Peter Hannam has died at age 85.
He owned Woodrill Farms, on the east side of Guelph and also near Georgetown, was a president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, one of the founders of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program and an entrepreneur who developed a seed company and a food-grade soybean exporting business.
He was a leader of a group of about a dozen people who started First Line Seeds, famous for developing early-maturing soybeans and for introducing Roundup-Ready soybeans to Ontario. Monsanto bought First Line Seds in 2004.
He worked with a developer to build the Ontario Agri-Centre in Guelph to host farm organizations.
He initiated Project Spy at the University of Guelph, and annual competition for students who developed new uses for soybeans.
He was a director of the Canadian Seed Trade Association and chairman of the Canadian Soybean Export Association.