About Us - Pure Line Seeds

Get To Know Us

PURE LINE SEEDS, INC.

MEET THE OWNERS

Hey there, we are Ethan and Torey Rosen and we’re happy to introduce you to our family-owned company, Pure Line Seeds. We’ve owned Pure Line since 2019 and we’re excited that this year marks the 75th anniversary. These milestones make us grateful for all the people that have supported us all these years. Our team is continuing to expand the legacy of those that have helped bring us to where we are today. We stand on the shoulders of industry giants that were a part of Pure Line. One major expansion by Pure Line Seeds is broadening our production capabilities through the purchase of a seed operation in Olathe, Colorado. Key benefits of the location are small block production acres, new crop options like wet seed productions, and a knowledge base to produce these new offerings from Pure Line.

Below you’ll get a better picture of our history and how we got to where we are today. You’ll also learn about what we do and what makes us unique. Once again, we are thankful for our 75th anniversary and look forward to many more years to come!

Your Family-Owned and Independent Seed Company,
Ethan Rosen
President

Where it all Started

Our definition of "pure line" is our natural breeding methods' pure and uniform results. Did you know that Pure Line is not just part of our name but that it is actually a theory called "Pure Line Selection Theory" The concept of pure line dates back to ancient times but was first proposed by Johannsen from his studies on the variety of the bean Princess. Here he studied nineteen lines where he concluded that the lot of the beans is a mixture of pure lines. Read more about Johansen and the Pure Line Theory:

1948

Founded in 1948, Pure Line Seeds formed its roots on the Columbia River Plateau outside of Moscow, Idaho. The budding young company was known for producing and developing pea varieties for the processing market.

2004

When demand for Pure Line peas and beans increased, so did the physical location. In 2004, the production, milling, and warehousing moved to the heart of the Columbia Basin - Warden, Washington.

2015

Alliances with other organizations and breeders opened the door to greater expansion in the U.S. and abroad.

These alliances allowed us to bring improved genetics to the marketplace and launched us into new product lines, such as brassicas, tomatoes, eggplants, carrots, etc.

TODAY

Pure Line Seeds celebrates 75 years of operation and developing and producing high-quality vegetable seed.

Why are we unique?

Seed Production

Our team utilizes a network of professional seed growers in the Pacific Northwest’s Columbia River Basin- the country’s premier seed growing region- to produce high-quality seed. Attentive care throughout the season means we’re able to offer open varieties and our own proprietary material at a higher standard.

Plant Breeding

“Induce variation and make selection” – this is the principle of plant breeding on which Pure Line Seed’s breeding program stands today. We use traditional, non-GMO practices to induce variation followed by intensive selection processes in the field and in various places.

Seed Health

Our primary focus is to provide a healthy environment for our seed crop so that it provides us with healthy seed. The research and production teams work together every year to maintain clean seed lots, free of off-types. Our commitment to high quality seed has encouraged us to produce WSDA certified organic seed of our best performing varieties.

Strong Relationships

Pure Line Seeds has maintained a foundation of strong business relationships built on trust, reliability, quality products, and flexibility. Whether it’s providing interpersonal connections or competitive varieties, we strive to go the extra mile in meeting the needs of our customers.

OUR GENETICS

Benjamin Hughey

Breeding Philosophy:

As a pea breeder, my focus is on maintaining clean lines of our varieties and creating and cultivating new varieties utilizing our natural selection processes. It’s my goal to continue working with our customers to create new varieties that fit their market both on the fresh and processing side.

Ellie Bodah Ph.D.

Breeding Philosophy:

As the Research Director, my vision is to conduct participatory research, breeding, and development of outstanding agricultural products that satisfy the present and future needs of our customers. To enable excellence in plant breeding, research, and development.

[/vc_row_inner]

OUR PROCESS

GROWER NETWORK

We produce with professional seed growers in a five state region in the western United States. We use both modern technologies like drone spraying to increase plant health and seed production.

MILLING

We invest in bringing in top technology to assist us in providing clean seed. Also, each step is planned carefully and executed to clean each production lot coming through our facility.