Top-Notch Quality: Part 1

In December, we thanked the fantastic farmers who grow our seed. This group, our Production Growers, is integral to our success. Their jobs are not easy: planting at optimal speeds…spraying the crop at right time…harvesting in a timely manner…diligently cleaning out equipment to maintain varietal purity…and the list goes on. These growers handle the crop with extreme care, and consistently rise to the occasion to meet our strict quality standards.

Once we receive representative samples from the Production Growers, it is up to us to ensure quality.

We shake each sample bag through a mini-screener, sorting the FM and splits from the good seed.

Then, we calculate seeds per pound using 400 seeds. The 200 seed counter, pictured below, gives us the gram weight of 400 seeds. This is used to determine the estimated seed count of the sample.

Next, our team performs soak tests using 100 seeds. The seeds are submerged in a bowl with 1% bleach solution to soak for 10 minutes. Swollen beans, which indicate skin coat damage, are counted…

…and recorded.

A moisture test follows, using one pint of beans from the original screened sample. Optimal moisture ranges from 12%-14%. Plant Manager John Ziegler was very pleased with 2013 harvest moistures, which averaged 12%-13.5% for the majority of the samples.

Then, we send samples to the ND State Seed Department for germination and accelerated aging tests. Each sample contains 250 grams of beans from the original screened sample. These tests take 7-10 days. The results are combined with the original grading and moisture scores, and are used to determine selection, release, or rejection. This year’s germination tests show much higher seed vigor than last year.

John noted that despite the prolonged harvest, sample quality was excellent. One of our biggest concerns is handling the product during cold weather, which has been all-too frequent this year. We have been and will continue to be extremely careful when handling the seed.

At PFS, we’re sticklers for quality. The products you plant have been tested for years and have proven themselves to be the best of the best. The original tagline of Peterson Farms Seed still rings true: “We will sell no seed that we wouldn’t be happy to plant on our own farm.”