Arkion Bird Repellent Approved for Use in Three Southern States

Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas Farmers Allowed to Plant Avipel®-Treated Corn Seed

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Feb 25, 2011, 02:00 ET

NEW CASTLE, Del., Feb. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Environmental Protection Agency has issued Section 18 permits to market Avipel® for the 2011 planting season in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. This action makes a highly effective method for protecting corn seed available to farmers in those states where certain bird species have become a problem. In Texas, use of the repellent is restricted to cranes. In Louisiana and Mississippi, it can be used for other species as well. These states are the first to receive approval to use Avipel® this year; others are still pending.

Many farmers face moderate to severe crop damage from a variety of birds. Cranes, pheasants, blackbirds and grackles are among the most common species that find newly planted corn seed to be an attractive food source. Coating seeds with Avipel® effectively removes that attraction by causing a negative impact on digestion. After initially sampling the treated seed, birds avoid it and look for other food sources.

There are several benefits to using Avipel® products. Besides offering an effective and humane solution to crop damage caused by foraging birds, farmers save the time and money involved in having to replant damaged fields.

Avipel® has successfully protected corn seed from birds in over six years of use on more than half a million acres of planted corn. Information about approved uses and labels may be found at: www.ArkionLS.com.

Arkion Life Sciences is a pioneer in the development and commercialization of several formulations of bird repellent and bird management technologies. In addition to Avipel® for crop protection, Arkion's patented formulations of anthraquinone effectively repel geese from turf grass with FlightControl® Plus and birds from structures using Airepel® Service Blend.

Arkion Life Sciences LLC, based in New Castle, Delaware, is a technology-based company leading in the discovery, development and marketing of environmentally friendly, natural or nature identical compounds. Arkion has three major businesses: Airepel®, supplying bird repellents which feature non-lethal methods to control where birds feed and roost; Hyperimmune eggs with markets in human and animal nutrition; and Bio-Technical Resources (Manitowoc, WI) which provides contract services for development of microbial fermentation processes such as glucosamine, N-acetylglucosamine and natamycin.

SOURCE Arkion Life Sciences