Priority Seed is a global leader in the wholesale production of vegetable seed. Our roots began in Yuma County, Arizona, in 1983, sparked by a friendship between Tony Tew and Dennis Monypeny. The two Yumans formed a partnership to produce vegetable seed, with the help and support of longtime growers Les Kammann and Milton Johnson. Tew grew business contacts which led to our first seed contracts, while Monypeny worked the field side of the house, finding solutions and growing our products.
The name Priority Seed was inspired by a letter on Tew’s desk marked “priority mail” - which fit our fledgling company perfectly. Our company continued to grow, and in 2002, we formed a new partnership, Priority Seed Production, LLC, sold shares and brought several growers on board as partners. Those partners include Tew; Steve, Craig and Tony Alameda (farmers in Bard, California); SMT Farms in the Gila Valley in Yuma County, Arizona; Robert Nickerson Farms in Dome Valley in Yuma County, Arizona, and Casey & Sons Custom Harvesters, who provide harvesting and also grow in Imperial Valley, California.
Monypeny moved from the Yuma area, and the remaining owners bought his shares of the company. In 2015, Tim Butcher came on board, and today, he’s the production manager for Priority Seed, overseeing contracts for vegetable seed production in both Yuma and Salinas. Priority Seed has over 20,000 acres of prime seed-producing ranches, working with multiple growers while using the latest in agriculture technology and research. Our philosophy has always been to partner with the growers in growing seed. Today, we have land around the county, allowing us to be nimble and flexible, providing our customers with what they need as they need it.
From organic to conventional and hybrid to open pollinated, our team can handle any size and complexity of production - and we look forward to working with you!