MINNETONKA, Minn., Feb. 20, 2014 -- Syngenta announced today an agreement with Gavilon Grain LLC by which Gavilon will provide marketing assistance to farmers who choose to plant Syngenta’s Agrisure Duracade, a corn seed with corn rootworm (CRW) control technology that has been approved in the U.S.
Farmers participating in what Syngenta calls its “Right to Grow” program will be able to sell Agrisure Duracade grain to Gavilon at market prices while taking advantage of the company’s advice and distribution services, Syngenta said today in a news release.
The program “will help farmers remain competitive while navigating a more complex global supply chain,” David Morgan, president of Syngenta Seeds Inc., said in the release. The plan gives farmers the choice of adopting new technology “with the confidence of knowing they have options for marketing their grain,” he said.
Gavilon’s chief operating officer, Jim Anderson, promised to show farmers participating in the program “the supply chain's capability to expand beyond the basic commodity model in grain marketing,” adding that this is “the future of market access for U.S. grains."
Agrisure Duracade is Syngenta's next-generation CRW trait, offering what the company calls “unmatched corn insect control” in two trait stack options for above- and below-ground protection. The technology features the industry's first hybrid Bt protein and is the first trait technology to be launched with trait preservation in mind, Syngenta said.
The American Farm Bureau Federation “applauds” today’s announcement, Bob Stallman, the group’s president, said in a statement. “Now more than ever, it is imperative that American farmers have access to new technologies to continue to provide a safe, healthy and affordable food supply both domestically and internationally.”
The Right to Grow program, Stallman said, “will serve as a model to provide confidence for the American farmer that they will continue to have access to new technologies while meeting the needs of our international customers.”
Martin Barbre, president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), said his organization was also pleased with Syngenta’s efforts. He said the “limited trait release of Agrisure Duracade …seeks to balance the importance of maintaining farmers' access to technology while maintaining markets for U.S. corn.” NCGA, he said, “strives to optimize opportunities for U.S. corn growers and values efforts from parties across the value chain to support achievement of our goals."
NCGA will provide information regarding the status of import approvals with key importing markets and reference stewardship plans in place through its Know Before You Grow website as they become available.
“As it is in the best interest of corn farmers and the value chain as a whole, NCGA strongly encourages all farmers to consult with their seed providers and their first purchasers when making planting decisions," added Barbre.
Gavilon Grain is a subsidiary of The Gavilon Group, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marubeni Corporation. Headquartered in Omaha, Neb., The Gavilon Group, LLC connects producers and consumers of feed, food and fuel, linking agricultural supply with demand through its global supply chain network.
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