b"He worked under Harvey Beacome and when Beacome left, Rod was offered the job as plant manager, thus beginning what has so far been a quarter of a decade career.Dads kind of run this place basically like its his own kind of thing. We have a board of directors and whatnot, but its a business to us that weve kind of grown up with, Jarret explains.Since Jarret has come on board full time at the plant seven years ago, business has increased. The plant provides both pedigreed and common seed cleaning services. Over the past decade, crop production in the area has rose as more farmers have switched from chem fallowing to seeding every acre each year, which has raised demand for seed cleaning services.To cope with the increased business, Foremost has added a second seed cleaning line to its plant. Seed volume has been hovering around the one million bushels mark and before adding the second line, the staff were working 15-to-18-hour days starting in October through seeding time. Were doing just as much or more and putting in less hours. Now we're back to our normal kind of 10-hour days. So, it's improved that way, Jarret explains. Adding they are working to add another colour sorter in order to have one on each line.The original plant, including bins, is still used. Its a tin structure with a metal frame, which Jarret says has allowed them to upgrade and add equipment to it easily. They have also built on to the back of structure, adding the second line andThe Foremost Co-operative Seed Cleaning Plant was built in 1973 and has been new receiving pits. upgraded and expanded over the decades. When these plants first started in 73, they weren't designed to handle the volumes that Rod puts through now. They weren'tcan see that progression and Rod's good at it.designed to handle the trucks and the equipment that existsEach year something new is added or upgraded on the plant today, John says. It's really important to have somebody thatdepending on what year end financials are like.There's always even a small or medium upgrade every year that's doing something to it. Because if you don't do that, then you kind of fall behind and then eventually you will have to build a new one, Jarret explains.Seed CleaningA Family AffairKeeping a seed cleaning plant going with knowledgeable staff isnt an easy job, and the Foremost Plants board knows how lucky they are to have the Granbergs working there.Foremost has had its trying moments where you might have to hire new management and it's difficult, John says. With Jarret coming in and working alongside Rod for years basically, thats so much different than somebody just coming in and then having to learn the system right from scratch.Johns family has cleaned seed at Foremost for their pedigreed seed business, Tony Crooymans and Sons, since the planted was built. With Rod having been there for decades and now Jarret working there too, they understand Johns business and the seed cleaning he requires. When your product goes in and it comes back out there's quality there. And for us, as a seed grower, that's WheatDurumBarleyOatsPeasFlax really important. For as long as we've been there now, they ScaleTreatingBlendingBagging understand our business, he explains.For Jarret working at the plant he grew up visiting his dad at Contact: Carl Huvenaars and working part-time at, he sees the importance of keeping it Phone: 403-654-5094 going for the community. E-mail: [email protected] I grew up in Foremost, now I'm raising my family in Foremost. Box 114Hays, AlbertaT0K 1B0 So, it's kind of nice, he says. Ashley Robinson28seed.ab.ca"