Farmers don’t need a Magic 8 Ball to tell them that soy’s future holds a lot of promise. Soybeans’ prominence globally has grown substantially in the last several decades, a fact not lost on Bayer. While today’s soybean pipeline still focuses on core farmer challenges to improve yield potential and manage weeds, the bar continues to be raised thanks to access to technology used in research and on the farm.

“Soybeans hold a lot of upside for farmers and today’s soybean research and development is powered by digital analytics to bring those solutions to the market in a timely fashion,” says Jennifer Ralston, Bayer’s Soy Strategy Lead. “No one else in the industry is investing in soybean research at the same level or with Bayer’s viewpoint. Our research looks to pinpoint how all aspects impact each other – breeding, traits, crop protection – and ensure better products with better placement.”

Aside from corn, the R&D funding Bayer invests in soybeans out-paces the investments made in other crops – combined. That level of priority, paired with the broad perspectives Bayer pulls through its seed and crop protection business, have led to a number of new technologies coming to the market in the next decade.

“Bayer already introduced XtendFlex^® soybeans and has two new trait packages planned within the next decade, which will be our fourth and fifth generation herbicide-resistant soybean traits,” adds Ralston, referencing the differing technologies that Bayer has brought to the market since its first RoundUp Ready^® soybeans in the 90s. “Farmers are making dynamic management decisions and these tools provide them the option of additional modes of action to make adjustments based on in-season conditions.”

 In addition to the glyphosate, dicamba and glufosinate tolerance in XtendFlex, HT4 will add tolerance to 2 new herbicides, 2,4-D and mesotrione for the industry’s first 5-herbicide tolerance trait stack. HT5 will offer tolerance to PPO herbicides, providing tolerance to 6 different active ingredients and bringing options to use new herbicides in soybeans. Choice remains a priority at Bayer according to Ralston. In addition to the new trait packages, Bayer also has a number of new herbicide products on the horizon that will help to diversify weed control management.

“Not every farmer will use tools the same way, so that requires some options to manage even the toughest weed challenges, including pigweeds and ragweeds,” she said. “Bayer’s approach is to develop high-performing soy varieties with new herbicide tolerance traits to enable additional modes of action to be used in -crop and we continue to bring those solutions forward.”

Ralston noted regional management recommendations were once the best information available to farmers. While they still play a role today, digital tools at the hands of industry and farmers will provide the ability to make real-time weed control program adjustments and position farmers for increased profit potential due to advanced performing genetics and improved weed control.

The Magic 8 Ball can’t predict what each individual season will be like for farmers, but for those utilizing Bayer’s industry-leading soybean platform the Magic 8 Ball may just say “Outlook is Good”.  

This material may contain “forward-looking statements” based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at http://www.bayer.com/. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

Bayer is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Bayer products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Bayer’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. Commercialized products have been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its labeling. NOT ALL formulations of dicamba or glyphosate are approved for in-crop use with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans. NOT ALL formulations of dicamba, glyphosate or glufosinate are approved for in-crop use with products with XtendFlex® Technology. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USES AND APPROVED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. Contact the U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicide products for in-crop use with products with XtendFlex® Technology.

Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate and dicamba. Products with XtendFlex® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba. Glyphosate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Glufosinate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate. Contact your seed brand dealer or refer to the Bayer Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs.

Contact your Bayer retailer, refer to the Bayer Technology Use Guide, or call the technical support line at 1-844-RRXTEND for recommended Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System weed control programs.

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