Iowa Great Grower Pleased with Progress

Another of our 2012 BASF Great Growers is Steve Miller of West Union, Iowa in the northeast part of the state. He farms with his dad Henry and is pictured here with his adorable son Cam – the picture of a true family farm!

I was actually supposed to interview Steve and his dad back in the freezing December of 2009 for BASF Headline Harvest reports, which was certainly not the best harvest year to do interviews! It just so happened that the frigid day we were scheduled was the same day that little Cam decided to enter the world, so dad and granddad both were a little tired and preoccupied. We did interview Henry but Steve had other matters on his mind that took priority.

This year, little Cam is big enough to start learning about farming and the season so far has been fabulous. As of last week, Steve says they were already half done with beans and the corn was coming up. “We got the corn sprayed so we’re sitting pretty good,” Steve said.

According to USDA
, nearly all of the corn in Iowa is planted already and over 80% is emerged and most of it in good to excellent condition. Steve probably has the rest of his beans planted by now since 85% was planted in the state as of Sunday with over a quarter of the crop emerged.

Last year, the wind blew all their corn down, “so we definitely took a look at height on corn and root structure and doing more of the smart stacks,” he said. They are sticking to their normal 50/50 rotation and were happy to be able to get lots of preparation for planting done last fall.

Steve said they did change their herbicide program for corn this year. “We went to a pre-emerge herbicide. Last year, we went post-emerge and we got caught when it started raining and rained for about two weeks,” he explained. “So we’re doing things differently to make sure we get the chemical where it needs to be at the right time.” They scout both corn and soybeans to determine the best time to apply Headline.

BASF wants to know – what types of crop protection products are you using this year on soybeans? Answer the Production Poll here.

Listen to or download my interview with Kip here and watch for more Great Grower interviews coming up. BASF Great Grower Steve Miller

Farm Families Return to DC This Summer

The nation’s top crop and the farm families who grow it will return to the U.S. capital this summer for the fourth year in a row as part of the Corn Farmers Coalition educational program that debuts June 1, at Union Station, an important venue for reaching policymakers inside “The Beltway.”

Corn farmers from 14 states and the National Corn Growers Association are supporting the Corn Farmers Coalition program to introduce a foundation of facts seen as essential to decision making, rather than directly influencing legislation and regulation.

The Corn Farmers Coalition is launching its major advertising campaign by taking over every available ad space at Union Station. The effort will also put prominent facts about family farmers in Capitol Hill publications, radio, frequently used websites, and other Metro locations in June and July.

The coalition will meet with media, members of Congress, environmental groups and others to talk about farming’s bright future: how U.S. farmers, using the latest technologies, will continue to meet the demands of a growing population and how this productivity can be a bright spot in an otherwise struggling economy.

Ethanol Rocks

Okay, I think most of us will agree that a little ethanol on the rocks, rocks. Sorry, couldn’t help it :) . Ethanol Rocks is actually a National Corn Growers Association video contest.

NCGA is conducting a nationwide competition to promote the advantages of ethanol in motor vehicles. The NCGA “Ethanol Rocks” Video Contest invites high school and college students to produce a promotional video that highlights the benefits of this fuel. NCGA acknowledges the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association for sharing its success with the “Fuel the Future” video competition.

Eligibility

Active high school (grades 9-12) and college students, individually or collectively, are eligible to submit entries. One $1,500 first place award and one $500 second place award will be issued in both the high school and the college level categories. Each award will be issued as one lump-sum payment, i.e., no multiple distributions of winnings. Students from all scholastic backgrounds/majors are eligible to enter, individually or through organizations, e.g., A/V classes, Ag Clubs, FFA, Science Clubs, Art Classes. Appropriate tax on the awards will be the responsibility of the winners.

Get more information here and entry form/rules here.

Pioneer Corn Replant Calculator

The apps for ag just keep coming. Here’s a new one from Pioneer that gives corn growers a way to make a difficult decision on replanting. It’s the Replant Calculator.

The tool helps producers decide whether to keep their current stand or replant where their crops have been impacted by weather, pests or other issues.

The calculator is available on Mobile Pioneer.com via the tools section, which can be accessed through the main navigation menu. It takes into account the original date for planting, original stand target and resulting plant population, and the possible replanting date. Growers are asked to consider their own likely replanting seed and input costs. The calculator presents both scenarios, current stand and replant stand, and provides estimates associated with each choice.

