The Canadian Seed Trade Association’s Seed Achievement Award recognizes and honours significant contributions to the Canadian seed industry.  It is presented to an individual engaged in a private seed business or public institution based in Canada.  During the CSTA’s 81st Annual meeting, held recently in Halifax, Nova Scotia, David Ingledew was named this year’s recipient.

Dave Ingledew was raised on the family farm just southwest of Beaverlodge where he cultivated an early interest in the seed industry from the family’s involvement in clover seed production.  After completing a diploma at the Vermilion School of Agriculture in 1960, Dave proceeded to the University of Alberta. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture in 1964 majoring in Ag Economics. Dave joined Federated Co-op in Lethbridge in 1965. After two years he went to work for OSECO where he later became the Western Canadian manager of OSECO out of Edmonton.

In 1981 Dave ventured out on his own and founded Prairie Seeds. His management expertise for over twenty years saw that seed enterprise expand to enjoy national and international recognition as a supplier of high quality innovative products for the agricultural and reclamation seed markets.  Located in Nisku Alberta, Prairie Seeds is now a significant forage and canola seed company and the reclamation component of the business that Dave initiated and defined maintains a strong part of Prairie Seeds’ business doctrine and its success.

Dave has held leading roles and is highly respected in numerous organizations.  He served on the board of the Alberta Forage Seed Council and as chairman of an advisory group which was instrumental in starting the seed and grain technology program in Olds, Alberta.  Dave recently received recognition as an Honorary Life Member of the Alberta Seed Growers’ Association. Dave served as a director of the CSTA from 1980 -1994 and as the CSTA president in 1992-93.

Dave retired from Prairie Seeds in April of 2002.  He continues to pursue his passion of developing production techniques and making commercial quantities of difficult to grow native species available to the market on his seed farm south of Edmonton.  Dave is married to Lesslie and together they have raised three children, Theresa, Scott and Jason.

“Dave’s leadership and strong business skills helped guide and shape the CSTA during his tenure as president.  It is fitting that he has been selected as the recipient of this award,” says 2004-05 CSTA President Neil Arbuckle.

Headquartered in the nation’s capital, the CSTA represents the interests of 170 corporate members engaged in all aspects of seed research, production and marketing, both domestically and internationally.