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BeSure! to use crop protection products safely and responsibly

Deciding how to manage weeds, insects and diseases that routinely attack crops and landscapes is just one of many decisions farmers and applicators must make each season. When choosing crop protection tools, both effectiveness and potential impact on the environment must be considered. Protecting bees and other wildlife is a major part of good stewardship practices and is why Growing Matters launched BeSure!, an initiative to support growers and applicators in accomplishing this important goal. Here are 5 easy tips to follow this planting season: For Applicators | For Growers

Neonicotinoids Are Important

Whether applied as a seed treatment, or as a foliar spray or soil treatment, neonicotinoid insecticides are used on farms and in urban landscapes because of their selective effectiveness against destructive insects and their proven safety to people and the environment, when used according to the label. Because of these attributes, “neonics” play a critical role in most modern integrated pest-management (IPM) programs. These products protect plants and significantly increase crop yields, bringing billions of dollars to the U.S. economy and benefiting not only users, but entire communities.

Follow the Label Directions

Like all insecticides, neonicotinoids must be used responsibly and in accordance with the label directions to avoid harmful exposures to people, wildlife and the environment. Reading and following the label use instructions is the first and most important consideration when handling any pesticide. Labels provide precise information on how to minimize potential exposures to bees or wildlife, as well as how products may be safely used, handled, stored and disposed.

BeSure! About Stewardship

Good stewardship is all about adopting best-management practices to ensure products are used safely and responsibly. Growing Matters’ BeSure! campaign is an industry-wide collaboration between crop protection providers, trade associations and ag retailers. Our goal is to reinforce practical stewardship practices that protect pollinators and other wildlife when handling, planting and disposing of treated seeds, as well as from other neonic applications used throughout the growing season, including a broad range of crops, turf, ornamental plants and trees.

An Industry Effort

In addition to the Growing Matters coalition of agricultural companies, BeSure! is supported by the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) and National Pesticide Safety Education Center (NPSEC).

Resources – Your One-Stop Shop for Stewardship

• Guide to Seed Treatment Stewardship: This guide, developed by ASTA with support from pesticide manufacturers, includes videos and brochures to show how treated seeds can be used to avoid harmful exposure to bees, birds and other wildlife
• Insect Pollinators and Pesticide Product Stewardship: A comprehensive guide on the responsible use of all neonic applications
• Pesticide Environmental Stewardship : This website is sponsored by the Center for Integrated Pest Management and provides convenient access to information on proper pesticide handling
• Crop Pest Advisor Module: Together with the Honey Bee Health Coalition, NPSEC developed a free, hour-long education module targeted specifically for pesticide applicators, advisors and crop consultants.
• State Managed Pollinator Protection Plans (MP3s), supported by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) – The MP3 inventory found here provides individualized resources by state for accessing best management practices related to pollinator health.
• Seed Treatments: A guide developed by Growing Matters about how seed treatments help farmers produce better quality, higher yielding crops.