The timing of a replant decision means growers could evaluate different aspects of crop production. Early decisions often are based on plant stand and plant distribution. As the season moves on, the calendar becomes the key factor because yields decline with delayed planting. That said, replanting might not necessarily guarantee a grower will achieve the expected yield if the date is delayed enough.

The replant calculator is based on a long-standing chart developed by Dr. Emerson Nafziger of the University of Illinois and widely used across the Corn Belt, which illustrates the effects of planting date and plant population of grain yield for the central Corn Belt. The new calculator also takes into account the current shift to higher populations, as suggested by Pioneer research and data.

Mobile Pioneer.com is optimized for iPhone, iPod Touch, Android, Blackberry and feature phones. It uses technology that provides geography-specific content, reducing the steps required to reach useful information.

New Priaxor and Merivon Fungicides Registered for Use

Growers have two powerful new tools to prevent and control a broad spectrum of crop diseases. BASF has announced the full U.S. EPA registration of Priaxor fungicide and Merivon fungicide.

Priaxor is expected to provide unprecedented disease protection and post-infection disease control from some of the toughest fungal diseases in soybeans, as well as several other crops. Merivon will do the same in several pome and stone fruit crops, including apples, cherries and peaches.

Priaxor is a 2:1 premix fungicide containing F500—the same active ingredient as Headline fungicide—and Xemium fungicide, a new active ingredient in the carboxamide family, providing a new mode of action in row crops. Merivon is a 1:1 premix fungicide of F500—an active ingredient in Pristine fungicide —and Xemium.

From 2009 through 2011, soybeans treated with Priaxor showed nearly 17 percent less severity of Septoria brown spot compared to untreated soybean acres. Priaxor is also labeled for use in potatoes and tomatoes to control disease, leading to improved crop quality. Priaxor has also shown effective disease control in corn, controlling several yield-robbing diseases including Northern and Southern corn leaf blight, gray leaf spot and common rust.

Click here for more product-specific information.

Listen to interviews from Commodity Classic
with BASF Technical Market Manager Nick Fassler and Dr. Caren Schmidt, BASF Technical Service Representative for Michigan and Ohio.

Mixed Corn Planting Intentions

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “With all of the discussion on projected corn acres this year, how many acres of corn do you expect to plant this year?” A full third of respondents said More than 2,000 acres. That was followed by less than 200 acres at 27%; 200-500 acres at 23%; 1,501-2,000 at 7%; 1,001-1,500 at 7% and 501-1,000 at 3%. Looks like we have a wide cross section of corn growers in the ZimmComm News Network community!

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Should raw milk be allowed for sale?” This week’s question is prompted by one of the panelists here at the 2012 Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit. She is a reporter with a food safety publication who says that this issue is the one that gets the most comments and response of any other. Seems people get pretty passionate about their beliefs when it comes to milk. Raw milk is still the suspect in an E. Coli breakout with 14 confirmed cases in central Missouri that put a couple of people in the hospital. What do you think?

Let your friends and neighbors know they can participate by sharing this link.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.

Monitor 2012 Corn Rootworm Hatch with Enhanced Online Insect Forecast Tool

Over the past two seasons, farmers across the Corn Belt have participated in an online, early warning system tool to monitor above ground pests that could threaten their corn yields. For 2012, this sophisticated program, known as the Insect Forecast tool, has been enhanced to track another economically damaging pest – corn rootworm – as well as to offer farmers expanded online and mobile access.

Farmers can now log onto the site to learn when corn rootworm larvae are hatching in their area, allowing for better timing to scout their fields for potential root damage. The corn rootworm hatch varies by geography, but typically occurs from early- to mid-June in the Corn Belt and often coincides with the first appearance of lightening bugs.

Greater awareness about the annual corn rootworm hatch and migration patterns of corn earworm and western bean cutworm moths can help farmers minimize their impact. This tool can help farmers make strategic decisions about better timing for pesticide applications. It can also help farmers in choosing the right traited corn hybrids to meet their specific needs, such as those containing Monsanto’s Genuity corn traits which protect against insect damage and protect yields.

Farmers in the Corn Belt can sign up to receive e-mail alerts from May through September to learn when these insects pose a risk in their areas.

BASF’s Fassler Enjoys Helping Farmers

Growing up on a corn and soybean farm in Illinois is really what led Nick Fassler to his role at BASF Crop Protection in helping farmers keep their crops healthier.

“We raised about 1200 acres of corn and soybeans,” Nick told me during an interview at Commodity Classic, noting that he got his undergrad degree from Western Illinois and got a Masters in Crop Science from the University of Illinois. “The chemical protection business really intrigued me and encouraged me to go into graduate school.”

