LAS VEGAS-In a meeting today with North American growers, Bayer CropScience and United Potato Growers of America announced a new partnership to further sustainable agriculture and the world's food supply.
As part of the United Potato Partners program, the new partnership provides for several educational seminars to be held this year in major U.S. growing regions.
"We are committed to delivering innovation solutions and pioneering new products for growers as part of our role in sustainable agriculture," said Jim DeLong, vice president of sales and national accounts for Bayer CropScience. "The world's population today is 6.5 billion; by 2025 there will be 8 billion people to feed. We need to produce as much food in the next 40-80 years as we have in the past 12,000 years and on less available land."
DeLong went on to comment that without modern agricultural practices, including chemical crop protection and biotechnology, feeding the current world population would require an additional 2.5 billion acres of land.
"Bayer CropScience recognizes that its responsibility goes beyond the farm gate, and we're committed to working with the entire food supply chain-growers, food suppliers and retailers-to ensure high-quality affordable food is available," said DeLong.
The partnership focuses on United Potato Partners seminars that involve interactive meetings with growers. At the seminars, Bayer will provide information that supports growers in their role as one of the critical providers of the world's food supply. The seminars will be held this year in Washington, Oregon, Wisconsin, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, California and other areas.
"Partnering with Bayer CropScience creates a perfect complement to United's mission which is to increase our potato growers' economic potential and to help growers better understand and act upon demand for their product," said Lee Frankel, UPGA president and chief executive officer. "Bayer CropScience is an important partner in the food supply chain. Through the United Potato Partner seminars, potato growers have the opportunity to learn how they can sustain and stabilize their operations."
The partnership announcement was made at the second annual North American Potato Grower Summit held in Las Vegas with representatives of UPGA, Potato Marketing Association of North America and United Potato Growers of Canada.