BASF announces investments and new products for North American agriculture

  • Investment of more than € 200 million ($ 270 million) to expand herbicide production capacities in the U.S.
  • More than 20 new products to be launched over next two years, including Engenia™ herbicide in 2015
  • 150 new in-field experts in North America since 2010

Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA – June 11, 2014 – BASF today announced new investments and solutions that will help growers and partners in North America drive yields and efficiency. BASF will invest more than € 200 million ($ 270 million) to expand production capacity for key herbicides dicamba and DMTA at the Beaumont, Texas site as well as upgrade production at the Hannibal, Missouri site. With capacities expected to be on line in 2016/17, the expansions will serve to meet the growing demand for BASF’s diverse herbicide portfolio, which features nine different modes of action and multi-year rotational plans in order to ensure effective, flexible and durable weed control. BASF is evaluating additional investments as part of its plan to spend approximately € 1.8 billion between 2014 and 2018 to increase production of its crop protection products worldwide.

 

The investments coincide with the planned launch of more than 20 different innovations for the agricultural industry from BASF’s R&D pipeline in North America, highlighted by an advanced dicamba formulation, Engenia™ herbicide. Starting in 2015, Engenia™ will help growers to control resistant weeds in key row crops and also serve as a key component of dicamba/glyphosate tolerant cropping systems.

 

“The North American market has seen many challenges along with great opportunities in the past few years,” said Markus Heldt, President of BASF’s Crop Protection division. “We are committed to investing in R&D, production and personnel in North America, so that we can deliver effective and efficient solutions for growers and our retailer customers.”

 

Additional innovations include the miticides Nealta™ for specialty crops and Sultan™ for turf and ornamentals, which provide effective residual control of mites at all life stages. From Functional Crop Care’s R&D platform, BASF will provide from 2015 onwards a new family of seed coating products based on Xemium® fungicide as well as Limus® urease inhibitor. Limus® provides optimal nitrogen availability during crops’ critical growth stages and also contributes to better environmental outcomes by helping to reduce nitrogen losses in the field.

 

Plant Science shows promising results
In the area of plant biotechnology, BASF Plant Science is moving ahead with several promising projects. These include the 2013 launch by Monsanto of Genuity® DroughtGard® Hybrids, a drought-tolerant corn variety developed in collaboration with Monsanto. BASF is also initiating the first field trials for its fungal resistance project, which is designed to address stalk rot in corn through innovative trait technology.

 

“BASF Plant Science stands on three strong pillars including yield increase and stress tolerance, herbicide tolerance, and fungal resistance,” said Peter Eckes, President of BASF Plant Science. “We continue to focus on collaborating with key partners in order to prepare the next generation of innovations for agriculture.”

 

Innovation Specialists focus on customer needs
Since 2010, BASF has expanded its in-field staff by 150 experts in North America, highlighted by the Innovation Specialist advisory program initiated in 2012. Innovation Specialists provide direct agronomic and decision support for the newest technologies available from BASF. Currently, BASF employees work directly with more than 30,000 growers and 11,000 retail partners in North America, meaning that BASF team members now provide expertise and tailored solutions for over 84 million acres of agricultural production in the region.

 

“Supporting our customers is our number one priority, and we continually collaborate with them to address the issues that matter most,” said Nevin McDougall, Senior Vice President, BASF Crop Protection North America. “That means helping growers and retail customers improve output, care for their natural resources and support their local communities.”

 

About BASF’s Crop Protection division
With sales of more than € 5.2 billion in 2013, BASF’s Crop Protection division provides innovative solutions in crop protection, seed treatment and biological control as well as solutions to manage water, nutrients and plant stress. Its portfolio also includes products for turf and ornamental plants, pest control and public health. BASF’s Crop Protection division is a leading innovator that supports growers to optimize agricultural production, improve their business efficiency and enhance the quality of life for a growing world population. Further information can be found on the web or through our social media channels.

 

About BASF Plant Science
BASF Plant Science – a BASF group company – is one of the world’s leading companies providing innovative plant biotechnology solutions for agriculture. BASF Plant Science is helping farmers meet the growing demand for improved agricultural productivity and healthier nutrition. BASF Plant Science is where Innovation Yields Results and 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 and higher content of specific omega-3’s (EPA/DHA) in oil crops for preventing cardiovascular diseases. Further information on BASF Plant Science is available on the Internet at www.basf.com/plantscience.

 

About BASF
BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. 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 about € 74 billion in 2013 and over 112,000 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.

 

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