Otto and Marie Pick immigrated to Canada from Czechoslovakia (Bohemia) in 1938. They both came from agricultural backgrounds and initially farmed in southern Ontario. After the war, Otto briefly represented a fledgling seed enterprise and in 1947, established Otto Pick, Agricultural Service, which became the initial legal entity within the PICKSEED Companies Group (the "Group"). This business focused on direct sales of improved forage crop seeds, along with the delivery of the appropriate agronomic technology to Ontario livestock producers.

PICKSEED moved its operations to Richmond Hill, Ontario in 1950. Otto Pick passed away in 1959.  Marie Pick and sons, Tom and Martin, assumed leadership of the business.  Turfgrass products were added to the Company’s offerings in response to the growth in housing and turf related recreational uses.  Revenues from turfgrass balanced seasonal forage seed sales.

1960: A seed contracting and production unit was established in Manitoba in order to secure a consistent supply of quality pedigreed seed.  This also opened up the marketing channel to the wholesale and export trade.

1964: The construction of a receiving and processing/conditioning plant was established in Winnipeg, Manitoba

1967: The construction of a warehouse distribution facility was established in St. Hyacinthe, Quebec.

1969: PICKSEED entered the hybrid seed corn business to complement its offerings to Canadian farmers.

Turfgrass seed became a significant and important category for the Company by 1970.  The decision was made to develop and market proprietary varieties with improved turf qualities.  Oregon was selected as a base of operations and PICKSEED West Inc. (now called PICKSEED USA Inc.) was formed in partnership with Kent Wiley, an experienced Oregonian seedsman.  PICKSEED West quickly established itself as a reliable supplier to many US regional distributors.  A breeding program was initiated in 1982.

1981: The acquisition of the seed division of Maple Leaf Mills was completed in 1981, at the time one of the largest forage crop and turfgrass seed companies in Canada.  The Maple Leaf distribution base in western Canada enabled the Group to market its products from coast to coast.   

The formation of a forage crop seed research program and a turfgrass seed research program was established to develop proprietary varieties.

1986: The Group constructed a seed conditioning and distribution facility in Sherwood Park, Alberta (a suburb of Edmonton).  The facility significantly increased the Group’s capacity in the conditioning and processing of chaffy grasses, thereby providing access to the Peace River production areas of northern Alberta and British Columbia.

1991: PICKSEED West (now PICKSEED USA) became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Group.

1993: The Group’s headquarters was moved to Lindsay, Ontario.

1996: The Group completed the purchase of Roberts Seed Company (Roberts), an Oregon based division of Agway Inc. The acquisition provided a means to access new regional distribution opportunities in the United States.

1997: A direct presence in the British Columbia market was established through a warehousing facility in Abbotsford.

1999: The Group recruited professional management as part of its leadership succession plan.

2000:The Group acquired Agribiotech Canada Ltd., the successor organization to Oseco Seeds and Rothwell Seeds, consolidating its positions in the Canadian consumer turfgrass seed market and Canadian export of forage and turfgrass seed.

2001: The Group also purchased a seed conditioning facility from United Grain Growers in Dawson Creek, British Columbia.

Roberts was rebranded as “TurfOne."

2002: A strategic alliance was initiated with Nu-Gro Corporation.  The alliance was based on an exclusive long-term agreement whereby the Group would source, package and supply consumer turfgrass seed, with Nu-Gro being responsible for sales, marketing and distribution to Canadian retailers. This arrangement continues under Nu-Gro’s successor entity, Premier Tech Home and Garden.

2004: The Group acquired Seed Research of Oregon from Land O’Lakes, Inc. The transaction included a long term agreement to supply turfgrass and forage crop seeds to Land O’Lakes and their affiliates. The acquisition of Seed Research of Oregon provided the Group with additional regional distribution opportunities in the United States, as well as a stronger product platform in bentgrass, warm season grasses, and forage crop seeds specific to regional markets in the United States.

2005: The Group formed an alliance with Evergro Inc. in British Columbia with the Group supplying turfgrass seed for exclusive sale and distribution through Evergro's British Columbia distribution organization. 

2008: The Group acquired Farm Pure Seeds, Inc. and began operating it as part of the Pickseed Wholesale and Western Operation business unit. The purchase included the FarmPure forage crop and turfgrass seed business facilities located in Nipawin, Saskatchewan. The acquisition of FarmPure represented a significant expansion of Pickseed conditioning capacity, in support of longer term market share objectives.