Maize: the gift of the gods

An innovative tracking processThe process is simple: each bale of cottongrown from FiberMax seed is identifiedand tracked throughout the marketingand production cycle using an online trackingprogram.“At harvest, the bales are tagged with aPermanent Bale Identification number,which is used in the program to identifythem as Certified FiberMax cotton.Approved merchants and spinners can thenaccess the Certified FiberMax database tolook up bales that have been identified asCertified FiberMax lint from genuineFiberMax seed,” says Brent Crossland,Certified FiberMax Cotton MarketingManager, Bayer CropScience. “The spinningcommunity, especially internationalspinners, has shown great interest in thequality assurances provided by the CertifiedFiberMax Cotton program,” saysBrent. Bayer CropScience also monitorsinternal sales records, planted acres, yieldaverages and number of certified bales toensure the integrity of the program,“FiberMax cotton is known all over theworld for its excellent length, strength,micronaire and uniformity. By certifyingtheir cotton, US farmers are letting ginsand mills know that their cotton is the genuineFiberMax lint they’ve come to relyon. It’s a good way for them to make themost of their seed investment.” AddsBrent.The FiberMax certification programwas initiated in July, 2003 in the middle ofthe growing season, and 600,000 baleswere certified that same year. In 2004,Certified FiberMax Cotton was added tothe Globecot global price matrix and othermajor merchants. Many major merchantshave shifted from the ‘fibermax’ descriptorto Certified FiberMax Cotton due to internationalspinner demand for CertifiedFiberMax Cotton.Since Autumn 2003, the program hasbeen promoted through one-on-one discussionsas well as through formal presentationsand trade show booths at major meetingsheld around the world. Countries visitedinclude Singapore, Bangladesh, Germany,England, India, and Italy, withalmost every major cotton spinning countryrepresented at these meetings.Boosting Demand for qualitycottonHistorically, the grower, and consequentlythe breeder, have not had any monetaryor business incentive to develop andgrow cotton varieties with high fiber quality.In 2004, however, US growers whotraded their cotton bales on The Seam ® , anonline trading system that brings togethergrowers, merchants, ginners, mills, co-opsand warehouses, received an average of11.1 cents over the Commodity CreditCorporation (CCC) loan rate 1 . Meanwhile,Certified FiberMax offerings traded 2.3cents higher for a premium of 13.4 centsper pound. “Producing Certified FiberMaxCotton gives growers the opportunity tosell lint that commands a premium worldwide,”adds Brent.Because the United States is by far thelargest exporter of cotton at around 70%,satisfying export customers’ needs willbecome even more critical for US cottonproducers. And as the recent Beltwide1 Price per pound at which the CCC provides commodity secured loansto US farmers for a specified period of time.Cotton Conferences held in New Orleansin January 2005 showed, this demand andthe cotton industry internationally isincreasingly focused on fiber quality andFiberMax has become quite a reference.“Globally, the FiberMax name has becomesynonymous with high quality fiber,”explains Monty Christian. MarketingDirector, FiberMax Cotton Seed, BayerCropScience.“International spinners are now specificallyasking for Certified FiberMax cottonon an ever-increasing basis”, says Brent.“We even have Chinese buyers asking forour Certified lint by name. Growers continuallytell me they appreciate that someoneis working on their behalf to createdemand downstream and internationallyfor the cotton they grow,” he adds.Protecting the BrandThe success of Bayer CropScience cottonseed is also the brand itself and the factthat FiberMax has become synonymouswith fiber quality across the industry.FiberMax has such a strong reputationthat, in the past, three to four times more‘fibermax’ was claimed to be available inthe market than was actually grown!“Whilst imitation is the sincerest form offlattery we did not want the reputation ofFiberMax to be compromised,” explainsDavid Morgan, Head of Agricultural Cropsfor BioScience, Bayer CropScience.Indeed, the brand is so strong that is hasusurped the regional appellation usuallyused for cotton. “Usually merchants talkabout cotton by region, such as SanJoaquin Valley [Calif.], Australian orMemphis Eastern cotton. FiberMax is theonly brand that is traded by name ratherthan region,” comments Monty.Outgrowing the marketIn 2004, FiberMax achieved 24 percentmarket share, making Bayer CropSciencethe second largest cotton seed supplier inthe United States, with its FiberMax cottonseed planted on more than twice theacreage of the third largest supplier.Of the top three cotton seed suppliers,only Bayer CropScience, with its FiberMaxbrand, has seen steady growth over the pastfive years. “Seeing this kind of growth in arelatively flat market is just incredible,”said Monty. “In general, cotton acreage isnot going up. Our success with FiberMax1/05 COURIER 21