Golden Valley, Minnesota
May 1, 2007
Even with farmers planting as much
as 12 million more acres of corn this spring, some market
experts say harvest could still fall short of rising demand for
corn-based ethanol. To help farmers keep pace with accelerating
demand, Syngenta is ramping up its introductions of new
technology in genetics, traits and crop protection that increase
per-acre yield potential.
“Ethanol production is an important step in reducing our
dependence on foreign oil,” says Chuck Lee, head of Syngenta
corn products. “Meeting this increased demand and the ongoing
demand of our existing domestic markets, including feed grain
for livestock, is going to take more corn than we’re currently
producing. The spillover effect of the ethanol boom is already
putting tremendous pressure on the livestock industry, with the
cost of feed grain escalating.”
Like the introduction of commercial fertilizers and hybrid corn,
experts see plant genetics and seed traits delivering the next
big jump in corn yields.
With a 50-million-gallon capacity for ethanol production and a
scheduled mid-June opening, Heron Lake Bio Energy in southern
Minnesota will increase local demand for corn by some 18 million
bushels annually, says Bob Wolf, certified crop advisor with
County Seed & Cropping in Adrian. Thanks to advances in seed
traits and other farm technologies, Wolf anticipates that most
of these extra bushels will be grown by area farmers.
“There are hybrid and trait developments available today and
coming down the pike within the next five years that will help
us produce a whole lot more corn,” Wolf says.
“Corn hybrids with built-in seed protection for corn rootworm
can significantly improve per-acre yields in fields at risk,”
says Lee. After securing U.S. regulatory approvals, Syngenta
introduced Agrisure™ RW for growers this planting season.
Agrisure RW is a new seed trait for controlling corn rootworm, a
devastating pest that robs millions of bushels in yield each
year. For this spring, Syngenta developed a program for growers
who are willing to direct their grain to domestic markets such
as on farm feeding, domestic feedlots and select ethanol plants.
With a large customer base of hog and beef producers growing
corn year after year, protection for rootworm is a major benefit
to area growers, says Wolf. “Corn-on-corn acres are at greatest
risk from rootworm feeding and growers want this trait to
protect their yields.”
Wolf anticipates more traits coming down the pike with the
potential to increase yield through insect and disease
protection, but it doesn’t end there. “Moving forward, we will
also see traits that are uniquely suited to the end use, such as
amylase corn for more efficient ethanol production and phytase
corn for more nutritious livestock feed,” he says. “In the near
future, we won’t know No. 2 yellow dent corn as we do today.”
In addition to amylase corn, Syngenta is developing traits for
better drought tolerance, more efficient fertilizer utilization,
and built-in protection from broad lepidopteran insects. Through
its fast-track breeding programs, Syngenta is working to bring
these and other new technologies to the market more quickly and
efficiently.
“The need for alternative fuels is a long-term reality, and
agriculture will be on the front line,” Lee says. “It’s an
exciting and dynamic new world with technology in genetics and
traits helping growers meet feed and fuel demand.”
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 2006 were approximately $8.1
billion. Syngenta employs around 19,500 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. |
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