b'BEATING THE CLOCKPeople thought it couldnt be done, but Western Canadas largest family-owned pedigreed seed processing facility has opened its doors after less than six months of construction.Marc ZienkiewiczMANITOBAS PITURA SEEDSrecently opened the largest family-owned pedigreed seed processing operation in Western Canada, and it really beat the clock to make it happen. From start to finish, it took less than six months to constructa feat that company president Tom Greaves said was accomplished with a lot of organization, plan-ning, and good old-fashioned elbow grease.The state-of-the-art cleaning facility will process 1,000 bushels per hourwith the potential to double capacityand will focus on cereals and soybeans.To be able to triple your previous capacity is a huge boon for any business, says Greaves. To see it finally open is really gratifying.The new structure is located north of the current business, approximately three miles west of the town of Domain, Man. Pitura Seeds was established in the 1950s by Carl and Clara Pitura. Their son Calvin and daughter-in-law Barbara Strath-Pitura came into the business in 1978, seeing opportunity for producing high-quality pedigreed seed. The multi-generational business now includes their son Connor Pitura, who manages the seed farm along with son-in-law Greaves, in addition to 11 other full-time staff.The family seed farm is only two years away from turning 100.Seed grower Mark Anseeuw says the spirit behind the new seed plantand the drive to get it finished so quicklyis a testament to the familys commitment to agriculture and the community.Its always nice to deliver to a high-throughput facil-ityyou can get your seed cleaned quickly and deliver it quickly. Professionalismthats the one word that describes the Pitura family, from top to bottom, he says.For seed grower Rick Nychuk, the new facility is a tes-tament to the Pitura familys passion for seed, love of their community and their dedication to producers.36GERMINATION.CA SEPTEMBER 2019'