Syngenta Thrive - 4Q/2013 - 33

ResouRce diRectoRy
Click on the links below to find additional content at FarmAssist.com and other resources, or to navigate within the issue.

Most seeds will fit on the tip of your finger, yet nothing rivals their potential to sustain life. As the
science behind genetics and traits advances, higher yielding, more stress-tolerant crops are
emerging from those seeds, promising to help feed, fuel and clothe a growing global population.
At Syngenta, we understand that protecting what’s inside the seed has never been more
important. That’s why we focus considerable attention on the outside of the seed as well. No
longer just another way to deliver disease-fighting fungicides, Syngenta seed treatments are
core elements in our integrated solutions for controlling a host
of insects, nematodes and diseases.
Each year, a significant part of our global $1 billion
investment in research and development goes toward
building agriculture’s most innovative seed care portfolio.
This investment resulted in growers and retailers having
access to game-changing tools in 2013, including Vibrance
seed treatment, our first fungicide developed specifically as
a seed-applied technology. Most recently, we introduced
Clariva™ Complete Beans, a unique seed treatment
combination of separately registered products that offers
growers a new, state-of-the-art tool in the battle against the
destructive soybean cyst nematode. Looking ahead to 2014
and beyond, our pipeline of next generation seed treatment
technologies will enable
us to continue bringing
to market new, innova“With a new year on the
tive seed care systems
horizon, we stand ready
that protect seeds,
to keep a steady supply
enhance rooting
of practical solutions
power and preserve
and breakthrough
yield potential.
technologies at your
In this issue of Thrive,
ﬁngertips.”
you’ll see how some of
our seed treatments are
PHOTO: ALEX MANESS
already playing integral
roles in crop establishment and root health. But our product portfolio is just part of what we
offer. On the pages that follow, you’ll learn how we’re partnering with key industry groups to
educate people on stewarding treated seed. We also provide ongoing services that help keep
retailers updated on the latest application techniques, so they can meet growers’ expectations
while minimizing environmental risks. For example, our annual certification program gives us a
chance to provide hands-on training to our partners involved in treating seed. Much of the
information relayed at these sessions comes from our Seedcare Institute in Stanton, Minn.,
where we test our products and the equipment used to apply them.
With a new year on the horizon, we stand ready to keep a steady supply of practical
solutions and breakthrough technologies at your fingertips. From our scientists in the lab to
our experts in the field, the Syngenta Seedcare team proudly joins you in unleashing the power
of the seed by defending its full genetic potential.

“Buzz on Bees,” continued

“Welcome letter,” page 1

WELCOME LETTER

Shielding Seeds

TiM kRoEnkE

Listen to
excerpt from
interview
about seed
treatments.

TIM KROENKE

• Scientific Beekeeping website

• “Groundbreaking Syngenta Seed
Treatment Offers Missing Puzzle Piece for
Protecting Against Billion Dollar Pest”

• Syngenta Seedcare website
• USDA News & Events: “Honey Bees and
Colony Collapse Disorder”

Head, Seedcare
Syngenta

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syngenta t hrive.com |

• Syngenta Seedcare website

• USDA “Report on the National
Stakeholders Conference on Honey Bee
Health” PDF

• Vibrance page on FarmAssist
website
®

• Vibrance page on Syngenta Global
website
®

A seed progresses
through germination and
emergence to the V2 growth
development stage.

POLICY MATTERS

Label Laws
The efforts to gain GMO food labeling continue with potentially
costly consequences for growers, retailers and consumers.

upporters of Proposition 37, California’s proposed labeling
law for foods containing any genetically modified organism
(GMO), suffered a narrow but very public defeat at the ballot box
in 2012. But failure in one state has not brought an end to the
labeling movement.
Already this year pro-GMO labeling supporters have won
smaller, somewhat hollow victories when first Connecticut and
then Maine passed laws requiring food containing genetically
modified ingredients to be labeled as such. Both laws contain a
requirement that four other states must pass similar laws and that
one of the states, or combination of states, has a population of
more than 20 million people.
Although those restrictions will slow down possible implementation, they show that proponents of GMO food labeling are
persistent and patient, methodically taking their cause to each
state one by one. Voters in Washington state will have their say on
a labeling referendum this November, and proponents are working
to qualify a similar referendum in Oregon for 2014.
“These are not labels that are intended to inform. These are
labels that are intended to scare,” says Cathleen Enright, executive
vice president of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). BIO
helps educate people about genetically modified products.
“Unfortunately, labeling proponents have momentum on their side.”

