Dry times have prompted many farmers to implement some kind of risk management strategy, sometimes at the expense of crop health.

Other farmers have maintained the confidence to invest in their crop through the Syngenta program, AgriClime, with the assurance of up to 30 percent cash-back under the new offer if rain doesn’t come their way.

Farmers only need to spend $15,000 on two or more qualifying Syngenta products, and complete the registration online.

“AgriClime helps us reduce the risk to our growers by allowing them to purchase products that establish yield potential early in the year,” Mallee based Landmark agronomist Nathan Sydes said.

“If the season heads into lower rainfall potential we know that we can at least get some money back for them.”

One of his clients is Derry Monaghan, who farms 7,000 hectares outside of Speed in the Victorian Mallee.

“As our farm has got bigger and more like a business, that risk management has become important,” he said.

“I’d recommend AgriClime to anyone, we have to buy the products anyway and it doesn’t cost us a cent to register - it’s a good risk management tool.”

The Monaghans qualified for AgriClime in 2018 with their upfront investment in VIBRANCE and UNIFORM.

“We’ve been using VIBRANCE and UNIFORM for the past two or three years now,” Derry said.

“The initial [plant] growth is really good and the root system is a heck of a lot better. It really helped us coming into the dry spring.”

The family managed to harvest some grain, if not the quantity they had hoped for.

“After two pretty good seasons, 2018 was a lot leaner, the cash-back was welcome,” Derry said.

AgriClime | At a glance

AgriClime™ is a free Syngenta program to help share with Australian broadacre growers the risk of low rainfall during August to October.

Growers need to spend a minimum of $15,000 on two or more participating Syngenta products between October 2018 and September 2019 to qualify.

Growers can then register their paddock(s) for one of two offer periods. These are either; 1st August - 29th September 2019; or 1st September - 30th October 2019. Registrations for the first offer period close July 1^st.

Syngenta is a leading agriculture company helping to improve global food security by enabling millions of farmers to make better use of available resources. Through world class science and innovative crop solutions, our 28,000 people in over 90 countries are working to transform how crops are grown. We are committed to rescuing land from degradation, enhancing biodiversity and revitalizing rural communities. To learn more visit www.syngenta.com and www.goodgrowthplan.com. Follow us on Twitter^® at www.twitter.com/Syngenta