Syngenta Thrive

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“The New Agriculture is not a ‘way of life’ followed by [growers] in bib overalls — it is a highly integrated profession practiced by professionals who apply modern business techniques, scientific knowledge and mechanical innovations to their operations.”
— Earl Coke, The New Agriculture, 1963

Earl Coke couldn’t have said it better than he did in his speech to the Agricultural Research Institute in 1963. With the availability of technology — both digital and agronomic — Coke’s statements ring ever truer today. Technology enhances agriculture in numerous ways by increasing efficiency and productivity with digital tools. You can use a screwdriver to build a deck, but a drill is better, and a cordless drill is ideal. Growers can use a pencil and paper to document the thousands of records for their operations, but a farm management system is better, and a connected, data-driven farm management solution is the best.

So why hasn’t digital technology been widely adopted? Why isn’t there a clearer solution to stewardship and sustainability? Our industry still has hurdles to clear, such as a lack of nationwide broadband access, connecting the puzzle pieces of multiple technology products in the marketplace, reducing or eliminating data entry, and moving from data insight to defined actions that improve our customers’ operations, just to name a few. That’s why the Syngenta Digital Ag Solutions team is committed to working through every one of these obstacles with our customers.

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Syngenta works every day to be your agronomic solutions innovator, digital confidant and sustainability partner. The goal is to be an adviser worthy of your trust.

Aaron Deardorff Head, Digital Ag Solutions at Syngenta

We talk about some of those solutions in this issue of Thrive, where you’ll find articles highlighting the digital realm, from agronomics and productivity to environmental awareness. A common thread throughout is partnership. If the world of agriculture has taught us anything, it’s the fact that we can’t be successful alone. Syngenta works every day to be your agronomic solutions innovator, digital confidant and sustainability partner. The goal is to be an adviser worthy of your trust.

Thank you for your business and partnership as colleagues in this ever-evolving agricultural landscape.

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Cover image: Aaron Deardorff. Photography by Shane Norris. 

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Expert chemists create specific formulations to preserve the efficacy of the herbicide technologies for the long run, explains Pete Eure, herbicide technical product lead with Syngenta. That expertise is a significant, but sometimes overlooked, benefit of choosing a premix over tank-mixing individual active ingredients (AIs). While AIs may be the power behind a product, they must be chemically formulated to function on the farm. This is especially important in premix products where formulation chemists must consider and test how AIs interact with each other and other compounds in a product. Product formulations need to retain stability through real-farm scenarios like temperature shifts and being put through sprayers for application. Farmers need products that are as stable and effective in the field as they are in the lab. Expert formulation chemists are the ones making that happen.

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Our herbicide premixes enable growers to reduce the likelihood of resistance development.

Pete Eure Herbicide Technical Product Lead at Syngenta

“Our herbicide premixes enable growers to reduce the likelihood of resistance development,” says Eure.

Syngenta designs premixes to protect existing chemistries. Robust use rates reduce the occurrence of weed escapes and the proliferation of resistant seed. Premixes developed with full use rates deliver better performance, greater consistency and prolonged efficacy of herbicide chemistries.

“We’re making it simple for a grower to use multiple effective sites of action in their crop system,” Eure says.

Of course, farmers need broad-spectrum management options today, Eure notes, but they also need to preserve the tools available to ensure profitability in the future.

Cover image: Members of the Syngenta formulation team work in the lab to make sure the products delivered to growers remain stable through real-farm scenarios such as temperature shifts and sprayer applications. From left to right: Andrew Pearson, Matthew Cottle, Adam Voisard, Katie Oshige, Felisha Vestal and Xinyun Wen. Photography by Alex Maness. 

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Starting a career in agriculture was an easy decision for Mark Callender, the 2020 Professional Farm Manager of the Year. As a farm manager for Farmers National Company in Dighton, Kansas, this former farm boy is able to combine his passion for agriculture with the reward of building relationships with others in the industry.

Callender’s outstanding ability to bring innovative ideas to the farms he manages is a primary reason why he received this honor. He also has an innate understanding of the industry and his clients’ needs. In his position at Farmers National Company, Callender is one of the top farm managers because his clients know he cares about them and wants their farms to succeed.

