James R. Smith founded Smith-Kem in 1948 originally as a one-truck owner-operator residential spray business.  Soon, the business grew and Jimmie added a tractor to apply Anhydrous Ammonia to field crops as a summer job while teaching at Ellensburg High School.  By 1950, the business grew to the point that he decided to quit teaching. He devoted all of his efforts to building the business known then to Kittitas Valley farmers, as Nor-Kem Ellensburg. Over the years, he laterally diversified his company to include residential spraying, liquid fertilizer, and crop protection products, as well as custom application.

In 1975 Jimmie incorporated Smith-Kem and added two more family members to meet the growing need of his customer base. Jimmie’s son Joel Smith and son-in-law Andy Erickson became part of the quickly growing company.  

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n 1998, Andy’s sons, Ryan and Brady Erickson joined the business to represent the third generation of management.  Two years following Joel Smith retired to pursue other interests. Ryan and Brady are currently minority stockholders.

Presently, customers of Smith-Kem are serviced with the most up-to-date application equipment as well as a state of the art blending facility. The business has grown to include 5 high flotation applicators, 12 delivery trucks, a small-specialized sprayer, dry fertilizer, suspension fertilizer, forage and grain seed, and crop protection chemical application. In addition, Smith-Kem also offers Dust Control and small acreage application to our line of services.

Smith-Kem serves the needs of the majority of Kittitas Valley growers, with our efforts concentrating on timothy crops grown for worldwide use. Smith-Kem currently employs 11 of the best trained team of field staff and applicators the valley has to offer. We strive to provide the latest products and technology to stay ahead of the growing needs of the Kittitas Valley's agricultural economy. The staff is fully licensed to handle crop needs as Certified Crop Advisors, as well as hold Washington State Department of Agriculture pesticide licenses to sell, apply, and advise the restricted use products offered in the state of Washington.