b'CONTRA-SEASON PRODUCTIONChoosing the Right Snowbird Destination for your Seeds can Accelerate Your Research NICOLS SAHLI CEO, CIS Agronsahli@cischile.clcischile.cl cis-semillas-s-a-CANADIAN SNOWBIRDS LIKEto escape the harsh winter byto visit my North American clients and spend time with the heading south to warmer climates. Sometimes seeds get to bepeople at Gro Alliance. snowbirds as well, but they dont get a vacationthey get putWe have worked with over 20 crop types including row to work! crops, cereals, oilseeds and vegetables, and we are set up to do Crop research is a vital but lengthy process to get new varie- everything from yield trials to purity trials to seed multiplica-ties into producers fields. Some seed breeders are acceleratingtion in isolation cages. that process with contra-season growingsending their mate- Chile is an excellent country for agriculture. It is long and rial south of the equator to be tested in what would typically benarrow with mountains to one side, the ocean to the other, and the winter off-season. They get the advantage of their producta desert to the north. This geographical isolation means we have going to market more quickly. reduced incidents of plant disease, and government regulations Every Seed Matters. When youre looking for a seed nurseryensure imported plant material is carefully screened.service for contra-season trials, you need to ensure your inter- Near Santiago it is very dry in the summer, meaning there national team understands your needs and has the facilities andis low risk of fungal infections. We precisely control moisture expertise to give you the best chance at a successful contra- with drip irrigation, so you see the full potential of your crops season trial. The geographical location should offer the climatewith ideal conditions and no disease pressure.your crop needs and have low risk of disease.Trust, transparency and communication are the backbone CIS Alliance is a joint venture between U.S.-based Groof a successful contra-season trial experience for our clients. Alliance and Chile-based CIS Agro, offering industry-leadingWe welcome them to visit. Some stay for the duration of seed nursery services near Santiago, Chile. Im a snowbird inthe trial, enjoying Chiles summer climate and participating in the opposite direction. Right now, Im in the United Statesthe process. That way they get to be snowbirds along with their escaping the Chilean winter. This also gives me an opportunityseeds. COLOUR SORTERSSales, Service and Execution: The Winning Trio in Seed ProcessingRYAN MERCER President, Mercer Seedsrmercer@mercerseeds.camercerseeds.caWHEN WE DECIDEDto upgrade our seed plant, we knew we weremuch better. Once we began to execute on the project, I knew in for a big project.we were on the right track.We took over the farm in 2004. My dad started the seedIts the execution part that really sets a good provider apart. operation in 1975, and my wife and I took over in 2004. TheYou need quick responses for service and parts, and training is advancements in technology, especially optical sorting, arecrucial. We clean a dozen different crops, which means a steep amazing. From aspiration to gravity table technology, thelearning curve. The learning process should be easy. They con-machines are doing a better job than ever, with increased capac- tinually follow up long after the sale, ensuring were up to speed ity. We wanted to be able to clean products, solve problems andon the education part, which is key.just do things that werent possible a decade ago. We needed toWe were cleaning about 150 bushels an hour, and can now work with a good equipment provider. do 350 bushels, more than doubling our capacity. We upgraded In the past we worked with several, but I wasnt as familiarmachines and made a lot of smaller changes. We also added with Nexeed. We always shop around because a seed plantsome automation. It was a big deal for us.is never truly finished; there are always changes to be made.There will always be a need for small changes, but the main While there are many good people in the industry, withcomponents must have the proper size and capacity for the Nexeed, there was an immediate connection.product were cleaning. Price is important, but having the right They always got back to us quickly and provided promptmachine for the job is more crucial. delivery. The sales portion of the upgrade was easy. Nexeed helped us navigate these decisions. Sales, service and The design and service phase was critical. With Nexeedsexecution really is the winning combination in doing a seed engineering staff, I felt confident that everything would comeplant upgrade. Find a provider that can pull it off and youll together well. In the past, engineering wasnt as big a concern,have a recipe for success. It was a big expense, but its an invest-but proper engineering from the start makes everything workment in our future that was worth making.32 SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA SEPTEMBER 2024'