Research Triangle Park, N.C., December 4, 2006 – BASF Plant Science and Matthews Feed and Grain, Matthews, Ind., announced today that they have signed an agreement allowing Matthews Feed and Grain to contract for NutriDense grain. Under a separate agreement with JBS United, Matthews will provide feed containing NutriDense corn to their customer Signature Farms, operated by JBS United.
Under the arrangement, customers of Matthews Feed and Grain who so contract with them will bring their NutriDense grain to the feed mill for a $0.25 premium vs. yellow dent corn. After grinding, Matthews will use NutriDense in preparing the feed ration for the JBS United swine at Signature Farms according to the nutritional recommendation of JBS United. To date, over 2,000 acres on nearby farms have been committed to NutriDense as part of the intended feed for Signature Farms. Matthews is a retailer for Select Seed, which BASF Plant Science recently licensed to sell hybrids containing NutriDense.
“We see this as a win-win situation,” says Brantt Huston, Feed Operations Manager, Matthews Feed and Grain. “With NutriDense the producer gets a premium, increasing revenue, and pigs get more nutritionally enhanced feed.”
NutriDense provides a nutritionally enhanced set of traits designed to enhance animal feed performance. Studies with swine have shown the efficient gain and/or feed cost reduction with NutriDense can save pork producers up to $4 per marketed hog. Research at Purdue and South Dakota State Universities found that NutriDense improved lysine, methionine, cysteine, threonine and valine digestibility over yellow dent corn. This reduces the need for supplemental amino acids (protein) due to increased concentrations and digestibility in NutriDense-based diets compared to yellow dent diets.
“From a nutritional standpoint, we believe NutriDense is a higher value corn than regular corn,” says Ron Moser, Director of Technical Services at JBS United. He added that they will be working with Matthews Feed and Grain to explore opportunities to do side-by-side field trials with individual contractors. “The end-user should really see the difference with NutriDense, with better protein and amino acid levels,” states Huston.
BASF Plant Science encompasses the technology and seed platforms and activities for its global plant biotechnology effect. Research is focused on developing innovative products with improved cold and drought tolerance and plants that provide healthier animal nutrition. Corn hybrids containing NutriDense are also available with many popular input traits, such as CLEARFIELD®, Roundup Ready®, HERCULEX® and YieldGard®.
About Matthews Feed and Grain
Matthews Feed and Grain started their business in the 1920s as a feed mill and co-op. In the ‘30s and ‘40s it was incorporated and sold shares as Farmer’s Co-op of Grant Country. 1994 saw the first structural updates to provide higher quality products and more capacity (1,000 tons/wk). Now the mill is preparing for additional expansion, with a new, totally automated mill that will increase processing capacity to about 4,000 tons/wk. This growth will make it possible for Matthews to accept more customers for the feed mill. They anticipate growth due to the increase in local swine operations.
Currently feed is sent to Signature Farms to feed the 175,000 pigs owned by JBS United (delivering directly to the farm). Matthews also provides feed to Tyson Farms and several individual farmers.
About JBS United
JBS United Inc., founded in 1956, is an innovative leader in the agricultural industry. Their product offerings include research-based animal nutrition products and services, grain merchandising, environmental consulting services, grain origination and livestock production.
About BASF Plant Science
BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics and performance products to agricultural products, fine chemicals as well as oil and gas. BASF Plant Science – a BASF group company – is one of the world’s leading companies providing innovative plant biotechnology solutions for agriculture. Today, more than 750 employees are helping farmers meet the growing demand for improved agricultural productivity and healthier nutrition for humans and animals. BASF Plant Science has developed an unparalleled gene discovery platform focusing on yield and quality traits in crops such as corn, soybean and rice. Jointly with leading partners in the seed industry BASF Plant Science is commercializing its products. Current projects include higher yielding row crops, nutritionally-enhanced corn for animal feed or higher content of Omega-3’s in oil crops for preventing cardiovascular diseases. To find out more about BASF Plant Science, please visit www.basf.com/plantscience.
About BASF Chemical Company
BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products and fine chemicals to crude oil and natural gas. As a reliable partner to virtually all industries, BASF’s intelligent system solutions and high-value products help its customers to be more successful. BASF develops new technologies and uses them to open up additional market opportunities. It combines economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility, thus contributing to a better future. BASF has over 95,000 employees and posted sales of more than €42.7 billion (approximately $50.4 billion) in 2005.
Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.
CLEARFIELD is a registered trademark of BASF Agrochemical Products N.V. Herculex is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Roundup Ready and YieldGard are registered trademarks of, and used under license from, Monsanto Technology LLC.
