Koos Barnard joins Syngenta SA to tour the Research and Developement Centre in Stein Switzerland.

Koos Barnard enjoys tour with Syngenta to Stein and Basel, Switzerland. 

The 2011 Grain Producer of the Year, Koos Barnard and his wife Elize, were invited by Syngenta South Africa (Pty) Limited to go to Syngenta AG in Switzerland. They toured the Stein Research and Development centre and visited the Global Head Office in Basel.
 
They met up with Kalla Hugo (Portfolio Manager Herbicides & Seed Care, Cereals - Africa Middle East (AME)), Abraham Vermeulen (AME Lead for corn, diverse field crops and sugar) and Stefan van Zyl (Marketing Support Manager, Syngenta South Africa) during their tour and also enjoyed two additional weeks visiting France, Germany and Switzerland's country side with their youngest daughter.

Koos Barnard said: “It was fantastic to meet a fellow South African, Kalla Hugo, who works for Syngenta AG in Basel, Switzerland and to tour Syngenta’s world renowned research and development centre in Stein.” 
 
“It was so interesting to see how Stein’s seed research is improving methods for seed treatment and to understand how the formulations are put together, “ commented Koos, “The insecticide testing laboratory was just as fascinating. It was amazing to see and learn how an insecticide will target and kill one specific insect and simultaneously do no harm to another.”
 
As the main sponsor for Grain South Africa’s annual Grain Producer of the Year award, Syngenta South Africa offers the winner a trip to Syngenta AG, Basel, Switzerland plus a tour of one of its most innovative global research facilities based in Stein.