Jason Welker, Mycogen Seeds agronomist, Kearney, Neb., says you should do the following eight things to get prepared to take delivery of your seed this year:

1) Run down a safety checklist with you family and employees.  Do you have the personal protective equipment and long sleeves clothing to wear when handling seed to prevent contact with seed treatments should a bag or box break open.? Don’t stack pallets or bins more than four high. Make sure there’s enough ventilation in the storage area to dissipate fumes from forklifts and other equipment. “Safety should be your No. 1 priority,” he says.

Best seed storage recommendation: Select a cool, dry building with a concrete floor.

2) Select a building to store seed in that is big enough. The indoor area should be large enough for the seed and still leave space to move equipment as needed. If you don’t have adequate storage, arrange to leave seed at the dealership until it’s needed for planting, Welker recommends.

3) Sweep out the storage area to eliminate sand or debris that could hamper forklift operations when moving pallets and bags.

4) Check for and repair roof or building leaks to keep seed from getting wet.

5) Control birds and mice in and around the building to prevent them from damaging seed.

6) Replace any burned-out light bulbs in the storage area so you can read seed tags easily. .After seed is delivered you’ll want to read the tags so know what you have and are aware of seed treatment management guidelines. “Knowing these requirements in advance helps prevent slowdowns during planting,” Welker says.

7) Determine the order in which you will need the hybrids and varieties you’ll be planting so the seed dealer can place your seed in the proper order in storage. If you have limited space, that means that last seed to be planted should be the first seed delivered. “In the rush of planting, you won’t want the seed you need first to be stuck behind other varieties,” Welker says.

8) Do maintenance on seed handling equipment.  Check to make sure the tenders, conveyors and augers are in working order and ready for the season. Worn augers could damage seed and reduce germination.

“Attention to these preparations and precautions will help minimize downtime and pave the way for a successful planting season,” Welker says.

Mycogen Seed provided information for this article.