Most Consumers, Growers Confident Ag Can Boost Productivity While Practicing Stewardship-BASF Survey
12 November 2012 
A new BASF survey shows that the vast majority of consumers and growers agree that modern agriculture can achieve two critical goals simultaneously: Feed the world’s growing population while demonstrating responsible stewardship.
More than 80% of the growers and nearly 70% of the consumers who participated in a recent BASF survey were confident that growers will be able to strike a balance between producing enough food for the planet and preserving it for future generations. “Technology and knowledge advancements” were cited by both groups as the primary reasons for their confidence.
When asked if stewardship efforts in agriculture have improved over the last few years, 85% of the growers surveyed agreed. That’s nearly a 10% increase in positive responses from a BASF survey conducted two years ago.
“This growth in confidence behind agriculture parallels the growth in the number of innovations that the industry continues bringing to the market,” said Paul Rea, Vice President, U.S. Crop Operations, BASF. BASF says it will introduce more than 30 new products by 2015.
The survey indicated that for farmers, stewardship is an intrinsic belief that is a constant among growers. Each of the 350 growers surveyed agreed that their peers care about the environment.
“The land is my livelihood,” said one grower who participated. “If I ruin it, I am out of business.”
Consumers believe that high quality crops and more output should be a farmer’s top priority, BASF said.
The survey was conducted among 400 consumers and 360 growers in 2012.
(Source: BASF; edited by FCI Staff)
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