“Mark is well thought of, and that carries over into his professional life, where his calm demeanor is very reassuring to our clients,” says Dave Englund, CEO and president of Farmers National Company. “The clients trust him tremendously because of how he interacts with them.”

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It’s rewarding to live in the area that is your responsibility as a farm manager. You become very familiar with the farms, and you get to know the families who live in the community you serve.

Mark Callender Farm Manager and 2020 Professional Farm Manager of the Year at Farmers National Company, Dighton, Kansas

For Callender, one of the most fulfilling aspects of his job is working with people in his own community where he can make an impact on their daily lives.

“It’s rewarding to live in the area that is your responsibility as a farm manager,” Callender says. “You become very familiar with the farms, and you get to know the families who live in the community you serve.”

The American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, The Scoop (formerly AgProfessional) magazine, and Syngenta team up annually to present the Professional Farm Manager of the Year Award. Launched in 1986, this award recognizes farm managers whose dedication and commitment to agriculture have benefited their clients, the American consumer and our most precious commodity — the land.

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Cover image: Photography courtesy of Mark Callender. 

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It’s easy to take access to a fast internet connection for granted — unless you live in a rural area of the country. There, lack of access has been an issue for years, and it affects rural residents in many ways.

Matt Barnard grows corn and soybeans near Gibson City, Illinois, and confronts the issue every day. When he’s able to gather information in the field, it’s hard to make use of it.

“We get home, and we try to upload that information onto whatever platform we’re using to manipulate it or share it, and it gets really, really tough,” he says. “You might start it at night and hope that it is done in the morning and that it didn’t time out.”

The lack of broadband in rural areas also affects other aspects of family life — a once-frustrating problem that in a pandemic environment limits essential access to education and professional commitments. For instance, Barnard’s kids go to school remotely, and his wife struggles to stay connected to Zoom so she can telecommute.

Barnard’s situation is familiar to Ariel Wiegard, Syngenta federal government relations lead, North America Business Sustainability. “Social distancing and quarantining are hard enough, but when you limit a family’s ability to conduct their business, go to school or visit their doctor, it really draws into sharp contrast the resources that urban or suburban households have access to versus their rural counterparts,” she says.

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When we look at productivity and the ability to use technologies like precision agriculture, one thing we run into constantly is the lack of broadband.

Teddy Bekele Chief Technology Officer at Land O’Lakes

For anyone working in agriculture, the need is truly pressing. “When we look at productivity and the ability to use technologies like precision agriculture, one thing we run into constantly is the lack of broadband,” says Teddy Bekele, Land O’Lakes chief technology officer.

Digital Applications Improve Farm Efficiency

To maximize the benefits of the many digital applications available today, farmers need to be able to download millions of data points from their farms and then upload that data to the cloud or send it to their retailers or agronomists. That requires a broadband capability of about 100 megabytes per second. “So when growers, retailers and agronomists talk about needing better broadband, they don’t just need to get online — they need to at least hit that standard,” Wiegard says.

Because many can’t, when Syngenta develops tools like the software used in its whole-farm management program, AgriEdge®, the company adds extra features so the software has some functionality when users are offline. “But that limits what you can do when you’ve got equipment out in the field and you can’t communicate with it because it doesn’t have a signal, or you can’t access up-to-date satellite imagery that you could use for decision-making,” says Joe Ben Bogle, product manager for Syngenta Digital.

The current situation exacts a cost on all of American ag. “If we can foster a system where that data moves efficiently and can be analyzed by agronomists, or even by artificial intelligence, farmers can make highly precise in-season changes to their operations, and this has the potential to make the entire farming economy more profitable and more sustainable,” Wiegard says.

Ag Companies Help Farmers Seek Solutions

Creating cutting-edge digital tools like the software that’s part of AgriEdge is one way Syngenta helps drive demand for high-speed internet in rural communities, Wiegard says. “We are also partnering with equipment manufacturers and other food and ag companies to help create software that farmers want and need.”

Syngenta was also one of the first members of the new American Connection Project, a broadband coalition created by Land O’Lakes. More than 100 partners strong, the group advocates for better broadband infrastructure and funding, as well as improved coordination among the federal agencies that are addressing the problem.

