On Monday, a few members of the media were invited out to BASF?s research farm outside of Story City, IA. We were there to see the performance of their products such as Zidua? PRO, Liberty, Revytek, Veltyma, Revysol, LibertyLink GT27 soybeans, Credenz soybeans, Ilevo seed treatments, Xitavo soybeans, Relenya seed treatment, and Obvious Plus fungicide seed treatment.
There was so much product information packed into the over three hours that I was there, that I know I could not cover it all in just one article. I will scratch the surface of some of the information. If you want to learn more about BASF products that will work for you, contact your local BASF retailer.
There was much more to learn at the research farm:
There is a plot demonstrating the history of products that we have used over the years. It goes back several decades, with names like Treflan, Basagran, Pursuit, and many more. The plot showed us the battles these products won, the battles they lost, and the battles they set us up for in the future. One key take away I got from this plot, was a lesson that was underlying throughout the whole presentation, ?One mode of action doesn?t cut it anymore.?
An interesting statement came from BASF Senior Technical Services Representative Mark Storr. He made us realize that this historical plot is not necessarily a museum. These products of the past can still do their job effectively. However, they must be paired as part of a complete team of crop protection.
BASF Historical Plot – Story City, IA. (Photo by Dustin Hoffmann)
Bill Backhaus is a Seed Agronomist for BASF in Iowa. Last February he and I spoke at Commodity Classic about thinking outside the box with weed control. We also talked about bringing back some of the old practices of bean walking and cultivation. These were just some of many chemistry and non-chemistry-based options we talked about yesterday.
L To R: Mark Storr & Bill Backhus of BASF in Iowa. (Photo by Dustin Hoffmann)
Mark Storr made the comment that crop protection and plant health programs can help you consistently save bean pods. If you can save just one three-bean pod per plant, that is three bushels an acre. If you multiply that out to multiple pods and multiple acres, it can add up in the bin.
Storr said there are good technologies out there, and not all of them carry a BASF label. But the goal at BASF is not to own every label, but it is finding ways to work in every system to help farmers get the most out of their crop inputs and programs.
BASF’s Bill Backhaus shows off soybean pods. (Photo by Dustin Hoffmann)
Bill Backhaus says that the research to produce beans more effectively continues. BASF is continuing to work with institutions like Iowa State to find the missing pieces of the puzzle.
Technology is a wonderful thing, but there are lessons BASF is trying to teach beyond the technology they are putting out. According to Storr, when it comes to effective treatments and minimizing impact on the environment, it is about farmer stewardship. Dicamba drift has been a hot topic. Storr says that stewardship and common sense can prevent much of the issues being witnessed.
Changing mindsets has become difficult as well. The same way does not work the same anymore. Farmers must be able to adapt and look at their operations differently if they are going to be successful. Storr is concerned, though, that farmers have become too reliant on chemical technology, and have forgotten about the other methods of crop protection.
Storr commented that doing things they way they have always been done is what has us in some of the predicaments we are in with weed control. He talked about how glyphosate resistance is a prime example of that complacency.
Mark Storr at BASF’s Story City Research Farm. (Photo by Dustin Hoffmann)
Storr says that farmers are learning that things need to change. However, some of these lessons have come at a high cost.
Backhaus added the key to success is selecting the right variety first. Until you do that, picking the rest of your agronomic plan is useless.
To learn more about BASF products, or to find a retailer near you, log on to the BASF website.
