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Seed company’s growth keeps family on the farm


Brookville, Ohio, USA
December 10, 2010

Dull Homestead Inc. recently constructed a new seed corn conditioning facility. The Dull family of Brookville, Oh., produces, processes and packages seed corn for Seed Consultants, Inc.

The new facility allows the Dulls to double their processing and handling capacity from 200 bushels per hour to 450 bushels per hour for a total of 100,000 units a season. A unit is 80,000 kernels. Mike Dull, seed corn production manager, says the facility will also enable the family to process seed earlier, by calendar year end.



The first seed plant, built in 1995, was quickly outgrown. To make room for expansion, the Dull family tore down the previous 75 X 60 foot building, located on one floor, and erected a three and four level facility in the same footprint. The seed is moved carefully with a series of slow speed universal legs and belt conveyors. “We’ve always been careful about making sure the seed is handled gently. All the bins have let downs,” Mike says.

The Dull family has grown and processed product for the seed company since SCI’s start in 1990. “The future looks bright and we felt this was a good time to expand,” Mike says. In 2010 the family grew 900 acres of seed corn for SCI. A long history in the industry, Mike’s dad, Ralph, and grandfather started the seed business in the 1950s. Five generations have continued farming on the Dull Homestead since 1919.

The symbiotic relationship benefits the Dulls and SCI, both family businesses. Says SCI’s operations manager Daniel Call, “By doing this renovation it will allow Dull Homestead to package seed corn for Seed Consultants much quicker, allowing us to deliver high quality products to our customers’ farms earlier in the winter. This renovation also allows us to keep up with our growing demand for seed corn production and processing to meet our ever increasing corn sales.”

The Dull’s $1.2 million expansion also helps continue the family tradition. “It’s been a tremendous opportunity for us because it allows us to keep more family on the farm. We’ve been able to keep six of the next generation,” Mike says. The next generation includes Mike and Sue’s four children and two nephews. “A lot of seed businesses have robots to stack pallets. We have a lot of human robots here,” says Mike chuckling.



More news from: Seed Consultants, Inc.


Website: http://www.seedconsultants.com

Published: December 10, 2010

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