or until fully cooked.
• Toast the buns and stir together spicy mayo.
• Assemble sandwiches: bottom bun with spicy mayo, grilled chicken, slaw, then top bun.

Spicy Mayo

• Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
• Allow to rest in the refrigerator before serving.

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.

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Pork Loin

Prep Time 1 day day

Cook Time 1 hour hour

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!

As die-hard Iowa State fans and basketball enthusiasts, the Lathams began sponsoring the Cyclones Charity Stripe in 2013. Eventually, we expanded our support to the Hawkeyes’ program, too. Each season, we donate money to the ACS for every free throw made by a Cyclone and Hawkeye player.

“We all grew up attending the games, so when we were asked to sponsor Coaches vs. Cancer, we didn’t even think twice about it,” John Latham says. “We want to do what we can to support the American Cancer Society’s efforts and those battling cancer.”

Fast forward to today: one game has turned into more than 10 years of partnership between Latham Seeds and the American Cancer Society. To date, Latham Seeds has given more than $75,000 to Coaches vs. Cancer.

Extra time with loved ones battling cancer can make all the difference to a family, as the Lathams know all too well. After Bill Latham’s diagnosis in 2009, he was still able to meet his youngest granddaughter, make memories with his other four grandchildren and pass down business advice to his two sons, John and Chris.

“The American Cancer Society provided our family with the best resources, support and so much hope,” says Chris. “That’s why we’re committed to raising cancer awareness and funds to help others.”

Learn more about Seeds of HOPE, ways you can get involved and how you can donate.

Related Articles:

• 2013: Coaches vs. Cancer nets $15,000
• 2014: Coaches vs. Cancer nets $17,000
• 2015: Put the Full Court Press on Cancer
• 2016: Will to Win is a Common Denominator
• 2019: Latham Seeds Provides Cancer Support One Free Throw at a Time
• 2020: Providing Hope is Our “Why”
• 2021: Coming Back from Childhood Cancer
• 2021: Schminke Family Goes the Distance
• 2022: Free Throws Total $65k Donation from Latham Seeds
• 2023: Hope through Hoops

One in three people are diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, and the disease affects millions of others. That’s why — for more than a decade — Latham Seeds has been a proud supporter of the American Cancer Society (ACS), beginning with its involvement in Coaches vs. Cancer. As die-hard Iowa State fans and basketball enthusiasts, we began sponsoring the Cyclones Charity Stripe event for Coaches vs. Cancer in 2013. Eventually, we expanded our support to the Hawkeyes’ program. Each season, our family-owned company donates money to the ACS for every free throw made by a Cyclone and Hawkeye player.

Through our sponsorship of the Charity Stripe Promotion, Latham Seeds has given more than $65,000 to the ACS. Each year representatives from Latham Seeds are honors at half court of a college basketball game to present a check to the ACS.

“Our family’s experience gave us a new appreciation for all the lifesaving research, treatment and support provided by the American Cancer Society,” John Latham says. “After my dad’s stem cell transplant, he and my mom stayed in the Gift of Life Transplant House. They truly felt surrounded by caring people, which meant the world to them and our entire family.”

Latham Seeds’ partnership with the ACS was further deepened in 2022 when the company launched a campaign called “Sowing Seeds of Hope” in celebration of its 75th Anniversary. The goal is to raise $75,000 for the American Cancer Society within three years.

Help Us Sow More Seeds of Hope

Thanks to Latham® Dealers, customers and employees, the company met its goal of raising $25,000 in the first year of the campaign. We need your help to stay on track to meet our goal for Year Two of this campaign.

Below are three quick and easy ways you can help during the 2023-2024 sales year:

1. Share our social posts. Latham Seeds will be recognized for its contribution to American Cancer Society at half court during the Cyclones men’s basketball games in Ames on Feb. 25. Feel free to “like” and “share” our related social media posts on Facebook, X (Twitter) and Instagram.
2. Promote designated hybrids. For every unit sold of LH 3937 VT2 PRO, LH 5377 VT2 PRO and LH 6477 VT2 PRO, Latham Seeds will give $1 to the American Cancer Society.
3. Donate. If you feel so inclined you can make an online donation. You can also write a check payable to the American Cancer Society and mail it to Latham Seeds, 131 180^th, Alexander, IA 50420. We also appreciate the dealers who let us know they’re providing an additional $1 donation on each of the designated “HOPE” hybrids.

Thank you for joining our mission to fight cancer, one unit at a time! Learn more about this amazing opportunity.

“We had an amazing time playing Talons of Tuscany in Ankeny,” says John Latham, president, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds. “The fairways and greens were immaculate.”

Team Latham included: John, Chris and Ian Latham plus Latham Seeds District Manager Noah Snedden and Scott Helverson.

Some Iowans will remember Helverson as a wide receiver for the Iowa Hawkeyes. For the past 16 years, he has been a referee for the National Football League.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better teammate,” John says. “Scott is in great shape, and he was driving the ball extremely well. Plus, he is a great guy. He shared interesting experiences he has had as a NFL referee.”

Helversen recently officiated the preseason game between the Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans. He has officiated three Super Bowls, including Super Bowl XLII between the Giants and Patriots. The New York Giants upset the undefeated New England Patriots when David Tyree made an amazing fourth quarter-catch of an Eli Manning pass by pinning it against his helmet as he was pulled to the ground.

Regardless of whom you’re cheering for, everyone wins when we play together to beat cancer.

