Newest Crop of Farmer-Facing Programs

Suppliers say programs aim to reinforce customer engagement, not replace the retailer.
Suppliers say programs aim to reinforce customer engagement, not replace the retailer.
(The Scoop)

The intersection of rebates, marketing strategies, data-driven programs, financing and early order incentives is becoming more entangled. Welcome to the spaghetti junction in ag retail. 

Roads To Customer Loyalty

Two years ago, Bayer launched Bayer Plus Rewards. It now has more than 1,000 users in the retail portal. 

“The program increased our crop protection footprint,” says Kim Helgen, Bayer Plus lead with Bayer Crop Science. “We’ve learned a lot about sales reporting. We are working towards improving the process for 2021.”

Unlike Roundup Ready Plus, Bayer Plus Rewards introduced a farmer portal.

“The goal is to give visibility to the grower but not by any means replace the retailer in the process,” Helgen says.

The program has partners such as Valent USA.   

“We see value in rebate programs to support an agronomic recommendation, create demand and bring awareness to our products,” says Joe Short, Valent herbicide product strategy team manager. 

What Do Rebates Do For Retail

“The future of rebates is to be less rebate-like and more aligned with upfront savings,” says Ted Nuss, Corteva Agriscience TruChoice experience manager. 

As relays Katie Stutsman, Corteva Agriscience crop protection district sales leader, TruChoice brings agronomic solutions with upfront savings and has increased demand running through retail. 

There’s No One Size Fits All

“We have the FMC Freedom Pass because as a basic manufacturer, we want to engage with growers at some level so that we (FMC) know what their needs are and make sure they are knowledgeable of what tools we’re offering them,” says Roxie Gutschenritter, division market manager for FMC. 

FMC Freedom Pass launched six years ago as a direct payment tool for purchasing FMC products. 

Departure From ‘Traditional’

“The industry has put such an emphasis on rebates in the last three to five years,” says Robbie Upton, marketing director for BASF, U.S. crop business. 

In 2020, BASF launched Rewards Beyond Rebates, which Upton explains is an approach to the market, not a program. 

“It’s a dramatically different approach to what others offer. Growers don’t get a rebate check. Products are priced transparently, and farmers can view its competitive advantage; value is captured in the performance of the product,” Upton says. “We’ve had grower programs in the past. But we were ahead of the curve on listening and thinking about the future to realize there are different ways to do things.”

Data-Driven Programs Have Arrived

Last year, Syngenta introduced AgriClime, which is a risk mitigation offer providing for a potential partial return on investment. As explains Shane Taylor, the marketing manager for digital ag solutions at Syngenta, the goal is to shift from talking about cost to emphasizing the best agronomic recommendation and confidence in the decision.  

“This is specific to an adverse weather condition. Then, it triggers a potential opportunity for the grower to get a return as part of their initial purchases. If growers have incredible yields, it doesn’t change the program. We don’t take an upside opportunity,” Taylor says.

Farmer-Facing Programs From Crop Protection Companies

Company Program Description Products Included & 
Minimum Amounts
Retailer 
Involvement
Financing Partners

BASF Rewards Beyond Rebates

 

Paired with the Grow Smart Advantage online calculator, this is an approach to the market to illustrate the competitive advantage of products in an agronomic recommendation.

All BASF products

No minimum

BASF wants to be the partner of choice for retailers and partner with them to better serve customers. The goal is to strip away confusion and administration burden and focus on simplicity, transparency and choice. John Deere Financial and Rabo AgriFinance
Bayer Plus 
Rewards
Rewards are calculated based on acreage or volume. Adding more products increases the reward value.  

More than 50 seed and crop protection products are included.

Minimum rebate has to equal $1,500 or more.

Assistance in farmer sign-up, portal usage and sales reporting. John Deere Financial and Rabo AgriFinance
Corteva TruChoice
 
The goal of the program is to create a better way to buy crop protection with upfront savings and give retailers and customers the opportunity to use those funds on inputs.

More than 100 crop protection products. When farmers fund the prepay account, they can earn Corteva Cash with select Corteva seed brands.

No minimum on purchases, but prepay minimum is $7,500.

Education and assistance in program usage; sales reporting. Corteva Agriscience subsidiary PHI Financial Services Inc.
FMC Freedom Pass
 
Program has four pillars: performance assurances, agronomic rewards, application innovation and product financing.

A majority of FMC products are included in one or more pillars.

Financing minimum is $10,000, and reward check minimum is $300. 

FMC Freedom Pass is a tool for retailers to use in engaging with growers and making sure they are aware of products, tech offers and service. Retailers also report sales through the program. John Deere Financial
Syngenta 
AgriClime
It’s designed to provide confidence for growers to invest in their crop and maximize the return on investment and assist the retailer in the sales process.

Geographically targeted and limited to row crops. Offers are specific to seed (Golden Harvest or NK seed) or crop protection product protocols.

Minimum acres are required dependent upon crop. 

Retailer submits proof of purchase, which triggers participation in the program. Prepay financing partner is Rabo AgriFinance
Valent USA Partner in Bayer Plus Rewards, so qualifying Valent products add to a customer’s reward.

Valor EZ, Cobra, Select Max, Mauler and Fierce brand herbicides and Zeal miticides

Minimum rebate has to equal $1,500 or more.

Assistance in farmer sign-up, portal usage and sales reporting. John Deere Financial and Rabo AgriFinance

 

 

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