Our History
More than 70 years of hard work, knowledge, innovation and Faith have allowed us to play a small but important part in feeding the world. Our world-class feeds built our reputation, but our company was built on service and relationships with local farmers and people, whose passion is taking care of animals.
Belstra Founded
Albert “Bud” Belstra founded the Belstra Milling Co., Inc. in 1954 after having purchased the small Pillsbury feed business from his employer, Neil Kaper. Belstra Milling Co. quickly became the primary source for custom livestock and poultry feed in the area.
Expansion
Belstra Milling Co. expanded through the purchase of Bauman Feed Mill and its Purina Chow brands.
Action Feeds
Belstra Milling Co. Feed Mill was built and its flagship brand “Action Feeds” began production.
A Family Business
Bud’s sons Tim and Max, respectively, joined the family business.
Growth
Tim and Max purchased Belstra from Bud and continued to further company growth and success.
Pig Farmers
Belstra expanded through the addition of multiplier pig farms
Expanded Feed Production
Malcolm DeKryger joined the company, and his contributions would expand company feed production.
Dairy Farm Support
Emergence and growth of local dairy farms expanded Belstra Milling Co.’s dairy feed capabilities.
Sole Ownership
Tim became sole owner and president of Belstra Milling Co. after the loss of brother Max in 2000 and father Bud in 2008.
Employee Ownership
Employee ownership began within the company.
Leadership
Malcolm became president of Belstra Milling Co. and Tim became board chairman.
Legacy Farms Opens
Legacy Farms opened and tours began at the Pig Adventure, inviting the public to see pork production in motion.
Heinold Feeds
Heinold Feeds was purchased by Belstra Milling Co., adding another specialty feed to its lineup of animal feeds.
Premix Facility Added
Premix facility was built, improving feed production capabilities and efficiency.
Interstate Family Farms
Belstra added its sixth and largest sow farm (Interstate Family Farms).
NatureServe
Belstra Milling Co. entered an agreement to purchase NatureServe Feeds, adding to its lineup of specialty feeds.
LEAP Foundation
The LEAP (Leading the Education About Pigs) Foundation was founded.
Belstra Farms & Garden
Belstra added fourth division to the company, Belstra Farm & Garden, expanding retail opportunity.
Our employees are the heart of our company and our greatest strength.
Our Team
Our employees are the heart of our company and our greatest strength. We invest in our people and help them thrive and grow, and it shows in the products we produce and service we provide. Over the last seven decades we have grown as a company but maintained our family-oriented culture and work environment. Belstra is powered by loyal, passionate, collaborative people with the common values of integrity, honesty, commitment, and respect. Our people care for each other, have fun together, and work together to produce and deliver products they are proud to call their own.
Our Mission
We are a multi-generational family company that believes in:
- Investing in our passion for animals
- Committing to serve our customers
- Reaching further and deeper into our communities
Our Values
Our company is founded and grounded in faith and family, moving forward passionately with integrity, quality and service.
Integrity
We uphold the law, conduct business with honesty and fairness,honor our responsibilities and treat everyone with respect.
Quality
We are committed to providing and building upon the high-quality standards of our companies, products and services. We are constantly looking to better our products with innovation and technology.
Service
We value our relationships with farmers, partners, customers, families, friends and employees. We work hard for the community.