World Bee Day Highlights Need for Agritech Innovations in Sustainable Agriculture

Issued on behalf of Bee Vectoring Technologies International Inc.

VANCOUVER – USA News Group – Last month, the United Nations celebrated World Bee Day, recognizing the importance of the survival for one of the world’s most important pollinators. Crucial to many crop yields, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states that three-quarters of all crops around the world depend on pollinating insects, contributing up to US$577 billion to the world’s economy every year. Now with growing concerns of food insecurity and climate change hitting the global agriculture industry, experts are turning to innovative ways to insure that crops will be pollinated, fertilized, and productive. This has led to several opportunities for retail investors to be involved in the food supply chain of the future, with intriguing developments from agritech developers, including Bee Vectoring Technologies International Inc. (BVT) (CSE: BEE) (OTCQB: BEVVF), Bayer AG (OTCPK: BAYRY), Corteva, Inc. (NYSE: CTVA), Nutrien Ltd. (NYSE: NTR) (TSX: NTR), and FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC).

Biologicals, which are naturally derived products used for crop protection and enhancement, are gaining significant traction in agriculture. Two recent studies found the use of biological products consistently increased yields in a variety of crops. According to DataHorizzon Research, the biologicals sector is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.3%, reaching a market size of US$45.3 billion by 2032.

One groundbreaking approach in the $250 billion crop protection and fertilizer industry is the use of commercially-reared bees to deliver biological pesticide alternatives directly to crops. Leading this innovative method is Bee Vectoring Technologies International Inc. (BVT) (CSE: BEE) (OTCQB: BEVVF). BVT uses bees to distribute biological agricultural products ("biologicals"), which experts predict will eventually replace chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

Earlier in May, BVT announced that it is exploring various strategic options, including a potential sale or joint venture, to enhance its capacity to market its innovative biocontrol technologies. The company stated that this initiative aims to find a more financially robust parent company to boost the commercial success of its groundbreaking solutions.

“The Company has developed both a viable biofungicide for seed treatment, foliar and soil applications, and a novel delivery system for biopesticide solutions, generally,” said Michael Collinson, Chairman of the Board of BVT. “We have reached a critical inflection point in our Company’s life cycle, transitioning from a predominantly R&D-focused entity, BVT is now poised to accelerate its commercialization efforts.”

BVT is seeing promising results from its proprietary biological control agent, Clonostachys rosea strain CR-7 (CR-7), through global field trials and early commercialization phases. The company's unique technology is gaining traction despite reduced sales and marketing efforts due to current capital market challenges.

Since obtaining EPA registration in 2019, BVT's biofungicide vectoring delivery system has demonstrated significant market potential. This innovation underlines BVT's creative approach to crop protection. The company continues to receive strong customer support, with around 20 returning clients placing orders this season. This loyalty highlights the effectiveness and return on investment of BVT’s natural precision agriculture system.

The company has recently made substantial strides in its corporate partnerships, resulting in new international trials and increased application of its CR-7 biological control agent. In a notable trial conducted at Michigan State University, CR-7 demonstrated its ability to reduce early disease infection and fungal diseases by over 90% compared to untreated plots, matching the effectiveness of conventional chemical treatments.

In the past year, BVT has achieved several key milestones. These include launching trials in Spain with Agrobío, in Mexico with a major multinational grower, and in South Africa with MBFi. Additionally, this period saw the first sale of CR-7 to BioSafe Systems.

Doing its part to improve plant fertility, Bayer AG (OTCPK: BAYRY) believes both collaboration and swift action at scale are key to mitigating the food crisis, and to prevent longer-term food shortages. One of the latest moves by Bayer was in signing a commercial license agreement with agriculture biotech company MustGrow Biologics that covers soil applications of MustGrow’s mustard-based biocontrol technologies in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

"Biologicals are part of an exciting frontier that offers new solutions for the challenges that growers face across the world," said Benoit Hartmann, Head of Biologics for Bayer. "We're committed to working with leading innovators like MustGrow to accelerate the development of innovative biological solutions that provide safe, sustainable options for farmers and are looking forward to continuing our work together."

According to the Agreement, Bayer has been granted a right-of-first-negotiation to license MustGrow's mustard-based biocontrol technologies specifically for use in banana cultivation, excluding postharvest applications.

Another advocate for biologicals is global pure-play agriculture company Corteva, Inc. (NYSE: CTVA) is urging potato growers in the UK to consider using its biological fertilizer BlueN as they kick off their maincrop plantings. After demonstrating strong results last season, Corteva’s foliar-applied biostimulant BlueN has shown it provides a sustainable, supplemental source of nitrogen for potato crops.

