Any treated seeds in grain truckload leads to large financial losses

Agriculture officials recently warned harvesters that just a single seed treated with pesticide found within a bin of soybeans or corn could mean major financial losses for the harvester who sold the grain.

Seeds that have been treated with pesticides and fungicides are popular among farmers who want to protect seedlings when they are planted. These particular seeds are dyed with bright colors, distinguishing them from the seeds that did not have treatments.

If even a handful of colored seeds are found in storage bins or truckloads, the whole lot qualifies as contaminated. It cannot be used as food for animals or humans.

In addition, the farmers may also have civil forfeitures that they must face in court. This holds the harvesters responsible for the expense of the contaminated grain.

"Federal law has zero tolerance for treated seed in harvested grain," Lori Bowman, director of the Agrichemical Management Bureau in the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), said. "The product is considered adulterated for both human food and animal feed. We have had a case in Wisconsin fairly recently where an entire bin was condemned because an employee saw a small quantity of colored seed pass from the farmer's truck into the bin."