BASF, John Deere and partners receive DLG gold medal for decision-support system for farmers

Limburgerhof – November 10, 2015 – Yesterday, BASF, John Deere and partners were awarded a gold medal from the Deutsche Landwirtschaftsgesellschaft (DLG, German Agricultural Society) for the prototype of a new decision-support system for farmers called “Connected Crop Protection with Pesticide Application Manager.” The system is a close collaboration between different companies and public institutions, each of which brings its special expertise to the project: BASF, John Deere, the Information System for Integrated Plant Production (ISIP), the Central Institute for Decision-Support Systems in Crop Protection (ZEPP), the Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI) and the Association for Technology and Structures in Agriculture (KTBL). The medal-winning solution will be developed towards full-fledged market readiness during 2016.

 

The “Connected Crop Protection with Pesticide Application Manager” combines all the steps of a crop protection application process in one IT-based solution. It supports tailored crop protection solution recommendations, provides operators with filling and spraying assistance, and generates full documentation of these steps. The system’s “Application Manager” (PAM) assists farmers by automatically taking buffer zones into account and correspondingly turning nozzles off and on while spraying. The solution was developed and tested in conjunction with farmers to ensure its full usefulness and relevance.

 

Farmers today have to consider a wide array of different legislation and information in order to decide on the right plant protection treatment. In the joint project, the partner companies aimed to provide farmers with a single crop protection treatment system that provides practical support for their seasonal work. The new solution helps growers make decisions regarding targeted, well-timed and precise applications. It will allow them to apply crop protection products more precisely, save money and time, and thus increase profitability while reducing environmental impact.

 

“BASF’s approach to innovation is underpinned by connecting with others, such as John Deere. After the announcement of our collaboration in July 2014, we are proud to receive a gold medal from the DLG for the “Connected Crop Protection with Pesticide Application Manager.” It shows that our commitment to delivering customer value through innovation addresses the changing needs in agriculture with the right ideas,” explains Michael Hess, Vice President, Business Management Crop Protection for Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Benelux at BASF.

 

The PAM-project is supported by funds of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) based on a decision of the Parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany via the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) under the innovation support program.

 

About BASF's Crop Protection division
With sales of more than € 5.4 billion in 2014, BASF’s Crop Protection division provides innovative solutions in crop protection, seed treatment and biological control as well as innovations to manage nutrients and plant stress. Its portfolio also includes products for turf and ornamental plants, pest control and public health. BASF Crop Protection is a leading innovator that partners with growers to protect and enhance crop yields, enabling them to produce high quality food more efficiently. By delivering new technologies and know-how, BASF Crop Protection supports growers to make a better life for themselves, their families and communities.
Further information can be found on the web or through our social media channels.

 

About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry – and have been doing so for 150 years. Our portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. As the world’s leading chemical company, we combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of over € 74 billion in 2014 and around 113,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet  at www.basf.com.