That’s important because at the federal level, about 60 federal broadband programs with billions of dollars in broadband grants, loans and other resources exist, Wiegard says. The programs span 14 federal agencies, which include the Federal Communications Commission; the departments of Agriculture, Education, Interior and Transportation; and the Small Business Association.

“Just like in the 1930s when there were investments made to make sure that every house had electricity, the same thing needs to happen because broadband has become a must-have,” Bekele says. “Without that push, it won’t happen naturally — the economics don’t make a lot of sense for the broadband providers. This is why incentives and programs need to be put in place.”

It’s estimated that a huge public investment — somewhere between $80 billion and $150 billion — is needed to connect every single home in our country to broadband. To make that kind of investment, policymakers need to feel the importance of the issue. “One of the best things Thrive readers can do is contact their elected representatives in Washington, D.C., and tell them that they urgently need better internet and why,” Wiegard says. “The government is working on solving this problem, but we need to keep the pressure on.”

Rural Hot Spots Help Bridge the Technology Gap

To help rural residents today, Land O’Lakes has created nationwide locations where anyone can access guest Wi-Fi. “It’s not as convenient as having it in your own home, but at least it’s something near your community,” Bekele says. Today, there are more than 2,300 locations across 48 states where people can drive up and get online. Anyone can find their closest Wi-Fi hot spot at www.americanconnection.io.

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Cover image: Matt Barnard looks on as his son, Alex, and daughter, Brecke, navigate the challenges of remote learning due to inadequate broadband at their home near Gibson City, Illinois. Photography by Seth Lowe. 

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In a society that often fosters an us-versus-them mentality, U.S. agriculture embraces a diverse food system with roles for both conventional and organic farming.

“The majority of conventional and organic production practices are the same,” says Timothy Coolong, Ph.D., Extension vegetable specialist at the University of Georgia. “Growers plant, harvest and try to use cultural practices to minimize losses. The only differences are the tools they use to fertilize crops and control pests.”

Organic production represents less than 1% of U.S. crop acres. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported just under 5.5 million organic acres in 2019 compared with 894 million acres of conventional crops. But organic demand is on the rise, reports the USDA, with some consumers willing to pay as much as three times more for organic food, depending on the product.

Adopting Organic Production

Two farms committed to organic production are Braga Fresh Family Farms, based in Salinas, California, and Burkey Farms of Dorchester, Nebraska.

The 14,000-acre Braga Farms enterprise grows broccoli, celery, cauliflower, lettuce and other fresh vegetables at multiple locations in California and Arizona. The operation started growing organic produce about 25 years ago. Roughly 70% of the crop is now organic, says Adrian Garcia, an in-house pest control adviser with Braga Fresh Family Farms.

Some 1,700 miles away, Burkey Farms is a relative newcomer to organic production. After experimenting with organic production on two quarter-sections in 2016, the owners of the 2,000-acre farm decided to convert entirely to organic production the following year. The last of Burkey Farms’ acres achieved organic certification in 2019. Today’s organic crops include feed- and food-grade corn and soybeans, yellow peas and forages.

Responding to Market Conditions

The two farms have different reasons for going organic, all based on market factors.

“Consumer demand for more organic vegetables has driven the company in that direction,” Garcia says. “In the volatile produce market, premium prices for organic crops vary depending on demand and availability in a particular week.”

For Burkey Farms the decision was purely economic. Eric Thalken, operations manager, says premium prices for organic crops have created positive returns on investment for the operation in most years, after taking land, labor and input costs into consideration.

“We really looked pretty smart when we sold organic corn for $9 per bushel and conventional corn was at $3.10,” Thalken says. This year, he says organic corn prices reached $10 per bushel for corn and $30 per bushel for beans — a significant price advantage, even with relatively high commodity grain prices.

The organic price differential often narrows, however. In fact, price trend lines crossed in 2010, with conventional grain capturing higher prices than organics.

“When price spread narrows, growers often leave organic or slow their transition to organic, leaving a gap in supply,” Thalken says. “This leads to large price increases in subsequent years, such as in 2014 when organic corn prices hit $12 per bushel.”

