The Corn Feed

In a new article from its Early Spring 2010 issue titled “New Kind of Chemistry,” Farm Journal talked with our parent company BASF on advances in agricultural technology and its 28 new products and nine new actives slated for release by 2013.

The article underscores BASF’s commitment to new trait technologies such as NutriDense:

Unlike its agrochemical competitors, BASF is not a seed company, nor does it intend to become one, says Rick Van Genderen, director of value chain management for BASF Plant Science. “Our strategy is to be a trait and technology partner with seed companies that need our products,” he says.

BASF Plant Science is collaborating with Monsanto Company to develop drought, yield and stress-tolerant traits in corn, cotton, soybeans and canola. The first drought-tolerant product has been submitted for regulatory review and is expected to debut in 2012.

Several seed companies have joined hands to access BASF Plant Science’s NutriDense technology—stacked output traits designed to enhance animal feed performance. Traits that increase rice yield by up to 50% are targeted for 2012, and dicamba-tolerant soybeans are expected by 2014.

Farm Journal also included an interesting “Web Extra” component: Watch below as Paul Rea, director of U.S. crop protection for BASF, describes his company’s pipeline of new products.