Employees and friends of Latham Seeds are invited to join the company owners and team members in raising funds for the American Cancer Society. It was harvest season 2009 when past Latham Seeds President Bill Latham was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML).

As Blood Cancer Awareness Month is underway in September, Latham Seeds announces its commitment to year two of raising funds for the American Cancer Society. Watch the video to learn more about “Sowing Seeds of Hope”.  We hope you’ll consider a $15 donation in honor of Bill Latham’s fight against AML. Learn more and donate.

Did you know that one in 24 people will be diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer (CRC) in their lifetime, and colon cancer is the second deadliest form of cancer in the United States. That said, CRC is highly-preventable with proper screenings, and highly-treatable when caught early.

Too many people don’t get checked when they could — and, according to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, missed or delayed screenings give colon cancer a chance to grow and become more dangerous long before symptoms appear.

Latham Seeds is taking cancer on one unit at a time. Our “Sowing Seeds of Hope” campaign goal is to raise $75,000 for our 75 years of doing business. For every unit of LH 3937 VT2 PRO, LH 5245 VT2 PRO RIB and LH 6477 VT2 PRO RIB sold, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds will donate $1 to the American Cancer Society.

Everyone knows someone whose life has been affected by cancer, and together we can provide HOPE for the future.

Here’s another tip: get cancer screenings. Don’t wait. Screenings can help detect some cancers early. Oh, and because skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States (that applies directly to those of us in agriculture who spend a lot of time outdoors), don’t mess around. Make sunscreen your new best friend.

More than 1.6 million people are diagnosed with cancer annually in the United States. Whether it’s ourselves, our parents, a neighbor or a coworker, each of us has a cancer story. No one should fight alone.

The American Cancer Society has Cancer Screen Guidelines to help guide you when you talk with your doctor.

Just being aware of cancer threats isn’t enough. Put on your shield and take action!

Learn more about our Sowing Seeds of Hope campaign where we are fighting cancer one unit at a time.

For the 11^th consecutive season, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is donating funds to the American Cancer Society through Coaches vs. Cancer. Our company’s donation will total $75k by the season’s end.

Coincidentally, Latham Seeds celebrated its 75^th anniversary in 2022 by launching a Seeds of Hope campaign to raise an additional $75,000 for the American Cancer Society. Latham Seeds will donate $1 to the American Cancer Society for every unit of LH 3937 VT2 PRO, LH 5245 VT2 PRO and LH 6477 VT2 PRO sold.

“We have been committed to supporting the American Cancer Society through the Charity Stripe Promotion since the 2012-2013 season because we know first-hand what a gift hope can be,” says John Latham, president, Latham Seeds. “On February 20, 2010, my father underwent a stem cell transplant to battle AML (Acute Myelogenous Leukemia). He and my mom moved into the Gift of Life Transplant House in Rochester after he was released from the hospital. That transplant extended Dad’s life for more than five years, and we are grateful for all the support he received during his cancer battle.”

More than 1.6 million people are diagnosed with cancer annually in the United States. Whether it’s ourselves, our parents, a neighbor or a coworker, each of us has a cancer story. No one fights alone.

Click here to join Latham Seeds in the fight against cancer: https://www.lathamseeds.com/hope/

Related Articles:

• 2013: Coaches vs. Cancer nets $15,000
• 2014: Coaches vs. Cancer nets $17,000
• 2015: Put the Full Court Press on Cancer
• 2016: Will to Win is a Common Denominator
• 2019: Latham Seeds Provides Cancer Support One Free Throw at a Time
• 2020: Providing Hope is Our “Why”
• 2021: Coming Back from Childhood Cancer
• 2021: Schminke Family Goes the Distance
• 2022: Free Throws Total $65k Donation from Latham Seeds

Ready to make an impact? Donate here. 

Within 40 minutes – before Dad even got home from his CT scan – the doctor called. The message was to turn around, come back to the hospital right away because there was something more going on than a hernia. The tumor inside his abdomen was the size of a cantaloupe. Within two weeks, it would double to the size of a basketball.

There were tests, a LOT of tests, and they kept Dad in the hospital to start chemotherapy treatments immediately. He was diagnosed with a super-rare cancer called Triple Hit Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. No one was sure how to manage it, so they threw everything they could at Dad: a 12-drug regimen every two weeks that lasted for five months. It wiped him out. It brought my family together more than ever before.

My Dad had never been in a hospital, no broken bones or anything of the sort. Nothing his whole life. This hospital stay was his first. He only got to go home two weekends that whole time. I know it comforted him to watch us plant in the field while he rested in bed. He knew we were keeping things going.  Check out the Caring Bridge posts that my sisters did over those long months. We prayed hard and we had so many praying for us, too.

Latham Seeds is passionate about cancer research. Learn more about our Sowing Seeds of Hope campaign. 

A stem cell transplant at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester finally brought us hope. A very kind doctor there said he knew we farmed. He told Dad to go home, get the crop out and come back to see him when we were done.

That was all my dad needed to hear.

To this day, Dad is five years cancer-free. He thinks about it every day and praises God every day. I want to share our family’s story to remind us all how important it is to celebrate the little things in life. The blessings we have are never guaranteed.

We all know someone whose life has been affected by cancer. It’s another reason why we’re taking cancer on one unit at a time. The Latham family is very passionate about cancer research and the services the American Cancer Society has to offer. Learn more about our Sowing Seeds of Hope campaign.