Dealing With Pest Control Limitations

Weed, disease and insect control are shared challenges for organic growers. They have limited pesticide options — only those approved by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI).

At Burkey Farms, weed control starts with biological practices, namely cover crops on every acre, every year. Mechanical weed control follows and typically requires two cultivations and two passes with a rotary hoe, on top of three tillage passes for cover crop planting preparation, cover crop incorporation and a finish pass prior to cash crop planting. In a rainy year, weeds can get the upper hand.

“Some years you will get beaten by weeds,” says Thalken of producing organically. “For example, in 2019, an extremely wet year, field conditions did not allow us to complete all mechanical weed control passes.”

At Braga Fresh Family Farms, in-season weed control is often by hand. Over the past three years, the farm began to rely on robotic weeding machines to save labor and remove weeds more effectively.

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Increasingly, consumers are interested in understanding where their food comes from.

Liz Hunt Head of Sustainable and Responsible Business at Syngenta

“Scanners on the robots identify what is a good plant and what is a weed,” Garcia says.

To control insect pests, Braga Fresh Family Farms purchases thousands of beneficial insects for release into the field by drone. Beneficial species, such as parasitic wasps, lacewings and Aphidoletes (a predatory midge) reproduce and feed on harmful pests.

While these strategies work well in the West, it’s nearly impossible to keep ahead of constant pest pressure in tropical climates.

“Organic production is difficult in a state where it rains most every afternoon,” says Mike Aerts, director of science and regulatory affairs at the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association. Hot, humid weather fosters insect reproduction, weed growth and fungal diseases.

“Biopesticides work to a degree, but growers would need to spray nearly every day to keep up. That may not be economical,” Aerts says. Because of these difficulties, organic represents a small percentage of acres in Florida.

Shrinking Yields, Growing Costs

Despite strides to improve organic tools and practices, yields still lag. USDA data from 2016 show conventional crops out-yielded organics for every U.S. crop except forages.

On Burkey Farms, organic corn yields often average 210 bushels per acre, while conventional farmers in the same area can expect up to 245 bushels per acre.

Production costs for organic agriculture can vary widely. In California, Garcia estimates that costs to grow organic vegetables are 20% to 25% higher than non-organic, due to added pest control steps and higher labor costs.

Fertilization is a huge variable. Commercial organic fertilizer is expensive, and it’s difficult to reach the necessary nitrogen levels. Burkey Farms saves on fertilizer cost by applying hog manure. As with conventional crop producers who rely on manure for fertilizer, there is a risk of a damaging buildup of sodium and potassium in the soil. Growers can alleviate concerns about nutrient imbalance through a balanced soil fertility program.

“We spend less on crop seed, fertility and chemicals but more on equipment, labor and cover crops than an average farm in our area,” Thalken says. “Overhead can be slightly more with increased costs of administration.”

Assessing Environmental Impacts

Environmental impacts of agricultural production vary by practice. With lower yields, organic production requires more land to generate the same amount of food. According to a 2016 analysis of USDA yield data, if all crops switched to organic production, more than 100 million more farmland acres — an area the size of California — would be needed to achieve the same crop output.

OMRI-approved pesticides have impacts, too. Copper sulfate is commonly used by organic farmers as a fungicide, especially to control downy mildew in grapes, potatoes, tomatoes and apples. Although a natural compound, copper sulfate can accumulate in the soil and harm soil microbes, according to the Genetic Literacy Project, a nonprofit organization promoting science literacy.

However, professional organic crop producers are aware of the limitations of copper sulfate and adjust accordingly, Thalken says.

For example, Burkey Farms helps alleviate these impacts by applying a product with copper octanoate as an active ingredient. “We commonly use two quarts per acre per year on corn only,” Thalken says. This rate equals 0.08 pounds of metallic copper equivalent per acre, and a 200-bushel-per-acre corn crop takes up 0.10 pounds per acre, so buildup potential is alleviated, he says.

The multiple passes for weed control in organic production consume more fuel and increase soil compaction. Disturbing the ground with mechanical weed control also can erode soil and damage soil health.

