Bayer CropScience Honors Record Number at FiberMax One Ton Club

LUBBOCK, Texas, April 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A record number of FiberMax^® growers achieved one-ton yields during the 2013 season and overcame challenges, such as low soil moisture and glyphosate-resistant weeds. Bayer CropScience honored 328 growers at the ninth annual FiberMax One Ton Club™ awards banquet on April 3 in Lubbock. This year, 194 inductees were first-time One Ton Club members, the highest number of first-year members since the club began.

The FiberMax One Ton Club recognizes growers who produce 2,000 pounds or more of lint cotton per acre on at least 20 acres using FiberMax cotton seed. FiberMax has inducted 723 growers into the One Ton Club since 2005.

"Bayer CropScience is honored to recognize these cotton growers for their outstanding yields with FiberMax cotton," said Jeff Brehmer, U.S. product manager for FiberMax cotton. "For the last few years, despite production challenges, we have seen an increasing number of One Ton Club members, which is a great testimony to the ingenuity and adaptability of these growers."

Brehmer said the greater number of One Ton Club growers was attributed to excellent crop management, good inputs, timely irrigation and FiberMax varieties with higher-yielding germplasm. Southwest growers made the One Ton Club this year with 14 FiberMax varieties, including new varieties with GlyTol^® LibertyLink^® TwinLink^® technology such as FM 1830GLT and FM 2334GLT, as well as perennial standouts such as FM 1944GLB2, FM 2011GT and FM 2484B2F. 

These FiberMax varieties demonstrate consistant performance under varying soil types and climate conditions, and they also have shown unrivaled top-end yield and fiber quality.

"We're always excited to see what growers are able to achieve with the latest FiberMax varieties, especially in terms of yield and lint quality," Brehmer said. "In 2013, we had two growers produce more than 3,000 pounds of lint cotton per acre with FiberMax varieties. Several growers had loan values above 58 cents with one ton yields. When growers increase their production and profitability, it improves the quality of life for their families and the surrounding communities."

One Ton Truck Winner
All 2013 One Ton Club members were entered into a drawing for a two-year lease on a Ford^® Super Duty^® F-350 King Ranch^® truck. Todd and Kristin Vincent, first-year One Ton Club members from Canyon, Texas, won the lease. The Vincents averaged 2,019 pounds per acre on 124 acres, using FM 2011GT and FM 1740B2F. Todd said the key to One Ton Club success was high-yielding FiberMax varieties and good management.

"Our yields have been increasing for the last several years, and we are learning how to use the newer FiberMax varieties," Vincent said. "These varieties are performing really well, and we use a very aggressive Stance growth regulator program."

Vincent has grown FiberMax cotton ever since it debuted in West Texas, and he has planted 100% of his cotton acres to FiberMax varieties for the past 10 years. Vincent said the high yields and excellent fiber quality make a winning combination.

"We have stuck with FiberMax because of good performance, and we've always had very excellent quality with FiberMax cotton," Vincent said. "It is easier to sell high-quality cotton – it has better marketability. And sometimes you will get a premium for your cotton, which means a better bottom line."

Vincent has seen his yields increase over the past several years. In 2011, he achieved three-bale cotton. In 2012, his yields increased to 3.5 bales per acre. He suspected 2013 might be his year for the One Ton Club, but he never dreamed that he would drive home in the new truck.

"When we drove to Lubbock, we joked about who would drive the truck home if we won, but we never gave it another thought," Vincent said. "I honestly didn't believe that I could be that lucky. When they said my name, I couldn't believe it. It was an honor to be at the One Ton Club this year, and we had a lot of fun. We appreciate what FiberMax does for cotton growers."

Best of the Best
Individual awards presented during the banquet included highest yield, highest loan value, highest gross loan value per acre, most commercial acres and most varieties:

Highest Yield and Highest Gross Loan Value Per Acre:
Vance and Mandie Smith, Big Spring, Texas, 3,303 lbs/A and $1,893 per acre, FM 2484B2F

Highest Loan Value:
Larry Hancock, Ehrenberg, Ariz., 58.2 cents USDA loan value, FM 1830GLT

Most Varieties Achieving One Ton Club Yields (three varieties):
Apple Creek Farms Inc., Garden City, Texas, FM 1944GLB2, FM 2484B2F, FM 9170B2F; Charles Braden, Garden City, Texas, FM 1944GLB2, FM 2484B2F, FM 9160B2F; and Larry Hancock, Ehrenberg, Ariz. FM 1830GLT, FM 2334GLT, FM Acala Daytona

Most Commercial Acres:
Kitten Land Company, Slaton, Texas, 532 acres, FM 2484B2F

In addition to these awards, Donny Carpenter, Dimmitt, Texas, Donny Mullins, Rotan, Texas, and Kitten Land Company, Slaton, Texas, were chosen in a drawing to each receive 15 bags of FiberMax cotton seed.

For additonal information on the FiberMax One Ton Club, please visit http://www.bayercropscience.us/products/seeds/fibermax-cotton/one-ton-club. For more information on how FiberMax cotton seed offers the right variety for the right field, contact your regional agronomist, talk to your local Bayer CropScience representative, visit www.fibermax.com, or call 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937).

Bayer CropScience Twitter Page: http://twitter.com/bayer4cropsus

Suggested tweets:

• Congrats to Todd & Kristin Vincent for winning this year's #FiberMax #OneTonClub #Ford Super Duty F-350 King Ranch truck lease! qrs.ly/a53zv8h
• FiberMax One Ton Club recognized 328 growers for 2,000+ pounds/A of #cotton in 2013. Congrats to this year's members! #onetonclub
• Congrats to Vance & Mandie Smith, #FiberMax #OneTonClub winner for highest yield with 3,303 pounds/A. Almost 7 bales/A!

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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.

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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