b"SEED PLANT PROFILEBroadening AppealThe Provost Co-operative Seed Cleaning Plant is boosting its business by drawing farmers from farther away. LEON TERNAN has been farming in Luseland, Sask. for nearly five decades. For years, hed been using local businesses to clean his seed, but that changed last March when he decided to give the Provost Co-operative Seed Cleaning Plant, located just over the border in Alberta, a try. As Ternan will tell you, hes very happy he did. We thought that we would try something different, so we looked at Provost. We had them clean about 10,000 bushels of barley for seed, and our experience was so positive that we bought a membership in the co-operative, says Ternan, who grows malt barley, spring wheat, durum, canola, lentils, and green and yellow peas.Ternan notes his farm is about an hour away from Provost but he says the speed and efficiency of the towns seed cleaning plant make it well worth the extra time it takes to get there. We wanted to support them because it was such a professionally run organization, explains Ternan. The staff was exceptionally helpful andHugh Baier (left), manager of Provost Co-operative Seed Clean Plant, alongside operators Cole Angeltvedt friendly, and it was just one of the most(centre) and Lucas Kemper (right).PHOTOS: MARGE WOLFE.positive business experiences that Ive ever had. Thats what prompted us towhere they can create new farmland byvery focused on the quality of the product want to be a part of it. clearing it, were not making any newthat we deliver as well, Baier says.Hugh Baier is the manager of theland around here. So, any increase inBaier notes his plant doesnt deal with Provost Co-operative Seed Cleaningour business has to come from farmerspedigreed seed, but that doesnt mean Plant, a job hes been doing for 25coming from a longer distance. the seed cleaning which takes place years. He says customers like TernanThe plant builds its customer basethere isnt of the highest standard.are not unique as the plant has beenby being efficient to make the extraWe're in a unique area, as far as seed actively working to expand its businesstrucking time worth it, Baier explains.plants in the province of Alberta go. We by attracting more farmers from furtherWhen a customer arrives, they will havedon't have any seed growers around us away. him come into the plant and have aat all. We don't clean certified seed here, I am a firm believer that if you don'tcoffee while they unload the grain, cleanso everything we do is common seed, grow, you stagnate, says Baier. In theit and reload the truck.he says. area we're in, unlike perhaps in northernWe're very focused on the quality ofThat being said though, they treat Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewancustomer service we deliver, and we'reall of the grain which comes into their 28seed.ab.ca"