Bayer Pro Carbono Commodities is a solution to address the challenges of the supply chain towards decarbonization, while connecting and acknowledging forest preservation in Brazil.

A tool developed in collaboration with Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation), the Footprint PRO Carbono, is based on an internationally recognized methodology (e.g., Life Cycle Assessment or LCA). It allows for the measurement of the carbon footprint of large-scale soybean producers using specific crop data.

All participating farmers and program areas underwent a socio-environmental analysis, including the presence of protected areas and deforestation-free areas in the last 10 years. All farmers committed not to deforest their areas during the program.  

Find out more in this video from Bayer (in Portuguese).

Microplastics are small pieces of plastic, usually smaller than 5mm. A growing volume of microplastics is found in the environment, including the sea and in food and drinking water. Once in the environment, microplastics do not biodegrade and tend to accumulate unless specifically designed to biodegrade in the open environment.

The introduction of microplastic-free seed coatings aims to provide the seed industry with a range of solutions to reduce the negative impact of food production on the environment.

These coatings are quality seed technology solutions that enhance the inherent potential of seeds, leading to the successful cultivation of high performance crops without the impact of microplastics polluting the environment. 

Find out more on Germains’ website.

The production of vegetable seeds involves different activities that require the supply of water resources. The consumption of water is especially high in seed extraction and washing operations. These activities are essential, since they allow the seeds to be separated from the fruit, removing all plant remains. 

To optimize water resources for this activity, Semillas Fitó has implemented two new extraction technologies at various locations in Spain. These systems enable the following savings:

• For Solanaceae (pepper, tomato and aubergine) a vacuum extraction system was implemented that reduced water requirements by 100%.
• For cucurbits (melon and courgette), the water flows were reduced. This technological change allows for a reduction of approximately 95%.
• For seed washing, a work methodology has been implemented on the Almería farm that replaces the previous practice of cleaning through a continuous flow of water with one that is based on the use of centrifugation appliances. This enables a greater quantity of seed to be concentrated in each operation with an approximate reduction in water consumption of 30%. 

Find out more in their Annual Report (p. 67).

At the Syngenta Seeds R&D Innovation Center in Malta, Illinois, a 12-plot regenerative agriculture demonstration field brings four key principles to life for corn and soybean growers:

1. minimizing soil disturbance (through no-till or low-till farming);
2. keeping plants in the ground year-round (through the use of cover crops);
3. crop diversification (through crop rotation); and
4. precision agriculture (using GPS seed and soil mapping to ensure that biological and chemical inputs are precisely applied only when needed).

The Innovation Center, strategically located in the heart of the North American corn belt, was specifically designed to foster the most intimate collaboration between Syngenta’s research and development teams and the farmers who stand to benefit from their research and discoveries by offering farmers a permanent seat the the “innovation table.”

Find out more on Syngenta’s website.