H arry Stine is the founder of Stine Seed, the largest private seed company in the United States. Raised on a farm in Iowa, he began tinkering with soybean genetics in the 1960s, discovering that he could breed higher-yielding varieties. A self-taught geneticist and astute businessman, Stine revolutionized the industry by patenting soybean genetics and licensing them to multinational giants like Monsanto and Syngenta.
Stine is widely regarded as the wealthiest person in Iowa. Known for his frugality and intellect—he is dyslexic and excels in mathematics—he continues to drive innovation in corn and soybean breeding. He also owns substantial farmland across the United States. His company remains privately held, allowing him to focus on long-term research without the pressure of quarterly earnings.
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Harry Stine is a prominent American agricultural entrepreneur and the founder of Stine Seed Company. Born in the heart of the U.S. corn belt on a 200-acre farm in Iowa, Stine’s life was shaped by his father’s soybean cleaning business, which he joined in 1964.
Stine earned a degree in Agronomy from Iowa State University. Despite being diagnosed with dyslexia and mild autism, he utilized his unique cognitive perspective to focus intently on the data and mathematics of plant genetics.
Harry Stine’s career is a study in agricultural innovation. In 1964, he began breeding soybeans, eventually transforming the family business into the world's largest privately held seed company. He pioneered the practice of licensing seed genetics to global chemical giants like Monsanto and Syngenta.
Under his leadership as CEO, Stine Seed has remained independent, relying on vast research-driven practices to improve crop yields. In 2016, his son Myron Stine became the company President, though Harry remains actively involved as CEO. He is consistently ranked as the wealthiest individual in Iowa.
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Joins his father's soybean cleaning business.
Achieves major success licensing patented genetics to global competitors.
Promotes his son Myron to President of Stine Seed.
Confirmed as Iowa's richest person with a net worth around $10 billion.
Harry Stine’s wealth is primarily concentrated in his sole ownership of the global agricultural giant Stine Seed.
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-0.2% | -$3.19M
-0.03% | -$0.49M
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