Seed supplies should be in good shape for the year ahead. That doesn’t mean farmers should wait until the last minute to purchase seed. “I would be checking with who I purchase seed from, whether it is a seed dealer or retailer, I would be checking to see if I’m safe to wait if I want a specific WestBred, Syngenta or even the public varieties that are out there,” said North Dakota State Seed Commissioner Ken Bertsch. Starting at this time of year, bulk seed is beginning to move. “Dealers might be recognizing a particular variety is going to be in high demand and they’re trying to place some in their warehouse or bins.” There was talk of pre-harvest sprout problems in wheat. The bigger issue may be with fragile seed crops, like soybeans and field peas, “where the harvest conditions were so dry.”
