Farmers play a vital role at the heart of Canada’s agri-food system, helping to feed a burgeoning population while also being good stewards of the land for future generations.
Each year brings challenges that make fulfilling that role increasingly complex. Relentless pressures of pests and disease, tightening regulations and escalating demands increase the urgency to develop and deliver improvements in all aspects of the business.
“We continue to be proud to support Canadian farmers with industry-leading agricultural solutions,” says Tabetha Boot, Head of Communications and Industry Relations for BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions.
The company has long committed to supporting farmers with products, agronomic support and resources needed to get the most out of every acre. Over the past 60 years, BASF has led the way in offering solutions farmers need from seed to harvest. The company’s signature InVigor® hybrid canola and RevyPro® fungicide, developed in Western Canada for Western Canadian farmers, which launched this year are just two examples.
“We know a farmer’s business is based on how much they’re able to produce,” Boot said. “Whether that’s making sure they’ve got the best seed in the ground or that they can protect that seed, it’s all important when it comes to getting the highest yield come the end of the season.”
But it turns out farmers expect more than yield from crop input providers.
In its 2023 and 2024 customer survey, BASF Canada sought deeper insights about farmer expectations. A key takeaway in both years was advocacy. It was not only of significant importance to customers, but satisfaction levels with BASF’s farmer and industry advocacy efforts fell short.
“Our customers not only want support in the fields, but they also want a greater voice and platform to advocate for Canada’s agricultural industry,” Boot says.
“The survey ended up being a catalyst to the commitment of what we’re going to do to better improve our advocacy efforts.”
BASF’s advocacy goes back more than a decade. The company first launched a global advocacy campaign titled, ‘Farming, the biggest job on Earth,’ in 2013. Refreshed in 2021, the initiative aims to grow a greater understanding of farming, speaking to and for farmers about the vital and increasingly complex job they do.
Boot says a key BASF objective moving forward will be to concentrate those advocacy efforts within Canada’s agriculture sector. Insights such as those gained through The Western Producer 100 Years initiative will inform their efforts to create platforms to amplify farmers’ voices across the country.
“The idea being that this will help inform action,” she says. “We want to support farmers. To do that, we need to listen.”
Among the themes BASF has heard so far, Boot highlights the critical need for continued product research and development, as well as the ability for farmers to enhance their social license. To the latter, Boot notes farmers have indicated public trust and acceptance are essential for ensuring continued access to the tools and technologies farmers need for continued success with their crops.
“We know there is a heightened interest in where food comes from and how it’s produced,” Boot says. “Canada has a world-leading agricultural industry, yet many people don’t realize that. They don’t realize Canadian farmers are looked up to by the rest of the world in terms of best practices around production and stewardship. So, part of improving social license means shifting people’s perspective of agriculture from a point of concern to a point of pride.”
Visit agsolutions.ca to learn more about BASF products and services as well as its efforts to support Canadian farmers beyond the field.
