2008 Plot Data Results Now available on the Seed page
Ensuring a Safe Food Supply Because of bioterrorism threats, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration acting through the Homeland Security Act has made it mandatory for grain elevators like Watertown Co-op to have a grain traceback system in place.
That means we must be able to track loads of grain from our storage facilities back to the farm of origin.
We can view this as a hassle or we can embrace traceability as a way to ensure a safe food supply. So at Watertown Co-op we have chosen to embrace our role as the connection point between your farm gate and the food processor.
Additionally, we also want to ensure that another StarLink®-type event never happens again. Remember the billion dollar hit our global industry sustained when our national corn supply inadvertently contained a non-FDA approved corn variety?
Today’s grain elevators are especially concerned about the wide use of treated soybean seed. The commercial grain industry including Watertown Co-op has a zero tolerance for treated grain seed. We will absolutely not accept any loads that include treated grain of any type.
Additionally, please be vigilant about hauling fertilizer and wheat in the same truck. The commercial grain industry, including Watertown Co-op, has a zero tolerance for fertilizer in wheat or any grain.
The solution is simple to avoid the problems mentioned above: take the time to inspect and clean out any contaminants…BEFORE you haul any grain to the elevator.
The after-effects and financial ramifications of just one contaminated load are huge. Recently at another elevator, a producer mistakenly delivered one load of grain that contained treated soybeans. This one load inadvertently contaminated about 50,000 bushels. That producer may be accountable for the entire 50,000 bushels—about $250,000—not just his one contaminated load. Adding to the cost, the grain will probably be hauled to a landfill for disposal.
Please take the time to inspect and clean out any contaminants before you haul. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call.
