The Minnesota Crop Improvement Association (MCIA) today recognized Lonnie Perrine, of Perham, with its Honorary Premier Seed Grower Award. The award, presented annually since 1930, recognizes individuals not directly involved in seed production but who have actively supported the seed industry, MCIA, and their local community.

Perrine was honored, along with fellow Honorary Premier Seed Grower awardee Brent Turnipseed, during the Minnesota Crop Improvement Association’s 122nd Annual Meeting. The event was hosted at the Holiday Inn and Suites in St. Cloud, Minnesota, January 29, 2025.

Perrine, of Perham, began working for MCIA as a part-time field inspector in 1999. He was hired by Brenda Rogers and worked with her and several other successive field supervisors—Jerry Herman, Ben Lang and Seth Dagoberg—during his years as an MCIA employee. He has inspected tens of thousands of acres of small grains and soybeans. He also inspected approved seed conditioner and bulk handling facilities for ten years. He inspected his final soybean fields for MCIA in the fall of 2021.

Having completed twenty-two years of field inspections, he still, to this day, can drive by a field and draw its borders and other landmarks from memory. He has an expert ability to find “off types” and other varietal and agronomic issues in certified seed production fields. Through the years, his report writing and documentation became well known for its detail, clarity, and professionalism. So much so that his paperwork has been used as an example many times in MCIA inspector trainings.

Perrine enjoyed seeing the new seed fields each year and the challenge of inspecting seed production. Describing crop varieties is both a technical ability and an art, and Perrine took great pride in all of his work. Once, he recalls, during an inspection in Becker County, he even encountered two timber wolves.

Fortunately, he completed the inspection unscathed.

Perrine has left MCIA with one of its most valuable inspection tools ever: “Lonnie’s Soybean Grading” card is used by our inspectors to assist them in determining the timing of field inspections.

Perrine and his wife, Linda, have lived in the Perham area on their farm for over 47 years. They have farmed various crops and raised Angus cattle for most of their lives. Lonnie was recently recognized by his local church for over 50 years of dedication as a member of the worship team; he has played bass guitar there since he was 16 years old.

Perrine expressed his appreciation to MCIA for the award, saying, “I want to thank you guys for this award.” “MCIA was really like a family to me. I’ve enjoyed and was honored to work with Minnesota Crop Improvement.”

Since 1903, Minnesota Crop Improvement Association (MCIA) has provided programs and services to meet the needs of an ever-changing agricultural world. These services include seed certification, organic certification, foundation seed production, and a variety of customized third-party verification programs for seed and identity-preserved grains. MCIA operates from facilities on the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul campus with field staff located throughout Minnesota.