Monsanto has increased its commitment to agronomic expertise with the formation of a three-person agronomic team dedicated to providing agronomic and technical advice to growers and DEKALB dealers.

“Our product pipeline continues to turn out a tremendous amount of high yielding genetics and innovative technology,” says DEKALB brand Marketing Manager Jamie Rickard.  “We’re committed to giving our customers the agronomic and technical support they need to make the right seed and technology choice for their farm’s growing conditions.”

“Through the co-operative efforts of our agronomic team and DEKALB dealers, growers can be assured that product recommendations represent the best combination of DEKALB genetics and traits that will deliver the most value to their farm and help them optimize crop production,” adds Rickard.

The DEKALB brand agronomic team will be made up of Derek Freitag (covering central and western Ontario), Bob
Thirlwall (covering southern Ontario) and a still to be named new member to the DEKALB team who will cover eastern Ontario and Quebec.

Each member of the team will be responsible for working with growers and dealers in their area to evaluate and position new corn and soybean products and technology. They will also be available to deliver technical presentations on corn and soybean production and market issues at grower meetings and events.

The agronomic team will also be responsible for tracking crop production issues such as the impact of soybean aphids and corn borer pressure levels. “There are many issues that can impact the effectiveness of products and dealers and growers need this insight to make the best seed and trait selection,” adds Rickard.

The DEKALB brand agronomic team will be supported by the existing Monsanto technology development team that consists of Brian Legassicke (central Ontario), Graham McGregor (western and southern Ontario) and Pierre Lanoie (eastern Ontario and Quebec). The Technology Development team is responsible for the field testing and assessment of new seed and trait products for corn and soybeans in Canada from Monsanto’s extensive research pipeline.

Monsanto has also announced that Dr. Mark Lawton has been appointed Technical Lead for eastern Canada. In this new role, Lawton will provide technical leadership for seeds and traits in eastern Canada with a primary focus in corn and soybeans.  The DEKALB agronomic team and the technology development team will report to Lawton.
                                                     
“We’re very pleased to announce the formation of our technical team,” says Rickard. “With an exciting pipeline of
new products and technology on the horizon, we feel a responsibility to ensure that our products meet the expectations of our customers and this team will ensure this  happens.”

To consult with a member of the DEKALB brand agronomic team, growers should contact their local DEKALB dealer.

Based in Guelph, Ontario, Monsanto Canada breeds and develops DEKALB brand products for performance in Canadian growing conditions. DEKALB brand products include high yielding corn and soybean seed products that deliver innovative technology including Roundup Ready®, YieldGard® and stacked trait products. DEKALB brand products are sold and serviced by a trained, service-oriented dealer network throughout eastern Canada.

DEKALB and DEKALB Design are trademarks of DEKALB Genetics Corporation, Monsanto Canada Inc. licensee.
Roundup Ready and YieldGard are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC, Monsanto Canada Inc. licensee.