There are about eight Bayer corn production sites in the United States and one of those sites is in central Iowa just outside of Grinnell. The production facility produces about two million units or bags of seed annually, of which 70% are for Bayer’s national DEKALB corn brand.
The 144-acre site features 74 full-time and 30 contract employees. Matt Moyer, a plant production lead with Bayer, says that the seed production plant is driven by proud employees.
The Grinnell facility receives and empties about 140 semi truckloads of green corn per day. Clean ears are then sent to the dryers. Advanced technology including bin sensors, speed adjustments, and data collection helps to promote efficiency, says Moyer.
Corn from five growing areas in Iowa is sent to the Grinnell facility. The spacing of growing areas helps to prevent damage to multiple fields from a natural disaster. Corn received by the Grinnell plant totaled 16,800 acres in 2023.
Upon arrival on site, Moyer says each load receives a ticket that allows employees to track that load of corn from start to finish.
After the seed is dried and shelled it travels through two continuous flow treaters before packaging.
The Grinnell Bayer site features 236 storage bins all with about 5,000-bushel capacity. The warehouse is capable of shipping about 40,000 units per day. For more information visit https://www.bayer.com/en/agriculture