ongoing challenges
Dennis Kelly, state affairs team leader for Syngenta, has seen a
surge of activity in the pro-GMO labeling movement over the last
few years. Each year, he sees a dozen or more labeling bills
introduced in statehouses across the nation.
“They are looking to limit use of the technology by forcing
grocers to label it as such,” Kelly says. “If they can label it, they
will scare some people who won’t buy the product.”
If consumers are scared away from certain ingredients, some
food manufacturers may stop buying those commodities,
eventually forcing producers to grow different varieties or hybrids,
if they want to sell to these food manufacturers, notes Kelly.
Syngenta supports the industry’s position on voluntary labeling
of products, such as “certified organic” and “non-GMO” to meet
the demands of consumers in the marketplace who value those
products. It believes, however, that mandatory labeling should be
limited to information relevant to health, safety and nutrition, as is
currently the U.S. standard.
“From our point of view, we are very proud of the innovation
and technology Syngenta delivers to producers and consumers,”
says Greg Thies, senior director of government relations. “There is
no reason for us to hide that, but putting labels on food is not the
way to do that. Federal food labeling law is specifically aimed at

States with
recent or
currently
pending
GMO food
labeling
legislation

providing necessary safety information to consumers who have health
issues that require careful monitoring of the foods they eat. Food made
from GM ingredients is not a safety issue.”
More than 400 scientific studies have shown that foods made with
genetically engineered ingredients are safe. The federal Food and Drug
Administration agreed more than two decades ago when it ruled that
genetically engineered foods are not “materially different” from their
traditional counterparts and do not have to be labeled.
Syngenta also recognizes that labeling creates additional costs for
food manufacturers and could leave them vulnerable to litigation if a
product labeled as “non-GMO” were found to contain genetically
engineered ingredients. That is a real possibility, since roughly 90
percent of the nation’s corn, soybean, canola, cotton and sugarbeet
acres are planted using GMO seeds.
Education is key
The stakes of the GMO labeling debate are high. According to the
American Soybean Association (ASA), exports of genetically modified
soybeans have fallen 70 percent in the last 15 years. ASA largely blames
mandatory GMO food labeling rules in Europe for the decline. That
means educating American consumers and lawmakers, who are
considering adopting similar laws on either a state or national basis,
is an important priority.
Last year, biotech companies and grocery manufacturers spent
nearly $45 million to help defeat California’s Proposition 37. However,
in the long run, reaching out to community and legislative leaders to
discuss their concerns about GMO foods is a more cost-effective way
to fight food labeling laws than state-by-state campaign ads.
Farmers who grow GMO crops and ag retailers who carry those
products need to talk more about how Bt corn or herbicide-resistant
soybeans make farming more productive and reduce agriculture’s
footprint on the environment, while keeping food costs low, says Greg
Conko, executive director of the Competitive Enterprise Institute.
“My fear is that we may not fully appreciate the nature of the threat in this
renewed effort, which is well-financed and well-coordinated,” adds Conko.
To help educate the public, Syngenta has teamed up with other
ag biotech companies to launch a website to answer consumer
questions about how food is grown. The GMO Answers website
(www.gmoanswers.com) serves as a central resource about GMOs and
their use in agriculture.
“We at Syngenta think our products are quite valuable to society,
and we would like people to know more about them,” says Thies.

“label laws,” page 6
The latest expert
agronomic insights –
directly from the field into
your homes and hands

Go to www.KnowMoreGrowMore.com
for a bird’s-eye view of what’s happening
across crops throughout the country to
aid management decisions.

States with
pending bills

Neighboring
states to which
caveats apply
States with no
labeling bills

| thrive

>>>> 4Q 2013

ILLUSTRATION: BAKER VAIL

• Crop Establishment Webinar: “The Value
of Seed Treatments” (Syngenta Canada)

Great
Beginnings
W

hen it comes to crop establishment, there’s no second
chance at getting a strong start.
“Growers who aren’t able to establish a good stand
at the beginning of the growth cycle end up fighting a season-long
battle that’s nearly impossible to win,” says Steven Poindexter,
senior sugarbeet extension educator at Michigan State University.
“Crop establishment sets the foundation for yield.”
Applicable to most U.S. crops, this strategy involves choosing
the best management practices and products to maximize plant
growth early in the season.
An integrated Approach
“The importance of crop establishment is not a new concept,”
says Alex Cochran, Syngenta agronomy service manager in

