Belstra Milling Co. came into existence in 1954 when Albert "Bud" Belstra purchased the business from his employer Neil Kaper. The company consisted of Bud and wife Flo, and three employees. Products were Pillsbury's Best feeds, animal health products and livestock and poultry equipment. Custom feed mixing was done with a diesel powered hammer mill and a one ton feed mixer. Almost every farmstead had some livestock and poultry.
In 1960 the company purchased the former Bauman Feed Mill with two employee's, thus acquiring the Purina Chows franchise. With the advent of a number of caged layer houses in the area, it became difficult to service all of the accounts from the two old facilities.
In 1967 a new feed mill was erected at the company's present site, and the manufacturing of Action Feeds commenced.
Son's Max in 1973 and Tim in 1975 joined the company and proceeded continually to assume more and more of the responsibility for sales and service to the DeMotte community. Gradually, by "plowing back" profits into expansion and improvements, they brought us to today. Bud retired in 1987, transferring ownership to Tim and Max. Max, a covenant child of the King of Glory, went to his heavenly home on October 11, 2000.
Son Tim and his wife Marta, now own Belstra Milling, and manage along with over twenty excellent coworkers.