The Foundation was established by Kay Kobata in 2014. Kay graduated from Wilson Creek High School in 1955, attended Central Washington University and Western State College concentrating his studies on business management.

Kay began farming in 1949 with his father, Sam, his brother Roy and two uncles. His father bought out one uncle in 1950 and the other uncle in 1961. The Kobata family raised potatoes, onions, wheat and corn and other crops on their Stratford farm. In addition Sam Kobata had invested in a successful food processing company known as Pronto Foods, Inc. Kay Kobata became the surviving member of the family farming operation in 1978.

Kay Kobata established the Sam I. Kobata & Sons Foundation to encourage students graduating from high schools to study the agricultural sciences in college. Kay is particularly interested in helping high school graduates and encouraging them to advance the agricultural sciences.