GROWER SERVICES
Grower Services plays an important role in supporting DLF’s product supply in North America. The group is made up of two teams; the Field Team and the Admin Team. The Field Team is involved in the day-to-day activities of seed growers and field production, and the Admin Team works behind-the-scenes to provide administrative support that’s essential to the operation.
The Field Team executes the planting plan by working with seed growers to identify possible fields, soil types and regions to grow the seeds our customers need, and then negotiates contract terms and conditions per the planting plan directives. The Field Team also supports the seed grower through all phases of production, from delivering the necessary seed stock to providing agronomic support throughout the growing season.
The Grower Services Admin Team supports the Field Team by issuing seed contracts, organizing seed stock shipments, processing seed quality test results and payments to growers. All of this work involves continuous collaboration and timely updates to DLF systems and databases. For example, the Admin Team works closely with sales and operations representatives to develop a seed cleaning schedule, which prioritizes which crops are needed most to meet sales forecasts. As information is received by the Admin Team, they analyze the cleaned crop and provide direction to others in the organization through approval, rejection or recleaning.
The Grower Services group is responsible for developing a bi-annual planting plan, which is comprised of current supply numbers for all varieties currently sold, new products released for sale, current production quantities committed and forecasted sales of each product. Grower Services collaborates with DLF colleagues in sales, product management and senior leadership to identify supply shortages and make strategic decisions for product quantity increases to support future sales. Both the Field Team and Admin Team work in close partnership with seed growers. These relationships are fundamental to seed production and are built on trust and respect. The Grower Services group must represent the interests of DLF while simultaneously considering what the seed grower needs to be successful.
DLF PRODUCTION REGIONS IN NORTH AMERICA
DLF North America markets and sells fifteen (15) major species of grass, legumes, and brassicas. There are specific seed production regions in North America where these species are produced, and our Grower Services team has a presence in each one of them.
The Willamette Valley in western Oregon, for example, is one of the largest grass seed production regions in the world. Its Mediterranean climate, excellent soils, and adequate rainfall during the winter and spring seasons provide great seed production conditions for cool season grasses, clovers and brassicas. Moreover, the summer months offer warm, sunny days with little rainfall, which are ideal for harvest. The cool season grasses grown in this region include annual and perennial ryegrass, tall fescue and red fescue. Red, white, and crimson clovers are also grown here, in addition to radish.
Southwest Washington and Southern California offer the best seed production in the United States for alfalfa seed and bermudagrass, respectfully, and Northern Minnesota has become an important seed production area for perennial ryegrass.
The Canadian regions in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba have pockets of seed production for different species. Southern Alberta produces alfalfa seed, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue and timothy, whereas Northern Alberta focuses on red fescue, timothy and clovers. Northern Saskatchewan produces clovers, alfalfa seed, timothy, bromegrass, fescues, perennial ryegrass and wheatgrass. Central and Southern Manitoba also produce alfalfa seed, clovers, timothy, trefoil, fescues, and bromegrass.
Each of these growing regions plays a critical role in supporting the seed production needs of our customers in North America and around the world.
BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH DLF
DLF has a reputation for being a financially stable business that values its seed growers, and our local staff is knowledgeable and committed to providing the best service and support. We also benefit from being part of a global seed company owned by a cooperative of 2,500 Danish grass seed farmers who understand the importance of meeting the needs of our growing partners.