Nick started with BASF right out of graduate school eight years ago and is now Technical Market Manager, primarily responsible for row crop fungicides with corn and soybeans – mainly Headline and Headine AMP. “Our pipeline and the amount of products we’ve been launching in the last several years has kept us busy,” he says, adding that it’s rewarding for him to educate growers about those new products to bring value to their farm and help them be more productive.

Nick expects 2012 to be an interesting year for insect and disease pressure. “We have a lot of early season seedling diseases that seed treatments provide protection from, but with the foliar fungicides we’re primarily looking at those reproductive stages, July-August-September time frame,” he said, encouraging growers to take preventative action and do active scouting throughout the season.

Listen to my interview with Nick Fassler here: Nick Fassler with BASF

Chillin In My Corn Watch

While Cindy and Chuck are traveling around the country bringing you real agricultural news, I’m chillin on this beautiful day in my corn watch. Yes, you heard me right, I have an environmentally friendly watch that is partly made from corn.

Sprout Watches manufactures a line of eco-friendly watches that contain corn resin and bamboo. The watches come in multiple colors, but I chose white because of its neat design on the watch face. Each color watch has a different earth themed design to go along with its earth themed materials.

But back to the corn resin. It’s used as a component of the plastic, rather than using petroleum-based products. Nice, right?  Sprout promotes the technology on its website and notes that corn resin pellets sequester far less fossil fuel and emits much less greenhouse gases.  In addition, the watches are biodegradable and will not leach toxins into the ground. If you want to learn more, they have some neat graphics to demonstrate the process from stalk to watch.

So why am I sharing this story with you? Because it is another example of what our corn farmers across the country are bringing us today and a glimpse of what they will be helping to bring to use in the future – a myriad of products that are petroleum free.

 

Farm Bill Work This Week

While farmers are busy getting crops in the ground this week, members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees will be busy trying to get a 2012 Farm Bill off the ground.

As the Senate Ag Committee released a draft proposal on Friday, several agricultural organizations sent a letter to the leadership thanking them, while at the same time expressing a few concerns.

Co-signed by eight organizations, including the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Corn Growers Association, the letter commended the committee for adhering to its original proposal of $23 billion in deficit reduction, and for not proposing to restructure the federal crop insurance program or to reduce its funding for deficit reduction purposes.

“Even with the clear and real need to reduce our federal deficit, it remains in the best interest of our nation to help ensure a basic level of risk management for farmers and our food supply,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman. “Farming is a risky business. There is no doubt about that, and crop insurance is a key principle in the goal to provide farmers a dependable safety net.”

In response to concerns from other commodity groups about a revenue-based approach, the groups advocate making changes in the crop insurance program to enhance its viability as a risk management tool, while maintaining the effectiveness of the existing program for other commodities. The groups do not, however, support program alternatives that tie current-year production to fixed price supports, which can distort planting decisions and production between commodities when market prices decline.

“NCGA strongly believes a farmer should be able to absorb a price or yield loss in any given year,” said NCGA President Garry Niemeyer, a corn grower from Auburn, Ill. “However, we are trying to protect farmers, especially young farmers, when they are facing these types of losses multiple years in a row.”

In addition to crop insurance, the groups are calling for planting flexibility for farmers as well as a new program to complement the risk protection provided under crop insurance and the continuation of the marketing loan program, urging the Committee to oppose any changes in current law regarding payment limitations or eligibility for farm programs based on Adjusted Gross Income. “Currently, 98 percent of U.S. producers participate in the farm program and comply with their conservation requirements,” stated the groups in the letter. “It is important that farmers remain in the program so that our country can maintain conservation compliance on agricultural lands.”

Read the letter here.

Kip Cullers First in New BASF Great Growers Series

We are starting a new series today for BASF Crop Protection called “Great Growers” where we will be following the progress of four farmers throughout the growing season from pre-plant to harvest.

Our first interview is with one of the most famous farmers in the country – Kip Cullers of Purdy, Missouri. To call Kip a “great grower” is an understatement, considering he holds the title of World Champion Soybean Grower with a record 160.6 bushels per acre set in 2010. Even with last year’s “horrible” season, Kip still managed to break 100 bushels an acre. So, what about this year?

Kip says he is already planting away down in southwest Missouri and some of his corn has already started emerging. “We planted for 12 straight days and never shut the planters off,” he said. “It’s just been unbelievable.”

