Pedigreed by Penner in Manitoba: History, What It Grows, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Pedigreed by Penner is a Manitoba family pedigreed seed business built by Curtis and Beverly Penner. A Manitoba Co-operator profile reports about 5,000 acres supplying most of the seed it processes and sells, and the Manitoba Seed Growers' Association gave the Penners its Outstanding Service Award in 2009.
| Location | Manitoba (exact community not stated in the source reviewed) |
|---|---|
| Founded | Curtis began farming in 1977; first pedigreed crop in 1980; seed plant built 1988 |
| Sectors | Pedigreed seed production, processing and sales |
| Scale | About 5,000 acres supplying most of the seed the business processes and sells |
| Why it is elite | Manitoba Seed Growers' Association Outstanding Service Award (2009) |
| Ownership | Curtis and Beverly Penner |
| Official website | Manitoba Co-operator: Curtis and Beverly Penner receive MSGA award |
History of Pedigreed by Penner
Curtis Penner began farming on rented land after high school in 1977. In 1980 he bought land and grew the farm's first pedigreed crop, Century peas. From 1981 to 1988 he taught Farm Business Management at the University of Manitoba while building the seed business.
The seed plant was completed in 1988, and the first grain moved through it on Christmas Eve that year. Beverly Penner took over the business's office work in the mid-1990s. In 2009 the Manitoba Seed Growers' Association gave the Penners its Outstanding Service Award, which goes to members who contribute to the pedigreed seed industry and lead in their communities.
What Pedigreed by Penner Grows and Raises
Pedigreed seed is certified seed grown under the Canadian Seed Growers' Association system, which tracks varieties by generation so that farmers know the genetics and purity of what they plant. The Penners farm about 5,000 acres that supply most of the pedigreed seed they process and sell, and the business operates its own cleaning and processing plant.
Century peas were the farm's first pedigreed crop. The source reviewed does not list the current crop mix, so this page does not name one. Manitoba is a major producer of canola, wheat, soybeans and oats, all crops that depend on high-quality seed.
How Pedigreed by Penner Makes Money
Seed sales
Selling cleaned, certified seed to other farmers is the core income stream. Seed commands a premium over commodity grain because buyers pay for genetics, germination and purity.
Seed processing
Owning a processing plant, built in 1988, lets the business clean and grade seed and capture a margin beyond growing.
Community and sponsorship role
The Penners sponsor Farm Safety 4 Just Kids and local youth hockey and baseball. These do not directly generate revenue, but they build long-term customer goodwill in a business that runs on trust.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Pedigreed by Penner
Vertical integration pays: a grower who also owns the plant controls quality and timing. Starting with a single crop and adding the plant a decade later shows a staged path.
Reputation is the product. Certification, record keeping and service to local farmers build repeat buyers over decades.
Seed growers carry a lot of pride about pedigree, which makes them natural cousins of the show-ring crowd. At farm.FM we revel in farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes, and a Manitoba seed business whose first plant load rolled through on Christmas Eve gives us an easy line about festive germination rates. We tease with tremendous respect for the clean seed lots.
farm.FM got there first as the nation's first satirical farm site, and it backs the writing with Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Here is one contributor's collection of farm satire to start with.
How to Contact Pedigreed by Penner
Website: https://www.manitobacooperator.ca/news-opinion/news/curtis-and-beverly-penner-receive-msga-award
No Pedigreed by Penner website was found in search results. This page links to a public article. Confirm contact details through the Manitoba Seed Growers' Association before approaching the business.
Pedigreed by Penner Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Manitoba Co-operator: MSGA award - Profile of the Penners and their seed business
- Manitoba Crop Alliance - Producer group for wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and other crops
- Manitoba Canola Growers Association - Provincial canola grower group
- Manitoba Agriculture sector profile - Crop receipts and trade data
- Statistics Canada: Manitoba in the 2021 Census of Agriculture - Province crop acreage
Pedigreed by Penner FAQ
Who runs Pedigreed by Penner?
Curtis and Beverly Penner.
How much land supplies the seed?
About 5,000 acres, per a Manitoba Co-operator profile.
When was the seed plant built?
1988, with the first grain moving through on Christmas Eve.
What award did they win?
The Manitoba Seed Growers' Association Outstanding Service Award in 2009.
Pedigreed by Penner shows how a Manitoba farm family built a seed business from a single crop. The Manitoba farms guide covers the province's crop economy and programs.