(Prosper, ND) – It’s a legacy of commitment to agriculture that goes back decades. And this year, it’s a celebration of not only the past but what lies ahead in the future.
Peterson Farms Seed was founded 30 years ago in 1995 by Carl and Julie Peterson, to serve growers and the broader agricultural community in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. Stemming from tough times in the early 1990s in the Red River Valley, the Peterson’s had a goal and vision to serve their local agricultural community with seed that they would plant confidently on their own farm. That turned into one of the largest independent seed companies in the United States.
“You know, we’ve had a lot of fun and it’s just been great,” said Carl Peterson. “We started out just on the farm selling a little bit of seed to our close neighbors and we’re still selling seed to pretty much our neighbors. It’s been a great run.”
Peterson said things quickly became about the ability to serve the farmer and the farmer’s needs in the region and that launched them into selling many different types of seed varieties over the last 30 years. “We started out selling some public varieties and very quickly pivoted into private licensed soybeans,” according to Peterson. “Then, you know, a few years later we added corn and now we’ve added wheat and we’re experimenting with other crops.”
And Peterson says the company continues to look forward in their mission to serve farmers across the Northern Plains region.
“Here’s how I look at it. When I was 15, nobody was growing any corn in our region. Sunflowers had not really taken off. Canola hadn’t even been invented yet. And, you know, wheat was kind of king,” according to Peterson.
“If you fast forward now with soybeans and corn expanding, agriculture looks completely different than it did 35, 40 years ago. And, you know, we recognize that if you think agriculture 30 years from now is going to look the same, that’s just not what’s going to happen. I don’t know what it’s going to look like. But as a company, we’re looking forward to seeing what those kinds of things might be.”
The company is holding an anniversary celebration on its farm in Prosper, ND on Wednesday, July 30th at 5pm. Peterson says it’s going to be a celebration with food, fun and more. “I mean, if you’re gonna have a party, you gotta have food, right? And, you know, some beverages of various kinds, and we’ve got a band and, you know, we don’t have a big program,” according to Peterson.
He added “we’re not gonna stand around and go, oh yeah, remember back when? No, we’re not doing that. We’re celebrating 30 years. But also, you know, I kind of look at it as a launch of the next 30 years. We’re building the team that will carry the company forward, because we do want to remain independent. We’re one of the few totally and completely independent companies left in this part of the country in this industry. And I think there’s a need for that. And it feels pretty good.”
Learn more about their 30 years of business at https://www.petersonfarmsseed.com/celebrating-30-years-of-independence-peterson-farms-seeds-journey/
Learn more online at www.petersonfarmsseed.com. Hear the full conversation between Jesse Allen and Carl Peterson below.
