Betaseed, Inc. has opened a new sugarbeet steckling storage facility in Othello, Wash. The operation was relocated from Moses Lake, Wash., to a more centrally located production area and to accommodate increased capacity. A steckling is a small, immature plant that is dug and stored over winter, and replanted in the spring for seed production.
“The new Othello facility allows Betaseed, Inc. to better control the quality of stored stecklings,” says Bryan Meier, director of operations at Betaseed. “The company has spent the last two years creating and building a steckling storage facility to augment the high quality of our commercial seed. This location, being centrally located to one of our key production areas, will help with our processing efficiency and effectiveness.”
Construction on the new site started in March 2017. The facility offers about 30,000 square feet of computer-controlled cold storage, processing equipment, general storage and office facilities. The facility is managed by Joseph Bailie, a five-year veteran of Betaseed. Bailie was supported by various team members through the design, engineering and construction process, and says he is extremely pleased with the new facility.
“With the addition of this new location, Betaseed, Inc. continues to demonstrate a high level of commitment to the entire North American sugarbeet industry,” says John Enright, Betaseed president. “Sugarbeet growers can take comfort from the fact that seed produced and processed in Betaseed facilities, which operate under strict quality assurance guidelines, meet or exceed seed production and processing standards.”