Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108 Page 109 Page 110 Page 111 Page 112 Page 113 Page 114 Page 115 Page 116 Page 117 Page 118 Page 119 Page 120 Page 121 Page 122 Page 123 Page 124 Page 125 Page 126 Page 127 Page 128 Page 129 Page 130 Page 131 Page 132 Page 133 Page 134 Page 135 Page 136 Page 137 Page 138 Page 139 Page 140 Page 141 Page 142 Page 143 Page 144 Page 145 Page 146 Page 147 Page 148DECEMBER 2016 SEEDWORLD.COM / 61 It’simperativethatasanindustrywetakeaproactiveapproachinprotecting pollinators.operationpollinator.com TIP Education is important, especially for those operating the application equipment. “A key part of ensuring the system is as efficient as possible is that applicators are highly trained,” says Richard Gupton, senior vice president of public policy and counsel for the Agricultural Retailers Association. Those professionals are trained to apply treatments that are customized to a farmer’s particular needs. “They can tailor it to treat for pest threats or other threats to the plant, but again, it’s highly auto- mated, so we’ve greatly reduced the risk of error there as well,” Gupton says. While significant resources have been invested to reduce dust from treated seed, there’s still room for improvement. Opportunities for Improvement One such area that companies continue to focus on is how to develop a more con- sistent seed conditioning process before the treatment is applied. “There is a lot of dust involved when the seed is harvested with the combine, and a much of it sits on the surface of the seed, which makes it more difficult for a treatment to be effectively applied,” Pedersen explains. In prepping for treatment, seeds must be conditioned, or cleaned, after harvest. “It’s a very important part of the pro- cess,” Pedersen says, noting that seeds can be harvested from many countries and then shipped to one plant for treat- ment, or to retail for treatment. “We need to be sure the seed is prepared properly before it ever gets to that point.” The wind is also a factor that cannot be ignored. “We can’t control the wind, or droughts, or other conditions that create dust in the field at the time of planting,” Gupton adds. “Our job is to create policies that manage risks and ensure farmers have the tools they need to manage this process.” Pedersen acknowledges that there are many variables that must be managed, but the industry is working as a whole to ensure the technology remains safe. Collaboration has been critical to the success. Farmers, equipment manufactur- ers and seed companies are all working together to make the biggest impact. “When we come together and can share expertise and resources, we avoid duplication and reduce waste so the work gets done much faster,” Pedersen says. “It’s nice to see that level of cooperation is possible even among competitors within the industry. “The guide is updated every few years to make sure the information is up-to-date and accurate,” Gupton says. “Our goal is to make sure as many tools are available to the industry as possible, developed by using accurate science, based on real data and not theoretical modeling. Future Goals It’s important to note that because of these proactive efforts here in the United States, there haven’t been any significant issues with dust off clouds from planting treated seed impacting pollinator health, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth noting. “These are proactive efforts, and recently, we’ve seen improvements every season, whether in new, more effec- tive polymers, or in the way the seed is planted,” LaVigne says. “Of course, we know zero dust is not possible. “Just moving a planter through a field without using treated seed is dusty. So, our goal is to minimize dust as much as possible, and we continue to make advancements in that area.” SW WEB The Guide to Seed Treatment Stewardship is available at Seed-Treatment-Guide.com. WHERE ONTHE ONLINE RESOURCES FOR THE SEED INDUSTRY “We know that zero dust is not possible … Our goal is to minimize dust as much as possible, and we continue to make advancements in that area.” — Andy LaVigne “Seed treatments are very commonly used, and when done correctly, they do an outstanding job of delivering targeted solutions with minimal risk to pollinators and the environment.” Gupton adds that educating others is also important. While most are aware of pollinator health issues, not everyone is well-versed about specific best manage- ment practices when it comes to working with treated seed. “We’re working to make sure the mes- sage is shared to everyone. Our members want to operate in a safe way to protect both human health and the environmental health,” Gupton says. “That means contin- uing to share information as it’s updated so we’re as informed as possible.” An important resource is the Guide to Seed Treatment Stewardship, which pro- vides best practices about topics ranging from labeling, transportation and storage of treated seeds to selection and planting.