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Reaching the Consumer via the Sales Organization Agricultural Chemicals

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D. J . KEATING and W . B. SHAFER Agricultural Chemicals Division, Stauffer Chemical 380 Madison Ave., New York, Ν. Y.

Co.,

There is no question but that the agricultural chem­ icals industry is going to grow. However, it is vi­ tally important that we all recognize that it must be built. It must be built upon research and tech­ nical service. The industry's growth pattern may well parallel the pharmaceutical industry, the growth of which has been predicated upon substan­ tial investments in research and major expenditures in technical service. Only with the further devel­ opment of productive research and the organiza­ tion of efficient technical service, can the agricul­ tural chemicals business be built to the stature which it merits in the competitive decade ahead.

A l l of us a r e i n t r i g u e d b y the f u t u r e . A n d , as responsible businessmen, we m u s t be. F o r a l l of us recognize t h a t no o r g a n i z a t i o n , n o i n d u s t r y , c a n progress a n d prosper unless i t c o n s t a n t l y appraises the f u t u r e a n d p l a n s its o w n d e v e l o p ­ m e n t i n h a r m o n y w i t h t h e new needs a n d c o m p e t i t i v e forces w h i c h are a r i s i n g . B u t one i m p r e s s i v e f a c t i s t h a t often m a n y of us t e n d t o r e g a r d the f u t u r e as b e i n g v e i l e d a n d m y s t e r i o u s ; the f u t u r e , w e a r e o f t e n p e r s u a d e d , is b o u n d to be different f r o m either the p a s t or the present. T h a t , i n degree, of course, is t r u e . H o w e v e r , w h a t we do n o t a l w a y s appreciate is t h a t the future does not neces­ s a r i l y h a v e t o be so different, so i n d e t e r m i n a t e . F o r , after a l l , the future is m e r e l y a n extension of the present. T h e present grew o u t of the p a s t a n d t h e f u t u r e has its m a k i n g s i n t h e present. C o n s e q u e n t l y , i f we a n a l y z e c u r r e n t c i r c u m s t a n c e s t h o u g h t f u l l y , we c a n d e t e r m i n e the shape of the f u t u r e w i t h r e a ­ sonable c l a r i t y a n d c e r t a i n t y . W e propose, therefore, t o assess some of the m a j o r trends w h i c h are t a k i n g p l a c e t o d a y . W e s h a l l e v a l u a t e some of t h e i m p o r t a n t economic a n d t e c h n i c a l developments a n d assess t h e i r i m p a c t o n b o t h t h e course a n d s t a t u r e of the a g r i c u l t u r a l c h e m i c a l s i n d u s t r y . T h e n we m u s t d e t e r m i n e h o w o u r sales o r g a n i ­ z a t i o n s m u s t be s t r u c t u r e d if t h e y are to f u n c t i o n most effectively i n the decade t o c o m e . F o r t h a t is of p e r v a d i n g i m p o r t a n c e . O v e r the p a s t few y e a r s I h a v e h e a r d a n d r e a d m u c h a b o u t how the a g r i c u l t u r a l chemicals i n d u s t r y is going t o 60

CHEMICAL MARKETING IN THE COMPETITIVE SIXTIES Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1959.

61

KEATING AND SHAFER—REACHING THE CUSTOMER: AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS

grow. T h e c a s u a l use of t h a t w o r d " g r o w " a n n o y s ; i t i m p l i e s a c e r t a i n t y w h i c h is sure t o e v o l v e , regardless of h o w l e i s u r e l y o r b u m b l i n g w e m a y be. O u r i n ­ d u s t r y w i l l , t o be sure, grow. B u t , i n essence, i t m u s t be b u i l t . W e m u s t b u i l d i t — t h r o u g h i n v e s t m e n t s i n research, s t u d y o f e c o n o m i c needs, i n t e l l i g e n t p l a n ­ n i n g , a n d b y s e l l i n g . A n d s o u n d s e l l i n g c a n be a c c o m p l i s h e d o n l y i f w e h a v e sales o r g a n i z a t i o n s w h i c h a r e geared t o t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s t h a t w i l l p r e v a i l i n the n o w - c l o s e sixties.

