b'SEED GROWERBridging the Gap forNew Seed GrowersFrom soil sampling at the CFIA to acting as the president of the Alberta Seed Growers, Renee Hoyme brings her knowledge back to her family farm and emerging seed growers.AS A THIRD-generation commercial grain farmer and first- When Hoyme began inspecting seed, her family decided generation pedigree seed producer, Renee Hoyme neverit was time to diversify the farm. The family utilized Hoymes expected that her life would be where it is today. background knowledge of crop inspection to start growing Hoyme grew up on her family farm, DeWindt Farms, whichseed. Their first successful crop was in 2012, making 2022 the is now run by Hoyme, her husband Geoff and her parents,10th year DeWindt Farms has grown seed.Harry and Barb DeWindt. The farm was acquired in the 1960sAfter completing her three-year probation as a seed grower, by Harrys parents, Cornelius and Dieuwke Deet DeWindt.Hoyme was quickly recruited for the Alberta Seed Growers Cornelius and Dieuwke had immigrated from the Netherlands(ASG) board eight years ago. Despite the excitement of being to Edmonton, Alta. where they then bought the family farminvited to join, she was overwhelmed with uncertainty, as she outside of Thorhild, Alta. The farm previously had a dairy andhad no former board experience. Yet Hoyme believed this was pig operation, but the family decided to grow strictly grainthe best move forward in the interest of the farm.when Hoyme was a teenager. I wanted to get my feet wet with the society and the industry While Hoyme originally went to the University of Albertabecause we were so new to it. Getting my foot in the door and to become a veterinarian, she ultimately decided to pursuegaining more background knowledge for our farm would help a degree in agriculture and was hired by the Canadian Foodme by being on the board, explains Hoyme in an interview Inspection Agency (CFIA) directly out of college for a term soilwith the Alberta Seed Guide.sampling positionshe has worked at the CFIA for the past 15The road was not easy for Hoyme. Since her background was years. Hoyme then accepted a permanent position as an animalin crop growing, she was unfamiliar with the storage aspect of programs inspector, where she conducted crop inspectionthe industry.during the summer months from 2009 to 2011 and potatoDo you understand that once you become a seed grower, inspection from 2012 to 2016. if you bring cleaned, graded seed back on farm, you need to Combines lined up in a freshly harvested field at DeWindt Farms in Thorhild, Alta. PHOTO: RENEE HOYME22seed.ab.ca'