After more than a decade of co-sponsoring the annual No-Till Innovator Awards to honor leaders in conservation tillage, Syngenta Crop Protection turned the tables on Lessiter Publications, presenting the group with a special No-Till Innovator Award. The surprise recognition took place Friday, Jan. 12, during the milestone 15th National No-Tillage Conference in Des Moines.

“We were surprised and humbled that Syngenta honored us for our 15th conference,” said Frank Lessiter, editor and publisher of Lessiter Publications in Brookfield, Wis., which includes No-Till Farmer and Conservation Tillage Product Guide magazines. “Our attendees are top-notch leaders who care about the adoption, promotion and advancement of conservation tillage. With the support of groups like Syngenta, we are able to annually provide them with a valuable program of cutting-edge industry information.”

Lessiter is the founder of the National No-Tillage Conference (NNTC), which is considered an essential forum to discuss, teach and learn about no-till management. Since 1993, the NNTC has provided cutting-edge information to nearly 11,000 growers, researchers, retailers and other agricultural leaders, influencing millions of acres. Lessiter is the only editor in the history of No-Till Farmer, which celebrates its 35th anniversary this year.

“This award not only commemorates the 15th anniversary of the innovative conference, but also Lessiter Publications’ ongoing commitment to no-till education and promotion,” says David Pinon, communications manager for Syngenta Crop Protection. “We are proud to honor Frank and his team as the original No-Till Innovators.”

Syngenta and its legacy companies have sponsored the NNTC since its inception. “By supporting programs like the National No-Tillage Conference and the No-Till Innovator Awards, we can ensure others understand the importance of conservation tillage to both agriculture and the environment,” Pinon said. “In addition, many of our brands, such as Lumax®, Prefix™ and others, give growers the flexibility to adopt and maintain successful no-till management programs.”

Prior to honoring Lessiter, Syngenta and No-Till Farmer recognized the 11th class of No-Till Innovators. Recipients of the annual awards are selected based on their contributions to no-till farming, regardless of the type of crop grown, brand of equipment or products used. The 2006 No-Till Innovator Award winners are: Karl Kroeck of Knoxville, Pa., for Consulting; Jim Leverich, Sparta, Wis., for Research and Education; Joe Breker of Havana, N.D., for Crop Production, and the Innovative Cropping Systems Team of Quinton, Va., in the Organization category.

More details on the National No-Tillage Conference are available at http://www.no-tillfarmer.com.For information on Syngenta Crop Protection and its products, including Prefix and Lumax herbicides, Quadris® fungicide, and Warrior® with Zeon Technology® and Force® insecticides, contact your local representative or visit www.farmassist.com.

To conserve soil, no-till farmers leave behind crop stubble in fields instead of stirring the ground. Planting into the undisturbed soil greatly reduces erosion from raindrop impact and helps prevent surface crusting, which makes it difficult for seedlings to emerge from the soil. As a result, conservation tillage increases water infiltration, decreases surface evaporation and increases moisture retention.

Conservation tillage practices also: require fewer tractor trips across the field, use less fuel, improve soil structure and quality, improve water quality of nearby streams and lakes, and increase soil organic matter, improving air quality.

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 2005 were approximately $8.1 billion. Syngenta employs more than 19,000 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.

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