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What Is Happening Today N e w P r o d u c t s . I t is s o m e w h a t t r i t e , b u t l i t e r a l l y t r u e , t o s a y t h a t b o t h a g r i c u l t u r e a n d t h e a g r i c u l t u r a l c h e m i c a l s i n d u s t r y h a v e undergone a r e v o l u t i o n i n recent y e a r s . M a n y factors h a v e c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h i s r e v o l u t i o n , b u t a m o n g the most n o t e w o r t h y has been t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f a m y r i a d of n e w p r o d u c t s . A l l of u s i n t h e i n d u s t r y a r e a w a r e of t h e s t r e a m o f n e w pesticides w h i c h is p o u r i n g o u t o f research l a b o r a t o r i e s . H o w e v e r , i m m e r s e d as w e a r e i n t h e d a y - t o - d a y affairs of o u r business, w e m a y n o t be f u l l y conscious of t h e degree t o w h i c h research has recast o u r e n t i r e i n d u s t r y . T a b l e I m e r i t s c o n s i d e r a t i o n , because i t profiles w h a t i s h a p p e n i n g a n d p r o v i d e s a s i g n i f i c a n t perspective. Table I.

U. S. Production of Some Major Pesticidal Chemicals (1000 pounds) 1956

Chemical Aldrin, chlordan, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, and toxaphene (com­ bined production) Benzene hexachloride (gross) Benzene hexachloride (gamma equivalent) Calcium arsenate Copper naphthenate Copper sulfate 2,4-D acid 2,4-D acid esters 2,4-D acid salts' DDT Disodium methylarsonate Lead arsenate Methyl bromide Methyl parathion Nabam Parathion (ethyl parathion) Pentachlorophenol Phenyl mercuric acetate Sodium chlorate 2,4,5-T acid 2,4,5-T acid esters Ziram Preliminary. b

6

1957

1958

86,659 84,599

75,424 39,559°

31,000

14,700 27,106 2,012 133,616 28,835 19,476 1,766 137,659 * 11,756 10,204 * 5,486 6,529 31,385 693 110,136 5,169 7,045 1,436

7,300° 19,478° 2,130 141,360 34,251° 24,1371 3,182/ 124,545° 618 11,920° 9,653 1,925 4,961 5,962 28,346 570 118,284 5,334° 6,831 1,277

e

6,200 9,000 97,192 28,500 22,827 143,216 t f ι f f t f

134,498 3,500 t f

β

1958 includes lindane; 1956 and 1957 without lindane. ° Revised figure. * Sodium and amine salts. • Figure not publishable because it would disclose individual operations. Figure not yet available. Sources. U . S. Tariff Commission, U . S. Bureau of the Census, U . S. Bureau of Mines, chemical industry. b

1

I n t h e decade o f t h e fifties i m p r e s s i v e advances have been m a d e b y " n e w " pesticides. T h e c h l o r i n a t e d h y d r o c a r b o n s ( a l d r i n , c h l o r d a n , d i e l d r i n , e n d r i n , h e p t a c h l o r , a n d toxaphene) h a v e m o v e d f r o m a v e r y meager o u t p u t i n 1950 CHEMICAL MARKETING IN THE COMPETITIVE SIXTIES Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1959.

