About Smith-Kem, Inc.

Smith-Kem Inc. provides agronomic products and services to farmers in Kittitas County. Here are the services provided by Smith-Kem:

• Seed – Smith-Kem is a retailer for several quality brands of seed.  Our Field Staff is dedicated to helping growers select the seed hybrid or variety to perform best in each of your fields.
• Fertilizer – Smith-Kem offers bulk dry-blended fertilizers, clear liquid fertilizers for fertigation, and foliar spray fertilizers.
• Crop Protection – Smith-Kem sells and services all major crop protection chemical brands. The experienced Certified Crop Advisor/Field Staff at Smith-Kem help you decide which chemicals will work the best and be the most cost effective for each individual situation.
• Custom Application - An experienced team of operators can custom-apply your crop protection chemicals, and/or fertilizers, using Smith-Kem’s GPS-equipped floaters and sprayers.
• Variable Rate Fertilizer – Smith-Kem’s variable rate technology machines enable precise application of different prescribed rates of fertilizer to the specific areas where needed, assuring the most cost-effective input
• GIS Services – In conjunction with Simplot, Smith-Kem can help analyze your soil types to customize the precise placement of your field inputs.  Smith-Kem GPS equipment can also map out your field boundaries, measure field acreage, and precisely locate field areas needing various attentions to increase your yields and profitability.
• Soil/Plant Tissue Testing – Smith-Kem works in conjunction with Soiltest Farm Consultants to perform soil tests to maintain field fertility and plant testing to identify crop fertility needs.

History

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.

n 1975 Jimmie incorporated Smith-Kem and added two more family members to meet the growing needs of his customer base. Jimmie’s son Joel Smith and son-in-law Andy Erickson became part of the quickly growing company.  In 2000, Joel Smith then retired to pursue other interests, leaving Andy and his wife Laurie as the sole owners.

Currently, Andy and Laurie Erickson spend much of their time traveling, leaving the company in the highly experienced and capable hands of Manager Richard Brown, who has been with Smith-Kem for 35 years.  Smith-Kem continues to thrive and maintain a significant portion of the market niche in Kittitas Valley because of the dedication and skills of the current management and invaluable employees.