A Story of Resilient Roots that Cultivate Community

Born and raised in the heart of Alabama, Jim Kelly has passionately dedicated himself to enhancing the well-being of his local community through agriculture. His mission focuses on empowering local farmers by ensuring they have easy access to high-quality seeds and essential products right in their own neighborhoods. Even in the face of agricultural challenges, he has inspired growers to support local businesses over large corporate retailers, fostering a sense of community resilience. 

Founded in 1980 by Jim Kelly, following his departure from Benson Wholesale in Geneva, Alabama, the company was established during a period of fluctuating conditions in the seed industry. During this time, Mr. Kelly relied on and focused on the resources and reputation of Kelly Farms to sustain his endeavors.

Kelly Farms was run by both Jim Kelly and his brother, Robert C. Kelly Senior. By cultivating strong relationships with local agricultural producers and focusing on providing high-quality seed products, both brothers sought to establish a business that could effectively navigate the challenges of the agricultural market.

Fun Fact: The original Kelly Seed office was situated on County Road 55 in Geneva County, a quaint area known for its agricultural heritage. This historic building served as the central hub and was later transitioned to serve the community as a local voting house.

After a few years in business, Curt Kelly, the son of Robert C. Kelly Sr., joined the team and focused on operations at Kelly Farms.

Mr. Bobby picking peanuts, Hartford, AL

Jim's son, Chris Kelly, joined the company immediately after attending Mississippi State University, becoming one of the first family members to work in the business. The company's first innovative step beyond wholesale seed was to start selling retail seed, chemicals, and fertilizer, which is now known as Kelly Ag. During this time, another of Mr. Jim Kelly’s sons, Patrick Kelly, joined the family business straight out of the University of Alabama. Patrick focused on the retail division of the company, working closely with Kelly Ag. The retail locations are situated in both Hartford, Alabama, and Headland, Alabama. This was a significant move that distinguished us from our competitors by offering both retail and wholesale services while remaining a family owned and operated business.

Fun Fact: Our first local customer was Chris Miller, who remains a loyal customer to this day. His loyalty and ongoing support inspire us every day!

Kelly focused on organic growth by elevating the quality of our products and services.

In 2016 Chris Kelly decided to build a seed-blending plant to support the rapidly growing wildlife industry, which had a high demand for custom seed blends. This was a pivotal moment for the business, and to be honest, many underestimated the potential of this new market. Sales began to grow, and Kelly Seed was able to source raw ingredients for its seed-blending plant at competitive prices, thanks to the large volume of seeds flowing through. This positioning allowed Kelly to become a blending company that supplies finished products to its vendors.

Construction of our facility at the Oak Grove location in Alabama has begun. This facility was initially designed to store oat seeds that were being cleaned at Geneva Seed Cleaners. At the time, we were unaware that Oak Grove was about to experience a revitalization as sales began to increase.

We realized that shipping Bahiagrass seed to Oregon for coating and then back to the South was becoming costly and time-consuming due to both freight and coating fees. As a result, we decided to establish an in-house facility to handle this process and offer coating and treating seed services to our blending customers. Chris hired a local contractor to construct an addition to the "Oat Warehouse," which includes an office within the new facility. Our coated seed is now available at all major home improvement retailers, including Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Menards.

Fun fact: Approximately 85% of all Centipede seeds sold in the U.S. are shipped from our Oak Grove location.

We constructed a large warehouse in Oak Grove and relocated our seed blending business from Hartford. As our business grew, we required more space. We hired a local company, Big Red Metals, to build a 46,000-square-foot warehouse with six additional loading docks. This upgrade allows us to operate as a manufacturing company rather than just a farm store.

In response to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic and the persistent labor shortages in the agricultural sector, we initiated the construction of a state-of-the-art automated fertilizer plant. This advanced facility employs cutting-edge technology to enhance operational efficiency, enabling us to reduce the workforce in this department. Nonetheless, it was essential for us to retain all staff during this period; therefore, we successfully transitioned employees to various departments within Kelly Seed & Kelly Ag ensuring they continue to be a vital part of our organization.

Moreover, our automation efforts have significantly improved efficiency in the loading process, reducing the time required to fill a truck with fertilizer from one hour to just fifteen minutes. This significant improvement not only enhances productivity but also ensures timely deliveries to our customers.

Our facility is designed to accommodate a substantial storage capacity, allowing us to hold up to 7,000 tons of fertilizer and lime, thereby supporting farmers and agricultural businesses with a reliable supply of essential nutrients for crop growth.

Our blending plant is now operating at full capacity. To accommodate this growth, we hired a local company, Parish Construction, to assist us in building a new 22,000-square-foot warehouse that features a fully automated seed blending plant. With this new facility, we can produce a variety of blended products in various formats, including buckets, bulk bags, heat-seal pouches, and standard 50-lb bags. 

In mid-2024, we made the strategic decision to expand our reach by acquiring Dillon Seed, a well-established, family-owned business that opened its doors in 1976, located in Dillon, South Carolina, just 30 minutes outside of Florence, SC. This acquisition marks a significant milestone in our expansion efforts, allowing us to broaden our service capabilities beyond the Southeastern United States. With this acquisition, we are now able to effectively serve not only the Southeast but also the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, enhancing our market presence and customer reach. By leveraging Dillon Seed's expertise and established relationships, we aim to drive innovation and deliver superior products to an even wider audience.

We are excited to announce that we are officially breaking ground on a new office and warehouse addition at our South Carolina location. This expansion will significantly enhance our operational capabilities, providing additional space for inventory management and improving our logistical efficiency. By investing in this facility, we aim to meet the diverse needs of our customers and deliver services more efficiently. We appreciate your continued support as we grow to better serve you.