BASF’s Community Paddock expands to Maitland, South Australia
- BASF’s Community Paddock initiative will support local growers in Maitland
- BASF to supply crop protection products and ongoing support throughout the season
- Harvest profits donated back to the Maitland Apex Club
Maitland, Adelaide – September 19, 2024 – BASF’s Community Paddock initiative continues into its third year with the announcement of its newest location: Maitland in South Australia.
BASF and the Maitland Apex Club have joined forces to grow a community barley crop across 22 hectares of land in Maitland. As part of the collaboration, BASF will provide crop protection products and continuous agronomic support throughout the season to support healthy crop growth, with profits from the barley grown to be donated to the Maitland Apex Club.
“We are thrilled to expand our Community Paddock project to the Maitland community,” said Parvana Wali, Head of BASF Agricultural Solutions Australia and New Zealand. “This initiative not only supports the local community, but also allows us to showcase the effectiveness of BASF’s innovative solutions such as Systiva®, Voraxor®, and even the newly registered Revystar® fungicide. We’re looking forward to seeing high-quality yields with harvest profits that will help the Maitland community grow.”
Todd Twelftree, President of the Maitland Apex Club, said, “Partnering with BASF has been a tremendous boost for the Maitland Apex Club. Their support allows us to keep costs low, ensuring that every dollar raised from the barley harvest goes directly back into local projects”.
To celebrate the partnership, BASF and the Maitland Apex Club hosted a dinner event attended by more than 50 growers. BASF representatives and local growers discussed the importance of continued resistance management practices, and the importance of managing physical and mental health. The event was followed by a visit to the trial site the next day, where growers learnt more about BASF’s crop protection products.
The Maitland site was sown with barley in June and has been carefully treated with BASF products including seed treatment fungicide Systiva®, powerful herbicides Voraxor® and Frequency®, broad-spectrum fungicide Opera®, and innovative fungicide Revystar®. BASF broadacre and technical specialists make regular visits to the sites to ensure the crops are thriving and the right products are being used effectively. Throughout the growing season, local farmers and agronomists will have the opportunity to visit the Community Paddock to witness firsthand the crops’ progress and the positive community impact of the initiative.
“We’ve worked hard to develop Apex Park over the years, and with the profits from this harvest, we hope to add a new playground for young children along with a barbecue area for families to enjoy. It’s all about giving back to the community that’s given us so much,” said Twelftree.
By finding innovative solutions for growers and giving back to the community, BASF aims to strengthen local farming communities as they do #TheBiggestJobOnEarth. More information about BASF’s Community Paddock initiative and its commitment to supporting local communities is found on our site here.
About BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division
Everything we do, we do for the love of farming. Farming is fundamental to provide enough healthy and affordable food for a rapidly growing population, while reducing environmental impacts. That’s why we are working with partners and experts to integrate sustainability criteria into all business decisions. With €944 million in 2023, we continue to invest in a strong R&D pipeline, combining innovative thinking with practical action in the field. Our solutions are purpose-designed for different crop systems. Connecting seeds and traits, crop protection products, digital tools and sustainability approaches, to help deliver the best possible outcomes for farmers, growers and our other stakeholders along the value chain. With teams in the lab, field, office and in production, we do everything in our power to build a sustainable future for agriculture. In 2023, our division generated sales of €10.1 billion. For more information, please visit http://www.agriculture.basf.com or our social media channels.
About BASF in Australia and New Zealand
BASF serves key industries in the agriculture, coatings, manufacturing and mining sectors, and posted sales of about €441 million in Australia and New Zealand in 2023. As of the end of 2023, the company had 370 employees and operated 6 production sites across Agricultural Solutions, performance products and functional materials and solutions. BASF has been active in Australia for over 100 years, and about 60 years in New Zealand. Further information is available on www.basf.com/au.
About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €68.9 billion in 2023. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.