The founder of Lefsrud Seed talks about the importance of expanding the seedgrower community and inspiring the next generation.
Ed Lefsrud’s journey from a college student obsessed with farm equipment to being a legend in Canada’s seed sector has spanned decades, but the Viking-based founder of Lefsrud Seed isn’t one to focus on the past.
At 79, his decades of experience offer valuable insights into the evolving challenges of modern farming, the critical role of seed growers, and the need to inspire the next generation — especially young women — to carry the industry forward.
Today, the Lefsrud farm is a 5,000-acre retail and processing operation and canola seed supplier via 6 King Genetics, which is now run by son Kevin and daughter-in-law Kyla with ongoing support from wife Ellen and Ed.
Lefsrud always knew he wanted to be a farmer and credits his father for that inspiration. After high school, he pursued his farming dream by attending Lakeland College’s agriculture program, where he became very interested in farm-related machinery.
Upon graduation from Lakeland’s Vermilion campus, he found himself headed in an unexpected direction when the college’s principal, Bill Baranyk, said there was a job waiting for him at Agriculture Canada in Edmonton.
“We inspected all the pedigreed seed that was being planted, coming out of 100-pound jute bags that were hand sewn. It was a great experience, and I met some wonderful farmers along the way,” Lefsrud recalls.
His career eventually brought him back to the family farm near Viking, where his grandfather, an immigrant from Norway, settled in the early 1900s. It officially became a century farm in 2003.
“We’re still on the same piece of ground, although it’s a bit bigger now,” he says with a chuckle.
Lefsrud has witnessed tremendous changes in farming over the years as Lefsrud Seed has grown to offer canola, oat, barley, pea, wheat, sunflower and flax seed.
“Most farms around here used to be around 600 acres. Now, they’re multiple sections, and much of the growth has been during my 60-plus years of farming.”
While he takes pride in the advancements, he also acknowledges the challenges, particularly with how farming communities have become more distant from each other.
“Neighbours used to be next door; now they’re miles away. But the seed grower community is coast-to-coast, and we’ve learned to thrive despite those distances.”
One thing that remains unchanged for Lefsrud is his commitment to the seed grower community. He’s been involved with the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association (CSGA) for decades, attending meetings, advocating for seed growers, and mentoring the next generation of farmers. He received the CSGA’s Robertson Associate award in 2007, and Lakeland College honoured him with its Distinguished Alumni award in 2016.
“Sometimes you get pushed or mentored in a certain direction,” he says. “I started growing seed in 1971 and I know the importance of nurturing the next generation. So, recruiting young people — especially women — into the seed industry has been a big focus of mine in recent years.”
Sarah Weigum, a seed grower based in Three Hills and a member of the Alberta-British Columbia Seed Growers (ABCSG) board of directors, remembers her early days attending seed grower meetings after returning to the farm in 2011. She didn’t know Lefsrud very well at the time, but he was often one of the voices that stood out to her.
It wasn’t until the Seed Synergy discussions began in 2017 that the pair began to connect on a deeper level.
As the Seed Synergy initiative ramped up and discussions began about the CSGA amalgamating with Canada’s four other seed industry associations (CSGA members would ultimately vote against the proposed amalgamation), their conversations became more frequent and in-depth.
“We both really value independent thought,” Weigum says, noting how their shared views on the important role of seed growers in the grand scheme of the seed sector sparked many memorable discussions.
“He was always encouraging me to speak up in meetings, not wanting just a few voices to dominate. He encourages everyone to contribute, and to really make it an open dialogue.”
What she found particularly inspiring about Lefsrud was his openness. He wasn’t afraid to share his thoughts, but he was equally willing to listen, she says.
“He didn’t fit any preconceived mold. He could be opinionated, but he could also surprise you with his responses to what others had to say, which made you want to keep listening. I guess that’s the sort of quality that only comes with experience, which Ed has a lot of.”
Lefsrud’s daughter-in-law Kyla couldn’t agree more. She says her father-in-law has an incredible passion for teaching anyone who shows even a hint of interest in agriculture how to do the job — something that benefitted her greatly when she became a seed grower herself.
“He’s constantly ready to share what he knows. People really value his expertise, and he’s become the go-to person for advice for so many,” Kyla adds.
Lefsrud emphasizes the importance of community and collaboration, noting how vital it is to attend the Prairie Grain Development Committee (PGDC) meetings, which bring together seed growers, researchers and industry professionals.
“The PGDC is one of the biggest advantages we have in Canada,” he says. “What we turn out is really the best grain in the world because of the work that is done there. Seed growers and farmers are some of the most important people on earth. They feed the world. Without them, what do we have?”
