Cruiser Extreme Pak and CruiserMaxx Pak offer savings at planting, deliver profits at harvest

The Bean Counter Bonus Program™ from Syngenta Seed Treatment offers growers a per-unit rebate on the purchase of Cruiser®Maxx® Pak-treated soybean seed if they have purchased Cruiser Extreme® Pak-treated corn seed. This program, now in its second year, provides quality insect and disease protection for corn and soybeans while reducing a grower’s investment by $2.50 per unit of soybeans.

This year many growers who planted corn seed treated with Cruiser Extreme Pak and/or Cruiser Extreme Pak CRW took part in this exciting offer as they planted CruiserMaxx Pak-treated soybean seed for the first time. While the advantages of Cruiser Extreme Pak have been apparent for several years, the benefits of CruiserMaxx Pak became obvious over the course of its first commercially available season. Growers who participated in the program not only saw profits at harvest, they also saved money at planting.

“The success we have had with Cruiser Extreme Pak on corn has opened a door for success in soybeans as well,” said Doug Wical of SW Landmark, Inc. in South Charleston, Ohio. “We told our growers that if we could see these kinds of results in corn, then there is no reason why we should not also be able to see these results in soybeans. In addition to rising royalties and seed costs, that is what helped us implement the Bean Counter Bonus Program and make it become so successful.”

Any corn and soybean grower purchasing minimum quantities in the United States can take advantage of the rebate. One unit of Cruiser Extreme Pak* or Cruiser Extreme Pak CRW-treated corn seed (80k) qualifies growers to receive a $2.50 per unit rebate on one matching unit (defined as 50 lbs. or 140,000 seed count, dependent on how it is purchased) of CruiserMaxx Pak-treated soybean seed. Minimum purchase required is 40 units of Cruiser Extreme Pak and/or Cruiser Extreme Pak CRW-treated corn seed and 40 units of CruiserMaxx Pak-treated soybean seed. For growers to be eligible, they must plant seed company branded varieties. All products must be purchased between September 1, 2005 and February 1, 2006.

CruiserMaxx Pak is a commercially applied promotional combination of two separately registered products for use on soybean seed, Cruiser seed treatment insecticide (thiamethoxam) and an ApronMaxx® brand seed treatment fungicide (mefenoxam, fludioxonil). This combination of insect and disease protection helps increase plant stands, uniformity and vigor, promote earlier canopy closure and improve yields. It offers early-season protection against a broad spectrum of seed- and foliar-feeding insects, including soybean aphid, bean leaf beetle, seedcorn maggot and wireworm. In addition, CruiserMaxx Pak provides excellent protection against all major seed- and soil-borne disease pathogens including Pythium, early-season Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia, Fusarium, seed-borne Sclerotinia, seed-borne Phomopsis and general seed rots.

Cruiser Extreme Pak is a seed company-applied promotional combination of four active ingredients that deliver .25mg ai/seed of Cruiser (thiamethoxam) plus three fungicides: Apron XL®, Maxim® XL and Dynasty®. Cruiser Extreme Pak provides superior protection against a broad spectrum of early-season corn insect pests, such as wireworm, black cutworm, seedcorn maggot, white grub (including grape colaspis), flea beetle, chinch bug and southern corn leaf beetle. Cruiser Extreme Pak also offers enhanced disease protection against some of the most harmful seed- and soil-borne diseases in corn including Alternaria, Fusarium, Cladosporium, Helminthosporium, Diplodia, Aspergilllus, Penicillium, Rhizoctonia and Pythium. Additionally, Cruiser Extreme Pak CRW is available with a higher rate of the insecticide component (1.25 mg ai/seed), offering effective protection against corn rootworm and billbug.

Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. The company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in 2004 were approximately $7.3 billion. Syngenta employs some 20,000 people in over 90 countries. Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in New York (SYT). Further information is available at www.syngenta.com.

*Cruiser Extreme Pak must utilize .25 mg ai/seed or higher of thiamethoxam.

Important: Always read and follow label instructions before buying or using any of these products.
Bean Counter Bonus Program™, Cruiser Extreme®, Cruiser®, Maxx® Apron XL®, Maxim® XL, Dynasty® and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.