While Kip was very disappointed with his 2011 crop, he says it has not had much of an impact on his plans for this season. “I haven’t seen a year like that since 1980 so we’re just on track to do everything like normal,” he said. Winter in Kip’s part of the country was the same as pretty much every where else. “It’s just crazy how warm it was,” Kip said. “Mildest winter I’ve ever seen in my life.”

As pleasant as it was, the mild winter combined with a warmer than normal March has led to increased weed pressure. “The weeds are absolutely horrible,” Kip says. “We’ve got crabgrass that normally doesn’t come out until May” along with henbit and chickweed. “But we used the Kixor technology along with some Roundup and that just burns it down within seven days. Then we come back over the top later on.”

Kip says he is planning to plant more corn and soybean acres this year and he is really pleased right now with his barley crop on which he used Headline at the flag leaf stage. “It’s the best barley I’ve ever raised,” he says.

Listen to or download my interview with Kip below and watch for more Great Grower interviews coming up soon!

BASF Great Grower Kip Cullers

Just Say NO to No HFCS

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is urging the food industry to stop the anti-high fructose corn syrup marketing “scam.”

In recent letters to food marketers, NCGA called on them to stop marketing products as not containing high fructose corn syrup, implying there is something especially unhealthy or unnatural about corn sugar.

“Such innuendos are not scientifically supportable and they are offensive to the hundreds of thousands of U.S. consumers that grow corn as well as the many others in rural communities,” NCGA CEO Rick Tolman wrote in letters to the chief marketing officers at Welch Foods and Dean Foods, producers respectively of Welch’s Natural Spreads and TruMoo Chocolate Milk, just two examples of anti-HFCS marketing. “Your focus on health and nutrition are commendable and supportable. Those points can all be well made without the reference to HFCS.”

While the March 21 letters did lead to a dialog with Dean Foods, their response to-date has been unsatisfactory, Tolman noted in a follow-up letter.

“As you pointed out, you are a significant user of HFCS in other products and are familiar with the science supporting the manufacturing, safety, and functional properties of HFCS. Therefore, you know there is no scientific basis for the preference you see from consumers. It is a misperception. A big part of that problem is that the type of advertising you are doing with respect to HFCS perpetuates this misperception. That is our concern. You are using a misperception to differentiate your product and therefore helping to perpetuate that misperception.”

Read the letters here.

Monsanto Reports Record Second Quarter

Early spring sowing has already reaped record sales for Monsanto.

monsantoWith half the fiscal year complete, company executives reported today that the strong performance of their seeds and traits business, combined with an early start to the U.S. planting season drove a record quarter and increased the outlook for earnings this year.

“Our strong U.S. selling season and growth from Latin America during the first six months have come together to set us up for a great 2012,” said Hugh Grant, chairman, president and chief executive officer for Monsanto. “We’ve seen contributions from growth across crops and geographies, which position us well to deliver high-teens ongoing earnings growth this year. We’re also pleased growers have recognized the value of our product portfolio and given us the opportunity to earn their business.”

Net sales increased $617 million or 15 percent in the three-month comparison driven by global gains in corn and a strong selling season in the United States. Second quarter gross profit rose 17 percent to $2.7 billion compared to the prior year second quarter. For the first six months, gross profit is up 21 percent or $667 million.

While still early in the season, Monsanto expects acres of its Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield® soybeans and Genuity® reduced refuge corn family to increase by more than 10 million acres each, which if realized would allow the company to reach its projections for those new products this year.

CUTC Website Updated

If you’re interested in the latest in corn technology then check out the updated Corn Utilization and Technology Conference website. The National Corn Growers Association says their is now more information on the poster session, session topics and many other areas of interest.

With a theme of “Back to the Grind,” CUTC will feature the cutting-edge technologies and new uses that continually improve and dynamically change the corn industry. By visiting the website today, potential attendees can explore this theme and make reservations at a discounted rate.

“The updated website makes learning about CUTC and registering even easier,” said NCGA Research and Business Development Action Team Chair DeVonna Zeug. “With new sessions on mycotoxin, exciting advances in technology and all of the newly added information, CUTC presents a broad range of topics to explore, so register today! It is simple, fast and, until Friday, offered at significant savings.”

American Ethanol on the NASCAR Track

The American Ethanol No. 3 Chevy made its debut recently at the Las Vegas Nationwide Series Sam’s Town 300 with rookie driver Austin Dillon finishing strong in 7th place.

