Dow AgroSciences is first company accredited by USDA Seed Conditioning Program

Dow AgroSciences is the first U.S. seed company to be certified under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Accredited Seed Conditioning Program. This certification applies to the newly introduced Dow AgroSciences Refuge Advanced™ powered by SmartStax® product, the industry’s first, single-bag refuge solution for corn.

"Earning this USDA certification provides our customers with a high level of confidence that Dow AgroSciences products meet or exceed regulatory and seed industry standards,” says Michael Joseph, lead quality manager for Seed Production at Dow AgroSciences.

To qualify for this program, Dow AgroSciences has complied with stringent USDA criteria for REFUGE ADVANCED seed blending as well as meeting the USDA’s Process Verified Program standards. Requirements include conducting trait purity checks on component seed lots, as well as maintaining standard operating procedures for the seed-blending process, including traceability, conditioning flow and product carryover procedures. The company must calibrate blending and weighing equipment and maintain records for seed blend products, making records available for USDA review. Compliance with these requirements was determined by a rigorous USDA audit.

REFUGE ADVANCED contains a blend of 95 percent high-yielding SmartStax seeds and 5 percent high-quality non-insect-traited refuge seeds. It is a single-bag solution with no separate refuge required in the Corn Belt.1 While developing REFUGE ADVANCED, Dow AgroSciences consulted with growers on the key attributes that they were looking for in a refuge-in-the-bag product.

"Growers told us they wanted a product that met high standards for quality, blending accuracy and uniform distribution of the refuge seed in each and every unit they purchased,” says Casey Onstot, Dow AgroSciences traits marketing manager. “The process required for this accreditation helps ensure we are meeting our customers’ expectations.”

This accreditation is further evidence of Dow AgroSciences’ commitment to innovation and delivering high-quality products with the latest technology.