About Us

Distinct By Design

At BrettYoung, we strive to be a company like no other. We are proud of our strategic partnerships with world-class organizations through which we source leading technologies and genetics. We are passionate about delivering the products that help keep your business profitable while backing them with knowledge and experience. The ag industry has undergone significant change as consolidation continues and the number of choices declines.  Yet BrettYoung remains a family-owned company. We have strong connections to local markets where, along with investment in innovation and infrastructure, we continue to grow our presence. We succeed in our markets by bringing distinct choices that deliver performance and value. By design, our success is deeply rooted within your success; the two are intertwined and grow together. We are Distinct By Design and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Today we serve customers in three distinct markets:

• Seed and Crop Inputs - we provide crop input solutions to Canadian and US farmers including: BrettYoung brand canola and forage seed and Elite® brand corn and soybean seed. 
• Wholesale Forage and Turf - we partner with growers to produce forage and turf seed for domestic and export markets serving 40 countries around the world.
• Professional Turf and Reclamation - we provide a wide range of products and services to the professional turf and reclamation industry in Western Canada and Ontario.

Our People

As an innovative agricultural business, we strive for the highest level of professionalism in everything we do. This is a basic prerequisite in offering our customers premium solutions that add value to their businesses. We realize the success of BrettYoung is a direct result of each individual. Employees share in the responsibility for the ongoing growth and success of the company by providing their personal best. BrettYoung is characterized by the dynamism of a committed privately-held organization that challenges staff to take risks, view roadblocks as opportunities and to explore new ideas. Encouraging staff to demonstrate initiative and then working together to realize goals is what sets BrettYoung apart.

Our Culture

We foster a professional and welcoming environment built on passion and energy.
We act with integrity, always.

Our Purpose

To engage our customers and suppliers as partners.
To provide innovative seed solutions and industry leading service.
To encourage your growth in every way.

Our History

The origins of the modern day BrettYoung were a 1930’s woodworking plant producing step-ladders, incubators and coat trees for the T. Eaton Company. The transformation from a woodworking manufacturer to an international seed supplier started in 1934 when Bill Brett, owner of the woodworking operation, joined forces with one of his employees, Reg Young, and formed BrettYoung Limited-a seed trading company.

Over the years, we’ve added more seed varieties and products to the business. Chick feed, horticultural peat and legume inoculants were the first to be added to the business mix. Then alfalfa, clover and other forage seed varieties were added and by the early 1950’s production of turf seed varieties, particularly Kentucky Bluegrass, were added to the operation. As the seed business grew, BrettYoung completed construction on our first seed processing facility in 1953. By 1965 we completed a new and larger processing facility to handle its ever expanding business. Around this same time a processing facility for creeping red fescue was established in Rycroft, Alberta.

A notable highlight for BrettYoung came in 1968 when we won an export award for its seed sales to countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Poland, Italy and the United States.

1975 was a pivotal year in the history of the modern BrettYoung. That year Peter Dyck purchased the company after having worked for the company since 1947. BrettYoung continues to be 100% family-owned with plans to keep the company in the family for generations to come.

Over the years, BrettYoung has made a number of significant investments in order to better serve our customers and partners. A state-of-the-art seed coating facility was recently added and we’ve recently expanded our seed storage, blending and bagging capacity in our Winnipeg facility and improved blending and bagging throughput at their Calmar, Alberta location. 

Throughout our history, BrettYoung has maintained a reputation for honesty and integrity. “It is critical that this reputation be maintained for us to continue to be successful in exporting to markets in the US, South America, Europe and the Far East,” says Lloyd.

BrettYoung has kept its reputation and integrity clearly in sight, but Lloyd credits many others for the company’s success. “We are grateful to our processors, customers and suppliers who have made our long history possible and look forward to serving them in the years to come,” he says.

BrettYoung Accreditation

The Canadian Seed Institute (CSI) delivers accreditation and monitoring programs for the Canadian seed industry. Recognized by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, CSI has been given the mandate to be the single point contact for all seed establishments, seed laboratories, operators and graders seeking registration, licensing or accreditation. BrettYoung has the following accreditations with CSI and the CFIA. 

Canadian Seed Institute Accreditation

BrettYoung Industry Memberships

• Alberta Golf Superintendents Association
• Alberta Turfgrass Research Foundation
• American Seed Trade Association
• Atlantic Seed Association
• British Columbia Golf Superintendents Association
• Canadian Agri-Marketing Association
• Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers 
• Canadian Golf Superintendents Assocaition
• Canadian Land Reclamation Association 
• Canadian Seed Institute
• Canadian Seed Trade Association
• Canola Council of Canada
• Commercial  Seed  Analysts
• Association  of  Canada
• Eastern Ontario Golf Course Superintendents Association
• Golf Course Superintendents Association of America 
• Independent Turf & Ornamental Distributors Association
• Landscape Alberta Nursery Trades Association
• Manitoba Corn Growers Association Inc.
• Manitoba Forage Seed Association
• Manitoba Golf Superintendents Association
• Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents Association 
• National Golf Course Owners Association Canada
• National Turfgrass Evaluation Program
• Northern Seed Trade Association
• Nursery Sod Growers Association of Ontario
• Ontario Association Of Cemetery & Funeral Professionals 
• Ontario Golf Superintendents' Association
• Ontario Parks Association 
• Ottawa Valley Turfgrass Association
• Peace Region Forage Seed Association
• Quebec Golf Superintendents Association
• Saskatchewan Leafcutters Association
• SeCan Association
• Southern Seed Association
• Sports Turf Association of Canada
• Synthetic Turf Council
• Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance
• Western Canada Turfgrass Association
• Western Ontario Golf Superintendents Association
• Western Seed Association