Karen, treated seed is required by law to be dyed an unnatural color. If your Merit corn is dyed bright pink, then it is most likely treated with fungicide and/or pesticide. You should be careful handling it and not breathe any dust from it or get it in your eyes. Wash your hands well afterwards. I think I'd wear disposable gloves, too.
I'm guessing that small packs of seed must be exempt from dying and, instead, are required to have labeling on the package since I've gotten treated packaged seed (by accident) that wasn't dyed outlandish colors. I think the brightly dyed seed is most important for the bulk seeds where you can buy by the scoop and not have a label attached. (It's very important to prevent people from accidentally feeding it to themselves or their animals.)
As Rick mentioned, there are some higher-end seed companies that sell packaged seed mixes where they will use a food-safe dye to color the seeds different colors depending on variety. However, that is
not what you are going to find in the big bins and barrels at the feed store.
Also, treated seed is often STINKY!!!
A lot of it has a distinctive chemical smell but I'm not sure if all treatments smell as bad. I do know that whenever I go into a feed store I notice that same stench permeating throughout the entire area where the treated seeds are sold. Yuck!
You may want to post on the Farming Forum (or Veggie Forum?) where members are more familiar with feed store inventory and ask about your corn. My knowledge is a bit limited since I, literally, turn my nose up at those stinky seeds.
