STUDY: Bayer’s Intacta RR2 PRO™ soybeans technology helps farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions and overall environmental impact in South America

A field of Intacta RR2-PRO™-soybeans located in Mato Grosso, Brazil.

MONHEIM AM RHEIN, Germany/ ST. LOUIS, MO, USA, 16-Nov-2018 — /EuropaWire/ — Results from a five-year peer-reviewed study on Intacta RR2 PRO™ soybeans planted in South America were recently published, indicating that this technology from Bayer helps farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions and overall environmental impact.

Since 2013, farmers planted 73.6 million hectares (~182 million acres) of Intacta RR2 PRO soybeans across Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Through more efficient use of herbicides and insecticides, farmers have been able to adopt more sustainable practices like reduced- and no–till farming. This has lowered fossil fuel use and facilitated more carbon being retained in the soil, resulting in a 6.8-billion-kilogram reduction in carbon emissions, equivalent to removing 3.3 million family cars from the road.

“This study shows that with modern agriculture innovations like Intacta soybean technology, farmers can grow more without having to use additional land,” said Mark Kidnie, South American Corn & Soy Technology Lead for the Crop Science Division of Bayer. “By growing Intacta soybeans, farmers spend less time in the tractor applying crop protection products or tilling their fields, resulting in important environmental benefits.”

In total, the study saw a 30.6 percent reduction in environmental impact, thanks to a 10.4-million-kilogram reduction in insecticide and herbicide usage, as measured by the globally recognized Environmental Impact Quotient. That reduction also contributed to the conservation of more than 200 million liters of water, the equivalent of 80 Olympic-size swimming pools.

In addition, second-generation insect-protected soybeans will provide protection against an expanded spectrum of insect pests including armyworm and podworm, enabling further efficient use of herbicides and insecticides.

These findings come at a time where Bayer, having successfully acquired Monsanto earlier this year, recently reiterated its commitment to sustainability and food security. Technologies like Intacta RR2 PRO soybeans are giving farmers around the world a chance to help ensure a safe and sustainable supply of food now and in the future. More information on the sustainability strategy of Bayer can be found in their 2017 Annual Report.

About Bayer
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2017, the Group employed around 99,800 people and had sales of EUR 35.0 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.4 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.5 billion. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.

Forward-Looking Statements 
This release 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 www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

SOURCE: Bayer AG

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