(NAPSA)—You may not think of farming as a gamble, but farmers know all about takingrisks. Mini- mizing those risks is essential to a farm’s survival, and the growing need for some crops means farmers must maximize their yields to stay competitive. Fortunately, a better understanding of risk management can give farmers a greater edge in the high-stakes, high-reward world of modern agriculture. Corn prices have recently seen record highs, while demand for soybeans continues to grow. The United Soybean Board points out that global consumption of soybeans is projected to increase by 70 to 80 million tons annually during the next decade. U.S. farmers are the world’s top producers of corn and soybeans. As droughts affect other soybean-producing countries such as Brazil and Argentina, the challenge facing growersin the U.S. is a familiar one: How will they manage their crops and maximize yields to take advantage of international demand? Multiyear research conducted by BASF and university partners shows growers can significantly improve production with the right management plan. A comprehensive pest management plan includes: *Herbicides to control yieldrobbing weeds; *Fungicides to protect against diseases that crops are susceptible to because of unpredictable weatherconditions; *Insecticides to protect crops from damaging insect pests. According to the research, using a complete pest manage- ment program in corn led to an Soybeans and corn are in high demand—andthe need continues to grow. average 11.7 bushels per acre increase over the common approach that involves applying a mix containing a popular herbicide, atrazine. Researchers took this yield increase and, based on the com- modity prices for the years when research was conducted, calcu- lated a revenue increase. Weighing that against the cost of the comprehensive pest management program, the return on investment (ROI) was $2.70 for each $1 invested over the common approach. In soybeans, the research found that a complete pest management program led to an average 6.8 bushels per acre increase over a common approach that involves a simple application of the herbicide glyphosate. During one yearof the soybean studies, researchers found an ROI as high as $3.47 for every $1 invested over the common approach—well above farmers’ common goal of $2 returned for every $1 invested. For more information, contact an authorized BASF retailer and visit GrowersAdvantage.basf.us.