18 | thrive

California, “but it is certainly a key factor in high-production
agriculture that needs to be continuously refreshed.”
A case in point is the use of fumigants, gaseous pesticides
injected into the soil prior to planting. For decades, growers of
high-value, disease-sensitive crops, including strawberries,
potatoes and carrots, have relied on fumigants to jump-start
yields by eliminating early-season pests. However, intense global
scrutiny of fumigants, which began in the 1990s, has led to the
desire for additional crop establishment tools.
In their pursuit of alternative methods to control and prevent
early-season pests, industry stakeholders and researchers who
specialize in these traditionally fumigated crops have come to the
same conclusion as professionals in other crop areas—such as
corn, soybeans, cereals and sunﬂowers: It takes a variety of

>>>> 4Q 2013

interactive, integrated tools and practices to get plants off to the
kind of start that will lead to a winning finish. Knowing a field’s
past and present pest pressures and applying crop protection
products accordingly are important ingredients in the mix.
But the first step toward good crop establishment begins with
seed selection.
seed Decisions Are Essential
The use of high-quality, high-germination seeds greatly inﬂuences
how well a young crop fares during the early stages of its life. For
that reason, continuous evaluation of which varieties to choose is
critical. Those that offer diverse genetics, industry-leading traits,
and tolerances to targeted diseases and other pests usually
deliver the best results.

“You have to have a vigorous plant to ensure healthy crop
establishment,” says Mark Jirak, Syngenta vegetable business
manager for the Eastern U.S. “Top-quality seeds protected with
the best seed treatment technology are critical to producing
plants that jump out of the ground, develop healthy seedlings
and eventually mature into a high-yielding crop.”
Syngenta conducts a battery of tests to make sure its seed
meets growers’ expectations and needs. Seed-quality evaluation
varies by crop, with some testing focused only on the basics,
such as germination and vigor, while other advanced, DNA-based
tests screen for the genetic purity of the seed.
Along with seed selection, growers must make other
pre-planting decisions, taking each individual field and each
seed variety into consideration. These decisions include seed and

• Crop Establishment Webinar: “Soil-borne
Diseases” (Syngenta Canada)

syngenta th rive.com | 19

PHOTO: AGSTOCK IMAGES

• Updates from fields, orchards,
vineyards
• Highly sortable content
• Categorization by geography, crop,
agronomic topic
• Agronomic resources
• Photos and videos
• Field trial updates

STORY BY CINDY SNYDER

States with
passed laws
with caveats

• Crops and Innovation: “Biotechnology”

Features of the site include:

“Great Beginnings,” page 18

Crop establishment sets the
stage for better-quality, higheryielding plants. BY BONNIE THOMAS

FOR MORE INFORMATION about GMOs and proposed food labeling
laws, go to these websites:
> Academics Review, www.academicsreview.org
> Biotechnology Industry Organization, www.bio.org
> Competitive Enterprise Institute, www.cei.org
> GMO Answers, www.gmoanswers.com

ResouRce diRectoRy

syngenta t hrive.com |

• “Food-Labeling Initiative Could Encourage
Lawsuits”

• Crop Establishment Webinar: “Seed-borne
Diseases” (Syngenta Canada)

• “GMO Food Labeling Drive Has Biotech
Industry Biting Back”

• Full-Count Plant Program video
®

• “Seed Trade Association, Ag Retailers
Concerned About GMO Labeling Bill”

• Ridomil Gold SL fungicide website
®

BEST PRACTICES

syngenta engineers design
containers for safety and
ease of use for growers.

ASK THE EXPERTS

When it comes to safe, effective
seed treatment stewardship, there
are no shortcuts.

treated corn seed

treated soybean seed

Q. Why is seed treatment stewardship so important?
A. To appreciate why seed treatment stewardship is important, it’s
critical to understand why the seed treatment itself has become
such an essential component of growing productive crops. Seed
treatments provide an effective, targeted way to place crop
protection products, dyes, polymers and other technologies
directly on the seed. They protect the seed from diseases, insects,
nematodes and other pests that threaten crop yield and quality at
the very earliest stages of plant growth, helping to ensure strong
germination and a healthy root system. Seed treatment stewardship
involves the proper management, handling and storage of treated
seeds, from the time they are first treated until they are planted. The
goal of an effective stewardship program is to minimize the potential
risk of exposure during this timeframe to non-target organisms,
which include any living thing in the environment—humans, animals,
pollinators, beneficial insects and plants—that are not the intended
object of the application. Awareness of and adherence to careful
stewardship practices are necessary to ensure that growers
nationwide will continue to have ready access to treated seeds
and can purchase them freely.
Q. What is the seed industry doing to make sure treatments
continue to maximize crop productivity while minimizing
environmental impact?
A. The people who handle, transport and plant seeds need the latest
information on minimizing the potential for adverse environmental
effects while maximizing the benefits to crops. In response to this
need, the American Seed Trade Association and CropLife America
have produced The Guide to Seed Treatment Stewardship. It
provides growers and seed companies with critical information and
up-to-date guidelines for effectively managing treated seed. Experts
from seed treatment companies, including Syngenta, research
universities and numerous domestic and international agricultural
organizations contributed to the content. This collaborative initiative
includes comprehensive educational outreach to seed companies
and grower groups to build awareness about the importance and
elements of seed treatment stewardship. (See “The ABCs of Seed
Treatment,” page 9, for more information on the guide.)
Q. What qualities should growers look for when choosing
someone to apply the seed treatment?
A. Growers should choose applicators who demonstrate extensive
experience specifically with seed treatment applications and who
employ the latest treatment technologies, polymers and equipment.
Good applicators achieve accurate and uniform coating of the
seed. They also keep accurate records and carefully follow
recommendations of suppliers and other experts.

