Company History: The J. W. Kerns implement business was started by James Walter Kerns in 1921. He sold Minneapolis Molene Equipment, farm chemicals and feed. In 1934, J.W. added the International Harvester Line. By the time James William Kerns, his oldest son, had returned form WWII, his father had added irrigation pipe to his line of inventory. James Walter Kerns retired in 1946. By 1968, James William had narrowed the product line down to specifically agricultural irrigation. J. W. Kerns, Inc. was purchased from James William Kerns and his brothers John and Ben, by it's employee's through an ESOP, with JWK Development, L.L.C. holding outside stock.