Birmingham, Alabama, USA
March 29, 2011

Company learns benefits of giving back to communities, demonstrates commitment to protecting the “future of agriculture industry

Until 2009, Betaseed, the leading sugarbeet seed supplier in North America, had not previously committed significant philanthropic resources to any one charity. But that changed as the company recognized the need to give back to the communities where its customers and employees live and work. Since 2009, Betaseed has been a proud sponsor of the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® program.

Without funding from sponsors such as Betaseed, the Progressive Agriculture Foundation® (PAF) wouldn’t be able to fulfill its commitment to keeping rural youth safe and healthy. Consumers also look more favorably upon companies that engage in charitable giving. According to a 2008 behavioral cause study conducted by Cone/Duke University, 85 percent of Americans say they have a more positive image of a product or company when it supports a cause they care about.

“The timing and opportunity to partner with the Progressive Agriculture Foundation couldn’t have been more perfect,” recalls Mark Schmidt, director of sales and marketing, Betaseed. “We were really beginning to look into ways we could give back to our communities. A colleague had done some work with the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day program prior to joining Betaseed, and provided some information about the program and what it was all about. Our partnership with Safety Days took flight shortly thereafter.”

Betaseed chose to work with PAF to increase awareness of the program among sugarbeet producers because of the positive impact the program has on young lives and rural communities. Since 1998, the rate of agriculture-related injuries among youth has declined nearly 60 percent,* thanks to farm safety education programs such as Progressive Agriculture Safety Days.

Coordinating Wahpeton, N.D. Local Safety Day

Betaseed also supports the Safety Day program at the grassroots level. More than 225 third and fourth grade children participated in the first Betaseed-sponsored Safety Day, which took place in late 2010 in Wahpeton N.D.

“The response we’ve received from parents, teachers and the children who participated has been overwhelming. At the end of the day, the amount of enthusiasm and level of fun the kids had for learning about a safe and healthy lifestyle was extremely rewarding,” says Cody Lehman, account manager for Betaseed and Safety Day coordinator for the Wahpeton, N.D. community.

Some of the topics Wahpeton Safety Day participants explored included animal, ATV, drug, fire, first-aid, lawnmower and sunscreen safety to name a few. Bicycle helmets, activity books, sunscreen and first-aid kits were among many items children took home from the event.

The company’s sponsorship of the program has continued to increase each year and has reached $15,000 for 2011. Since 2009, that raises Betaseed’s grand total of charitable support to $35,000, making Safety Day possible for nearly 3,000 participants. In 2011, for each $12.08 donated, one child is able to attend a Safety Day event. Not surprisingly, the Cone/Duke University study also found that 52 percent of Americans feel companies should continue their current level of support for nonprofit organizations regardless of the state of the economy. Twenty-five percent expect companies to give more during an economic downturn.

“Betaseed is enjoying a tremendous relationship with the Safety Day program,” explains Schmidt. “As individuals and companies, we each have an obligation to give back to help fund social projects and address community needs. It’s our hope that through this increased funding, we can continue to educate children about farm, health and personal safety topics. Doing so will ensure a bright future for these young lives, and for the future of the agriculture industry.”

The Safety Day program teaches rural youth how to prevent farm- and ranch-related injury through safety education and training lessons. The program explores more than 30 topics, including bicycle, underground utility, farm equipment, food and weather safety. Since the program was founded in 1995, it has grown to become the largest rural safety and health educational program for youth in North America.

Betaseed is the largest sugarbeet seed supplier for growers in North America. As a primary partner in the sugarbeet industry, Betaseed has set the industry standards for disease tolerance combined with high yield potential, availability of Roundup Ready® technology, and knowledgeable service professionals dedicated to grower success. Sugarbeet growers trust Betaseed to provide them with knowledge, variety performance and timely responses to technical operating questions in order to achieve the highest possible revenue for their operation. With 36 committed sugarbeet plant breeders and researchers, and upwards of 60,000 nursery plots every year, Betaseed leads the industry in sugarbeet disease research while focusing on field
performance for growers’ prosperity.

The Progressive Agriculture Safety Day program is the largest rural safety and health education program for children in North America and a program of the Progressive Agriculture Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to provide education and training to make farm, ranch and rural life safer and healthier for children and their communities. In 2008, PAF was awarded the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance National Charity Seal, demonstrating its commitment to accountability and ethical practices. Safety Day applications are due each July 15 for Safety Days that will be conducted the following calendar year.

*USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Roundup Ready® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC.
Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® and Progressive Agriculture Foundation® are registered trademarks of Progressive Agriculture Foundation.

Website: http://www.betaseed.com

Published: March 31, 2011