Vilmorin & Cie - Annual report 2017-2018

ANNUAL REPORT Vilmorin & Cie 108 2017-2018 Social, environmental and societal INFORMATION 4 Starcover, a technology that contributes to the expression of seed performance A seed is a promise. That of production for the farmer or grower, but a promise that may fade as various hazards follow one after the other until harvest. Putting the seed in the best possible starting conditions is an issue to which seed treatment contributes. Limagrain Europe is innovating and during the fiscal year, in Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Italy and the Netherlands, launched an original biostimulant called Starcover. Applied in seed treatment, it combines two active ingredients of natural origin – a plant extract and a bacterium – which act synergistically around the corn seed. The promise of Starcover is to provide more and better roots for better access to soil nutrients, better phosphorus uptake and a more vigorous plant start. All these advantages contribute overall to improved regularity between plants and greater stability in the plot in the face of climatic conditions, thus improving yield expression. Starcover will be launched in other European countries in the coming fiscal years. Cultivating proximity with farmers and meeting their needs for information and advice through digital technology During the year, the Business Unit Limagrain Europe completed its offer of decision support tools (DST) for French farmers. The LG brand offers French farmers all the “LG Vision” management tools useful for managing their farm, free of charge, on a single dashboard. “LG Vision Ration Gagnante” therefore complements the other DTS available to manage choices of early planting, sowing density, irrigation management, grassland management and the fixing of harvest dates. This new tool for livestock farmers helps them to choose the most suitable and complementary corn and forage varieties according to the soil and climate conditions of the farm, but also the type of livestock and the farmer's objectives. The goal is to achieve maximum nutritional efficiency. In addition, LG launched its first application in France in fiscal year 2017-2018. Here again, the aim is to provide advice to the farmer on sowing density. Designed for grain corn growers, “LG Vision Density” allows them to determine the optimal seeding rate based on the variety sown and the characteristics of each plot. Through “LG Vision” , digital technology is therefore becoming an essential assistant to the farmer in many of the decisions he has to make. In an increasingly dispersed agricultural world, it can also be a real tool for sharing and linking the agricultural community. In this context, the LG brand set out to meet expectations by creating a Facebook community “Cultivating the land with LG Seeds” . Testimonials, opinions, experiences, advice, tips and tricks are the key words of this community, which brings together more than 2,000 Internet users. 4.2. Proposing innovative and responsible agri-food solutions