Nineteen farmers in Western Canada will be planting around 2,900 acres of free canola seed this upcoming spring thanks to Free Seed Fridays from CANTERRA SEEDS.

Every Friday between Nov. 5 and Dec. 10, CANTERRA SEEDS randomly selected a farmer order from each of the Prairie provinces to win up to 16 bags of canola seed.

On Dec. 17, the program ended with a Grand Prize draw for up to 64 bags of canola seed. It was won by Peter Klassen from La Crete, Alberta, who had placed an order for 33 bags and will now get them all for free.

“This is absolutely incredible that a small farmer from Northern Alberta was able to win this.” says Klassen. “I am shocked! Thank you so much, CANTERRA SEEDS!”

Free Seed Fridays caps off a year of company, customer and community initiatives to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of CANTERRA SEEDS.

“Giving back has been a major theme of our 25th anniversary celebrations,” says Curt Baldwin, Director of Canola, Corn and Soybeans Business Unit at CANTERRA SEEDS. “We wanted to follow up the success of the Rooted in the Prairies Project, which benefitted farmers’ communities, with Free Seed Fridays to benefit farmers directly.”

Baldwin says that the total retail value of the seed given away was approximately $200,000, something the company considered an investment and not an expense.

“As a locally-owned and operated company on the Canadian Prairies, hundreds of thousands of dollars in seed is not an insignificant amount,” says Baldwin. “But you don’t stay in business for 25 years without loyal customers and being loyal to your customers. This was an opportunity to recognize our customers directly and show appreciation for their business."

Weekly winners and the Grand Prize winner were announced on the CANTERRA SEEDS Twitter page (@canterraseeds) and contacted via phone or email.