Feb 9, 2010Bayer CropScience, United Potato Continue Sustainable Ag Partnership
In a meeting with North American potato growers, Bayer CropScience and United Potato Growers of America announced their continued commitment to sustainable agriculture and the world’s food supply. As part of the announcement, Bayer CropScience has committed, for the third year, to be part of UPGA’s United Potato Partners sponsorship program.
This continued effort with Bayer CropScience represents the best in a working relationship between potato growers and an agriculture corporation,” said Lee Frankel, UPGA president and chief executive officer. “For Bayer, the partnership fosters unique insights into the production needs of potato growers. For growers, the partnership offers invaluable insights into the global factors that influence their markets. Above all, Bayer CropScience’s involvement in United helps our organization innovate and obtain the most up-to-date and accurate supply and demand data possible which then allows growers to grow and market their crops more successfully.”
The announcement was made at the fourth annual North American Potato Grower Summit held in Las Vegas with representatives of UPGA, Potato Marketing Association of North America and United Potato Growers of Canada. The agreement includes sponsorship of potato grower seminars that will be held in California, Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin, according to a statement from UPGA. UPGC also has a partnership arrangement with Bayer CropScience in Canada.
“The mega-trends in agriculture: growing world population, growing wealth, climate change and a need for alternative feed stocks, continue to drive the need for innovative solutions to help growers meet the ever-increasing demand for affordable and high-quality food, feed, fiber and energy crops,” said Gregg Storey, manager, industry relations and sustainability for Bayer CropScience.
During his remarks at the meeting, Storey commented on the definition of sustainability.
“As a partner in the food chain, Bayer CropScience is dedicated to sharing the importance of modern agriculture to sustaining our world. Social, economic and environmental benefits are of equal importance when we define sustainability and sharing that vision outside of our industry is important. We need to remember that without modern crop protection and biotechnology, 50 percent of all crops would be lost to pests and an additional 2.5 billion acres of land would need to be converted from wilderness areas, habitats and forests to produce enough food.””