treated cotton seed

| thrive

>>>> 4Q 2013

Q. From a stewardship perspective, what should growers
consider when selecting treated seed products?
A. The selection of treated seed products starts with choosing the seed
variety that best suits a grower’s land and yield goals. From there,

PHOTOS: (LEFT TO RIGHT) ADAM VOORHES, MARK FINKENSTAEDT

the decision on what seed-applied technologies—seed treatment
products, coating materials, micronutrients and other additives—to
select is based on a number of factors, including recommendations
from the seed company, county extension agents, planting equipment manufacturers and other trusted advisors.

“The Full Treatment,” page 8

The ABCs of
Seed Treatment
The Guide to Seed Treatment Stewardship
is the ﬁrst comprehensive reference that
provides growers and seed companies
with the latest information on managing
treated seeds effectively to minimize
the risk of exposure to non-target
organisms, including humans. Jointly
produced by the American seed trade
Association (AstA) and cropLife America
(cLA), the guide has received endorsements from the National corn Growers
Association, the American Farm Bureau
Federation, the American soybean
Association and the Agricultural
Retailers Association. As seed treatment
technology advances and the needs of
the crop production value chain evolve,
AstA and cLA will update the guide to
make sure the industry has access
to the most current information.

Q. What best practices should users follow when handling and
transporting treated seeds?
A. Treatment product labels include detailed instructions and
requirements for the safe use of seed treatment products. Seed
tags on the packaged, treated seed contain instructions on safely
handling and transporting treated seed. Regulations require proper
training for individuals applying seed treatments, and it’s recommended for those who handle and transport treated seed. The
training not only helps reduce the risk of exposure to non-target
organisms, but also helps maintain the integrity and performance
of the treated seed.
Q. Are there speciﬁc guidelines on storage and disposal
of treated seed?
A. Growers and applicators can find specific instructions
for the proper storage of seed treatment products and
treated seeds on pesticide labels and treated seed tags.
However, they can find general storage guidelines—
including the use of secure, weather-proof and wellventilated facilities that are inaccessible to children,
livestock and wildlife—in The Guide to Seed Treatment
Stewardship. This document also includes safe
options for the disposal of leftover seed.
Q. Do you think seed treatment
stewardship will continue to
be a top priority for the U.s.
seed industry?
A. Absolutely, yes. There’s no
question that today’s seed treatments are helping America’s
growers achieve greater yields,
healthier crops and higher
revenues. At the same time,
seed treatment technology is
reducing potential risks to the
environment. But as with
farming, there’s a science to
using treated seed successfully in a way that maintains
the delicate balance of nature.
Implementing good stewardship practices is one of the key
ways we can ensure this balance—
now and in the future.

• Syngenta Environmental Stewardship Web
page on disposal of treated seed

The Whole Package
One-of-a-kind Syngenta lab puts packaging to the test to ensure
safe, efficient deliveries to customers.

hen it comes to Syngenta products, you might say
good things come in good packages, regardless
of size. The company’s Package Testing Lab in Greensboro, N.C., makes certain that all Syngenta products are
contained in the industry’s best packaging.
“Syngenta is the only ag chemical company in the U.S.
with its own in-house full-testing lab,” says Tim Cotter,
global head of packaging at Syngenta. “Having some of the
best products in the industry won’t do us any good if they
aren’t packaged safely and efficiently for our customers.”
The Right Balance
Before a product is approved for sale, Syngenta packaging
engineers and lab technicians, such as Josh House, rigorously test the package with many different factors in mind.
“Our No. 1 goal is safety,” says House. “But we also
have to balance cost, requirements from regulators like

