Stewardship earns high marks for Dow AgroSciences. (Earth Stewards).Stewardship strategies work for Dow AgroSciences Dow AgroSciences LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Dow Chemical Company specializing in not only agricultural chemicals such as pesticides, but also seeds and biotechnology solutions. The company is based in Indianapolis, Indiana, in the United States. , Indianapolis. Not only can such strategies yield environmental benefits, they also demonstrate to the Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1970 to reduce and control air and water pollution, noise pollution, and radiation and to ensure the safe handling and (EPA EPA eicosapentaenoic acid. EPA abbr. eicosapentaenoic acid EPA, n.pr See acid, eicosapentaenoic. EPA, n. ) and Dow AgroSciences' farmer customers that the company takes a solutions-oriented approach to today's focus on the environment. "Dow AgroSciences has a sincere appreciation ... for the environment in which we live. This concern is the basis for our product stewardship Product stewardship is a concept whereby environmental protection centers around the product itself, and everyone involved in the lifespan of the product is called upon to take up responsibility to reduce its environmental impact. philosophy by which we assess the safety, health and environmental information on our products," says Jake Secor, leader, government and public affairs Those public information, command information, and community relations activities directed toward both the external and internal publics with interest in the Department of Defense. Also called PA. See also command information; community relations; public information. , Midwest and South, Dow AgroSciences. "The success of this product stewardship program rests with each and every individual involved with Dow AgroSciences' products, from initial concept and research ... to disposal and recycle of each product." GREEN CHEMISTRY Dow AgroSciences is one of the only ag companies to win the EPA Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award. The award is so named to recognize technologies that incorporate principles of green chemistry (chemistry used in pollution prevention) into design, manufacture and use of chemicals. Since the EPA recognition program began in 1996, three Dow AgroSciences products have been honored in the Designing Safer Chemicals category. In 1998, Rohm and Haas Rohm and Haas Company (NYSE: ROH), a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based company, manufactures miscellaneous materials. A Fortune 500 Company, Rohm and Haas employs more than 17,000 people in 27 countries. The annual sales revenue of Rohm and Haas stands at about USD 8.2 billion. insecticide Confirm (now a Dow AgroSciences product) was presented with the award. Spinosad, a natural insect control system, won in 1999. Sentricon, Dow AgroSciences' Termite termite or white ant, common name for a soft-bodied social insect of the order Isoptera. Termites are easily distinguished from ants by comparison of the base of the abdomen, which is broadly joined to the thorax in termites; in ants, there is Colony Elimination System, was honored in 2000. In addition, Dow Agrosciences' N-Serve nitrogen stabilizer stabilizer: see airplane. was nominated last year because of its ability to reduce conversion of anhydrous an·hy·drous adj. Without water, especially water of crystallization. anhydrous (anhī´drus), adj without water. anhydrous containing no water. ammonia to nitrate, which cuts down nitrogen leaching from fields into waterways. The stabilized nitrogen is more available to crops, which enhances performance, profitability and environmental stewardship. "N-Serve is not new or technically eligible for the award because it has been available for more than 25 years," says Secor. "But N-Serve was nominated for its environmental contributions and received letters of support from two governors. EPA recognized that N-Serve addresses current problems with hypoxia hypoxia Condition in which tissues are starved of oxygen. The extreme is anoxia (absence of oxygen). There are four types: hypoxemic, from low blood oxygen content (e.g., in altitude sickness); anemic, from low blood oxygen-carrying capacity (e.g. (the `dead zone' in the Gulf of Mexico Noun 1. Gulf of Mexico - an arm of the Atlantic to the south of the United States and to the east of Mexico Golfo de Mexico Atlantic, Atlantic Ocean - the 2nd largest ocean; separates North and South America on the west from Europe and Africa on the east ) and that is why the nomination was encouraged." GREEN MESSAGES Dow AgroSciences uses its green chemistry accolades as a marketing tool for selling the environmental stewardship message to growers. "Promoting the Green Chemistry Award shows that we incorporate sound environmental stewardship into our products," says Secor. "It also shows farmers that they can use products which help cut down or eliminate hazardous substances and possible environmental effects." For example, spinosad is labeled for use in some 100 crops, and provides safety to not only those crops and the environment, but also applicators and non-target insects. "One of the things we key in on in our marketing messages is the environment. With spinosad, we can promote a broad safety message for the environment, people and crops. We also reference the Green Chemistry Award in some of our literature," says Mark Woodruff, marketing specialist, Midwest/Atlantic States business unit for Dow AgroSciences. "Bottom line, when growers look at two products with the same control spectrum, the product with the strongest environmental message is most likely going to win," he says. "Our goal is to provide those products to growers." RELATED ARTICLE: What is green chemistry? According to EPA, the Green Chemistry Program "fosters research, development and implementation of innovative chemical technologies that accomplish pollution prevention in both a scientifically sound and cost-effective manner." The program promotes those technologies that help cut down on, or eliminate, hazardous substances that often come from traditional chemical products and processes. Each year, an independent panel of judges Panel of Judges is an indie pop band from Melbourne, Australia. Members
Barb Baylor Anderson is a freelance writer from Edwardsville, Ill., who covers a wide variety of ag issues. |
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