Our Story
1886 - 2026140 years of setting the Standard
In 1886, a Nebraska veterinarian loaded a wagon and went farm to farm with a simple belief: that farmers deserved better than guesswork.
140 years later, that belief still runs the operation.
From a Wagon to a Legacy
Explore 140 years of moments that shaped Standard Nutrition Company, and the agriculture industry alongside it.
Dr. Frederick E. Sanborn founded the F.E. Sanborn Company in Omaha, Nebraska, to manufacture nutritional supplements for livestock—a new concept at the time. In his first year, he sold 25,000 pounds of feed, mixing it by hand and delivering it via horse-drawn wagon to farmers in Nebraska and Iowa.
By the third year, sales had increased 1,000 percent, surpassing 250,000 pounds sold. Farmers who tried the product came back, and told their neighbors. In 1893, the company changed its name to Standard Stock Food Company and expanded to 18 states, from New York to the Pacific Northwest.
The company changed its name to Standard Chemical Manufacturing Company in 1911 and embraced new technologies. Horse-drawn wagons were replaced with Model T Ford trucks to deliver more product faster. The telephone became a sales tool. New products were introduced for the rapidly growing poultry and egg markets.
The stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression forced a strategic shift. Instead of selling through retailers (many of which were closing) Standard began selling directly to farmers. This decision not only saved the company but set a philosophy that endures: proximity to producers matters. And by 1936, Standard celebrated its 50th anniversary.
In 1938, Standard introduced Super Nutro Complex, a balanced premix with 17 vitamins and 11 amino acids designed specifically for livestock. It revolutionized the business. Producers reported improved health and faster gains. By 1954, Standard was doing 66 times more business than it had in 1933, the last year it sold exclusively through retailers.
Standard acquired The Famous Molasses Feed Company in 1963 and introduced an improved product called Prolasses in 1965. The company grew to operate eight liquid feed plants across the Midwest by 1978, becoming the largest independent liquid feed company in the United States. Annual sales peaked at $27 million by 1980.
The 1980s farm crisis hit hard. In 1984, New York investors purchased Standard. The liquid feed division was sold to free up capital, and the company refocused on dry feed. It was a difficult period, but it set the stage for what came next.
In 1988, Bill Dyer and a group of longtime managers bought the company back from the New York investors. It was a bold move—an employee-led buyout with no private equity, and no exit strategy. Just a commitment to independence and long-term thinking. The company also acquired Welp’s Feed Company in Bancroft, Iowa, and began shifting from a product “salesperson” model to a consultant-focused approach.
The company dropped “Chemical” from its name, becoming Standard Manufacturing Company in 1991. More importantly, the sales force evolved. Out went generalist salespeople. In came degreed nutritionists with species-specific expertise. The company invested in dairy-focused facilities in Washington (1991) and Idaho (1993) to prove their vision of developing a consultant led approach to the large farms being built.
In 1998, the company changed its name to Standard Nutrition Company to reflect its focus on nutrition and species-specific feed. This same year, Standard also led an investment group to build a 3,400-head dairy farm in Atlantic, Iowa (Milk Unlimited Dairy Farm). Five years later Standard led an investment to purchase a 3000 sow farm, Lone Pine (2003) that they would also manage for the ownership group. The message was clear: we don’t just consult—we operate.
Two wholly owned subsidiaries were created: Standard Dairy Consultants (focused on dairy) and Standard Nutrition Services (focused on swine and poultry). Lone Pine started the investment in pigs (2003) and the company also acquired Alderman-Cave Feeds (beef, 2005) and invested in Bluebonnet Feeds (equine, 2008).
The company sold its Canadian operations and reinvested in U.S. growth, acquiring Kerber Milling (swine market), Ag Property Solutions (construction services), Red Dale Ag (Northeast dairy market), and Equivision (equine supplements). The strategy: meet producers where they are. Not just nutrition, but facilities, equipment, and comprehensive support across the entire operation.
In 2024, what once began as an investment with a client in a 3,000 sow farm, Standard initiated the formation of Passel Farms—a 60,000 sow farrow-to-finish swine production system we remain invested in with locations in several states.
In 2025, Standard formed Bower Ag, uniting facility-focused acquisitions (Ag Property Solutions, Dairy Specialists, The Dairy Solutions Group) under one brand with a strategic vision: becoming a full-solution partner for every aspect of a producer’s livestock facility.
Celebrating 140 Years
Explore “The Standard We Set”—our year-long campaign honoring the producers, employees, and moments that shaped Standard Nutrition Company.