AnDREW lAViGnE
CEO/President
ASTA

INTERVIEW BY SUSAN FISHER

ResouRce diRectoRy

syngenta thrive.com |

• Syngenta Seedcare website

the Environmental Protection Agency, storage, transport,
ergonomics, customer experience, environmental impacts
and disposal.”
With so many considerations, efficient package testing
becomes even more important. “We test our packages to
balance all of these factors,” says Cotter.
The Syngenta Package Testing Lab is authorized by the
U.S. Department of Transportation and International Safe
Transit Association (ISTA) to self-UN (United Nations) certify
packaging for Syngenta products, meaning engineers in
the lab can approve packaging themselves. According to
Cotter, such capabilities increase efficiency, allow for instant
testing feedback, reduce costs for Syngenta and its
customers, and ensure superior packaging through
state-of-the-art testing technology.
Package testing can take anywhere from three to 12
months and can be an expensive process. Having the full

coMPRessioN

A Battery of Tests
Depending on its type and size, a package may undergo
many different types of tests. The most common are the
compression, vibration and drop tests, all of which simulate
real-life environments. These tests allow engineers to
measure package performance and make refinements
accordingly, ensuring that the finished products inside the
packaging arrive quickly, safely and in excellent condition.
The compression test simulates stacking packages on
top of each other, as in a warehouse, by measuring a
package’s response to constant pressure from a machine
for hours at a time. Engineers are able to determine how
high packages can be stacked and for how long.
To simulate what products undergo when transported
by truck or air, packages face the vibration test. Engineers
place packages on a vibrating platform for extended
periods of time to measure whether the constant motion
has any negative effects.
Finally, the drop test establishes the height from which a
package can fall without breaking. Various factors determine how sturdy a package needs to be, such as the type
and density of the material it contains. Engineers raise or
lower a platform and quickly pull it away to simulate a
sudden dropping motion.
Packaging engineers also conduct tests in the field,
studying how farmers actually use products. Together,
these tests help them design superior packages that
balance safety and ease of use.
“Customers expect products to ship quickly and in good
condition,” says Linda Johnson, Syngenta distribution
manager. “The package a product comes in is part of the
Syngenta brand, so we don’t want to send out something with
a bent corner or broken seal—that’s not acceptable to us.”

22 | thrive

>>>> 4Q 2013

A Team Approach
The development of superior packaging often requires
collaboration with partners outside Syngenta, such as
Colorado-based Taylor-Cain Corporation (TCC), a leading
producer of check valves and vents for the agricultural
chemicals industry.
“Syngenta is now our largest customer,” says Steve
Cain, president of TCC. “We take most of our new technology offerings to Syngenta first because, like us, the
people there focus on quality and innovation.”

Packaging the Future
Just as retailers and growers look for the next new trait or
pesticide, Cotter is always looking for new innovations in
packaging. Right now, one important trend is sustainability.
“We’re using a lot of returnable, renewable, even
water-soluble packages,” he says. “We’re also looking for
new materials, like nonpetroleumbased plastic.”
Syngenta also supports outside
organizations that are focused on
sustainability. “We’re a member of the
Sustainable Packaging Coalition, and
we participate in the Ag Container
Recycling Council,” says Weber.
Each year, Syngenta invests
Q: This Syngenta
more than a billion dollars globally in
bottle is made from
researching and developing its line
what sustainable
of top-quality products. As these
product?
technologies journey from the lab to
the field, the Package Testing Lab
helps make sure they arrive intact
and ready to use.
“You won’t find another company
as dedicated and committed to
proper packaging as Syngenta,” says
Cotter. STORY BY KEN SANDERMAN

ResouRce diRectoRy

PHOTOS: ALEX MANESS; ILLUSTRATION: TODD DETWILER

Awareness, training and clear safety
procedures are key to avoiding
grain bin entrapment.

“innovation station,” page 10

The Syngenta Advanced Crop Lab provides researchers with
high-tech tools to develop tomorrow’s crop solutions.
BY CHRIS TUTINO | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEX MANESS

10 | thrive

• Agrisure Artesian website
®

griculture is one of America’s most dangerous professions. Major contributors to that grim reality are deaths
and injuries in grain bins. Inside a storage bin, ﬂowing grain
can engulf a grown man in just 20 seconds. That fact alone
helps explain why every year, people are hurt—and some
killed—in grain bin accidents. Grain bin parts (the auger, fans
and grain vacuums) can also cause injury and death.
Accidents in grain bins are especially challenging, because
reaching the victim is difficult for rescuers. The average
rescue time is more than three hours.
“When you enter a bin, there are huge potential consequences,” says Wayne Stigge, technical trainer for CHS,
County Operations Division, in Pasco, Wash. An awareness
of the dangers is a first important step toward preventing
grain bin accidents.

