FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC), a leading global agricultural sciences company, today announced an agreement with Bayer to commercialize products containing Isoflex™ active in the European Union (EU) and Great Britain. The partnership will expand access to FMC's breakthrough weed control technology, offering European growers a powerful new solution for resistant grass weeds in cereals and other crops.
Isoflex™ active, classified by the Herbicide Resistance Action Committee (HRAC) as a Group 13 herbicide, received registration in Great Britain in 2024. Pending regulatory decisions, EU registration is anticipated in 2025. The novel herbicide provides lasting control of key grass weeds, including those resistant to other herbicides, addressing a critical need in European agriculture.
"This agreement will allow FMC to expand market access in the European Union and Great Britain, which has an estimated 30 million planted hectares of winter cereals, reaching new growers and distributors with our novel Isoflex™ active ingredient,”said Ronaldo Pereira, FMC president. "We believe that Isoflex™ active will serve as a vital new rotational tool for European growers looking to control resistant weeds, especially grass weeds.”
Under the terms of the agreement, both companies will bring products containing Isoflex™ active to the winter cereals and oilseed rape markets in the European Union and Great Britain. FMC plans to commercialize its own formulations powered by Isoflex™ active in the winter cereals, corn, oilseed rape and potato markets, while Bayer will submit registrations and commercialize mixtures containing Isoflex™ active for use in winter cereals and distribute a formulation developed by FMC for use in oilseed rape. Bayer will jointly promote the Isoflex™ active brand when referencing their mixtures and formulated product brands.
"In the face of climate change and pressure on food systems, farmers need effective tools to control weeds,”said Frank Terhorst, executive vice president of strategy and sustainability at Bayer's Crop Science Division. "Herbicides like Isoflex™ active play an important part in that, to eventually contribute to food security. We are happy to make use of synergies with FMC to achieve this goal.”
The European launches will build on FMC's successful global rollout of products powered by Isoflex™ active, which have already been registered and commercialized in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Pakistan, Uruguay and India. Product launches are anticipated in Great Britain later this year and in the EU in 2027, pending regulatory decisions. Products containing Isoflex™ active have exhibited pre-plant, pre-emergence and early post-emergence selectivity in major crops across the globe, including canola, cereals, oilseed rape and pulses.
To learn more about Isoflex™ active, please visit FMC.com/isoflexactive.
About FMC
FMC Corporation is a global agricultural sciences company dedicated to helping growers produce food, feed, fiber and fuel for an expanding world population while adapting to a changing environment. FMC’s innovative crop protection solutions – including biologicals, crop nutrition, digital and precision agriculture – enable growers and crop advisers to address their toughest challenges economically while protecting the environment. FMC is committed to discovering new herbicide, insecticide and fungicide active ingredients, product formulations and pioneering technologies that are consistently better for the planet. Visit fmc.com to learn more and follow us on LinkedIn®.
About Bayer
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. In line with its mission, “Health for all, Hunger for none,” the company’s products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2024, the Group employed around 93,000 people and had sales of 46.6 billion euros. R&D expenses amounted to 6.2 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.