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to 98,280,000 pounds last year; 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T from practically nothing to 73,725,000 pounds in 1957; D D T from limited production to 143,216,000 pounds. O n the other hand, some of the old staples—for example, calcium arsenate— have faltered. What is mirrored here, too, is a striking parallel between our own industry and the pharmaceutical industry. The trend in recent years in pharmaceutical chemicals has been to develop, through research, more effective and in many cases more specific médicinale. F o r instance, about ten years ago approximately 9 0 % of the prescriptions which were dispensed were prepared by the druggist. H e mixed and blended various ingredients, many of them crude drugs, of some medicinal merit—a sirup, an analgesic. Then pharmaceutical research yielded the specifics—the antibiotics, antihistamines, sulfas—each of which had a particular therapeutic worth. Consequently, some 9 0 % of today's prescriptions are prepackaged specifics. In agricultural chemioals we are destined to follow a similar path. M a n y of the newer pesticides are specifics; many of the products we now market are prepackaged specialties, formulated to do particular pest control jobs. When the pharmaceutical industry was in the throes of transition, it became evident that the structure of its marketing organization had to be modified. T h e pharmaceutical makers had to educate the medical profession, had to inform doctors of the characteristics and uses of their new products. So the "detail m a n " became the important element in pharmaceutical marketing, the foundation on which much of the industry's growth was built. We, too, must recognize the new informational needs which are arising in our industry. T h e circumstances of the future are going to dictate that we have large staffs of ••detail men"—agricultural specialists who can inform and advise farmers of the products and procedures which should be used to prevent or remedy agricultural problems. T h a t is going to be one of the keystones of any successful sales organization in the competitive sixties. There is another similarity between the pharmaceutical industry and ours, and it is also reflected in the statistics tabulated. A dozen or so pharmaceutical companies have grown lustily in the past decade. Hundreds have slipped into obscurity. Those which have grown, without exception, have invested heavily in research. Those which have failed have, in the main, done little or no research. They were content to compound and mix and to sell what they could. Thev contributed little to the growth of the market—often, indeed, they relied on the quick sale at a cut price as their sole business asset. T h e survival rate of these non contributing pharmaceutical firms has been low, very low. W e can, with a considerable degree of assurance, predict that the future of any firms of this type in the agricultural chemicals industry is dismal. Our industry has matured. It is a specialized business. Investments in research, in the development of new products, in the expansion of technical services, are now fundamental necessities. A n y company which ignores those truths has no prospect of staying in business in the competitive decade which now confronts us. Change in Farming Profound changes have been effected in the nature of our product line. B u t just as importantly changes have taken place, and are taking place, in the nature of the market for our products.

CHEMICAL MARKETING IN THE COMPETITIVE SIXTIES Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1959.

