Bayer CropScience to phase-out of WHO Class I insecticides

As part of its ongoing portfolio optimization efforts, Bayer CropScience is accelerating the phase-out of all remaining WHO Class I insecticides by the end of 2012. “With this commitment we fulfill our promise to end the production and marketing of these formulations,” explained Sandra E. Peterson, Chief Executive Officer of Bayer CropScience. In close coordination with local registration authorities and the company’s customer base, chemicals within this category will be replaced by more modern, targeted and environmentally friendly formulations. "Our WHO Class I replacement initiative is fully in line with our commitment to sustainable agriculture and global food security”, Peterson added.

As an innovation leader in the agricultural industry, Bayer CropScience is committed to constantly reviewing its portfolio and to improve efficacy and safety of its products. The company’s replacement strategy affects all WHO class I formulations for foliar use, soil applications and seed treatments. To foster business migration, Bayer CropScience has developed customer-centric solutions based on its broad crop protection portfolio. Innovative products with enhanced biological efficiency or an improved environmental profile and their formulations are now available to customers worldwide to replace older chemistry that is being withdrawn from the market.

As part of its ongoing portfolio streamlining, Bayer CropScience discontinued the sale of products containing endosulfan worldwide by the end of 2010. To replace endosulfan, the company launched Tihan® in West Africa offering cotton growers an innovative solution with better environmental properties. Belt®, Oberon®, Decis® and Movento® are further more modern options for farmers worldwide.

The production of Temik® in the US has been discontinued in 2010, and sales are expected to draw to a close by the end of 2011 already. As a replacement option for foliar uses in e.g. citrus cultivation, Bayer CropScience is offering its customers the new, Ketoenole chemistry based products Envidor® and Movento®. In soil applications against nematodes the company plans to further develop its recently launched Poncho®/Votivo® solution. Furthermore, Bayer CropScience has decided to accelerate the migration of the Tamaron® business in Brazil to Connect® as a superior solution, e.g. for bug control in soybean, to be finalized by the end of 2011.