An 88,000 sq. ft. expansion was completed in 2022 to add more blending, packaging, and storage capability to the Mountain View Seeds facility near Salem, OR. (Chris Lusvardi)
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By Chris Lusvardi
The Mountain View Seeds business has been built around grass seed to become one of the largest vertically integrated grass seed companies in the United States.
Mountain View Seeds started in 1998 as an independent, seed marketing division of Pratum Co-op in Salem, OR, which includes seed, agronomy, energy, and processing.
“We started with a simple business plan to out-service other companies and bring the best genetics to the marketplace,” says Pratum President Troy Kuenzi. “We have come to reflect years of dedicated service and providing innovative solutions. We have remained passionate about our business as it grows and continues to thrive.”
The company’s total seed sales annually top 80 million lbs., or $110 million as it reaches the turf, forage, and cover crop seed markets worldwide.
Establishing partnerships with customers as well as research organizations has been a focus for Mountain View Seeds. The company works with Peak Plant Genetics, Rutgers, North Carolina, Georgia, and other universities in research and plant breeding.
Recent changes have included creating MVP Genetics in 2019 to license warm season grass like bermudagrass. Committed to research and innovation, the company also formed Pinnacle Ag Research Center (PARC) in Columbia, MO three years ago, run by Dr. Gregg Munshaw.
Innovation
“Innovation is a key for us as an organization,” says Aaron Kuenzi, Mountain View Seeds seed division manager. “We’re trying to stay cutting edge with what we bring to market. Working together with our growers, we can then bring these products to market.”
Some of the innovations occur with the technology used to grow seed. The company is exploring how an AI sprayer can be used as a tool when growing grass seed.
“It’s something the industry needs,” Troy Kuenzi says. “For a small industry, it’s a great opportunity. We’re large enough to afford research that can help us. It’s a great choice to bring the technology forward not just for growers but for the industry.”
Aaron Kuenzi says the sprayer is used as part of efforts to control weeds.
“Ultimately consumers want a weed-free, high-quality product,” Aaron Kuenzi says. “This type of technology will play a big role as they demand a quality product.”
Teaching AI how to detect weeds has been a work in progress, says Chris Kaiser, precision ag technician. As their efforts continue, he says the technology has improved.
“There has been a huge demand for that technology,” Kaiser says. “It’s important for the future that we be cutting edge. We are bringing growers value in what we are doing. They need to grow cleaner seed.”
The sprayer is one of the tools tested in a research field across from the Salem facility. There the company is testing everything from herbicide trials to nutrient management, says Kyle Roerig, ag research agronomist.
“It’s all about producing higher yields,” Roerig says. “We can’t take our eye off the ball as we are out here working throughout the year.”
Products
Mountain View Seeds products include turf, forage, and cover crops. Their turf products can be found on golf courses, sports stadiums, and yards.
“We are dedicated to sharing sustainable solutions across a broad spectrum within our industry,” Aaron Kuenzi says. “Our professional side of the business sells to some of the best sports fields, golf courses, and federal and state parks in the country.”
The elite 365ss bluegrass blend is the only product that goes through a dedicated line at the Salem facility, explains Jeff Bohnke, vice president, operations.
“It’s a quality product that is used in most major league and professional stadiums,” Bohnke says. “We want to protect the brand line for our professional sports turf partners. The blend offers the best of what sports turf professionals demand. 365ss is extremely fast to germinate and establish, crowding out weeds and creating a dense sward for superior sod strength. 365ss holds up to extreme wear and traffic, and recovers quickly between games.”
Mountain View Seeds is also a leader in forages, including a new lineup of alfalfas it is bringing to the market.
Facility Features
Mountain View Seeds’ facility includes three high-capacity pits and 200,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space to combine six blending lines.
Seed Processing Manager Travis Dettwyler says 15-20 million lbs. of seeds are processed in the production plant each year, peaking at 1-1.5 million lbs. per day in mid-August.
The facility is equipped with 128 bulk bins of all different sizes to store seed as it is brought in to be cleaned. The small packaging line creates designs from 1 to 50 lbs., and the company handles up to 2,000-lb. bulk bags, including treated seed.
Once cleaned, Bohnke says the seed is shipped in bulk or bags to warehouses in Minnesota, Washington, and east and central Oregon. Blends can be created for whatever the customer needs, he says.
“We’ll do what they need us to do for them,” Bohnke says. “We’ll make it happen.”
According to Bohnke, an 88,000 sq. ft. expansion was completed in 2022 to add more blending, packaging, and storage capability.
“We upsized everything on the line,” Bohnke says. “We can run more seed in an hour. We’ve been able to add efficiency and do more with less.”
The building was designed to meet customer needs in the future, Bohnke says.
“It’s all about what the customers need,” Bohnke says. “We wanted to build the building for 20 years from now. That was the thinking. We have the infrastructure to grow alongside our customers and provide a high level of customer service for years to come.”
Research Partnerships
Troy Kuenzi says it was tough to accomplish their business plan without being basic in genetic development.
So when an opportunity arose in 2008 to partner with Peak Plant Genetics and Steve Johnson, Troy Kuenzi says they jumped on it.
At the research farm, Johnson says they are looking at various aspects of a seed’s performance, including disease resistance, drought, and water tolerance.
“We can’t just breed for the Willamette Valley,” Johnson says. “If it’s used in cool season lawns, we work with it here.”
Aaron Kuenzi says they differentiate the business by conducting their own research and plant breeding. The research farm near Albany, OR includes over 90 acres dedicated to research and plant breeding, with a number of new varieties released each year.
“All of that is done in-house for added quality,” Aaron Kuenzi says. “This adds credibility to us as an organization. We know how much our customers depend on us, and we value our long-term relationships. This means a lot to us, and we work every day to not let them down.”
In addition to conducting their own research, MVS partners with Oregon State University to conduct seed yield trails and place varieties that have been rigorously tested for not only turf quality, but also production yield. Additionally, Aaron Kuenzi says they’ve developed partnerships with turfgrass universities such as Rutgers and North Carolina State.
“These partners are critical to the success of Mountain View Seeds,” Aaron Kuenzi says. “Much time and effort is spent ensuring the entire system of seed breeding, production, and marketing clean seed crops from start to finish, so that we can fulfill our commitment to our customers.”
