I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute.
Eugene Funk was the grandson of Isaac Funk, one of McLean County, Illinois’ earliest settlers and arguably the best livestock producer in the area at the time. The Funk’s success in livestock led them to consider how they might achieve similar advances in corn.
Eugene studied science for three years at Yale, chose to spend his fourth year in Europe, and when he returned home at the age of 25, breeding corn became his life’s work. His early successes resulted in the formation of Funk Brothers Seed Company, later would become Funk’s G-Hybrids, brand name in the 1930s. Their 90-day corn set the standard in the Midwest.
That’s today’s American Agriculture History Minute. I’m Mark Oppold. Thanks for reading. I’ll see you next time.