“A good conventional grower using no-till and cover crops, fertilizing properly and managing the weed seed bank may have less overall environmental impact than an organic grower,” says Tim Mundorf, director of soil management at Central Valley Ag cooperative in York, Nebraska.

Calling the Shots

Whether growing crops conventionally or organically, all farmers share in meeting expectations for sustainable food production.

“Increasingly, consumers are interested in understanding where their food comes from. It’s important to help consumers understand the benefits and implications that come with organic production and know there is a fit for both organic and conventional farming methods,” says Liz Hunt, head, sustainable and responsible business at Syngenta. “At the end of the day, the population is growing. We need to make sure we are meeting these needs in a way that optimizes land and input use.”

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Cover image: Eric Thalken, operations manager at Burkey Farms, oversees the transition from conventional to organic crops at the Dorchester, Nebraska, farm. Photography by Geoff Johnson.

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Syngenta has introduced a new AgriPro® brand wheat variety for the 2021 spring planting season.

Specifically developed for the Pacific Northwest region, AP Coachman, a soft white spring variety, is widely adaptable across moisture zones and offers good end-use quality. AP Coachman is a medium-height, late-maturity variety that is resistant to Hessian fly. It also features good tolerance to stripe rust.

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The location of farmland plays a large role in key agricultural assistance programs that many growers take for granted. If your ability to use farm programs, obtain ag financing and access land were hindered, what would you do? Welcome to the unique challenges that face minority farmers like Ryan Lankford and Christi Bland.

Historical Challenges

Lankford grew up on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in north-central Montana, home of the Assiniboine and Gros Ventre people. Today, he and his family farm 20,000 acres where they grow spring and winter wheat, barley, chickpeas, canola and other crops near the Bears Paw Mountains. The climate there can make farming very challenging.

“We live on 12 to 14 inches of rain a year,” says Lankford, who noted that the region received only half an inch of rain in 2017. “You try to do everything right, but there’s so much risk when you farm in an arid climate. That’s on top of the land ownership issues we face with the federal government.”

Those land issues are the result of long-standing government policies. Today, Lankford and his family lease the majority of their land from their tribe. Lankford also owns some of his own land. But all of this property is also held in trust by the U.S. government, which in practical terms means that the government must approve all land-use decisions, including leasing and selling.

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As we engage farmers and ag industry partners, it’s essential to truly listen to what people are saying.

Brandon Bell Diversity and Inclusion Lead
at Syngenta

“Lenders are reluctant to loan money for our farming operation, since land ownership with the government muddies the waters,” Lankford says. “We’ve also missed out on government payments like the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program due to restrictions imposed by our land-ownership situation. It’s a constant battle with government bureaucracy.”

Despite the challenges, Lankford still loves farming. After a stint in the military following 9/11 and earning a civil engineering degree from Montana State University in 2008, he had a realization. “I discovered how much I missed the farm,” Lankford says. “I also realized how serving in the military and farming are a call to service.”

A Family Farming Tradition in Mississippi

Christi Bland is a fourth-generation farmer from Tunica County, Mississippi, where she raises rice, soybeans, grain sorghum and wheat and is one of only 49,000 Black farmers in America, down from more than 925,000 in 1920. Like Native American farmers, Black farmers have faced historical challenges in agriculture.

“One of the challenges that Black farmers have faced historically is discrimination from the USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture] when it came to lending practices, and having to worry about if their land was going to be taken,” Bland says. In the past, many Black farmers handed down land informally without a will and testament. Instead, the land was shared between the heirs rather than being split up. Without the traditional legal documents, it often proved very difficult for Black farmers to gain access to capital because they weren’t able to prove to the bank that they had adequate collateral for a loan, which in turn meant that they weren’t able to purchase land and expand their operations.

The USDA has admitted to this long history of discrimination and has been taking steps since the late 1990s to address systemic racism and discrimination.1

But Bland says that for many Black farmers access to capital continues to be a problem to this day. “One of the unique challenges that I think Black farmers face,” she says, “is the generational wealth gap that we see. They’re not making any more land. Therefore, all the land that’s available is usually already taken up by larger farmers that have inherited land and generational wealth.”

