Toolbox of solutions for sustainable arable farming

Bayer sees a toolbox of technology, biological, chemical and much more as solutions that contribute to sustainable arable farming. These are being tested and further developed at the Forward Farm 'Het Groene Hart' in North Holland. Joris Roskam, Sustainable Agriculture manager at initiator Bayer, responds.

Recently the Forward Farm was officially opened. Why was the location in Abbenes chosen?
'That is a strategic choice. Abbenes is centrally located in the Netherlands and is easily accessible for political The Hague and for international guests from Schiphol. It may not be the agricultural Mecca of our country, but you do want to attract as many policymakers, farmers and citizens as possible to the company. In this region it is a bit easier than in Flevoland, for example.'

Bayer is a producer of crop protection products. However, the Forward Farm covers a very wide range of themes. What's the thinking behind this? 
'To really work on sustainability, you need a broad view. Crop protection is only one link in the whole. If you approach it too narrowly, you will end up in a black-and-white discussion and you will miss too much potential for sustainability. It's not either organic or conventional farming, both have pros and cons, it's a matter of choice. In short, use all possibilities with an open mind, look at soil health, look at new techniques, everything interferes with each other.'

Is sustainable agriculture the right course for a large part of the sector?
'We see integrated cultivation with a shift to prevention as the starting point. Producing more with less. We have linked 3 themes to integrated cultivation; clean and safe application of crop protection in which the reduction of emissions plays a major role. Think of nozzles that dose more precisely. Furthermore, there is room on the farm for nature and functional biodiversity, functional for pest suppression, for example, but a field margin can also considerably limit drift or even run-off. Finally, we expect a lot from technological innovations such as precision agriculture and decision support systems. Advanced techniques can diagnose a certain deficiency or disease that is coming in the crop earlier and better, allowing you to intervene in time and sometimes prevent it. And if a grower has to intervene, he does need a toolbox for this, which contains biological crop protection on the one hand, chemical solutions and technical solutions on the one hand. Weeding and hoeing are also crop protection solutions.'

Bayer is mainly known as a chemical group, but only fewer crop protection products are used. Is the Forward Farm a response to that?
'Changing wishes in a changing time is the reason that Bayer Crop Science is changing its setup. Agriculture will change significantly in the coming years. Chemical crop protection is safe for people and the environment when used correctly. This does not alter the fact that there is a clear need to shift from chemical to biological crop protection. We are therefore emphatically committed to developing these types of resources. In addition, we see an important game changer for agriculture, especially in technological developments, with an unprecedented potential to strengthen sustainability. Furthermore, there is much to be gained in the development of starting material, ie breeding, and we are also emphatically responding to this with future developments. We have to be careful not to become the Nokia of the future. If we want to at least stay at the forefront, then it is a must to keep up with those developments. As a market leader, we are therefore changing our course.'

What kind of strategy is behind the concept?
'Forward Farming is intended to have a dialogue with stakeholders such as politicians, chain parties, farmers and citizens about sustainable agriculture. Collaboration is crucial here. For example, we need other parties for knowledge about soil health and technology. For this we seek the expertise of institutions such as Wageningen University & Research and machine manufacturers. Together we work on 'practical innovation'; there are many new techniques that miss the step into practice, things sometimes turn out differently. Simple activities such as sowing a field edge sometimes do not work due to the different seed sizes. That can be further developed. Setting up a low-emission yard? Just touch it!'

What is Bayer's vision for precision farming in the Netherlands?
'For us, precision agriculture is the key to sustainability and greening. It offers an incredible amount of potential; better observing what is going on in the crop, being able to better interpret that big data, and then carrying out work with great precision (perhaps in 5 or 10 years via drones) that is the key to more production with less impact on people and environment. Technology is becoming increasingly important on farms, but citizens see it differently, they often have a smaller-scale and more nostalgic image of what a sustainable farmer should be. What worries me, therefore, is that the gap between farmers and citizens is widening. We also see it as our task to explain these changes well. With GMO, we as a sector have renounced that. We now have to tell our story well in order to generate more understanding and insight. I understand that Bayer is seen by citizens as a company that wants to make money and therefore has limited credibility, but that often disappears when people come to the farm and see what is actually happening.'

How do you feel about GMO?
'I can be clear about that. The door to GMO in the EU is closed and we are no longer putting any energy into it. That's a shame, because it could have brought a lot to society. As a result, Europe is lagging behind. Our agriculture has to make do with classical breeding techniques. We hope that the door to modern breeding techniques such as CRISPR-Cas will not close either. Otherwise the backlog will be huge. That would be a waste.'

The Monsanto takeover. What else can you say about that?
'Not much. The proposal is currently under review by competition authorities around the world. Now we have to wait for that.'

Can we expect more from these Forward Farms in the Netherlands?
'Perhaps we will also start in flower bulbs and we are considering doing something in fruit. That is a different sector, a different cultivation, with a different use of plant protection products. We will keep Abbenes as the main farm, but support locations may be added. It also depends on whether a suitable grower presents itself. That will become clear one of these months. I don't know if they will become full-fledged Forward Farms. Bayer Crop Science is not a large company in the Netherlands. In any case, it is not the intention to have 10 locations.'

© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.