(October 24, 2024) - Seed treatments are widely used by U.S. soybean producers to protect against early season pests. These treatments typically comprise one or more pesticides applied to seeds as a coating before planting, when plants are most susceptible and face the highest pressures, to limit early season risks to pest damage.
A recent survey conducted by the American Soybean Association and the United Soybean Board sought to measure the value of seed treatments and the feasibility of alternatives on the U.S. farm economy. The United Soybean Board is a farmer-led, non-policy organization funded by the checkoff to support soybean promotion, research and education programs at both the state and national levels. The American Soybean Association is a membership based non-profit organization that is tasked with accomplishing the policy goals established by its farmer members.
The survey, conducted during July 2024, gathered 491 online responses from farmers growing at least 150 acres of soybeans during the 2023 season across the 17 largest soybean-producing states in the United States.
On average, 90% of soybean acres in the ASA/USB survey were planted with treated seeds. Only 3% of respondents had never planted any treated soybean seeds. Because seed treatments are so widely used by farmers, the technology impacts farms across the United States.
For more information, see New Survey Highlights Farmer Adoption of Seed Treatment Applications.