Bland adds that today Black farmers constitute less than 1% of all the farmers in the U.S. However, the situation is improving for those farmers. The USDA has approved some initiatives that provide support to Black farmers.

Bland’s father, James Bland, Jr., will eventually pass down the family’s 1,500-acre operation to her. “The more I worked on the farm, the more I loved it,” she says.

Stories Turned Into Insights

Opening the lines of communication to address these issues is invaluable in a diverse industry like agriculture. “Agriculture serves everyone,” says Brandon Bell, diversity and inclusion lead at Syngenta. “As we engage farmers and ag industry partners, it’s essential to truly listen to what people are saying.”

Bell helps turn their stories into insights. He focuses on sharing knowledge, not changing people’s minds. Syngenta values the opportunity to encourage diverse viewpoints. “I want to help people be open to a new way of thinking,” Bell says. “Diversity feeds the spirit of community. Inclusion feeds the spirit of creativity. Equity feeds the spirit of innovation.”

For Lankford, this spirit reflects the joy of farming with his family. For Bland, a deputy commissioner with the Tunica County Soil and Water Conservation District, it means honoring her rural roots. “I don’t want to be the biggest farmer,” Bland says. “I want to be the best farm manager so I can carry on my family’s legacy.”

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1Vilsack, Thomas J., “Opening Statement of Thomas J. Vilsack Before the House Committee on Agriculture – Remarks as Prepared,” March 25, 2021, usda.gov/media/press-releases/2021/03/25/opening-statement-thomas-j-vilsack-house-committee-agriculture

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While pollinators are often unseen, they pack a powerful punch when it comes to the production of some of the country’s highest-value crops. Flying from flower to flower, these bees, butterflies, birds, bats and beetles, among many other species, are critical to the food supply. In fact, pollinators are essential to one-third of the world’s crops, including apples, almonds, blueberries, cherries, cranberries and melons. In the U.S. alone, pollinators increase crop values by more than $15 billion annually.

Needless to say, protecting these pollinator powerhouses is critical to the variety of plant life and the food supply that nourishes us all. Because organizations and individuals can accomplish more together than they ever could on their own, partnerships are helping protect pollinators, enhance biodiversity and preserve the land.

Staying Ahead of the Curve

Farmers have been working with beekeepers for decades, according to Caydee Savinelli, Ph.D., stewardship team and pollinator lead for Syngenta.

“We all care about the land, but farmers steward the land and maintain it for generations to come,” she says. “They grow the crops that bees can forage on and around. Whether the crop itself needs pollination or the surrounding land is providing habitat for pollinators, farmers understand that working together is good for themselves, the beekeepers and, most importantly, the bees.”

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We’re growing crops that feed and fuel the world; and, without pollinators, our crops can’t produce what they normally can or should.

Chip Bowling Farmer and Former Chairman, National Corn Growers Association Newburg, Maryland

Farmers continue to place great importance on pollinator protection, says Chip Bowling, farmer and former chairman of the National Corn Growers Association.

“My grandfather taught me that you need to take care of the soil and whatever is around it, and that includes the pollinators,” Bowling explains. “As farmers, we’re growing crops that feed and fuel the world; and, without pollinators, our crops can’t produce what they normally can or should. Pollinators are critical to the agricultural community.”

Beekeepers work with farmers every year to provide pollination services for crops. For example, more than 80% of all commercial bee colonies are transported across the U.S. in January to produce almond crops in California. From there, bees may travel to the Pacific Northwest, the East Coast or the Southeast to pollinate fruits and vegetables.

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Relationships between farmers and beekeepers help provide forage for bees, but they don’t solve some of the challenges that the overall bee population is facing. These challenges include mites, diseases and potential pesticide exposure.

“It’s hard to know exactly what is affecting bee populations,” Savinelli says. “There are a lot of variables, and there is a need for more data. One thing is certain: Collaboration will play a vital role in overcoming these challenges.”

Collaborating To Build Bridges

Stakeholders from around the world are coming together to preserve biodiversity and protect pollinators.

“As an industry, we have a lot of knowledge and best practices to protect pollinators,” Savinelli explains. “We thought it really made sense to get together and provide resources so farmers can continue using and benefiting from insecticides, but at the same time help pollinators.”

