Acceleron® B-300 SAT is a new microbial solution for corn from The BioAg Alliance, launched on Dec. 5, 2016. It brings farmers better yields using fewer resources. The product will be applied to all of Monsanto’s new 2017 corn hybrids sold in the U.S.
Juan Ferreira, Global Vice President of Monsanto’s Vegetable Seeds, Seed Applied Solutions and Crop Protection Businesses, speaks to Novozymes about the new product and The BioAg Alliance.
How will Acceleron B-300 SAT impact farmers in the U.S.?
When farmers go through a period of low commodity prices, having new innovation that will help them get better yields, or make things easier for them, adds a lot of value. Even if the price is low, you get more out of your acre. Acceleron B-300 SAT will have a very positive impact, especially since the farm economics have been tough for farmers in the past few years.
Has there been a need for this product in the market?
Farmers are always looking for products that can help them solve issues and increase yields. It’s a general trend that, the more sophisticated the market, the more farmers will be demanding these things. Big markets like U.S., Canada, Argentina, Europe, and some countries in Asia have big needs. Smaller markets also want better yields, but it takes longer to get into those with new innovations.
Our job in Monsanto and in The BioAg Alliance is to make sure that we identify those needs. We spend a lot of time going through new microbes that can be advanced in the next year. The biologicals industry will continue to grow, including microbials. Our competitive advantage is the R&D part.
How do farmers view new technologies?
There is no apprehension at all as farmers know the companies. Monsanto is well known in the farming community, and Novozymes is a very respected company. Farmers perceive The BioAg Alliance as new, high quality technology.
They also see the value that data science in agriculture gives them when it comes to making better decisions in farming. It does take education, but the products are being designed to be user-friendly, like the apps we see today on our iPhones.
What’s your best guess for game changing products from The Alliance in the next 5-10 years?
I’m a strong believer that the process we are following will bring strains that will work for key crops (rice, corn, wheat, soy and vegetables). We already see some great hits that need to be worked on. In just three years, we’ve already seen results from The Alliance. In ten years, this will be what we always envisioned it to be: A major support to yield growth in the key crops around the world.
About The BioAg Alliance
First announced in December 2013, the BioAg Alliance is unique in the industry, bringing together Novozymes’ BioAg operations and capabilities within microbial discovery, development and production with Monsanto’s microbial discovery, advanced biology, field testing and commercial capabilities. The result is a comprehensive discovery, development and commercial collaboration to help farmers globally meet the challenge of producing more with less in a sustainable way – for the benefit of agriculture, consumers, the environment and society at large.
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