Taking Additional Precautions
Heartland has taken other steps, too. “We’ve upgraded
a lot of sweep augers so we don’t have to be in the bins
to get them to work,” Chizek says. “And we have a new
vacuum system that we use to get all the grain out.”

Grain is transferred from a
grain bin to a waiting semi
in Genessee, Idaho.

24 | thrive

Left: Hua-Ping Zhou examines
young soybean plants in one of
the climate-controlled growth
chambers of the syngenta
Advanced crop Lab in Research
triangle Park (RtP), N.c.
Below: the Advanced crop Lab
in RtP, N.c.

Understanding Grain
The events of 2010—with 51 grain bin accidents, the
worst year on record—created greater awareness of the
dangers grain bins can pose. Grain condition contributed
to the numbers: It was a wet year, and crops had high
moisture content. Managing grain condition, Stigge says,
can lower the risk of grain bin problems because dry grain
ﬂows better. “If we can control grain quality, that can help
us,” he says.
Understanding grain properties is also important.
“People think they’ll go in, get something loose and then get
back out,” Stigge adds. “But once grain starts ﬂowing, it’s
so hard to get out of the bin.”
An employee at Heartland Co-op in West Des Moines,
Iowa, experienced the danger of ﬂowing grain firsthand
when he was trapped two years ago, and co-workers had
to rescue him. “A gentleman got into a situation and was
buried to his waist,” says Bill Chizek, Heartland’s director of
safety and compliance. “Fortunately, our people were able
to get him out.”
Chizek trains Heartland’s employees once or twice a
year on grain bin rescue procedures, and they’ve started
grain quality initiatives to minimize potential problems.

Watch video on the Advanced Crop Lab.

magine a place where Midwestern corn grows in one room while Brazilian
soybeans and Chinese rice grow next door. Or where only a wall separates
desert-like drought conditions from a cool, steady rain.
The new $72 million Advanced Crop Lab at the Syngenta Innovation Center in
Research Triangle Park (RTP), N.C., is that place. With more than 40 different growth
environments, the facility enables Syngenta researchers to develop and test its broad
portfolio of crops and breakthrough traits across a wide range of field conditions at
one central location.
“What stands out to me is the capability the Crop Lab gives us to grow crops in
diverse climates and environmental conditions because that’s what farmers live every
day,” says Roy Gorena, a Syngenta sales representative from eastern North Carolina.
“The ability to grow crops in any type of environment without having to wait for a

• Syngenta Environmental Stewardship IPM
Web page, see “The Package”

syngenta th rive.com | 23

Watch video on grain bin entrapment incident.

Mission Possible

“The Whole Package,” page 22

dRoP test

Cotter also notes that Syngenta listens carefully to actual
end-users—growers, applicators and retailers—for critical
input on what types of package properties they need in the
field. For example, Syngenta based its slant-neck bottle
design, which makes pouring liquid products easier, less
fatiguing and safer, on customer feedback. The big, angled
neck puts less physical stress on users, who do not have to
turn the bottle over as far when emptying.
“Every part of the supply chain is a customer of ours,”
Weber says, “and we always try to meet their needs.”

KNOW-HOW

Innovation Station

ViBRAtioN

testing lab in-house greatly reduces package development
time. If conducted by a third-party test lab, each test can
cost more than $3,000, estimates Brent Weber, a Syngenta
packaging engineer. Conducting an average of about 60
packaging UN tests each year, Syngenta engineers are able
to maximize cost savings for customers by doing those—
and many other types of tests—themselves.

A: Sugar cane

The Full
Treatment

>>>> 4Q 2013

PHOTO: DEAN DAVIS

GRAIN BIN SAFETY TIPS

Never enter a bin when the
grain is waist deep or higher.

use a body harness and
lifeline/boatswain’s chair.

check bin atmosphere for
oxygen content, combustible
gases and toxic agents.

Have at least two personnel
on standby to assist in an
emergency, with one of those
people outside the bin in
constant communication with
the person entering the bin.

“Mission Possible,” page 24

Lock out and tag out all energy
sources before entering a bin.

Be sure the person entering
the bin is trained in safe
entry procedures.

Provide adequate lighting in
the bin area.