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T h e r e a r e t o d a y f a r fewer f a r m s t h a n there were a decade or t w o ago. B u t t h e average f a r m is n o w m u c h l a r g e r . I n 1940, f o r e x a m p l e , there were 6,500,000 f a r m s i n t h e U . S. A v e r a g e acreage p e r f a r m w a s 174 acres. N o w there are 4,700,000 f a r m s ; average acreage h a s r i s e n t o m o r e t h a n 240 acres (242 acres i n 1955). W h a t these figures d e p i c t is o b v i o u s . T h e r e is a m o v e m e n t a w a y f r o m t h e f a m i l y f a r m a n d f a r m i n g as a w a y of life. ( A b o u t 21,000,000 people l i v e o n f a r m s i n t h i s c o u n t r y n o w c o m p a r e d w i t h 31,000,000 i n 1940.) T o d a y ' s f a r m s are l a r g e r u n i t s . T h e y a r e r u n i n t h e same m a n n e r as m o d e r n businesses. I n some respects t h e f a r m has become a f a c t o r y — a f a c t o r y w h i c h produces crops of foods or fibers. A n d l a r g e r m o d e r n f a r m s , j u s t l i k e factories, n o w h a v e m a n a g e m e n t t e a m s t o ensure efficient a n d p r o f i t a b l e o p e r a t i o n . T h i s t r e n d t o w a r d t h e c o n c e n t r a t i o n of f a r m acreage a n d t h e u t i l i z a t i o n of the methods o f business m a n a g e m e n t w i l l be a m a j o r c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of t h e sixties. I f w e a r e t o c a p i t a l i z e o n t h i s t r e n d , w e m u s t r e a l i g n o u r sales o r g a n i z a t i o n s . I n business, as w e a l l k n o w , few orders f o r i n d u s t r i a l c h e m i c a l s are r e c e i v e d b y h a v i n g salesmen c a l l o n l y o n p u r c h a s i n g agents. P r o d u c t i o n m e n , too, are p u r c h a s i n g influences; so a r e other staff people i n m a n a g e m e n t , research, a n d so f o r t h . W i t h a s i m i l a r d i v e r s i t y of p u r c h a s i n g influences d e v e l o p i n g i n a g r i c u l t u r e , w e w i l l h a v e t o b u i l d d e p t h i n t o o u r sales o r g a n i z a t i o n s . P a r t i c u l a r l y to i n t r o d u c e n e w p r o d u c t s , we m u s t h a v e squads of " d e t a i l m e n " o r a g r i c u l t u r a l specialists. W e s h a l l h a v e t o h a v e t o o , other s p e c i a l i s t s , those w h o can t a l k d o l l a r s a n d cents w i t h p u r c h a s i n g agents, those w h o c a n discuss a p p l i c a t i o n methods w i t h p r o d u c t i o n m a n a g e r s , those w h o c a n a p p r a i s e p e s t i c i d a l c o n d i t i o n s w i t h entomologists. I c a n e n v i s i o n a s t r a t u m of s p e c i a l i s t s — b y crop a n d b y p r o d u c t — w h o w i l l be responsible for " m a r k e t i n g i n d e p t h . " A n d , i n c i d e n t a l l y , t h i s w i l l p u t n e w d e m a n d s u p o n sales m a n a g e m e n t , f o r i t s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y w i l l be t o c o o r d i n a t e these m a n y t a l e n t s . Continued Inflation W e must anticipate too, i n p l a n n i n g our m a r k e t i n g programs, that we are g o i n g t o c o n t i n u e to be subject to t h e penalties of i n f l a t i o n . A l l o f us hear m a n y p u b l i c pronouncements o n t h e e v i l s of i n f l a t i o n . M o s t of these a r e u t t e r e d w i t h the same n o b i l i t y of s p i r i t as are t h e pronouncements w h i c h c o n d e m n s i n . B u t , i n a c t u a l i t y , j u s t as there are those w h o p r i v a t e l y r e l i s h s i n , so there r e a l l y a r e n o potent forces w h i c h are r u g g e d l y a g a i n s t i n f l a t i o n . I n d e e d , i f y o u a n a l y z e the comments w h i c h m o s t people i n d u l g e i n w h e n t h e y discuss i n f l a t i o n y o u w i l l notice t h a t t h e r e a l , a n d t h e o n l y , fear is t h a t r u n a w a y i n f l a t i o n m a y engulf o u r e c o n o m y . I n l i g h t of t h a t c i r c u m s t a n c e we m u s t conclude t h a t o u r general economic course i s g o i n g t o be a n i n f l a t i o n a r y one. C o n t r o l l e d i n f l a t i o n , w e t r u s t , b u t i n f l a t i o n nevertheless. T h a t means t h a t , w i t h o u t d o u b t , o u r o w n costs w i l l continue t o r i s e — o u r research a n d m a n u f a c t u r i n g costs, t r a v e l a n d s e l l i n g expenses, a n d so o n . B u t of e q u a l i m p o r t a n c e , a g r i c u l t u r a l costs a r e going t o m o v e u p s t e a d i l y too. I n a l l p r o b a b i l i t y t h e i m p a c t of i n f l a t i o n w i l l be greater o n t h e f a r m t h a n o n i n d u s t r y . F a r m l a b o r cost a r e a l r e a d y p r o v i n g t o be b u r d e n s o m e ; l a b o r costs are n o w a m a t t e r of consequence t o a l l f a r m e r s . T h e y a r e g o i n g t o become even m o r e so w i t h i n t h e next few y e a r s . T h u s w e a r e confronted w i t h a challenge a n d accorded a n o p p o r t u n i t y . T h e challenge w i l l be t o c o n t r o l o u r o w n costs ; the o p p o r t u n i t y t h a t is o u r s i s CHEMICAL MARKETING IN THE COMPETITIVE SIXTIES Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1959.

ADVANCES IN CHEMISTRY SERIES

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t o develop l a b o r - s a v i n g c h e m i c a l s — p a r t i c u l a r l y h e r b i c i d e s — w h i c h c a n be used i n r a i s i n g h i g h - l a b o r cost crops a n d l o w e r t h e f a r m e r ' s costs. T h e pressure i s going t o be o n o u r i n d u s t r y t o develop these compounds. T h e t a s k o f o u r sales forces is g o i n g to be greater i n order t o r e a c h t h e c o n suming farmer.

