Cambridge, MD (May 18, 2020) - It is well established that waterfowl and wildlife populations adjust themselves to the habitat present to sustain them. Man has the greatest influence on making this happen.

A 25-year old ”Wildlife Conservation Seed Program” administered by Ladd Johnson & Associates (the association), a habitat design consulting firm based in Cambridge, MD, has been successful in providing one of the essentials to the Food Plots habitat program.

Currently, Johnson says there is a significant demand for spring 2020 treated discard seed for wildlife habitat food plots. This includes treated obsolete hybrids/varieties or out of spec seed lots, he says.

Putting Discarded Seed To Use

Seed companies always have treated seed that becomes obsolete, discontinued varieties, or out of spec seed lots, Johnson says.

Ladd Johnson & Associates has established a network of non-profit wildlife conservation organizations, state departments of natural resources, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Agency that receive the seed and make it available to their members to plant their respective food plots.

Johnson explains the association ensures compliance to all relevant state seed laws and safeguards in place to prevent misuse of the discarded habitat seed (replacing normal seed sales/acreage).

He says the conservation organization members are provided seed at a much lower cost than normal retail and the seed companies are provided with a low-cost method for disposal of treated discard inventory, plus an option that is both economical and addressees environmental stewardship principals.

Johnson notes seed types such as corn, soybean, grain sorghum, sunflower, and winter wheat are the types of seed in greatest demand.

Presently, Johnson says annual acreages in food plots from the program range between 2-300,000 acres.

“With the average food plot size at four acres, that’s a lot of food plots,” Johnson says. “Supply is and continues to be the only limiting factor.”

How The Program Works

According to Johnson, the way the program works is that the seed companies notify the association of their respective locations where the treated seed is located.

From there, he says, the association does the rest at no cost to the company.

Johnson says arrangements are made with the production plants for pickup, usually in semi-load lots of 800 bags or more and delivered to the organization’s chapters for distribution.

Each seed recipient, Johnson notes, signs an affidavit on how the seed must be used for food plots and is “NOT FOR SALE.”

He adds accepting the seed does not give any rights to use the genetics contained within the seed or grain or any plant parts, pollen, or seed produced therefrom for breeding, research or seed production or for any other purpose whatsoever, other than use in wildlife plantings.

Any misuse of the seed may subject the client to legal action under U.S. Seed Patent Laws and/or the Plant Variety Protection Act, Johnson says. The recipient also acknowledges to leave the crop standing for wildlife food and the seed they received may be slightly below standard germination.

“The organizations also understand that a violation of their agreement with the association may result in the organization or all organizations within the state to permanently lose the right to distribute seed under the program,” Johnson says.

Current Demand

Currently, Johnson says there is a significant demand for treated discard seed.

Corn and grain sorghum serve as a high energy source if left standing for deer and wild turkey or flooded for waterfowl, he says.

Soybeans, Johnson notes, remain as an excellent green browse for deer and upon maturity are very beneficial to wild turkey and waterfowl.

“Winter wheat is the highest seed in demand and serves all wildlife and waterfowl as an excellent green browse,” he says.

Johnson states the association welcomes all seed companies to participate in this conservation program.

For more information, contact Ladd Johnson and Associates at PO Box 338 Cambridge, MD, 21613; call 410-228-3755; or email: ladd_johnson@aol.com.

Written by Chris Lusvardi, Seed Today editor