“This is a significant investment by Maizex that not only supports the ability of our seed business to meet the needs of farm customers into the future but also represents a commitment to Canadian- grown seed corn for Canadian farmers,” said Casper Kaastra, chief executive officer, Sollio Agriculture.

“Maizex has always used a unique approach to seed corn processing to ensure product quality. This new facility will emulate the single storey flow-through design of our Tilbury facility but with additional automation and capabilities,” said Blake Ashton, general manager, Maizex Seeds.

He credits the Tilbury plant design to company founders Dave and Brenda Baute.

“They had a vision of how a seed corn plant could be more efficient with a focus on seed quality as the underlying criteria to the plant design.”

Kaastra said the $8.8 million investment is “an important part of our business strategy. When we initially partnered with Dave and Brenda Baute in Maizex Seeds, the goal was to build a national seed business with the capabilities to offer a best-in-class product line to farmers. Our commitment to being a Canadian company owned by farmers and focused on offering products that are adapted to our unique Canadian environment, continues to drive our growth.”

Maizex Seeds produces seed corn hybrids in the Chatham-Kent and surrounding region of Ontario. This area is unique in the world given a long frost-free growing season and consistent moisture patterns driven by a location between the Great Lakes. Ashton said this environment provides the ability to produce high-quality seed corn hybrids for all Canadian farmers in every maturity range and regional specifics across the country.

“We are truly fortunate to grow seed corn in one of the best seed corn production areas in the world. This investment confirms our savoir-faire and expertise, and our desire to support our customers, the profitability of their farms, and our commercial growth for the future,” said Ashton.

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As part of the agreement, Maizex said in a release it will be supplying key soybean varieties and corn hybrids to Clark Agri Service. The agreement between the two companies is based on a foundation of shared values, most importantly the commitment to Canadian farmers, Maizex said.
Stephen Denys, director of Market & Product Development with Maizex Seeds said Clark Agri Service has a dedicated team to support and position Maizex products and agronomy for success, including products “derived from one of the largest pre-commercial programs in Canada that is focused on performance, including, in particular, products for this region.”
The partnership will launch for the 2025 seed season. Clark Agri Service will begin positioning Maizex products with their customers this fall.

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The company said in a release the move “solidifies Maizex as one of Canada’s pre-eminent seed companies and brings with it the retirement of the Elite Seeds brand.”

The company said the switch to one brand means farmers can now buy all corn, soybean, and forage seed under the Maizex label, “eliminating any confusion in the marketplace” and will it to maintain its focus on performance.

Blake Ashton, general Manager of Maizex Seeds said “This understanding and the ongoing investment in product development is how both the Maizex and Elite brands grew from their beginnings—by meeting the evolving needs of farmers.”

Ashton said the move to one brand for the full portfolio of seed products offered by Maizex Seeds will make it easier for farmers to identify product performance in the market.

“Maizex Seeds has one of the largest pre-commercial testing programs in the industry. Our goal is to commercialize products in all crops that will perform to a high level for our customers, region by region across the country.”

“This marks a milestone in the evolution of our seed business,” said Georges Chausse, director of Seeds Services for Sollio Agriculture, in the release.

“The Elite brand serviced our customers well over the past three decades. The move to the Maizex Seeds brand for all seed crops, including forages, brings with it a renewed commitment to our customers to meet their needs both today and into the future.”

This commitment includes intensifying efforts in the forages area as the company has with corn and soybeans since the creation of the joint venture between Sollio Agriculture and Maizex Seeds six years ago.

“This includes expanded efforts in testing, product development, and agronomy support to ensure our customers continue to have access to top-quality products in forage crops,” said Ashton.

Working with the same dedicated team that has supported the Elite forage brand to this point, Maizex said it is committing its product development, sales, agronomy, and support teams to the overall effort of meeting customer needs and exceeding expectations in its forage seed business.

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