Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84OCTOBER 2016 SEEDWORLD.COM / 59 gather, interpret and monitor a range of crop-related data that will result in better decision-making on how to grow and market crops. Adding Value According to Heldt, seed solu- tions form a major strategic pillar for BASF. “Everything around seed — protecting seed and improving the value of seed — is very impor- tant,” he said, including biological seed treatment products. Heldt holds up a small jar containing about 1 kilogram of BASF’s Nodulator product, a highly efficient active strain of rhizobium, selected to perform on soybean seed. It contains 80 billion rhizobia. “That one kilogram of product treats 1,000 kilograms of soybean seed,” he shared. “It shows how our biological products comple- ment conventional chemistry and add value for customers and our portfolio.” Developing solutions derived from the combination of chemical and biological expertise is another ment of new products in these areas, according to the company. For the remainder of 2016, BASF expects the agricultural market to remain volatile and the business environment to be challenging. Based on current devel- opments, the financial goal for the Crop Protection division in 2016 is to strive for the same profitability level it reached in 2015. “Our sales force will be close to our customers,” said BASF board member Harald Schwager, who opened the 2016 Global Press Conference. “We will intensify our sales efforts, sup- ported by the launch of new products and formulations.” “Changes lead to new opportu- nities for business growth and dif- ferentiation,” he said. “We can look back with pride on BASF’s 100-year legacy of accomplishments in bringing breakthrough solutions for farmers to the market. “Even more important is to look forward and to be part of an industry- leading team that helps shape and improve the future of modern agricul- ture.” SW important focus of BASF’s growth strategy. The company is one of the few that can provide, for example, a seed treatment product with a mix- ture of both biological and chemical compounds. The investment in biological solutions, which consist of naturally occurring organisms and plant extracts, will yield a number of benefits for farmers, including the availability of further modes of action that can lead to improved resistance management. The recent opening of a new R&D center for biolog- icals and seed solutions at the division’s headquarters in Limburgerhof will further accelerate the develop- Markus Heldt, president of BASF Crop Protection, holds up 1 kilogram of Nodulator.