Bayer CropScience Accepting Applications for the Second Annual Plant Health Scholarship Program

August 27, 2014

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (August 28, 2014) — To further advance plant health research and education in the turf care industry, Environmental Science, a division of Bayer CropScience LP, today announced the application opening for the second annual Healthy Turf, Healthy Tomorrow Plant Health Scholarship. Two superintendent applicants will each receive a $2,500 scholarship to continue their education in the area of plant health as part of the Healthy Turf, Healthy Tomorrow program Bayer developed in collaboration with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America’s (GCSAA’s) Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG).

“We are excited to support superintendents who value continuing education and are helping to lead the way to a healthier, more sustainable future,” said David Wells, golf business manager for Bayer’s professional turf and ornamentals (T&O) business. “The Plant Health Scholarship program aims to empower superintendents with the tools they need to further plant health on their courses and share practices and insights that will help promote a better future for the T&O industry.”

Superintendents may apply for the Plant Health Scholarships now through October 10. Scholarship recipients may use the award to attend local, regional or national educational conferences, or to enroll in continuing education programs at an institution of higher learning. To apply, superintendents can visit the application page at www.backedbybayer.com/healthy-turf. Applicants must be employed as a golf course superintendent, and must also be a Class A or superintendent member (SM) of GCSAA and be enrolled in My Bayer Rewards customer loyalty program. Applicants must also be employed within the U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii.

Here’s what last year’s Plant Health Scholarship recipients have to say about the program:

“Going back to school is one of the best decisions of my life, and I’m learning things that help me just about every day on the course,” said John Petrovsky, GCSAA superintendent member at Greenbriar Woodlands Golf Club, Toms River, N.J., who is using the Plant Health Scholarship to help fund his full-time coursework at Penn State University. “It’s not your grandfather’s superintendent job anymore – you need to be thinking ahead, long-term, all the time, and this program is helping me to do that.”

“Given an unpredictable economy and the increasing complexity of our role as superintendents, I can’t emphasize enough the value and importance of continuing education to keeping the industry alive,” said Michael K. McNamara, GCSAA Class A superintendent, TPC Prestancia, Sarasota, Fla. “It’s an honor to be selected, and the learnings I gained were invaluable to the success of course renovations I’m overseeing at TPC Prestancia.”

About Healthy Turf, Healthy Tomorrow

The Plant Health Scholarship is part of Healthy Turf, Healthy Tomorrow, a multi-faceted initiative to advance plant health research and education for the turf industry. In addition to scholarships, the Healthy Turf, Healthy Tomorrow program includes plant health-related webinars, demonstration courses and the Plant Health Academy. To fund Healthy Turf, Healthy Tomorrow, Bayer invests a percentage of StressGard Formulation Technology (FT) product sales each year for three years – a minimum commitment of $300,000 over three years. Funds generated through the program will also be dedicated to the EIFG to support research, education, advocacy and scholarship initiatives executed by GCSAA.

Bayer has been developing products with plant health attributes for nearly 20 years, starting with the origin of StressGard FT, which is now featured in several Bayer fungicides, including Tartan®, Interface®, Chipco® Signature™, Fiata™ StressGard and Mirage™ StressGard. StressGard FT helps fortify natural plant defenses and promote plant growth.

For more information visit www.BackedbyBayer.com.

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http://twitter.com/BayerGolf

Bayer Lawn Twitter Page:
http://twitter.com/BayerLawn

Bayer CropScience is committed to bringing new technology and solutions for agriculture and non-agricultural uses. For questions concerning the availability and use of products, contact a local Bayer CropScience representative, or visit Bayer CropScience online at www.bayercropscience.us.


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About Bayer CropScience
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, agriculture and high-tech materials. Bayer CropScience, the subgroup of Bayer AG responsible for the agricultural business, has annual sales of EUR 8,819 million (2013) and is one of the world’s leading innovative crop science companies in the areas of seeds, crop protection and non-agricultural pest control. The company offers an outstanding range of products including high value seeds, innovative crop protection solutions based on chemical and biological modes of action as well as an extensive service backup for modern, sustainable agriculture. In the area of non-agricultural applications, Bayer CropScience has a broad portfolio of products and services to control pests from home and garden to forestry applications. The company has a global workforce of 22,400 and is represented in more than 120 countries. This and further news is available at: www.press.bayercropscience.com.

Contact:
Bayer CropScience Media Hotline, 1-877-879-6162, or

Casey Allen
Manager of External Communications
Bayer CropScience LP
Tel: (919) 549-2607
Email: casey.allen@bayer.com

Ciara Ahern
Global Prairie
Tel: (216) 374-1274
Email: ciara.ahern@global-prairie.com

Find more information at www.bayercropscience.us.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

©2014 Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer (reg’d), the Bayer Cross (reg’d), Fiata™, StressGard™, Tartan®, Interface®, Chipco®, Signature™ and Mirage™ are trademarks of Bayer. For additional product information call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at www.BayerCropScience.us.