Morinville Seed Cleaning Plant seeks $1 million for facility upgrades 

by Stephen Dafoe 

The Morinville Seed Cleaning Plant is launching a $1 million fundraising campaign to modernize its aging facility and enhance its operations. This initiative addresses financial challenges and improves efficiency, including updating systems and reducing truck unloading times.  

A long history in the area 

In the spring of 1948, farmers and municipal councillors met to address the municipality’s growing weed infestation, traced to the planting of improperly cleaned or uncleaned grain.  

Built in the mid-seventies with funding from Sturgeon County and the Government of Alberta, the Morinville Seed Cleaning Co-op Ltd. became a cooperative owned by member shareholders who were bona fide farmers. The new facility replaced an aging location, governed by an agreement that continued until two years ago.  

Under the agreement, the County was responsible for overseeing its investment, had the right to seize assets if the plant was mismanaged, and was obligated to provide contingency or maintenance loans if and when needed.  

Morinville Seed Cleaning Co-op Ltd. Board Chair Ward Middleton said Sturgeon County desired to end the arrangement a few years ago. The province was also willing to exit the agreement as well. 

Independence raises challenges 

The previous county agreement stated that on dissolution or divestiture of the business, municipal and provincial funds would have had to be repaid at 1% above prime back to 1975, which would have consumed most of the property’s value. Mutually ending the agreement removed this obligation and a guaranteed creditor for the seed plant.   

Exiting the agreement with Sturgeon County meant the board had to make some decisions: sell the property, partner with another entity, or rejuvenate the existing facility and business. The membership decided to pursue the latter option. 

“This is a democratic process, and those people who were willing to come to the meeting of the membership would like to have a place that will stay and continue to be here because it is a key part of independence or sovereignty for a farm business,” Middleton said. “It’s the cog that allows them to retain, save the seed, clean it and replant it.” 

On their own, and now wholly owning the facility, the cooperative membership had the challenge of finding their funding elsewhere. 

Upgrades needed 

Despite its age, the Seed Cleaning Plant offers significant value for those member shareholders, the property being adjacent to the CN rail line. However, the outdated facility struggles to handle the modern logistics of large, super B tractor-trailers, and its financial stability has been a concern in recent years. 

Middleton contrasted the Westlock Seed Cleaning Plant, which he said has thrived with a robust business model. Managed effectively for the past 35 years, it attracts large seed growers by offering cleaning services, storage, and even reselling options. This success has led many local seed growers to favour Westlock, leaving smaller facilities like the Morinville Seed Cleaning Plant grappling with losing business and the challenges of maintaining an older plant. 

Looking to raise $1 million for facility upgrades 

The board aims to raise $1 million for facility revitalization, potentially more if needed. The funds will support business development, refurbish systems such as the dust collection setup, and enhance operational efficiency. For instance, replacing the current unloading system— which takes 1 hour and 40 minutes for a Super B truck—with a bucket elevator could cut unloading time in half. These upgrades seek to attract larger farmers back to the facility. 

The Morinville facility remains one of the few in the province with a zero-tolerance policy for Fusarium, a pathogenic disease affecting cereal grains. Farmers must test their grain at a lab to ensure it is free from this fungal contamination, underscoring the plant’s commitment to maintaining high standards of seed cleaning. 

“Going forward, if you’re a member, we are now going to cover the cost of that testing, which is going to cost us out-of-pocket,” Middleton said, noting they hope the expense makes the Morinville plant an attractive place to do business, which in turn could result in expanding their customer base. The facility currently has about 200 customers. “My hope is that we will have rekindled an engaged customer base who are members.” 

The Morinville Seed Cleaning Plant will seek investors starting this August, and the cooperative will strive to make the opportunities competitive with those available from the bank. 

“Some of those investment options are only available to the members, the actual cooperative members, but some are open to the wider community and looking for people who might have more of a social conscience interest in maintaining some of that local food security,” Middleton said.  

Those interested in learning about investing options can contact Ward Middleton through the Morinville Seed Cleaning Co-Op Ltd. at 780-939-4021 or their website at morinvilleseed.ca.