Cutting-Edge Perspectives: Todd Cardwell
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Todd Cardwell’s career in agriculture has spanned over 37 years, with the greater share of his time at WinField Solutions in the adjuvants area. For the past eight years, Todd has managed WinField’s international efforts in mainly in Brazil, but also South America, Australia, Mexico, and Canada, with remarkable success. Here are the highlights and insights he experienced in his international endeavors.
How Adjuvants are being used in other countries
Countries such as Mexico, Brazil, and South America are traditionally unsophisticated in adjuvant use and look to the U.S. for newer technologies and products. Growers that use adjuvants do not know why adjuvants should be used and just follow A.I. recommendations.
Education and Training about Adjuvants is limited
University agriculture programs and extension services that bring new practices and knowledge to growers and agricultural businesses at the county level play a huge part in the success of U.S. agriculture. This kind of support does not exist in Mexico, Brazil, and South America. Even though these countries may have university curriculums for agriculture, there is no extension to bring this knowledge to the agricultural community.
Pesticide Markets
According to Todd, all pesticides are generic products based on off-patent formulations of branded products from major pesticide manufacturers. This opens the opportunity to collaborate with generic suppliers to make better adjuvant recommendations and use.
Agricultural Equipment
In the countries where Todd has spent considerable time with growers, he found that they follow U.S. agricultural equipment advances, quickly adopting and purchasing similar equipment. Major agricultural equipment manufacturers have assembly plants in Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa to serve those markets. As a result, large growers are very up-to-date on equipment and are usually only a couple of years behind the U.S.
Business Practices of Growers
Todd found it interesting that particularly large growers talk and act just like U.S. growers when it comes to most agricultural market challenges. For example, grower reactions to input costs, commodity prices, and government regulations are the same in these countries as expressed by U.S. growers.
Todd’s last comments
Todd feels that there is much more room for growth for adjuvants in the countries he works in. Approaching the market with sound education and efficacy data can convince growers to see the value in adopting quality adjuvants.