Randy Court – 2016 Robertson Associate Award Recipient

Prior to farming, Randy worked in forage variety selection, barley breeding, and pesticide research. He is a current director with Seed Depot Corp. and an active member of the Prairie Grain Development Committee disease evaluation team for wheat, rye, and triticale plus barley and oats.

Randy and his wife Jeanine moved from Winnipeg, Man., and took possession of a small mixed farm northeast of Plumas in 1980. Being a first generation farmer, Randy quickly discovered that livestock requires a unique mindset, and the cattle were quickly sold and replaced with another tractor. They began to produce seed in 1982, under contract and built their first seed processing plant in 1985.

They received Select grower status in the early 1990s, with crop certificates having been received for spring and winter wheat, barley, oats, canola, peas, lentils, soybeans and potatoes. Greenhouses were added to the farm in 1987, and the business grew over the next few years to its current size. It currently consists of a new cleaning facility, a large seed retail business and 20,000 square feet of commercial greenhouse space.

Randy and Jeanine farm 3,700 acres of cropland, with two additional full-time personnel along with numerous seasonal employees. With the addition of daughter Tracy to the partnership, they can now offer full agronomy services to their customer base. Tracy also works as a licensed seed crop inspector, and son Gary is an independent contract software developer in Calgary.

The family also has additional acres to supply the increasing demand for pedigreed seed. They recently celebrated over 34 years of seed production, 31 years of seed processing and 25 years of Select status.
When not growing seed, Randy and Jeanine enjoy time at their cabin in the Whiteshell Provincial Park, and when possible, try to spend a portion of the winter in Mexico.