COVID-19 could soon have an impact on the seed industry in southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon.

“It may be a little more dicey in a few more weeks if the projections are correct and we peak in two to three weeks” in COVID-19 cases, Idaho-Eastern Oregon Seed Association Executive Director Roger Batt said April 2. “If we can’t pack stock seed in two to three weeks, we may not be able to plant in a timely manner. It will also be curious to see if we will be able to handle the logistics of roguing off-types and still keep crews from close (interpersonal) contact.”

The industry contributes $750 million to the region’s economy, IEOSA said. Farmers in the region produce more than 50 species and 100 varieties of seed crops, shipping them to more than 120 countries.

Batt said COVID-19 so far has not had a large-scale, disruptive impact locally.

But seed-industry participants have identified several risks.

Shipments could be late due to reduced work forces, Batt said, and specific types of food consumption could be lower — which is not limited to this segment of agriculture but “could back up the seed industry for a time.”

Other risks include a shortage of workers to help with production and plant operations, and the possibility that existing workers get sick.

“I can see those becoming an issue if this thing prolongs, or especially, prolongs into the growing season,” said Bill Mayes of Legacy Seeds in Nampa, Idaho.

At Crookham Co., which employs about 150 in Caldwell, Idaho, CEO George W. Crookham said safety is always a priority, but COVID-19 has required additional policy changes.

These include daily virus education, employee health reviews, daily equipment and facility wipe-downs, limiting travel, reducing the number of people in company vehicles as well as direct personal access to customers and suppliers, setting people up to work at home, and changing schedules — the company added a swing shift to limit exposure.

“We also have a screening policy before an employee can return to work due to virus-like symptoms,” Crookham said.

“So far, we have been successful in getting seed out the door without too much difficulty,” he said. “We are also gearing up for 2020 production.”

At Legacy, “we are still shipping seed to get out into the field to get planted,” Mayes said. More business is being conducted by email or phone to reduce in-person contacts. Doors are locked, and employees document who enters and exits.

“We are just taking the extra steps and precautions to make sure we are doing our part,” he said. “The upshot is that we are still serving customers.”

Eric Engh with Tug-of-War Seeds in New Plymouth, Idaho, said the business has so far seen very few disruptions, but in the last week of March added some customers because it ships directly and executes most sales by phone or internet. Loading and unloading by forklift helps keep staff and customers at safe distances.

“I have no salespeople in the field, so I haven’t had to worry about that,” he said. “I have a few drivers I can no longer have out in the field because their health is potentially an issue, and I need to protect them.”

Ag workers typically have fewer daily person-to-person interactions compared to many industries, and are accustomed to operating at safe distances from equipment and other people, he said.

“What’s great about the agriculture world is the attitude,” Engh said. “Today is a problem. We will do what we need to do. Agriculture people roll with the punches better than most.”