sustainable agriculture

BEST SOWING PRACTICE FOR TREATED SEED

PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP

Bayer CropScience continues its commitment to Product Stewardship by supporting our custom- ers in minimizing risks and maximize benefits from the use of our products. This is why Bayer CropScience is sharing its know-how in respon- sible sowing, to further minimize risks associat- ed with seed treatment products and to lay the foundation for a good harvest.

Within this document we will cover the following topics:

Preparations for Sowing• Storing and Handling Treated Seeds• Choosing the Right Sowing Equipment

During Sowing• Loading Seed Properly • Importance of Considering Weather Conditions• Minimizing Dust Release

After Sowing• Post-Drilling Operations• Cleaning the Sowing Machine• Managing Left-Over Seeds and Waste

Personal Protection• Gloves• Breathing Protection

SHARING KNOWLEDGE

PREPARATIONS FOR SOWING

Choosing the Right EquipmentUsing the right sowing equipment helps to optimize your yield and minimizes the risk, especially from exposure to dust, to farmers and the environment. Therefore, • Check that your equipment is clean and working correctly and is in a

well-maintained condition.• Carefully follow the equipment manufacturer’s instructions.• Use only equipment that allows precise seed placement at the right

depth and rate. • Calibrate the seeder for the correct depth and seed placement in

accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions so that the seed lands in the soil, without the risk of spillage.

• Make use of seed-flow lubricants to improve flowability and reduce dust release.

• Equip a pneumatic vacuum sowing machine with a deflector and check that the deflector is working properly in terms of airtightness and seed positioning. Check that the deflector does not alter perfor-mance of the seed drill (see our specialist flyer).

Storing and Handling Treated SeedsTreated seeds demand respect: Inspect seed sacks or big bags for in-tegrity and don’t accept them if they look crushed, ripped or resealed, or if the seed tag or label isn’t complete or visible. • Handle seed bags with care and don’t throw or drop them, so as to

avoid abrasion of the coating from the seed inside.• Don’t stack bags so high that their weight crushes the lower bags

resulting in dust formation.• Transport seed bags carefully and store them in an appropriate stor-

age area, out of the reach of children, domestic animals and wildlife.

AFTER SOWING

Leaving Drilled Fields• Before you leave a drilled field, please check the areas with the

greatest risk of seed remaining uncovered, i.e. headlands, corners, and the areas where the driller was filled, set up or emptied. Small in-field spills can simply be buried.

• In the event of a large spill, either collect the spilled seed and store it in the original bag for subsequent disposal or cover, harrow and roll the area of spillage to cover the seed with soil.

• It is always good to have a “spill kit” (shovel, spare bag, gloves) with you in case spillage happens.

• Please do not dispose of treated seed on field edges or other non-crop areas!

Avoiding Contamination when Cleaning the Sowing Machine: • Your tractor, drilling machine and seed boxes should be regularly

cleaned well away from environmentally sensitive areas. We advise using a vacuum cleaner to remove treated seed from the seed box with minimal dust release during cleaning. Using compressed air is unacceptable for this very reason. Take great care to avoid con-taminating yourself by wearing personal protective equipment when cleaning your equipment.

Managing Waste and Left-Over Seeds • Collect together any residual dust left at the bottom of seed bags

into a single seed bag and store this in a dry place out of the sun until it can be disposed of as hazardous waste in line with your local regulations.

• Dust-free bags should be disposed of via your local collection sys-tem for empty pesticide containers.

• Left-over seed should be collected in the field and stored in a care-fully marked bag in a dry place out of the sun ready for subsequent use. If treated seed cannot be used again, please dispose of In line with local legislation.

• Please do not burn empty bags or unused dressed seeds in the field! Dispose of them in line with local legislation. The water used to wash your tractor, drilling machine and seed boxes is contami-nated with dust from treated seed and should be disposed of in a responsible way, e.g. via a “Phytobac” (see our specialist flyer on Phytobac).

MECHANICAL MODIFICATIONS REDUCE DUST EMISSIONS

Reductions in dust emissions compared to an upward-pointing air release machine as revealed in field tests carried out with a pneumatic sowing machine

Loading Seed Properly• Avoid loading seed on grassland, as spills cannot be completely

cleaned up.• Only fill seed into the drilling machine hopper in the field due to be

sown and at least 10 meters away from environmentally sensitive are-as such as field edges, bee hives, hedges, flowering plants and water.

