BASF’s Community Paddock expands to Maitland, South Australia

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 BASF’s site here.