Representatives of American Ethanol partners, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and Growth Energy, were at the March 10 race – pictured here with RCR team owner (and Dillon’s grandfather) Richard Childress (left) are Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis next to Dillon and Illinois corn farmer Martin Barbre, chairman of NCGA’s NASCAR Advisory Committee on the right.

The excitement surrounding the second year of the American Ethanol partnership was evident at the Commodity Classic, where I talked to Tom Buis about how NASCAR is helping the ethanol industry by spotlighting 15% ethanol blended motor fuel (E15) which is what NASCAR uses in all races. “A lot of our promotion and activities this year, now that E15 is approved to go in the marketplace, will be connecting the fans and the viewers to the fuel they’ll soon be able to see in their retail areas,” Tom said. “There’s no sport more American than NASCAR and there’s no fuel more American than ethanol.”

Best of all, Tom says with gas prices up and ethanol priced $1 less than gasoline, E15 will save consumers money at the pump.

In this photo from Classic, Tom is holding one of our ZimmComm photo calendars, which featured a couple of American Ethanol photos. We still have a couple of calendars left if you want to buy one – click here.

Listen to my interview with Tom here: Interview with Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis

Dupont Cellulosic Ethanol Program

During the recent Pioneer Hi-Bred media event, “Turning Insight Into Action,” Chet Holingshead visited with Steve Mirshak, Global Business Director for Dupont Cellulosic Ethanol. Steve conducted a presentation titled, “DCE – Achieving Sustainable Residue Harvest Goals for Energy Independence.” The company is constructing a cellulosic ethanol plant in Nevada, IA with construction to start later this year. Steve talks about the planned 27.5 million gallon plant which will be built on land purchased from Lincolnway Energy. He says there are synergies with working closely with Lincolnway Energy.

The biomass that will be used in the plant will be corn stover. Steve says the goal is to collect about 2 tons of stover per acre from area growers. The stover will be bound into rectangular bales and stored until needed at the plant. He says that corn growers who work with Dupont Cellulosic Ethanol will find that this market and use of stover will fit nicely into their residue management program.

You can listen to Chet’s interview with Steve here:Interview with Steve Mirshak

Talking Corn and Soybeans with BASF

Weeds were a big topic of concern for farmers who visited the BASF Crop Protection exhibit at Commodity Classic this year and with planting season now upon us and commodity prices looking good, growers are really looking to control those yield-robbers.

In soybeans, early-season weed competition poses a potential 6 to 10 percent yield loss. In corn, weeds allowed to reach 4 to 6 inches in height can reduce yield potential by 3 percent and 7 percent, respectively. The potential losses due to weeds total almost $10 billion, based on current national projected yields and commodity prices.

BASF Soybean Market Manager Bryan Perry says from his conversations with growers this year, the big issue is weed resistance management. “We’ve launched a couple of new products, like OpTill PRO this year, to help manage resistance. But keeping weeds out of the field at any point helps maximize yield.”

The warm winter is causing fields to green up earlier, which will make burn down more important for some growers going into planting. “We launched Kixor® herbicide technology a couple years ago, great burn down, and OpTill PRO has Kixor in it, plus two other sites of action, so you’ve got a product that burns down the weeds and has phenomenal residual to keep them from coming back.”

Listen to or download an interview with Bryan here: BASF Soybean Market Manager Bryan Perry

BASF Corn Market Manager Mike Hofer says he talked with southern farmers at Classic who expected to start planting the following week, but they too were concerned about weed resistance. “Farmers continue to tell us that they’re battling more weeds that have developed resistance to multiple herbicides that farmers have used over time,” Mike said. “We just recently launched Armezon™, which is a new HPPD inhibitor, and it essentially controls those tough broadleaf weeds post-emerge in corn. It’s unique because it is safe to all types of corn varieties.”

Mike notes that BASF offers several different programs to help farmers called the Grower Advantage offers. “We have a really unique offer this year that we’re calling Investment Advantage for growers that purchase a high yield package,” Mike says. “If they purchase that by March 15 and commodity prices significantly decline into harvest time, BASF would offer a partial refund on the purchase of those products. It’s the first time that a company is partnering with growers to help them manage risk after they purchase crop protection products.”

Investment Advantage has a March 15 deadline, but there is still time to participate in BASF’s other offers, including Headline Advantage, Finance Advantage and Insurance Advantage. Information on all BASF Grower Advantage offers is available at growersadvantage.basf.us.

Listen to or download an interview with Mike here: BASF Corn Market Manager Mike Hofer

2012 BASF Science Behind Photo Album

Coverage of the 2012 Commodity Classic Show is sponsored by BASF and New Holland

Hog Producers Adjusting to Higher Feed Costs

Hog producers are now able to compete with ethanol producers for corn, according to Purdue agricultural economist Dr. Chris Hurt.