• Only fill the seed into a hopper when there is little wind, so to reduce the risk of dust drift.

• Do not fill the hopper upwind of any sensitive areas.• Stop the driller turbine before loading more seed.• Do not level the seeds in the hopper with your bare hands.• Do not shake residual dust or other loose materials from the bottom of

the seed bag into the hopper.• Do not leave open bags unattended at the edge of a field.

Considering Weather Conditions: A key way of avoiding contamination via dust during sowing is to check wind speed and direction before making the decision to sow. Details of the current wind speed and direction for your particular location are available from the Bayer CropScience weather app.• Properly plan your sowing for wind speed and direction on the date

of sowing as dry and windy conditions favor dust drift • If the wind speed exceeds 5 m/sec, we strongly advise you to stop

sowing, especially if your field is close to flowering crops or environ-mentally sensitive areas.

• Never drive a pneumatic sowing machine through flowering crops with the exhauster running.

Minimizing the Risk of Exposure – Protecting the EnvironmentDuring sowing, it is important to minimize the exposure risk for the environment. Take appropriate precautions to avoid negative impacts on bees and other pollinators. • Tell local beekeepers when you are planning to drill.• Sow seed in the early morning or evening when bees are not foraging.• Mow any flowering plants in the target field.

During cereal sowing, special care must be taken to protect birds and mammals:• Ensure adequate sowing depth at row ends, headlands and field

corners.• Avoid spillage when raising or lowering the seeder in the turning area

(major risk zone), during U-turns and at the plot edges or pointed ends of a plot if there is no square or rectangular plot

Protect the environment• Avoid contaminating surface water when washing your equipment.

Deflector 90%

AirWasher 97%

SweepAir 99%

PERSONAL PROTECTION

Take your responsibility for your own safety seriously. You can avoid direct exposure to airborne dust from drilling equipment and indirect exposure from dust-contaminated machinery. Use the appropriate PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) when handling treated seeds. Before handling seeds, read the seed bagtag and follow the safety instructions!• Avoid dermal exposure by protecting your skin (the main route of

contamination): • Wear nitrile gloves and an overall when handling treated seeds. • Wear breathing protection (e.g. a dust mask) when handling

dusty seeds.• Always use a Type P3 dust mask when cleaning sowing equip-

ment.• Do not eat, drink, smoke or telephone while handling treated

seeds. Wash your hands immediately after the above operations.

DURING SOWING

NW22 km/h

NOT ACCEPTABLE WIND SPEED

6 m/s4 Bft

NW14 km/h

ACCEPTABLE WIND SPEED

4 m/s3 Bft

NW11 km/h

3 m/s2 Bft

BAYER CROPSCIENCE AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

More than 300 years ago, Hans Carl von Carlowitz, a farsighted mining inspector in Germany, recognized the importance of sustainable refor-estation in ensuring a lasting supply of wood for the mining industry. These days, a scarcity of wood would hardly present an existential threat to most societies. The challenge facing us now and in the future is global food security, with the world’s population increasing by around 80 million a year and limited arable land available. In other words, the most pressing global challenge is to intensify agricultural productivity in a sustainable way.

Bayer CropScience approaches this challenge holistically by connecting economic success in agriculture with environmental and socialresponsibility for all the partners involved.In practical terms, Bayer promotes sustainable agriculture and strivesfor excellence in three ways:• Providing innovative solutions (plant protection products, seeds, traits

and services) to farmers and other partners along the food value chain to protect and enhance crop yield and quality

• Proactive stewardship to ensure user protection, environmental preservation, plant health and food safety

• Partnerships to enhance the quality of life in agricultural communities.

In this way, Bayer CropScience is playing its part in enhancing globalfood security.

Dr. Peter Ohs Senior Product Stewardship ManagerTel. +49 (0) 2173 38 4298peter.ohs@bayer.com

Bayer CropScience AGAlfred-Nobel-Str. 5040789 MonheimGermany

www.cropscience.bayer.com© 2015 by Bayer CropScience

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