Fact Sheet

Background

· Public perception of food safety increasingly important
· Applicator safety is a primary concern for pesticide applicators
· To conserve value of grain it is necessary to protect it from insects
· Limited stored product insecticides are currently available
· In the future government regulations may restrict the availability and use of stored grain insecticides and fumigants that produce toxic residues

Protect-It®

· Latest generation Diatomaceous Earth (DE)-based pesticide
· Made of DE and silica gel, which are both forms of amorphous silica
· Absorbs waxy coating from insect body causing water loss and death
· Low application rates minimize flow rate and test weight issues DE
· Made specifically for use in grain and grain handling and food processing facilities
· Effective structural and grain insecticide
· Excellent IPM tool, which can be considered a direct or indirect alternative to other stored grain insecticides

Benefits

· Exempt from residue limits – no need to remove from grain before processing
· No applicator certification necessary
· No re-entry waiting period after application of Protect-It®
· Very persistent, will not degrade or dissipate so long as the grain is in storage
· Protects infestation by the most common stored grain insect, including weevils, rusty grain beetles and flour beetles
· Will not affect milling, baking or malting quality
· Can be used in or around animal feeds

Application

· Easy and inexpensive for empty bin application before loading
· Mass treatment suitable for very long term storage or for finished product
· Layer treatment plus top dressing suitable for standard protection for on-farm or commercial storage
· Top dressing compatible with flat storage or for after “coring” bins
· Crack and crevice and general structural treatment for processing facilities

Application Equipment

· Easily applied to empty bins using bin aeration equipment or Hedley’s Air Application Kit
· For application to grain, can be applied by hand as grain is conveyed
· For larger commercial-scale application, automatic feeders are available
· Air driven Air Application Kit used for top dressing
· Bulb dusters, Air Applicator or electric blowers suitable for processing facilities

Research

See Publication reference list or contact Hedley at 1-888-476-4473 for information about:

· Wheat and Barley field trials
· Empty bin treatment
· Treatment of peanuts
· Protect-It and heat treatment
· Field tests in Eastern Europe, Asia and North America

Who should use Protect-It®?

· Farmers for application to empty bins and protection of grain on farm
· Commercial elevators for application to empty silos and flat storage and for application to grain (food or feed) destined for medium to long-term storage
· Food processors for structural application, e.g., crack and crevice treatment and application to grains in-store
· Food processors and pet food manufacturers for occasional Protect-It®/heat combination treatment as a replacement for facility fumigation
· Birdseed processors for direct application of Protect-It® to finished product
· Food warehouses for general structural application