BASF Cotton Solutions for Texas – Sustainability
Consumer demand for sustainable cotton is at an all-time high. But for farmers, sustainability isn’t just a word on a clothing tag. It’s a dedication that begins before a single seed is planted.
When weather, pest, and disease pressure close in on a cotton crop, ready to steal yield and profits, how do farmers across the globe meet this ever-increasing demand for sustainable cotton? And, while growers desire to produce high-quality, high-yielding crops, they also want to leave behind a healthy environment for generations to come.
Having a true partnership with farmers is one of the main priorities of the e3® Sustainable Cotton program. It’s important that farmers have the tools to successfully adopt and accelerate sustainable practices on-farm, as well as meet the needs of brands and retailers who are expected to demonstrate transparency to their consumers.
“Our e3 Sustainable Cotton growers commit to track eight on-farm measures that cover both environmental and social aspects,” says Ray Daniels, Sustainability Market Development Manager for BASF. “This not only includes water use and pesticide management, but also soil conservation and greenhouse gas emissions reduction for each bale of cotton produced. Transparency matters, especially today. This is how we help growers bridge the gap between their farm data and consumers.”
BY THE NUMBERS
In 2022, more than 250 farmers enrolled in the e3 Sustainable Cotton program and made positive impacts in sustainable cotton production. Examples of such positive impacts can be seen below and are based on 2022 MyFarms data and calculations of the sustainability contribution’s of e3 Sustainable Cotton growers’ production practices:
• Produced 203 million pounds — 112,082 traceable bales — of sustainable FiberMax® and Stoneville® cotton
• 79% of e3 Sustainable Cotton growers used reduced tillage practices
• 73% of e3 Sustainable Cotton growers helped store carbon
New this season, the program’s dedicated enrollment specialists can assist growers as they complete their sustainability questionnaire and upload bale information from the gin with concierge enrollment, open through March 31, 2024.
PARTNERING FOR IMPACT
Profitability and sustainable practices are not mutually exclusive, as many growers have seen firsthand. The BASF collaboration with Pheasants Forever© and Quail Forever offers another way growers can implement practices that help support sustainability on their operations. Pressing issues such as soil health, water quality, carbon sequestration, and rural economic development are addressed in this program, while also creating biodiverse habitats.
Together, BASF has helped expand Quail Forever’s grower relationships in focal regions for upland birds through their sponsorship. One on-farm conservation opportunity is utilizing areas on an operation that aren’t as conducive to production for wildlife habitat.
“This program provides the opportunity for growers to identify alternatives for lower-yielding acres that are both environmentally sustainable and economically viable,” Daniels says. “With access to the resources provided by the Precision Ag and Conservation Specialist, growers will have more options to consider when planning how to maximize their land use in 2024 and beyond.”
Brent Rudolph, Director of Sustainability Partnerships for Quail Forever, says, “Texas Panhandle cotton and sorghum growers are committed to supporting a healthy environment and bright economic future for their families and communities, and quail, pheasants and other wildlife will benefit from our efforts to work together here.”
To learn more about e3 Sustainable Cotton, visit e3cotton.us, or talk to your local BASF Agronomic Solutions Advisor to see how BASF can help tell your sustainability story.
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