Albert Lea Seed, a family-owned, Minnesota-based company supplying seed to American farms for nearly 100 years, announced a continued commitment and expansion of the Viking Pure and Viking Ultra-Pure seed lines, according to a press release.

The products bring farmers and food companies the assurance of seed purity, according to the release.

Viking corn  and soybeans offer two seed labels, Viking Pure and Viking Ultra-Pure, which guarantee the purity of the seed. With a 99.9 percent GMO-free guarantee, Viking Ultra-Pure hybrids have generated interest across the country.

The brand is also in the process of expanding the seed purity project to include soybeans for 2018 and alfalfa in 2019. Four purification projects are underway to create the breeder seed for Ultra-Pure soybean and alfalfa lines.  Each plant grown in the projects is tissue tested, and if it tests positive for GMOs, it’s pulled out of the ground.

“We know that purity is incredibly important to everyone, from the farmers planting the seed to the consumers looking to buy organic or non-GMO food.  Unless starting with guaranteed clean seed, it’s difficult to meet the demands of the market,” said Albert Lea Seed owner Mac Ehrhardt, whose grandfather, Lou, founded the business in 1923. “We’re proud to be part of a growing and changing food movement, bringing more options to farmers — and ultimately consumers.”

According to Packaged Facts, annual sales of non-GMO certified products increased from $349 million in 2010 to more than $19 billion as of March 2016.

Viking Ultra-Pure corn hybrids are now non-GMO project verified. Viking Ultra-Pure hybrids are produced from pure inbreds in an agricultural zone that nearly eliminates the potential for cross-contamination. Stringent testing guarantees the resulting hybrid seed is pure enough to merit the Ultra-Pure designation.

As part of Viking’s focus on non-GMO and organic seed, its seed selection and purity program continues to expand to meet the needs of a growing organic movement. Viking Ultra-Pure conventional and organic hybrids are available for planting in 2017, and the Ultra-Pure product line will continue to expand for 2018. To find out more about specific Ultra-Pure hybrids, visit alseed.com.