Syngenta expands US's Pasco vegetable seed processing facility

Syngenta has invested more than $3 million to better meet the needs of vegetable growers with an expansion of its seed processing facility in Pasco, Wash, US. The improvements, which will be complete for the 2014 season, include an expanded seed quality testing lab and an in-house seed treatment facility.

“We continue to make investments that advance our capabilities at our Pasco facility to better serve our customers,” said Scott Langkamp, head of vegetables at Syngenta. “This expansion is part of the continued commitment at Syngenta to deliver a better customer experience.”

The new quality lab improves turn time and accuracy for vegetable seed testing and the investment in seed application equipment enables Syngenta to broaden the use of its FarMore® Technology platform, an on-seed application of separately registered seed protection products and proprietary application technologies, on different vegetable varieties.

“FarMore Technology provides growers with convenient early-season protection against certain diseases and insects and improves the yield and quality potential of small-seeded vegetable crops. This investment enables us to deliver that technology in a more efficient and expedient fashion,” said Langkamp.

The Pasco facility, originally built in 2009 on a 40-acre site, employs state-of-the-art technology, including advanced sweet corn dryers and a conditioned warehouse, to provide customers with the highest quality vegetable seeds. The facility is also Good Seed and Plant Practices (GSPP) accredited, adhering to strict hygiene and safety protocols that significantly reduce the risk of Clavibacter michiganensis (Cmm) infection in tomato seeds.