Lindsay, Ontario
March 2,  2001

PICKSEED Canada Inc. announces that it has purchased a grass seed conditioning facility located at Dawson Creek, British Columbia from United Grain Growers. (U.G.G.)

Dawson Creek is situated in the "western Peace" in Northeastern British Columbia at the famous Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway. The physical location of the plant is at Mile 02 and is likely Canada’s most northerly grass seed processing plant.

The farming area served from this point extends northwest to and beyond Fort St. John, BC and then east and south to include Beaverlodge and other fescue producing areas of Northwestern Alberta.

PICKSEED Canada has been active in this area since 1981 when it acquired the forage and turfgrass division of Maple Leaf Mills, which included a local buying station. Since that time, PICKSEED has been contracting production of its proprietary varieties and accumulating common seed; - most of which was shipped to its plant in Edmonton’s Sherwood Park for conditioning.

The acquisition of the UGG plant means more seed to accumulate, more conditioning capacity and logistical economies.

Gino Morrone, who operated this facility for UGG has joined PICKSEED in the same capacity assuring a smooth transition for the growers and for PICKSEED.

PICKSEED has expanded its activities in this area to include production of many of the superior, proprietary turf grass products developed within the PICKSEED Companies Group.

The addition of this facility adds to PICKSEED’s existing conditioning locations at Sherwood Park, AB, Winnipeg, MB and Lindsay, ON.

The PICKSEED Companies Group includes PICKSEED Canada Inc., PICKSEED West Inc. & Roberts Seed of Tangent, OR, Mapleseed - a division of PICKSEED Canada and Seeds Ohio, West Jefferson, OH. The companies specialize in Turf and Forage seeds of superior cultivars.

Company news release
N3356