A century of seed services

A century ago, Alf Hannaford set out to tackle the age-old problem of fungal smut, a cereal disease that slashed grain quality and yield. His invention—a combined grader and pickler—sparked a business that still shapes Australian cropping.

In 2025, the company that bears his name marked 100 years, gathering franchisees from across Australia to celebrate a legacy of resilience and reinvention. A new centenary book, Since 1925 – Here Comes the Hannaford Man, traces stories from the field and shows how closely the business has grown with farmers.

For CEO Brett Heath, who grew up on a cereal and sheep farm on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula, the milestone is personal.

“I remember the first time a Hannaford M20B machine rolled up on our farm,” Brett says. “All those moving parts fascinated me. Later, as I developed my engineering skills, that curiosity steered me into a career with Hannaford that evolved into leadership.” Brett points to the company’s ability to innovate: shifting from equipment sales during the Great Depression to a mobile grading service, then pioneering one of Australia’s first agricultural franchise models in 1987.

Today, locally based franchisees continue to deliver Hannaford’s service on-farm using the latest technology. Franchisees cover defined territories, working flat out from harvest to sowing before stepping back into their communities. Many franchisees stay more than a decade; some for a generation.

For Loddon Valley franchisee Byron Bird, who joined in 2021, the attraction is simple: “Hannaford is a proven brand with 100 years of history, and you’re your own boss,” he says. “But you’re never on your own. Support from other franchisees is just a phone call away.”

For farmers, the appeal is straightforward: grading delivers a cleaner seed sample, reduces weed seed carryover and ensures stronger crops. Victorian grower Marshall Rodda says he briefly tried doing it himself but returned to Hannaford. “It’s easier to get them to clean the grain properly and put the right treatments on. The franchise operators have always been good local people you know and trust.”

While grading still rests on separating grain by length, width, and weight, the technology has advanced. Modern machines—worth $1.5 million plus—run safer, faster, and integrate new seed treatments from Hannaford’s parent company, UPL Corporation.

“It’s the blend of global research and local know-how that sets us apart,” says Brett. “That’s why farmers trust Hannaford to give their seed, and their season, the best possible start.”

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