Enhanced Learning Blocks enable automation of large-scale, replicated and locally relevant field trials for better agronomic decision-making

DES MOINES, Iowa - (AgPR) - Long an industry leader in developing digital tools that enable growers and their advisors to make sound agronomic decisions, Premier Crop Systems, www.premiercrop.com, has received a capital investment from Syngenta Ventures, the companys venture capital arm, which will aid in the delivery of innovation to its customers.

"With additional capital from Syngenta Ventures, we will be better able to develop and deliver new tools to growers, their advisors and the research community," says Dan Frieberg, Premier Crop Systems CEO.

The Syngenta Ventures investment will help Premier Crop Systems expand its team of agronomists, data scientists and customer support staff to accommodate new and existing customers.

Gabriel Wilmoth, investment director with Syngenta Ventures, agrees. "Premier Crop System is the perfect fit for Syngenta Ventures. Our minority investment provides capital to help bring the benefits of their technology to more growers, advisors and researchers."

Enhanced Learning Blocks
The investment will also help to accelerate the launch of Premier Crop Systems newest innovation, Enhanced Learning Blocks, an extension of the highly successful Learning Blocks platform.

"Our new Enhanced Learning Blocks system represents a breakthrough in generating new agronomic knowledge cost-effectively, and on a much larger scale than ever before possible," Frieberg says.

In the spring of 2017, Syngenta Research & Development (R&D) evaluated Enhanced Learning Blocks in multiple field trials.

"Premier Crop Systems Learning Blocks provide a novel and simple way to validate treatments in grower fields," says Chuck Foresman, Digital Agriculture R&D Lead for Syngenta. "The addition of randomization and replication within those treatments is exciting to an R&D-driven company like Syngenta because it opens the possibility of scaling scientific field research."

The Proof is in the Field
"Growers want local trial results and you cant get more local than each of their own fields," says Kevin Kruize, Precision Ag Lead at Central Farm Service in southern Minnesota, which conducted Enhanced Learning Block field trials in 2016.

Mike Manning, Program Lead at Aurora Cooperative, Aurora, Nebr., says, "Premier Crop Systems has harnessed the technology in the cab - which my growers have already purchased - to enable us to scale our local research trials."

About Syngenta
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 and www.twitter.com/SyngentaUS.

About Premier Crop Systems
Premier Crop Systems is a leading precision ag-data processing and analysis company headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa. Now entering its 19th crop year, Premier Crop Systems data analysis drives better agronomic decisions that lead to higher yields, increased profits and more sustainable practices for customers including leading retailers, agronomists and growers who are interested in discovering new knowledge that can be used to make better planning, production and marketing decisions. Premier Crop Systems is proud to be the behind-the-scenes technology provider for the best precision ag programs in the country and is unwavering in its data policy commitment to the customers and growers they serve. Learn more at www.premiercrop.com.