BASF recently gathered experts from six European countries to talk about best farming practices and how to spread them across key stakeholder groups. This news release from the company says the conference is part of the Farm Network’s activites, a partnership by BASF, to foster programs that balance farm production with the protection of the land and the environment for generations to come.
“BASF is a strong supporter of partnerships like the Farm Nework. Similar to chemistry, partnerships are about creating the right bonds to shape the future ahead,” explained Vincent Gros, Senior Vice President, BASF Crop Protection Europe, CIS, Central Asia, Africa and Middle East. The conference was attended by professional farmers, organizations for nature conservation, universities, BASF experts and other providers of farm innovations. “We gathered experts with different backgrounds to discuss a crucial challenge for farmers and also society: How modern agriculture can contribute to a thriving environment,” explained Gros.
One example of a widely used measure promoted by the experts of the Farm Network is the planting of annual or perennial plants in the margins of fields to safeguard beneficial insects. The experts can give specific seeding and mowing recommendations that will ensure year-round flowering, all based on tailor-made analysis and local conditions. “These relevant results pushed us to a new target: Until 2020, we will grow the Farm Network from being European to become a global platform,” concluded Gros.
The conference took place in Bad Dürkeim, Germany, from November 23 to 24. At the event, participants from Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the UK, exchanged the results of their studies and developed recommendations for biodiversity and resource protection in European farms. These measures include adjusting agronomic activities inside the fields, improving the off-field habitat quality and finding new ways to promote the adoption of best practices.