Fremont lands seed firm

FREMONT — Some are calling it the town’s worst-kept secret.

Ferry-Morse Seed has set up shop in Fremont. The company’s been in town for a few months.

It’s just that several agencies assisting the company on locating in Fremont have been a bit slow to announce the news.

However, Ferry-Morse is having an open house today for government officials and family of employees of the company, which has between 40 and 50 people working. And news of it locating here is finally coming out.

Ferry-Morse’s investment commitment to the state was $1.8 million, said Phil Johnson of the IEDC.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. offered Ferry-Morse Seed up to $100,000 in performance-based tax credits based on the company’s job-creation plans. The Town of Fremont will consider additional property tax abatement at the request of the Steuben County Economic Development Corp. and the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership.

“The town of Fremont welcomes the Ferry-Morse Seed Company to our community and looks forward to many years of economic success for the company and the community,” said Chris Snyder, town manager. “Ferry-Morse will occupy an existing 120,000 square-foot facility revitalizing an underutilized asset along with bringing needed jobs to the community."

At present, the company is operating a distribution-center type of operation, those familiar with its operations said.

The company is operating in the former Indiana Wire building in Fremont at 803 S. Reed Road.

Ferry-Morse has been in operation since 1856. In addition to its namesake seed line, the company also has another seed brand, Lilly Miller, and brands that provide growing media and gifts for the gardener. The company, founded in Detroit, is headquartered in Fulton, Ky.