NEWS

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NEWS

Pickseed Canada closes Ontario seed corn production plant

Lindsay, Ontario, Canada
January, 2000

On January 18, 2000 PICKSEED Canada Inc. announced it will close its seed corn production plant at Tilbury, Ontario and outsource seed corn requirements.

The critical issues surrounding this decision are based solidly on the objective that PICKSEED recognizes the need to produce seed corn of impeccable quality and based on the newest genetics and enhancements demanded by the Canadian producer.

PICKSEED has developed a special niche in the expanding Canadian seed corn market. The company has chosen to focus on special hybrids for silage production. These hybrids are Leafy types with high total tonnage yield, plus large, soft kernels to ensure maximum digestibility and energy utilization. Another category of hybrid that PICKSEED produces is based on high grain yields of similar soft starch corn to maximize effective on-farm consumption.

All outsourcing will be directed to specialized seed corn producers situated on land that is 100% irrigated. The company believes that irrigated production is critical in today’s environment of high input costs. Parent seed to produce hybrid seed crops has accelerated dramatically in cost. Planting patterns are more complex, demanding more field flexibility - leading to the use of open textured soils - soils generally requiring irrigation.

Martin Pick, Vice-President states that; "while PICKSEED regrets any pull-back in its resources and integrated production, the economics of retaining Ontario-based production, plus adding handling modifications to the plant to adapt to these new hybrids simply didn't work." He adds;" the federal government didn’t help us either when we requested assistance in clearing a special seed treatment demanded by U.S. export customers. Our inability to provide them seed, treated to their specifications, killed our export business and the ability to build a critical volume mass that would have justified necessary capital expenditures. Surprisingly, Agriculture Canada didn’t even return calls on the issue."

Sam Sheriff, B.Sc. formerly the manager of the Tilbury plant has been named Product Manager - PICKSEED Hybrid Corn.

PICKSEED Canada Inc. is a major supplier of forage seeds, including the highly successful PICKSEED 8920MF multifoliolate alfalfa, and hybrid corn and silage inoculants to the Canadian farming sector. In addition, the company is one of the largest producers of certified forage and turf seeds in Canada with plants and production in Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Dawson Creek, B.C. The company exports seeds around the world. PICKSEED Canada Inc. is part of the PICKSEED Companies Group.

Company news release
N2467

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