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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsAt the 2018 World Food Prize events in Des Moines, executives from Corteva Agriscience and Bayer Crop Science argued that serving farmers increasingly meant paying attention to consumers, food security, sustainability, and trust. Their remarks framed consumer concerns as part of agricultural innovation—not as a replacement for the farmer-focused mission. The report is a snapshot of what company leaders said and the examples they cited at that time, not evidence that their commitments were later achieved.
Why executives said consumers matter to agriculture
Dave Kurns’s October 18, 2018 report connected the executives’ remarks to a familiar agricultural principle associated with Norman Borlaug: “Take it to the farmer.” At the Des Moines events, the message was broadened. Innovation still needed to reach farmers, the executives suggested, but public attention to food production meant companies also had to engage consumers and respond to their concerns.
Former Monsanto chief technology officer Robb Fraley captured that shift with the line, “Take it to the consumer, in order to get it to the farmer.” Kurns described the companies’ consumer-facing messages in terms of food security, sustainability, research and development, and trust. Those themes were presented as connected: the way food is produced could affect how consumers view agriculture, while public confidence could shape the conditions in which new agricultural technologies are introduced.
How Corteva described its mission and approach
Farmers and consumers as central beneficiaries
Corteva Agriscience COO Jim Collins described the company’s purpose as “Putting the farmer and the consumer at the heart of everything we do.” The report presented this as a mission statement, not as an independently measured outcome.
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Collaboration and innovation beyond the company
Collins described bringing outside innovation into the company and working with farmers, startups, consumers, and business partners. The examples Kurns reported included CRISPR technology, avocados designed to last longer, pathogen-resistant seeds, and drones used for more precise crop-protection application in rural Africa. These examples illustrate the breadth of innovation Collins discussed; the article does not establish their present-day availability or assess their results.
Engagement, education, and water
The report also described Corteva’s emphasis on science-based decisions and consumer engagement, education for future farmers—particularly smallholders—and responsibility in addressing water challenges. Collins acknowledged limits to what the company knew: “We don’t have all the answers.” He also said, “We have to be relentless in engaging consumers.”
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Kurns’s article attributed a striking water-demand claim to Collins: existing water supplies would provide only 60% of future demand. The report did not identify the underlying study, its publisher or year, the forecast horizon, geographic scope, or methodology. It should therefore be read only as a figure Collins was reported to have cited in 2018, not as a verified or current global statistic.
How Bayer described its mission and approach
Farmers, consumers, and the environment
Bayer Crop Science president Liam Condon said, “We want to shape agriculture for the benefit of farmers, consumers, and the environment.” Kurns described the company’s approach as combining seeds and traits, crop protection, and technology solutions. The three-part framing put farmers alongside consumers and environmental interests, rather than treating agricultural products as the whole mission.
Product integration and open innovation
The report cited Climate Corporation’s FieldView as a data product that integrated information from more than 40 suppliers and integrators. It also described Bayer’s innovation approach in three categories: breakthrough, open, and social innovation. These are descriptions from the 2018 article; they do not establish current product features, supplier relationships, or program results.
Health and trust
For social innovation, the article pointed to work concerning smallholder farmers’ health, nutrition, and livelihoods. It also mentioned Bayer’s cross-company partnership related to malaria eradication. Condon underscored the role of openness, saying, “The currency of trust is transparency.” He added, “Just making statements won’t work. We’ll be judged on how we behave.” Those remarks made trust a test of conduct, not simply a communications goal.
What the two companies’ examples do—and do not—show
| Dimension | Corteva in the 2018 report | Bayer in the 2018 report |
|---|---|---|
| Who the mission names | Farmers and consumers. | Farmers, consumers, and the environment. |
| How innovation is described | Bringing outside ideas into the company and engaging farmers, startups, consumers, and business partners. | Combining seeds and traits, crop protection, and technology; describing breakthrough, open, and social innovation. |
| Examples reported | CRISPR, longer-lasting avocados, pathogen-resistant seeds, precision crop-protection drones, farmer education, and water challenges. | FieldView data integration, smallholder health and livelihood concerns, and a malaria-eradication partnership. |
| Evidence of outcomes in the article | The report offers executive statements and examples; it does not independently assess effectiveness. | The report offers executive statements and examples; it does not independently assess effectiveness. |
The comparison is about how the executives described their priorities, not which company performed better. The article records stated intentions and selected examples, but it does not measure whether those efforts improved food security, sustainability, farmer livelihoods, or consumer trust.
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The article remains useful as a record of how agricultural leaders in 2018 connected consumer interest with farmer-focused innovation. It should not be used to infer current corporate structure, present policies, ongoing programs, or the success of any named initiative. For the original context and wording, see Dave Kurns’s October 18, 2018 report in Successful Farming.
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