Planting season is a hectic time. With new traits it is important to keep track of where you put each different corn hybrid. Only 23% of the corn crop had been planted in the Corn Belt on April 29, compared to 48% a year ago, according to the USDA's Crop Progress Report. Seed Consultants, Inc. As farmers hustle to catch up has a tool to help farmers during the hectic planting season. The company uses color-coded seeds and matching bags to quickly and easily identify different traits such as Roundup Ready and non Roundup Ready crops.

"When we first started offering Roundup Ready crops, if a farmer ordered conventional and Roundup Ready seed there was no way of telling apart," says Cory Morris, SCI's distribution manager. "Now when they pour green seed out they know its Roundup Ready," he says. Farmers appreciate the extra step to identify the different seed traits, Morris adds.

Bill Black, who farms with his dad Bob near Lockbourne, appreciates the color-coded bags and seed. "I can tell anybody to go into the barn and get the red seed. When dad asks what corn to plant in what field, I can tell him the blue corn." When you open the bag and see blue seed you know its Liberty resistant seed, he says. "You know what genetics you're planting. There's no guessing."

The Blacks had 25% of the corn planted by last week. "Last night they were calling for rain and we ran hard," says Bill from his mobile phone while working ground. "We can grab and go. It eases the stress because the conventional corn is a certain color."

Here's the color scheme SCI has worked out.

The Blacks plant 150 acres of Herculex I /Liberty hybrids and 625 acres of non-GMO hybrids. Planting the non-GMO crops is profitable for the family who farms near Lockbourne. In February Bill delivered non-GMO corn and received $4.38 a bushel. "The only bad part is…I should have hauled more."