Joe Merschman, president and CEO of Merschman Seeds, shares that while tough times don’t last forever, tough people will always last.
Seed World: What’s your favorite TV show?
Joe Merschman: Currently, Hawaii Five-0.
SW: No. 1 Hobby?
JM: It would be working in my garage. I like to detail my cars. Helps me work through my problems and set them right.
SW: Best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
JM: Tough times never last, but tough people do.
SW: What’s your biggest achievement?
JM: Besides my immediate family, I am proud of being able to work in an industry that is challenging and rewarding for 42 years with my family members.
SW: What does being a “Seedsman” mean to you?
JM: To me it means always putting the seed first. It is a personal relationship with the seed you sell and the customer to achieve a single goal of the highest yield possible.
SW: What concerns you most about the seed industry?
JM: There are some great people in this industry and I have had the privilege to work with one them, my Dad. He taught me your word and following the rules means something. It seems doing what is right, loyalty and who do you trust are eroding in this industry from a generation ago.
SW: Top priorities for 2019?
JM: To continue to offer better choices in soybean traits that are farmer and neighbor friendly to help farmers be profitable.
