USA Rice Joins Other Commodity Reps as “Trusted Voice” at FMC Sales Meeting

ST. CHARLES, MO — Earlier this week, USA Rice President & CEO Peter Bachmann participated on a panel here at FMC Corporation’s national sales meeting, Beyond the Sale: Understanding the Voices Growers Trust. 

Panelists provided the more than 150 FMC sales, regulatory, and other leadership attendees an overview of the role commodity trade associations play in representing growers but also interacting with the broader agricultural industry, like the crop protection sector.  Key roles for commodity associations can have direct impacts on stakeholders like FMC, including farm safety net, regulatory, and trade advocacy – all things that impact the greater farm economy and help ensure the availability of crop protection tools for growers. 

“It’s more important now than ever for industry to be plugged into the state of the current farm economy,” said Bachmann.  “While growers are facing multi-year losses and continued thin or negative margins, they are going to be looking for more opportunities to slim down their operating budgets, so efficiencies in applying crop inputs will be part of that consideration.  New tools like FMC’s upcoming herbicide Keenali will help reduce weed pressure and reduce the need for other inputs while improving quality of the harvested crop.” 

The panel was moderated by FMC’s Manager of Industry Relations Kianna Wilson and, in addition to Bachmann, included Caleb Ragland, farmer and president of the American Soybean Association (ASA); Ruthann Anderson, CEO of the California Association of Pest Control Advisors (CAPCA); and Pat Clements, farmer and president of the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG).

All of the panelists expressed appreciation for FMC’s presence at industry events and investment in innovation that benefits American farmers.  

FMC is routinely a Platinum Plus level sponsor of the USA Rice Outlook Conference, a Rice Foundation donor, and serves as a USA Rice Enterprise Partner member.