Dow Chemical Implements Sustainable Agriculture In Brazil As Part Of Carbon Mitigation Program For The Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Working with farmers from Mato Grosso, Dow will introduce precision agriculture technology and proprietary low-carbon solutions for seeds and crop protection to generate greenhouse gas reductions

BRASÍLIA, Brazil--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW), the “Official Chemistry Company” of the Olympic Games and Official Carbon Partner of the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee today announced that Dow AgroSciences Brazil is working with Brazilian farmers from the state of Mato Grosso to implement more sustainable agricultural practices that will generate climate benefits for the mitigation of Rio 2016’s direct carbon footprint.

“Agriculture plays a key role in the Brazilian economy and is also one of the largest sources of GHG emissions, therefore the opportunities to implement more sustainable practices are countless”

The Sustainable Agriculture project is a key element of Dow’s innovative “Sustainable Future” program being implemented across Brazil and Latin America, which utilizes energy-efficient technologies and low-carbon solutions to minimize greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Through the Sustainable Agriculture project, Dow, in collaboration with Farmers Edge, a world leader in precision agronomy, and Irriger, a Brazilian group specialized in irrigation management, will provide variable rate technology and expertise to farmers in Mato Grosso, one of Brazil’s main ‘breadbaskets’.

The project is designed to minimize environmental impact and optimize productivity in corn and soybean crops through higher yields, better varieties and more targeted pest control management. Implementation of the precision and variable rate technologies along with seeds and crop protection solutions from Dow is expected to result in lower rates of synthetic fertilizer application, leading to a reduction in emissions of nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas (GHG) and is produced as fertilizer decomposes. The reduced GHG emissions from this project will be applied towards Dow’s commitment to mitigate 500,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂eq) for the Rio 2016 Games.

“The objective is to help farmers produce more with less, and increase yield through advanced and more sustainable agricultural practices – all while contributing to one of Rio 2016’s most important sustainability goals,” said Welles Pascoal, president of Dow AgroSciences Brazil. “This project is fully aligned with Dow AgroSciences’ mission to put science at work to address the needs of an ever-growing world through innovative technologies for crop protection, seeds and biotechnology.”

Farmers participating in the project have access to services and technologies such as satellite imagery, precision harvest and profit maps, intensive soil sampling and laboratory analysis, weather monitoring, and detailed review of cropping plans and goals with variable rate technology experts. Seeds and crop protection solutions from Dow are also available to help optimize production and increase yields.

The climate benefits of the Sustainable Agriculture project will be realized over the next five years - far beyond the Olympic Games, creating a lasting legacy for farmers participating in the program. As reducing environmental impact continues to be an area of focus for agriculture in Brazil and globally, the Sustainable Agriculture announcement coincides with Dow AgroSciences Brazil’s support and participation in the World Congress on Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forest Systems (WCCLF), taking place in Brasilia, Brazil from July 12-17, 2015. During the conference, Dow AgroSciences Brazil will present case studies and contribute to discussions on this important topic.

Work with farmers started during preparation for the 2015 Brazilian soybean season, and will continue through the end of the 2016 corn harvest. Carbon emissions reductions will be tracked based on productivity increase and reductions in the use of fertilizers and fuel. The climate benefits generated by the Brazilian farms participating in the project will be measured, reviewed and verified by the third party Environmental Resource Management (ERM).

“Agriculture plays a key role in the Brazilian economy and is also one of the largest sources of GHG emissions, therefore the opportunities to implement more sustainable practices are countless,” commented Tânia Braga, head of Sustainability & Legacy for the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee, who spoke at the WCCFF about the Committee’s sustainability plans and goals. “The carbon mitigation program implemented by Dow and its partners is one of the key sustainability legacies of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The way we are collectively working to influence the entire value chain will bring great benefits for Brazil long after the Games are over.”

Following the successful execution of a similar “Sustainable Future” program in Sochi for the 2014 Olympic Games, Dow was selected as the Official Carbon Partner of Rio 2016 in September 2014. Dow designed a tailor-made program to address the technology needs for Brazil focused on farming, industrial processes and civil infrastructure to generate climate benefits for the mitigation of the direct carbon footprint of the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee. In addition to Dow’s commitment to mitigate 500,000 tons of CO₂eq from the organizing and hosting of the Games, Dow and Rio 2016 will also work to generate an additional 1.5 million tons of CO₂eq in climate benefits by 2026, to address other Games-related emissions.

About Dow

Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company is driving innovations that extract value from the intersection of chemical, physical and biological sciences to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, clean energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's integrated, market-driven, industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 180 countries and in high-growth sectors such as packaging, electronics, water, coatings and agriculture. In 2014, Dow had annual sales of more than $58 billion and employed approximately 53,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 6,000 product families are manufactured at 201 sites in 35 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.