7
4

ILLUSTRATION: TODD DETWILER

He emphasizes that no one should ever enter a bin with a
sweep augur running; following lock-out/tag-out procedures helps
ensure that doesn’t happen.
“Shut off the circuit breaker for the auger, put a lock on the top
of it, and attach a tag with your name, the date and time,” explains
Dan Neenan, director of the National Education Center for
Agricultural Safety (NECAS). “Only you can remove it.” Lock-out
kits cost about $35.
Air monitoring is another important safety precaution. “An
employee entering a bin should clip the monitoring device to his
or her harness so it goes with the employee down where the air
could be dangerous,” Neenan says.
Focusing on Training
Entering a grain bin with the auger running is just one of the
reasons that entrapments happen. Bridging and crusting grain are
two more potential causes of disasters: A person goes in to knock
down grain crusted on the bin’s side and causes an avalanche, or
he falls into a void when a grain bridge—a hard, crusty surface
formed by moldy or frozen grain—collapses. A fourth cause is a
more recent development: texting and using a grain vacuum.
“Workers stick the hose at their feet while they answer a text,
and it sucks the grain out from under their feet,” Neenan says.
For the times when someone must enter a bin, NECAS has
developed training for the proper procedures. Businesses that
pay for their trainers’ travel expenses can receive that instruction
free, Neenan says.

It’s not just employees who need training in rescues. Making
sure the local fire department is trained properly is also critical,
Stigge says. Because every facility—and even every bin—presents
a different scenario for rescuers, it’s a good idea to have all
potential rescue
workers familiar with
the specifics.
“‘It can’t happen to
Since 2010, the
me’—we’ve got to
Occupational Safety
end that thinking.”
and Health Administra—DAN NEENAN
tion (OSHA) has taken
a harder line on grain
bin safety violations,
increasing enforcement and fines. But the majority of grain bin
accidents happen on OSHA-exempt facilities, such as family farms.
Now the level of awareness and education is starting to increase
there, too, Neenan says, which is crucial to preventing accidents.
“‘It can’t happen to me’—we’ve got to end that thinking,”
Neenan says. “The wrong decision could end your life.”

• National Ag Safety Database, “Grain Bin
Entrapment”

STORY BY SUZANNE BOPP

FOR MORE INFORMATION on grain bin safety, visit these
websites:
> National Ag Safety Database
> The National Education Center for Agricultural Safety
> Occupational Safety and Health Administration

ResouRce diRectoRy

syngenta th rive.com | 25

• Syngenta Global R&D website

• 2012 Grain Entrapment Prevention
Symposium, conference videos

>>>> 4Q 2013

Watch interview with John Atkin, Syngenta COO.
Watch video on Operation Pollinator®.

BUZZ ON

Bees

Syngenta is committed to
maintaining healthy bee
populations while giving
growers the tools they need
to control destructive pests.
BY DARCY MAULSBY

Honey bees at work in the hive

14 | thrive

>>>> 4Q 2013

PHOTO: ALAMY

syngenta t hrive.com | 15

“Buzz on Bees,” page 14
• “Enhancing Biodiversity” brochure PDF
• “Nationwide Bee Count Points at Habitat
Loss”

Ripple
Effect

Syngenta recognizes ag leaders and
gives back to the community; scientist
awarded World Food Prize.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
> Deep Roots—History of the Harvest
Almost half a million people visit North Carolina’s Bicentennial Plaza in Raleigh each year. Situated outside the
North Carolina Museum of History, between the State
Capitol, the State Legislative Building and the Museum
of Natural Sciences, the plaza is the heart of downtown.
You wouldn’t expect to find corn growing here; but it
does, along with tobacco, cotton and several other
crops that make up a block-long exhibit called
History of the Harvest.
A collaboration between the history museum and
Syngenta, the exhibit gives the public an up-close look
at agriculture, says Steven Goldsmith, director of corporate communications for the Syngenta facility in Research
Triangle Park, N.C. The company has provided financial
support for the purchase of materials as well as labor to
maintain the exhibit.
As people walk along the block, they can learn about
agriculture’s contributions throughout the state’s history,
notes Emily Grant, youth programs coordinator at the
museum. The first two sections are dedicated to medicinal and culinary plants either used by Native Americans
or introduced by settlers. The third section shows how
growing corn, beans and squash once optimized food
production. The fourth section focuses on tobacco,
cotton, corn, sweet potatoes, peanuts and sorghum,
the state’s valuable cash crops.
These sections lead up to “From Field to Lab,” a part
of the exhibit that demonstrates how agribusinesses,
such as Syngenta, use biotechnology and other tools
to sustainably produce food for the growing global

