A trio of investors are bringing together several existing crop-handling facilities in Saskatchewan to launch a new pulse and specialty crop company.
Harvest Grain Ltd., which already owns canaryseed processor Bornhorst Seeds Ltd. at St. Gregor in northeast Saskatchewan, says it has acquired full ownership of specialty crop handler Harvest Milling at Fillmore, in the southeast corner of the province. That deal saw Harvest Grain buy out the 50 per cent share previously owned by Lionel Kambeitz-led KF Homestead Properties Inc.
Harvest Grain says it has also purchased the former Global Food and Ingredients specialty crop facility at Zealandia in west-central Saskatchewan.
Global Food and Ingredients, which acquired the Zealandia plant from Canpulse in 2019, went into receivership earlier this year. The previous owners, Canpulse, also entered into receivership in 2020.
According to a news release from Harvest Grain, the company will be led by farmer and specialty crop veteran David Nobbs. The other two shareholders are farmer and facility manager Terry Arnold, and veteran specialty crop trader Rajesh Jain.
“There has been a tremendous upheaval among pulse and specialty crop trading companies in recent years,” notes Nobbs. “Harvest Grain Ltd. is in this business for the long term and we look forward to earning both the trust and the business of farmers.”
In the near term, the company says it will conduct transactions with farmers through Bornhorst, transitioning to the Harvest Grain name over time. Bornhorst is licensed and bonded with the Canadian Grain Commission, holding a primary elevator license for a 3,000 tonne facility serviced by CN Rail at St. Gregor.
The company has not disclosed any further financial details of the acquisitions.