Dr. Hurt spoke to swine veterinarians on the topic of “Global Feed Economics in a Biofuel World” during the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica (BIVI) Swine Health Seminar in Denver on Friday.

“This is an amazing difference from just five years ago,” Dr. Hurt said about the hog industry’s adjustment to higher corn prices. “The hog industry was largely set up with $2-2.50 corn going into 2006. After that we saw major increases in those corn prices.”

Hog producers initially absorbed those higher costs by reducing margins, which meant big losses and ultimately resulted in reduced supplies. “You reduce the supply enough, you bring those hog prices up. That’s where we are today. Hog producers can pay $6-7 for corn with the prices they’re getting for hogs,” he said. “That up to $7 is higher than ethanol plants can pay for corn and still cover all their costs.”

Dr. Hurt talked about the demand drivers for both corn and soybeans that are causing increased acreage globally and how he expects feed prices to moderate in the next several years. “That brings us back to more like in the $5-5.50 corn range.”

Listen to my interview with Dr. Hurt here: Dr. Chris Hurt

BIVI Summit at Mile High 2012 photo album

Partnerships at Commodity Classic Important to BASF

BASF Crop Protection is one of the biggest sponsors of Commodity Classic, encompassing everything from the hotel shuttle buses to scholarships and other awards programs to the final banquets.

BASF participated in both the American Soybean Association (ASA) and National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) banquets during the 2012 Commodity Classic and was honored to have company executives speak during those events about the importance of partnerships aimed at strengthening the future of agriculture. BASF Senior Vice President North America Crop Protection Nevin McDougall (pictured) spoke at the ASA banquet, while Paul Rea, Vice President U.S. Crop Protection, spoke at the NCGA banquet.

Nevin says BASF’s partnerships with ASA and NCGA showcase how they are sustaining and supporting the future of agriculture. “The future for BASF is very bright,” Nevin said. “The ag economy in North America is very robust and with our investment in R&D and bringing new solutions that can help growers be more efficient and more productive with less impact on the environment we’ll help them to achieve the goal of feeding the world.”

Listen to or download a quick interview with Nevin here: BASF Senior VP Nevin McDougall

We sincerely appreciate our partnership with BASF as well, which helped to bring coverage of the Commodity Classic to AgWired readers. Thanks BASF!

2012 BASF Science Behind Photo Album

Coverage of the 2012 Commodity Classic Show is sponsored by BASF and New Holland

BASF Presents Research on New Fungicides

Last year at Commodity Classic, the buzz from BASF Crop Protection was the new fungicide chemistry Xemium. This year it’s new products incorporating that chemistry.

With the results of field trials from the 2011 season now available, three years of research show Priaxor™ fungicide and Merivon® fungicide provided effective disease control and consistent yield increases in a wide range of crops and the two new products are expected to receive EPA registration yet the first part of this year.

Priaxor research was conducted on row crops – focusing primarily on soybeans – as well as on some specialty crops, such as potatoes and tomatoes. Merivon research was conducted on specialty crops, specifically pome and stone fruits.

“Priaxor in soybeans provides a consistent level of disease control on Septoria brown spot and frog eye leaf spot,” said Nick Fassler, Technical Market Manager, BASF. From 2009-2011, soybeans treated with Priaxor showed nearly 17 percent less severity of Septoria brown spot and 13 percent decrease in the severity of frogeye leaf spot and compared to untreated soybean acres. Priaxor has also performed well in corn on several troublesome corn diseases, including gray leaf spot, common rust, and Northern and Southern corn leaf blight.

Listen to or download an interview with Nick here: BASF's Nick Fassler

Dr. Caren Schmidt, BASF Technical Service Representative for Michigan and Ohio says research shows Merivon fungicide will provide apple growers with protection against apple scab and powdery mildew. “We’ve been looking at Merivon and apple scab with Michigan State University,” she said. “We’ve seen very good protection with Merivon application programs compared to current commercial standards.”

Caren says there are current no systemic fungicides in Michigan that are effective against apple scab, so the introduction of Merivon will be very important.

Listen to or download an interview with Caren here: BASF Tech Rep Caren Schmidt

Find out more details about Priaxor™ fungicide and Merivon® fungicide.

2012 BASF Science Behind Photo Album

Coverage of the 2012 Commodity Classic Show is sponsored by BASF and New Holland