Organic Farmer Challenges Pesticide Company Representatives at Regenerative Agriculture Conference
During a question-and-answer segment of the panel session, “Transforming and Innovating Your Business Model,” Erisman, owner of Odyssey Farm , asked representatives from Syngenta, BASF, and Yara North America: “Do you think farms can be regenerative by not buying anything you sell?”
Chad Asmus, sustainable ag product strategist at BASF, said: “Probably not, crop protection and biotechnology have a positive impact on implementing regenerative practices at scale.”
Asmus said not using inputs is possible but it is difficult when farming at larger scale.
Bryan Ulmer, global technical lead-value chain at Syngenta, said: “Moving to regenerative is not black and white. To maintain and improve productivity, inputs will be required.”
Ulmer said his company is investing in biological inputs to manage pests. “We are moving in the right direction,” he said.