As the 2019 planting season continues, it’s important to take steps to minimize dust-off from treated seed. Specifically, growers should be sure to:

• Follow recommendations from planter manufacturers for the use of fluency agents or lubricants.
• Eliminate flowering plants and weeds in and immediately adjacent to the field prior to planting seeds treated with a pollinator-sensitive insecticide.
• Avoid dust drift from treated seeds to sensitive areas during planting by observing wind speed and direction.

Seed treatments undergo rigorous testing and review by federal and state regulators to ensure their safety to applicators, wildlife and the environment. Input manufacturers have introduced measures to protect pollinators, including the use of enhanced coating polymers and application processes to increase pesticide adherence to seeds, as well as new flowability agents that help minimize seed dust-off during planting. However, it’s incumbent on growers and applicators to follow label directions and observe stewardship best-management practices to help reduce dust-off.

For additional information about seed treatment stewardship, please visit www.growingmatters.org/besure.

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