Bayer CropScience Highlights Farming Innovations to Help Leave a Better World

BOONE, Iowa, Aug. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers are looking to farmers to use practices that leave a better world, and Bayer CropScience is responding to support farmers by providing the innovative tools and resources to make it happen.

At the 2014 Farm Progress Show today in Boone, Iowa, the company showcased a road map to maintain healthy, plentiful crops produced in a manner that protects resources and helps drive profit for growers.

Jim Blome, president and CEO, Bayer CropScience LP and head of Crop Protection for Bayer North America, offered details during a meeting with the media at the show.

"Leaving a better world is everyone's responsibility. We're working to lead engagement of growers and the vast array of people who work every day to support sustainable agriculture so that each understands their responsibility," Blome said. "Bayer CropScience works every day in our research facilities and in the field with our customers to develop and practice innovative, sustainable approaches to crop production that will leave a better world."

Sustainable food production is important to consumers around the world, and their interest in all aspects of the food supply continues to grow.

To gain a current perspective on U.S. consumers' attitudes towards food production and the agriculture industry, the company commissioned a late-July omnibus survey of more than 1,000 people. Blome previewed some of the key findings today.

Consumers agreed that best practices for a better world include farming techniques that improve the environment, protect wildlife and keep the American food supply consistent and affordable.

"It's humbling that consumers entrust the agriculture industry with an important role in preserving our natural resources for the next generation," Blome said. "Agriculture must continue existing sustainable farming practices—and adopt even more ways—to preserve the land."

Generally, U.S. consumers support the use of technology in crop production. Approximately 70 percent of respondents rated the use of technology to help farmers be more efficient and to produce more food to feed a growing population as "positive" or "very positive." Their perceptions about the use of Genetically Modified Organisms were an exception, with 42 percent responding negatively; however, they support the benefits the technology provides.

"We believe technology is critical to our farmers' successes," Blome said. "They need innovation and new tools to grow more food from the same acreage as today, as well as ensure the land is healthy for the future. The crop protection industry must be allowed to continue innovating, which will require a science-based regulatory system."

Bayer innovation supports sustainable production

Bayer CropScience plans to introduce as many as 30 products by 2022. New products highlighted at Farm Progress Show include:

• Credenz™, the company's first global soybean seed featuring smart genetics.
• DiFlexx™ herbicide, which provides broadleaf weed control, application flexibility and crop safety in field corn, corn grown for silage, white corn and popcorn. Product pending registration.
• ILeVO,^® the first seed treatment able to protect soybean seedlings from sudden death syndrome (SDS). Product pending registration.
• Fluency Agent, a new seed lubricant that reduces dust when planting treated corn and soybean seeds, helping minimize potential risk of exposure to foraging honey bees and other pollinators. During large-scale U.S. field trials this year, growers said Fluency Agent had noticeably less dust and a lower use rate.

Consumers express trust in farmers

Additional results from the Bayer omnibus survey showed the following:

• More than 50 percent of consumers indicated they're most interested in speaking directly with farmers as a trusted source about food production.
• Consumers think positively about corn and soybean farmers' work to protect natural resources.
• More than half of respondents indicated they would be "likely" or "somewhat likely" to encourage a friend or family member to pursue a career in the agricultural food production industry.

"Consumers' positive attitudes about farmers and farming speak well to the future of our industry," Blome said. "We encourage growers to continue the dialogue with consumers and build relationships that address their concerns and challenges, working together to help leave a better world."

Bayer CropScience is committed to bringing new technology and solutions for agriculture and non-agricultural uses. For questions concerning the availability and use of products, contact a local Bayer CropScience representative, or visit Bayer CropScience online at www.bayercropscience.us.

Visit the Bayer Connect - Social Hub for all Bayer CropScience social media, recent news, blog posts, videos and more.

About Bayer CropScience
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, agriculture and high-tech materials. Bayer CropScience, the subgroup of Bayer AG responsible for the agricultural business, has annual sales of EUR 8,819 million (2013) and is one of the world's leading innovative crop science companies in the areas of seeds, crop protection and non-agricultural pest control. The company offers an outstanding range of products including high-value seeds, innovative crop protection solutions based on chemical and biological modes of action as well as an extensive service backup for modern, sustainable agriculture. In the area of non-agricultural applications, Bayer CropScience has a broad portfolio of products and services to control pests from home and garden to forestry applications. The company has a global workforce of 22,400 and is represented in more than 120 countries. This and further news is available at: www.press.bayercropscience.com.

Find more information at www.bayercropscience.us.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

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SOURCE Bayer CropScience