Nick Tindall, Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) director, government affairs, presented details on the new standard on April 24 during a panel discussion on pollinator health at the CropLife America and RISE Spring Conference in Arlington, Virginia.
“This international standard provides guidelines for machine designers and test engineers in the development of optimal solutions,” Tindall said.
“By specifying minimum vacuum system performance rather than requiring specific designs,” he continued, “the standard allows individual companies to fully utilize their engineering resources to develop innovative solutions, which do not compromise demanding customer requirements for seed singulation and placement.”
Best control requires coordinated approach
Tindall noted that the best control of fugitive dust from treated seed results from a coordinated approach that includes:
- Effective seed coatings to bind the active agent to the seed
- Appropriate seed coating equipment and techniques that fully realize the binding agent’s potential
- Minimizing seed treatment loss (dust generation) during handling, including the planting process
- Minimizing drift (uncontrolled movement) of fugitive dust
Planter manufacturers have no direct influence over the first two items, he said.
First usage set for spring 2016
Work on the new international standard – ISO 17962 – started in April 2011. Final publication will take place in June.
Planters manufactured after the publishing date will need to meet the requirements of the new standard. Typical first use of that equipment will be for spring 2016 planting.
—From Association of Equipment Manufacturers news release
