Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
Backus William A.
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
BALCHEM CORP [BCPC]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chief Accounting Officer
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O BALCHEM CORPORATION, 52 SUNRISE PARK ROAD
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/15/2018
(Street)

NEW HAMPTON, NY 10958
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 02/15/2018   A   910 (1) A $ 0 17,904 D  
Common Stock 02/15/2018   A   2,643 (2) A $ 0 20,547 D  
Common Stock 02/15/2018   F   1,345 (3) D $ 74.57 19,202 D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option $ 74.57 02/15/2018   A   3,650     (4) 02/15/2028 Common Stock 3,650 $ 0 3,650 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
Backus William A.
C/O BALCHEM CORPORATION
52 SUNRISE PARK ROAD
NEW HAMPTON, NY 10958
      Chief Accounting Officer  

Signatures

 /s/ William A. Backus, by Attorney in Fact, Mark Stach   02/20/2018
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Ownership of the restricted stock does not vest in Reporting person until four years from the grant date and is further subject to restrictions on transfer in accordance with the provisions of a Restricted Stock Grant Agreement between the Issuer and the Reporting Person.
(2) Acquired upon the settlement of performance shares granted on February 19, 2018 based upon a predetermined EBITDA performance target and total shareholder return against the Russell 2000 Index over a three-year period under the Company's Second Amended and Restated 1999 Stock Plan (as amended and restated effective June 20, 2013) as a result of the satisfaction of those performance criteria.
(3) 1,345 of the 2,643 shares that vested February 15, 2018 were withheld to cover withholding taxes due upon vesting.
(4) Options vest 20% year 1; 40% year 2; and 40% year 3.

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