OCTOBER 2017 SEEDWORLD.COM / 49 AS A SEED treatment applicator, it’s to your benefit to accurately apply the proper rate of active ingredient to each batch of seed, batch after batch and day after day. This saves you money by not over applying the seed treatment, and helps ensure cus- tomer satisfaction by not under applying. However, with application rates as low as 50 milliliters per 100 kilograms (1.7 ounces per 220 pounds) of seed, achieving a high quality application time after time can be a challenge — one that’s not solved by simply adding more water. As a manufacturer of seed treatment equipment, there are some common pitfalls I see when I visit facilities. The five most common are: 1. Not mixing the barrel just prior to application. With a product that might not be homogenous, operators don’t know if the active ingredient is on the seed or at the bottom of the barrel. 2. Adding more water or colorant to make the seed shine bright. This practice dilutes the formulation and reduces the efficacy of the product; it’s usually a cover up for poor quality application. 3. Incorrectly or not calculating the weight of a seed batch. The weight of seed varies with each batch. To attain the proper application rate, it’s impor- tant to measure and calculate the volume of seed to be treated. 4. Setting the tolerance rate too high. It doesn’t matter how you set the dosage rate on your seed treatment system, if the tolerances are too high, you’ll never get a high quality application. 5. Not properly cleaning seed prior to treatment. Dust might be the No. 1 cause for not achieving a high qual- ity application. It doesn’t matter if you properly measured the liquids and weighed the seed, dust prevents the treatment from sticking to the seed. Having a dust reduction system signifi- cantly helps. By avoiding these common pitfalls, you can begin to achieve high quality seed treatment application, batch after batch. Today’s market provides increasing opportunities to add value to the seed and really push the envelope in terms of what the industry can do. A sophisticated PLC system can track recipes, continuously check dosage rates and provide real-time statistics about what’s happening at a facility. Machine- to-machine communication makes it easy to maintain quality control, from season to season and facility to facility. This all culminates in helping not just meet cus- tomer expectations, but exceed them. A printout that details the high quality appli- cation shines better than any colorant. 5 Common Pitfalls to High Quality Seed Treatment Application KETTY NILSSON NOROGARD PRESIDENT @NoroGardAB • Ketty@NoroGard.com • NoroGard.com HAVE YOU EVER left a car dealership feeling frustrated because the sales repre- sentative tried to sell you something that wasn’t the best fit for you? A Ford dealer will try to sell you a Ford, even though there’s a Chevy just across the street that might better meet your needs. As the creator and developer of prod- ucts, you’re tied to selling those products — not necessarily pointing a customer in the other direction for a product that helps them best achieve their goals. We get that, but farmers shouldn’t be limited. In the global market, Nufarm has been an independent player in the seed treat- ment business for more than 40 years. In the past 10 years, we’ve been investing our resources in the U.S. market to make sure growers have access to the best molecules on the market with no strings attached to a company, hybrid or variety. In 2013, we opened our Alsip, Ill., site, which produces fungicides, insecticides, growth regulators and seed treatments. This state-of-the-art facility includes a full quality control lab, a pilot plant and unique custom-blend capabilities. Our PhDs and formulation specialists are committed to providing custom-fit chemistries with proven performance at a value. Plus we have a dedicated seed treatment sales team that works directly with farmers, retailers and other seed companies. Together the sales team and formula- tion specialists develop unique blends and unique products to meet the needs of their local area when it comes to wheat, cereals and soybeans. If a farmer is looking for an economi- cal product that is going to provide pro- tection, we can create a mix. If a farmer Providing Products and Services with No-Strings Attached TIM BIRKEL NUFARM AMERICAS VICE PRESIDENT STRATEGIC MARKETS AND ACCOUNTS tim.birkel@nufarm.com • nufarm.com/USST is looking for a high quality fungicide only treatment, we can do that. And if a farmer is looking for a premium treat- ment with an insecticide, fungicide and nutrient enhancement package, we can deliver. It’s really a no-strings attached prod- uct. Customers don’t have to buy a spe- cific seed brand to get the treatment or performance they want, and they don’t have to sacrifice protection. We all know that in today’s low com- modity price environment, every bushel counts and every seed planted needs to yield to its potential. Our team at Nufarm gets that. Our formulation specialists are working behind the scenes to provide that protection, while ensuring our cus- tom-fit chemistries flow good, are stable and fluid, and can easily be applied.