According to Corteva, BlueN delivers approximately 30kg/ha of supplemental nitrogen per season. Depending on the crop and fertilization strategy, farmers can either integrate it into their existing program or use it to replace nitrogen when optimizing application rates.

“The manufacturing of fertilisers is a hugely energy-consuming process,” said John Sellars, category marketing manager for Corteva’s range of biological products. “BlueN provides supplemental nitrogen to crops without the risk of leaching, increasing nitrogen use efficiency. The bacteria in BlueN fixes nitrogen from the air via anenzymatic reaction meeting changing market expectations by being able to provide a sustainable source of nitrogen.”

Nutrien Ltd. (NYSE: NTR) (TSX: NTR), through its Nutrien Ag Solutions subsidiary, recently announced the acquisition of Suncor Energy’s AgroScience assets, which includes several patented and patent pending technologies in the realm of biocontrol. Key to the deal is an innovative biocontrol technology that’s set to introduce a chlorin-based photosensitizer to the global market as a solution for integrated pest management (IPM). The acquisition aligns with Nutrien Ag Solutions' strategy of investing in innovative, patented, and effective biocontrol technologies through its Loveland Products division.

“As the biocontrol market grows, we believe farmers will increasingly demand bio-based solutions that work within existing management practices to achieve bottom-line benefits in yield and efficiency and support efforts to improve sustainability,” says Casey McDaniel, Vice President of Loveland Products. “We believe that biologicals are important next-step tools for elevating the potential in every field.”

This proprietary technology, designed for the global agriculture industry, introduces a new mode of action and benefits in resistance management. Classified as a biocontrol tool, research and field-trial data indicate that the technology has the potential to compete in the market, offering efficacy, stability, and economic value comparable to traditional synthetic crop protection inputs.

Back in March FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC) officially expanded its biologicals crop protection platform in Canada, through a collaboration with Novonesis, a leader in plant biosolutions. The agreement fits into FMC’s strategic plan to grow its biologicals platform in key markets, as the company to date has launched approximately 40 biological products in 24 countries over the past five years.

"FMC is excited to collaborate with Novonesis to bring Canadian growers effective biological products that complement our biological and synthetic chemistry," said Dr. Bénédicte Flambard, vice president, FMC Plant Health. "As we continue to invest in and expand our biologicals portfolio, we are committed to aligning with partners who enhance our ability to provide growers around the world with science-backed biological solutions that help sustainably manage crops, protect yields and combat resistance."

As of June 1, 2024, FMC Canada is now the exclusive distributor of Novonesis' leading biosolution products, including well-known brands such as TagTeam®, Optimize®, JumpStart®, BioniQ®, Cell-Tech®, and Nitragin® for the 2025 growing season. The partnership also involves a collaboration between the two companies, utilizing their R&D capabilities to develop innovative biological technologies for Canadian farmers. This collaboration will capitalize on Novonesis' Plant Biosolutions Manufacturing and Research site in Saskatoon, Canada, and FMC's extensive market knowledge and expertise in integrating biologicals with synthetic crop protection chemistry and precision agriculture technology.

Article Source: https://usanewsgroup.com/2024/04/26/the-currency-of-tomorrow-why-investing-in-cutting-edge-ai-recognition-tech-could-mean-big-money/

USA News Group
Editorial Staff

CONTACT:

USA NEWS GROUP

[email protected]

(604) 265-2873

DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial advice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular financial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. This is a paid advertisement and is neither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances. USA News Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Market IQ Media Group, Inc. (“MIQ”). MIQ has been paid a fee for Bee Vectoring Technologies International Inc. advertising and digital media from the company directly. There may be 3rd parties who may have shares of Bee Vectoring Technologies International Inc., and may liquidate their shares which could have a negative effect on the price of the stock. This compensation constitutes a conflict of interest as to our ability to remain objective in our communication regarding the profiled company. Because of this conflict, individuals are strongly encouraged to not use this publication as the basis for any investment decision. The owner/operator of MIQ own shares of Bee Vectoring Technologies International Inc. which were purchased in the open market, and reserve the right to buy and sell, and will buy and sell shares Bee Vectoring Technologies International Inc. at any time without any further notice. We also expect further compensation as an ongoing digital media effort to increase visibility for the company, no further notice will be given, but let this disclaimer serve as notice that all material disseminated by MIQ has been approved by the above mentioned company; this is a paid advertisement, we currently own shares of Bee Vectoring Technologies International Inc. and will buy and sell shares of the company in the open market, or through private placements, and/or other investment vehicles. While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in our newsletter is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between the any predictions and actual results. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment.