Lebanon Seaboard Corporation now in its 80th Year

The success of Preen® and Kathy Bishop’s 40 years of excellence

LEBANON, PA, UNITED STATES, August 25, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Family owned and domestically produced, Preen stands as a leader in garden pre-emergent weed prevention. Now, over 50 years after its acquisition by Lebanon Chemical Corporation, Preen^® stands as their flagship product, offering a trusted name to a company that has deep roots within the community. In the outdoor, lawn, and garden sectors, few product lines hold as commanding a position as Preen^®. Identifiable by its vibrant yellow packaging, Preen has earned an undeniable place as the gold standard in garden weed prevention, trusted by millions of homeowners, master gardeners, and commercial landscapers across North America.

This foundation was set in 1947 following the acquisition of a fifty percent ownership stake by Vernon Bishop in Central Chemical Corporation. Driven by technical ingenuity and business ambition, Bishop purchased Central Chemical’s remaining stake in 1953 to become sole owner, promptly renaming the company to Lebanon Chemical Corporation. This drive to continuously innovate and adapt to the changing landscape of the industry has defined the 80-year history of the company. Remaining under the same family since its inception, Lebanon Seaboard Corporation stands today as a testament as to how strong leadership and a continued commitment to the local community can define a business.

Following a number of key acquisitions and expansions through its early years, Lebanon Chemical Corporation made the decision to take a chance on a little-known specialty weed preventer named Preen^®. In 1974, the company purchased Eli Lilly’s consumer division (Greenfield, based in Greenfield, Indiana), eventually building Preen^® into the household name that it is today. Alongside Preen^®, this acquisition also gave Lebanon Chemical Corporation the rights to the retail line of fertilizer known as Greenfield (which was subsequently rebranded as Greenview). Over the next 50 years, Preen^® was transformed from an obscure specialty product into an industry titan that redefines how Americans care for their garden beds. Innovations such as Preen Extended Control (delivering up to six months of continuous prevention), Preen Garden Weed Preventer with Plant Food, and organic formulas have expanded the brand into every retail home center and garden retailer in the nation.

MILESTONE ACQUISITION: In 1974, Lebanon Chemical Corporation purchased Eli Lilly’s consumer division, acquiring a little-known specialty weed preventer named Preen. Over nearly 50 years under Lebanon Seaboard Corporation, Preen was transformed into an iconic household brand.

After its first forty years of existence, Lebanon Chemical Corporation was faced with a different type of adaptation. As the executive leadership team that defined the post-war expansion was approaching retirement, Vernon Bishop was tasked with appointing a new team to continue the innovation that defined the early years of the company. To accomplish this, he turned to a familiar name, that of his daughter, Katherine “Kathy” Bishop to be the general manager for the farm operations division. Now nearly 40 years later, Kathy Bishop still stands as the head of the company, now called Lebanon Seaboard Corporation, acting as a key catalyst to the continued growth that the company has undergone.

This growth has been defined through a number of key acquisitions and business decisions that have allowed Lebanon Seaboard Corporation to continue to adapt to the changing landscape of the industry. In 1993, she facilitated the acquisition of Seaboard Seed Company, leading to the renaming of the company from Lebanon Chemical Corporation to Lebanon Seaboard Corporation and entry as a player into the wild bird feed sector with the Lyric^® brand.

In 1998, in a masterstroke of corporate strategy, she led the complete divestment of the company’s original core agricultural fertilizer business. This strategic shift redirected capital away from volatile farm commodity markets into high-margin consumer brands (anchored by Preen^®), consumer wild bird care, and professional golf and sports turf nutrition.

Brand Portfolio

Consumer Lawn Care: Greenview^® caters to Homeowner Lawns through its fairway-formula fertilizers, grass seeds, and weed control

Garden Maintenance: Preen^® caters to Home Gardens & Landscapes as a pre-emergent weed prevention with an extended 6-month control

Wild Bird Food: Lyric^® is a line of Consumer Bird Feeding that offer dust-free, high-nutrition bird food mixes

Wild Bird Food: Pine Tree Farms^® offers Consumer Bird Feeding through suet cakes, seed pucks, and specialty wildlife foods

Professional Turf: LebanonTurf^® and Country Club^® cater to Golf Courses & Stadiums through high-efficiency nitrogen release technologies (MESA^®, Expo^®, Meth-Ex^®)

Biological Health: ROOTs^® caters to Landscaping & Forestry through mycorrhizal fungi, beneficial bacteria, and bio stimulants

Foliar Nutrition: Emerald Isle™ rounds out the Golf Course Management through advanced liquid foliar micro-nutrients & soil conditioners

Alongside the commitment to industry, the Bishop family has also committed to bettering the community that surrounds its corporate headquarters. Vernon Bishop offered his support to the local Boy Scouts, United Way, and Rotary chapters, spending time as president of each organization. Alongside his wife, Doris, the Bishop’s donated to the renovation and expansion of the library on the campus of Lebanon Valley College, eventually having the library renamed to the Vernon and Doris Bishop Library. Kathy Bishop expanded on this when she donated to renovate the library for a second time in 2015, as well as establishing the Katherine J. Bishop Foundation in 2022, which aids in the funding of study abroad experiences for Lebanon Valley College students.

Now in its 80th year since Vernon Bishop’s investment, 2027 marks the company’s 80th anniversary. It also marks the 40-year anniversary of the passing of the torch to Kathy Bishop. In an industry that is defined by the box-store giants, Lebanon Seaboard Corporation stands as a pillar that has its roots deep within the local Lebanon community, that same community that has aided in building the company to what it is today. With the foundation of the company being strengthened by key strategic decisions that have stood the test of time, Lebanon Seaboard stands as the epitome of what a family-owned business should strive to achieve.

Historical Summary (1947–Present)
1947–1953: Founded by Vernon Bishop; UN malaria pesticide contract; acquired 100% ownership.

1954–1973: Mastered ureaform technology; rebuilt after 1957 fire; moved farm line to Baltimore.

1974–1992: Acquired Eli Lilly’s retail division (Greenview, Preen); expanded liquid fertilizers; Kathy Bishop joined in 1987.

1993–2007: Rebranded to Lebanon Seaboard Corporation; divested farm division (1998); launched MESA^® & Expo^®.

2008–Present: Acquired Emerald Isle, ROOTs, PHC division, Preen Extended Control, and Pine Tree Farms.

Lawrence Knorr
Lebanon Seaboard Corporation
media@lebsea.com
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn

Media gallery

About The Author

Written By: EIN Presswire