The choice of pest control products with different modes of action allows farmers worldwide to apply effective resistance management strategies. Bayer and AlphaBio Control have signed a distribution agreement to market Flipper, a biological pest control product developed by AlphaBio. Under the terms of this agreement, AlphaBio grants Bayer a worldwide exclusive right (except France) to commercialize Flipper for agriculture and non-agriculture uses.
Flipper will become an essential part of Bayer’s tailored solutions, combining seeds and traits, chemical and biological crop protection products with digital services for the benefit of growers, the food chain and society.
“Bayer is committed to reducing agriculture’s ecological footprint through innovation, also including biological and low-residue solutions such as Flipper,” says Liam Condon, member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and President of the Crop Science Division.
Iain Fleming, AlphaBio’s Chief Executive, says: “We are immensely proud of this opportunity to be working with such a forward-thinking company as Bayer. We have devoted significant resources over a number of years in bringing Flipper to the market. We have become more and more convinced of the fundamental agricultural need for this product and could not hope for a better partner to help promote and deliver Flipper to growers across each of the relevant regions. We have seen the complete determination within Bayer to deliver comprehensive integrated solutions for all crop needs and are so pleased to be a part of this.”
Flipper is a bioinsecticide-acaricide formulation based on an active substance entirely obtained from the by-product of extra-virgin olive oil production. It combats pests via contact by disrupting cell functionality and interfering with feeding activity. Flipper contains naturally occurring, long-chain carboxylic acids that are part of the normal daily diet of mammals, birds and invertebrates. It is safe for users, selective for crops, pollinators and beneficial arthropods and exempt from Maximum Residue Legislation (MRL) requirements and import tolerances, set by the European Union. It is already registered as a crop protection product in many EU countries and efforts are underway to allow it to be used across a very broad crop and efficacy spectrum in and beyond Europe.
“Bayer is proud to receive global rights for Flipper from our partner AlphaBio so that we can help growers as they contribute to global food security,” says Hartmut van Lengerich, global Head of Crop Protection Asset Management at Bayer. “Growers battle sucking insect pests such as aphids, whiteflies, and thrips each and every season. As one of the world’s largest developers and providers of pest management solutions, Bayer is glad to provide growers across the globe with a new tool to safeguard crops sustainably”, said van Lengerich.
Innovation will cut the ecological footprint of Bayer’s agricultural portfolio, the company recently said. With its solutions, Bayer will reduce the environmental impact by 30 percent by 2030. Bayer aims to achieve this by developing new technologies, scaling down crop protection volumes, and enabling more precise application. This will help to restore and retain biodiversity, combat climate change, and make the most efficient use of natural resources.