26 | thrive

• Operation Pollinator “Positive Action for
Pollinators” brochure PDF

>>>> 4Q 2013

PHOTO: (ABOVE) NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF HISTORY; ILLUSTRATION: (RIGHT) ALAMY; PHOTOS: (FAR RIGHT) SUPPLIED BY WINNERS

population. Visitors can compare corn
grown using Agrisure Artesian®, the
company’s water-optimization technology, to the corn in previous sections.
The last section of the exhibit features
Scan this QR code
for more informastate symbols, including the dogwood
tion on the exhibit.
(state ﬂower), blueberries and strawberries (state berries), and seasonal ﬂowers
donated by Syngenta Flowers.
The exhibit helps people see the connections
between crop production and the food they eat, Grant
says. The museum also has incorporated QR codes
into the exhibit, enabling visitors to scan codes with
their smartphones to access recipes, videos, quizzes
and other details on what they have seen.
Agriculture is North Carolina’s largest industry,
generating $70 billion a year in revenues. “Any opportunity we have to share agriculture’s story is good for
everyone in the supply chain,” Goldsmith explains.
“This exhibit helps give the public a better idea of how
food is produced from field to fork. We hope it will
foster better understanding and support for the
production of safe, affordable and abundant food.”

>> A Race for Renewable Fuels
Syngenta has made a three-year commitment to give
$1 back to the renewable fuels industry for every acre
planted with its Enogen® corn seed brand. This commitment begins with the 65,000 acres planted in 2013.
“American biofuels is something we believe in,” says
David Witherspoon, head of renewable fuels at Syngenta.
“Ethanol has a tremendous impact on our nation and our
rural communities. We
want to do our part by
not only developing
technology that will bring
additional value to ethanol
producers and corn
farmers, but also by
supporting the advocates
who are fighting every
day to protect the future
of this industry.”
This year’s $65,000 donation will go to Fuels America, a
coalition of organizations committed to protecting America’s Renewable Fuel Standard and promoting the benefits
of all types of renewable fuel already growing in America.
Syngenta made the announcement at the American
Ethanol 200 NASCAR truck race held in July at the Iowa
Speedway in Newton. The 200-lap, 175-mile event,
which Syngenta sponsored, was an ideal setting for the

ResouRce diRectoRy

company to come together with key partners and advocates of the renewable fuels industry and show its support
of American ethanol. For more information on Enogen, go
to www.enogen.net.

AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
> Sugarbeet Scholarship Winners
For the fourth consecutive year, Syngenta has invested in the
future of agriculture through its sugarbeet scholarship program.
Five students, who have an interest in agriculture and who
reside in U.S. sugarbeet growing regions, have received $1,500
toward their college tuition. The 2013 winners are:
TRAVis cHAsE
New Plymouth, Idaho
MicHAEl BAckMAn
Fargo, N.D.
REBEkAH lAnDMARk
Montevideo, Minn.
AsHTYn sHREWsBURY
Alliance, Neb.
koDY MYERs
Midland, Mich.
A panel of judges selected
winners based on essays, in
which the students not only
described their views on the
biggest challenge facing
sugarbeet production,
but also shared their recommendations to address
this problem.
“Each year, we are
impressed with the applications we receive,” says Jeff
Pomeroy, Syngenta crop
portfolio manager for
sugarbeets. “This year was
no exception. Congratulations to our 2013 scholarship
recipients for finding a way to
stand out among all of the
excellent entries.”
Pomeroy was one of four
judges who made the final
selections. Don Lilleboe with
The Sugarbeet Grower, Allen
Thayer with Sugar Producer
and Lisa Moricle of Syngenta
were also on the panel.

TRAVIS CHASE

MICHAEL BACKMAN

REBEKAH LANDMARK

“Ripple Effect,” page 26
• “Agrobacterium Discovery Leads to World
Food Prize for Syngenta Researcher”

ASHTYN SHREWSBURY

KODY MYERS

syngenta th rive.com | 27

• Fact sheet on Mary-Dell Chilton

• Plight of the Bees Syngenta website

thrive

• “Syngenta and N.C. Museum of History
Showcase State’s Rich Agricultural
Heritage”

Growing Together

VERn HAWkins, Regional Director,
Syngenta, North America

DAViD MoRGAn, Regional Director,
Syngenta, North America

MicHiEl VAn lookEREn cAMPAGnE, PH.D.,
Head of Biotechnology, Syngenta

Syngenta Thrive - 4Q/2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Syngenta Thrive - 4Q/2013