As a result, the Growing Matters coalition, which includes neonicotinoid insecticide registrants, launched the BeSure! campaign. Its purpose is to remind members of the ag community to follow best management practices and stewardship tips when using insecticidal treated seeds and crop protection products. In its second year, the 2020 campaign reached farmers and applicators in at least 28 states through tailored radio sponsorships, social media and traditional trade media outreach.

“One of the keys is communication,” says Tom Smith, executive director of the National Pesticide Safety Education Center. “Communicating with fellow landowners surrounding their farms and with beekeepers who may be in the area is really critical. Even for farmers who don’t grow crops that need pollinators, it’s important to understand where they have natural areas and to work with others to continue preserving biodiversity on their farms. Frankly, farmers are aware of these things and are already doing them.”

Playing a Role in the Pollinator Story

One way Syngenta is building bridges to connect farmers, companies and beekeepers is through Operation Pollinator, a global biodiversity initiative to boost the number of pollinating insects on farms and golf courses. Other industry stakeholders are partnering to protect pollinators as well, including The Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund, Project Apis m., the Iowa Soybean Association, Monarchs in the Rough and many others.

The end goal of all these partnerships is the same: to maintain a biodiverse planet, a healthy environment and a thriving population of pollinators that will ensure a stable food supply.

It’s a goal that growers and ag retailers share. After all, no one has a stronger stake in preserving the land than the people whose livelihoods depend on it. They also understand that maintaining access to the seed- and crop-applied technologies needed to produce more bountiful crops requires proper use, storage and disposal.

“Whatever we do together is much better than what we can do alone,” Savinelli says. “As long as we’re working toward a common goal — putting seeds in the ground, growing productive crops and keeping pollinators safe — the future looks bright.”

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As a parent, I teach my son that every story has two sides. As a leader in sustainable agriculture, I also find myself having to remember that every day. Too often, we miss our opportunity to tell our side of the story — the story of the American farmer, the progress that has been made in sustainability and the groundswell of new efforts underway to further success in sustainable agriculture. Though most consumers are at least three generations removed from the American farm, they are showing increased interest in learning where their food comes from and knowing more about the farmers who produce it.

So how do we start the conversation?

Authenticity, coupled with facts, is a great place to start. Put a few statistics, such as the percentage of family-owned farms in the U.S. (98%) coupled with your own family farm story, into the conversation. I have been amazed to learn how many of our customers are operating farms passed through generations all the way back to the Homestead Act of 1862!

Knowing the facts about your farm exponentially increases public interest. That story is better told with robust on-farm record keeping, which also helps tell your environmental sustainability story. Tell people about the practices you use to improve soil health or optimizing production through technologies like genetically modified seeds.

For the big picture, in this issue you can grab a few data points on the differences between organic and conventional crop production. And, as in every issue, we share information regarding American agriculture’s commitment to strong, economically sustainable production.

Every one of us has opportunities to tell our story in a genuine way, inviting conversation and further developing relationships between farmers and consumers. By taking time to listen and understand other perspectives, then sharing our own stories, we can build farmer-consumer relationships one conversation at a time.

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Central Valley Ag (CVA) cooperative, based in York, Nebraska, established an organic division in 2018 in response to interest from its member-owners in eastern Nebraska, northwest Iowa and north-central Kansas.

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Ninety-nine percent of the cooperative’s business is in conventional agriculture. But a lot of growers are either trying organic or looking at the price premiums and wanting to try it. We believe both farming methods have a place. Our job is to provide value to our growers, whether organic or conventional.

Tim Mundorf CVA Director of Soil Management

“Ninety-nine percent of the cooperative’s business is in conventional agriculture. But a lot of growers are either trying organic or looking at the price premiums and wanting to try it,” says Tim Mundorf, CVA director of soil management. “We believe both farming methods have a place. Our job is to provide value to our growers, whether organic or conventional.”

Mundorf advises organic growers on inputs that meet Organic Materials Review Institute certification. Tools include natural fertilizers, biologicals, plant growth regulators and plant stimulants that help plants build natural defenses against disease. The co-op also offers organic grain storage and marketing services.

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