Marc Bercier – Robertson Associate Award Recipient 2018

Marc is an Ontario-based farmer, businessman, environmentalist and mentor for many young farmers. He currently produces 2,700 acres of seeds.

Marc has built a natural habitat on the farm, as well as made it a pollinator-friendly site. This natural habitat has become a research location for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural affairs (OMAFRA), and university students conduct research there throughout the year.

Marc and his wife Chantal are equal partners of Marc Bernier Seed Cleaning Inc., located in St-Isidore, Ontario. They met between 1983-1985 while completing their studies at Alfred College. In 1986, Marc acquired his very first cleaner with the encouragement from his father. Initially, Marc cleaned 200 MT per year. Since then, cleaning capacity has doubled every year.

Marc’s history in the industry makes for quite a story. It’s 1988. Marc becomes a high-quality plot seed grower. In 1990, he cleans 2,000 MT of soybeans, which he exports to Asia. Marc quickly realizes the link between agriculture and food. It’s in 1996 that his company is incorporated and becomes Bercier Seed Cleaning Centre Inc. Over the years, the Cleaning Centre continues to evolve and expand. Important business relationships are established from Southern Ontario up to the Maritimes and Europe. In 2015 the farm becomes incorporated and is named Ferme Agriber Inc.

He recently became a partner in a new company, Uniseeds. The company holds genetics for and specializes in hemp crops. His business relationships include clients in Ontario, Quebec, Europe and Asia.

An all-around business success story.

Aside from the Cleaning Centre, Marc and Chantal are also producers. They cultivate wheat, corn, soy and hemp. Their son Guillaume completed his studies in agriculture and is now in charge of the fields. He is the fourth generation of Berciers on the farm. They also have a daughter, Jacinthe, who works in physiotherapy in an Ottawa hospital.

Marc and Chantal hope to continue for a couple more years. They wish to produce hemp-based products, such as nutrition bars, dyes and construction blocks. Marc organizes hemp conferences with the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA), the University of Vermont and involves himself in other hemp-related partnerships.