Syngenta Seeds calls them “broad leps” – farmers call them expensive – most people would just call them icky.
They are a bunch of nasty wormy creatures – technically lepidopteran corn pests – that make up what Syngenta calls the “multi-pest complex” which costs growers over $1 billion each year in lost yield and grain quality. They include corn earworm, fall armyworm, Western bean cutworm, black cutworm, stalk borer and sugarcane borer.
Agrisure Marketing Manager Tracy Mader says the pests are challenging because they affect all areas of the country and all growth stages of the plant. “The industry has done a very good job controlling corn borer root worm, but the next step is to control this group of broad lep pests, like black cutworm, that can attack the crop at the very early stages.”
That is what they are striving for with the Agrisure Viptera™ trait for corn, which is still awaiting all necessary regulatory approvals and authorizations before it can be marketed. “We’re working really hard,” Tracy said. “What we do have is deregulation from the EPA and the FDA and we are working hard with USDA to receive deregulation for Agrisure Viptera™ and they’re also working in all the key export countries as well.”
I interviewed Tracy about Agrisure Viptera™ during the recent grand opening of the Syngenta Seeds headquarters in Minnetonka, MN. Listen to or download that interview below. And if you want to find out more – and see a really creepy but impressive video – go to agrisuretraits.com.
Sponsored by 
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Principal Research Scientist for Insect Resistance Dirk Benson talked about Syngenta’s global research capabilities during a symposium for agricultural reporters during the grand opening event. “In Europe, we have insecticide development, we have herbicide technology development, in the US we have formulation development on the crop protection side,” Dirk said. “On the seeds and traits side, we have capabilities for biotechnology in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, we just opened a new site in Beijing, China to augment that. We do other seed research in Australia, we do some in Toulouse, France for our vegetable businesses, we do sugar beet work in Scandinavian countries.”
Why is this man smiling? Probably because he spends about half the year in Hawaii working on new corn seed hybrids for growers to plant back here on the mainland.
Ben told us that seed corn is now Hawaii’s biggest cash crop, and he was telling the truth. Just today, 
The CEO of Switzerland-based 
The beautiful start to the 
Governor Pawlenty was pleased to congratulate Syngenta Seeds on the new headquarters building and their continued commitment to agriculture. “They’re not making land anymore, so there’s a finite amount of land,” said Pawlenty. “That’s why it’s imperative that we find a way to continue to feed the world and Syngenta is on the cutting edge of that technology.”
Morgan praised the employees of Syngenta seeds for their hard work and commitment and recognized three exceptional sales reps responsible for $6-10 million in sales for the various Syngenta seed brands, including Garst, Golden Harvest and Northrup King. Morgan called the new building a symbol of the company’s increasing strength in the seeds business. “Our reputation is growing as a leader in agriculture and our new headquarters reflects our accomplishments and underscores our intent as we move confidently into the future.”
Welcome to the Grand Opening of the new Syngenta Seeds Headquarters in Minnetonka, MN.
In just a few days 
As many of you may know, 
Syngenta Crop Protection has redesigned the online face of the company, 
J.B. Penn, Chief Economist for John Deere, has been recognized for his efforts that have “impacted the lives and livelihood of the world’s population by meeting the growing need for food.”
The readers of 
Steve S. Myers, an 18-year veteran at Busey Ag Services, LeRoy, Il, has been named Farm Manager of the Year by the 
Besides hearing from a researcher and a farmer we also heard from Commodity Classic Learning Center sponsor Bruce Battles, Agronomy Marketing Manager, 
and 
If you haven’t heard Dr. Fred Below, Professor of Plant Physiology, University of Illinois, speak then you’re missing something. He was part of a panel discussion on Maximizing Yield in Continuous Corn that filled the room. The Learning Center session was sponsored by 
The best one this year was 
Dennis Belcher, technical service representative in the Midwest for BASF Agricultural Products, said BASF was honored to be considered a partner in Kip’s success.
Missouri soybean grower Kip Cullers beat his own world record by 15 bushels this season to once again claim the title of soybean champion. Cullers produced an outstanding 154.7 bushels per acre on his southwestern Missouri operation, compared to last year’s 139.9 bushels and he believes he could do even better.
“Kip is setting records because he knows his business as well as anyone and works diligently to cultivate not just high yields, but record-breaking yields,” the governor said.
The US Federal Appeals Court today ruled unanimously in favor of Syngenta Seeds, Inc., with respect to the patents asserted by Monsanto against Syngenta’s use and sale of Agrisure(R) GT (GA21 corn). The Court reaffirmed the summary judgment decision of May 10, 2006 by the Federal District Court that the asserted claims of the Shah patent were invalid and that the asserted claims of the Lundquist patents were not infringed.
Merging the latest in seed technology with resistance management is the key Syngenta wants to give to farmers so they can fully maximize their productivity. I grabbed Craig Abell with Syngenta Crop Protection and Syngenta Brands NK Seeds Steve Pig to talk about how the two sects work together to give farmers the most out each bushel and acre. 