Soy-Based Seed Lubricant Brings Multiple Benefits to Farmers

Soybeans have long been called “the Miracle Bean” due in large part to the number of uses attributed to this highly versatile crop. From food to feed and fiber to fuel, thousands of things can be made from this renewable, sustainable crop.

One of the newest innovations to hit the farm is a checkoff-funded, soy-based seed lubricant from Lo Mu Tech. Dust, as Lo Mu Tech founders Dave Kloostra and Brian Tulley named it, is a U.S. soy-based seed box lubricant that replaces the dusty, dark graphite that can easily stain your hands and clothes or the powdery white talc that can be dangerous if inhaled.

Introduced in 2018, Dust has been used on acres stretching from Washington state and the Dakotas, through the Midwest and down to the Delta. Research trials were conducted at The Ohio State University, University of Missouri, and the University of Tennessee.

“Dust isn’t a hammered or milled product – it’s manufactured to produce tiny round particles, which is why it works so well,” Tulley explained. “Dust is 20 times less abrasive than traditional graphite and talc, helping maintain seed treatment coatings.”

Lo Mu Tech’s Dust product is not only a healthier and cleaner product for farmers, but it has some additional environmental benefits. With Dust being 100 percent soy protein, once it’s in the ground it is metabolized by microbes in the soil and leaves no trace after 28 days. Microbes are energized by the protein and encourage more above- and below-ground growth, helping plants do better in the early growth stages.

“We’ve replaced a product that nobody likes using, and it works just as well,” Tulley said. “It’s just a matter of showing how it works. With a new generation coming up in farming, they are questioning more and looking for better alternatives.”

“Why wouldn’t I, as a farmer, use something on my farm that is going to grow demand for the crop that I produce?” said Ryan Bivens of Hodgenville. “When I saw that this was soy-based and checkoff-funded, I was pretty impressed. Then, when I actually stuck my hand down in a bucket of this product at Classic in February and it wiped off clean with no talc cloud and no graphite, I was REALLY impressed.”

Tulley said, “We are giving farmers the opportunity to use a product they’re growing on their farm, something they do quite well, and it has the potential to increase their revenue. If we can capture even 40 percent of the graphite and talc market, we can increase soybean usage by 2.5 million bushels of U.S. soybeans.”

Farmers who are interested in learning more about Dust can visit www.lowmutech.com for more information and to find a dealer.

Vocabulary to Define:

renewable
checkoff
lubricant
metabolize

Research to Conduct:

Why do farmers need to add a lubricant to soybean seeds in the planter box?

Question to Answer:

What are the benefits to the Dust product over graphite and talc?