Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
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Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
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Description area
Dates of existence
History
The South Dakota Crop Improvement Association (SDCIA) traces its origins to the formation of the South Dakota Corn Growers and Corn Breeders Association in September 1906. Initially intended as a temporary organization to enhance corn cultivation in the state, it became permanent following the success of its first crop show. A.E. Chamberlain of Howard was elected the association’s first president.
In 1909, the organization broadened its scope to include other grains and was renamed the South Dakota Corn Growers and Grain Growers Association. In 1924, it merged with the South Dakota Experimental Association, a group focused on testing and promoting new crop varieties. The following year, the combined organization adopted the name South Dakota Crop Improvement Association.
Since then, the SDCIA has played a central role in advancing seed crop improvement across the state. It established several key initiatives, including the Seed Council of South Dakota in 1928 and the Foundation Seed Stocks Corporation in 1944, to oversee seed testing and certification. The organization holds an annual state crop show and membership meeting to educate farmers about new seed varieties and farming techniques. It also supports the development of county-level associations to promote agricultural education and the use of pure, certified seed.