Tell us about Prowl H₂O and why it is an important product for retailers and their grower-customers.

As a technology leader, BASF continues to invest in research and is committed to providing new solutions. Prowl H₂O herbicide represents the next generation of DNA herbicides. Its innovative, water-based formulation minimizes the staining, odor, storage limitations and incorporation requirements of other DNA herbicides. Retailers and their customers are increasingly faced with the challenge of breakdowns in weed control by glyphosate. Prowl H₂O offers them an important tool without the disadvantages of old DNAs.

Soybean rust is a new challenge for retailers and their relationships with grower-customers. How is BASF positioned to meet this?

We believe knowledge is the most powerful tool available to retailers and growers as they battle soybean rust. That's why we recently launched the Web site www.SoybeanRustInfo.com, with comprehensive, practical information for our channel partners and their customers. We also sponsored an American Soybean Association rust mailing for members and participated in regional ASA educational meetings this summer. In addition, we are conducting extensive soybean rust training programs for our business and technical representatives.

Finally, we have submitted a registration package to the EPA for Headline fungicide for control of soybean rust and other soybean diseases. F500, the active ingredient in Headline, has proven highly effective in Brazil. We believe Headline can offer the soybean industry the same disease control and plant health benefits that it has already delivered to dozens of other U.S. crops.

Many say retailers now are either cash-and-carry or full-service providers. How does BASF deal with that dynamic in working with its channel partners?

BASF has a proven and continuing commitment to the channel, which we believe gives the grower the best means of benefiting from new technology. We work on a one-to-one basis with our channel partners to identify how best we can support their chosen business model. BASF has launched two new programs, each highly customized, to support the channel. The first is the Retailer Support Tool, a program that provides sales incentives from retailers to their growers based on a grower's past purchase behavior and BASF brands stocked by the retailer. The second is the B2B Support Tool, a program that took the place of dozens of other programs BASF had in the marketplace, allowing us to greatly simplify our channel offering while enhancing our ability to offer our partners highly customized solutions.

What's new with the Clearfield Production System?

The Clearfield Production System is a good example of our commitment to be the technology leader. This unique, non-GMO technology allows growers to control some of their toughest weeds, including previously uncontrolled weeds such as red rice in rice and jointed goatgrass in wheat. Globally, BASF and its seed partners offer the largest portfolio of non-GMO, herbicide-tolerant genetics available.

BASF has launched Clearfield technology into the corn, rice, wheat, sunflower and canola segments. Sunflower is the most recent Clearfield crop, having been introduced in 2003.

What keeps you optimistic about U.S. agriculture?

We truly believe U.S. agriculture is the best in the world and it will continue to be so. The ability to rapidly adopt new technology and the quality of service and speed of supply from the channel will keep the U.S. grower at the forefront. BASF is committed to being the technology leader. In the last two years, we have launched eight new products. We have seven new products in development, including herbicides for soybeans and corn. We are optimistic and committed to agriculture, which is clearly demonstrated by our continued investment in new technology to bring value to our channel partners and their grower-customers.

Andy Lee oversees all sales and marketing functions for BASF in the U.S. crop protection market. He is based at BASF North American headquarters in Research Triangle Park, NC.

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