A Bayer global initiative that connects select famers with resources to advance innovative agricultural practices has come to the U.S.
Brian Naber with Bayer CropScience says Forward Farming is a collaborative effort focused on producing more while at the same time restoring more.
“There’s an equation that fits together that we look at that it has to be productive, has to be profitable, has to be sustainable. And our belief is you don’t have to choose between the three of those, you need all three. There’s not a tradeoff between.”
Bayer is partnering with Cornfed Farms of Marengo in eastern Iowa to be the first Forward Farm in the U.S. Alan Mohr and his wife Sara operate the crop and livestock operation.
“Got rid of a lot of the tillage, went to the cover crops. Mainly to hold the soil for erosion purposes, but after we adopted the cover crops then quickly realized there’s a lot more to it than just holding the soil.”
He says cover crops also help suppress weeds and aid in water filtration.
Bayer now has 16 Forward Farms across ten countries.
