Staying Ahead of the Curve
“We live in an environment that is extremely fast- paced where timely results are either needed here in Canada or on the other side of the world. We need to be able to be prepared for our clients’ business needs. Having the expertise and the equipment to facilitate those needs is our priority for ensuring our clients meet their goals for a successful crop or quality product for the end user.” — Sarah Foster, president, 20/20 Seed Labs
Cereal Stocks Recover
Food commodity markets are becoming more balanced and less price-volatile than in recent years thanks to improved supplies and a recovery in global inventories of cereals, according to United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization’s Food Outlook report published in November. “The prices for most basic food commodities have declined over the past few months. This relates to production increases and the expectation that in the current season we will have more abundant supplies, more export availabilities and higher stocks,” said David Hallam, director of FAO’s Trade and Markets Division. The sharp increase in 2013 cereal production mostly stems from a recovery of maize crops in the United States and record wheat harvests in CIS countries. World rice production in 2013 is expected to grow only modestly.
Join the GMO Conversation
“GMOs are a growing topic of discussion today, with a wide range of questions and emotions on the topic,” says Cathleen Enright, executive director of the Council for Biotechnology Information, sponsor of a new online resource called GMO Answers that provides information on GMOs. “Food is personal, so we want to open the door for personal discussions. We recognize we haven’t done the best job communicating about GMOs — what they are, how they are developed, food safety information — the science, data and processes. We want people to join us and ask their tough questions. Be skeptical. Evaluate the information and decide for yourself. We look forward to an open conversation.”
Controlling Dust-Off
“We’re going the extra mile to make sure Bayer SeedGrowth products stay where they should be — in the field launching seed’s performance,” says Marc Andrieux, head of SeedGrowth Technology and Services and SeedGrowth Coatings at Bayer SeedGrowth. His job involves anything from seed drilling equipment modifications to new seed coating technology — all in the name of limiting dust-off. “If you aren’t in control of a number of different factors from on-seed application to planting, it could lead to dust-off. Limiting dust-off is an integrated solution at and after on-seed application,” he explains, adding that minimizing dust-off is nothing new for Bayer. According to Andrieux, work on improving dust control — everything from improving product formulations to modifying seed drillers in the field — began several years ago in Europe and has since gone global.