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Mechanization of Farms W i t h l a b o r costs m o u n t i n g , a n d w e a r e c o n v i n c e d t h a t t h e y a r e going t o c o n t i n u e t o m o u n t , a n d w i t h t h e t r e n d t o w a r d larger u n i t acreages, t h e f a r m of the f u t u r e m i g h t w e l l be r e g a r d e d as a n a g r i c u l t u r a l f a c t o r y . A n d j u s t as t h e i n e v i t a b l e t r e n d i n i n d u s t r y i s t o t h e i n s t a l l a t i o n of m o r e m e c h a n i z e d e q u i p m e n t , so w e m a y expect a p a r a l l e l d e v e l o p m e n t i n a g r i c u l t u r e . A glance a t F i g u r e 1 w i l l r e v e a l w h a t i s a l r e a d y t a k i n g p l a c e i n t e r m s of f a r m m e c h a n i z a t i o n . A n d m e c h a n i z a t i o n of a g r i c u l t u r e i s as y e t o n l y i n a n e a r l y phase. W e c a n a n t i c i p a t e t h a t t h e sheer pressure o f economics w i l l b r o a d e n a n d accelerate the trend*toward greater m e c h a n i z a t i o n . A s a n o t h e r facet of m e c h a n i z a t i o n , a n d o n e w h i c h is destined t o e x p a n d , consider t h e r a p i d g r o w t h of a e r i a l a p p l i c a t i o n practices. T h e acreage of crops a n d f o r e s t s — a n d forests a r e n o w b e i n g p r o p e r l y categorized as t i m b e r c r o p l a n d — t r e a t e d w i t h pesticides f r o m t h e a i r i n 1957 w a s 1 8 . 4 % over 1956 a n d 2 4 . 9 % o v e r 1955. Table II.

Aerial Application of Pesticides and Defoliants in the United States in 1957 Materials Dispersed Liquid. 1000 gal.

Activity

Area Treated, 1000 Acres

Dry, 10001b.

Insect control, total Crops, orchards, etc. Forests Towns Soils Plant disease control Weed control Brush control Defoliation Total

46,157 30,472 10^38 2,695 2,652 1,048 6,904 585 2,094 56,788

215,269 213,902 151 517 699 13,725 12 172 12,968 242,146

Source.

64,618 51,946 7,698 2,251 2,723 3,103 12,112 2,294 11,415 93,542

C A A Statistical Handbook of C i v i l Aviation, 1958 edition.

Impact on These Trends I t is a p p a r e n t t o even t h e most c a s u a l observer, t h a t p o w e r f u l forces— research, l a b o r costs, m e c h a n i z a t i o n , a n d t h e business o r i e n t a t i o n of a g r i c u l t u r e — a r e s i n g l y , a n d i n c o m b i n a t i o n , d r i v i n g t h e a g r i c u l t u r a l c h e m i c a l business i n t o a n e w p e r i o d of e x p a n s i o n . T h e r e are t o d a y some areas of research w h i c h h a v e been explored o n l y i n a p e r i p h e r a l sense. T h e r e i s , f o r instance, m u c h t h a t w e d o n o t k n o w a b o u t s o i l - b o r n e p l a n t diseases, m u c h t h a t w e h a v e y e t t o do i n t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of s o i l f u m i g a n t s , w h i c h w o u l d i n c l u d e s o i l insecticides, soil fungicides, a n d nematocides. S i n c e t h e a d v e n t of 2 , 4 - D — a n d t h a t w a s o n l y a few y e a r s a g o — o u r i n d u s t r y has focused a considerable a m o u n t of research o n herbicides. B u t , there a g a i n , m u c h r e m a i n s t o be done i f w e a r e t o c o n t r o l the vaist a r r a y of weeds w h i c h p l a g u e a g r i c u l t u r e . W e h a v e begun, b u t o n l y begun, t o s t u d y t h e i n f e s t a t i o n s of forests. T h i s CHEMICAL MARKETING IN THE COMPETITIVE SIXTIES Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1959.

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a r e a w i l l become a more i m p o r t a n t a n d a c t i v e one a n d scores of c o m p o u n d s w i l l be o r i g i n a t e d t o cope w i t h the m u l t i t u d e of pests t o w h i c h o u r forest l a n d s are subject. T h e r e is p r o m i s e t o o — e a r l y p r o m i s e , t o be s u r e — i n s y s t e m i c insecticides a n d i n m i c r o b i a l p e s t i c i d a l agents. W e are, i t is c e r t a i n , o n t h e t h r e s h o l d of s i g n i f i c a n t discoveries i n those areas. A l l these developments, a n d a l l these economic c i r c u m s t a n c e s are s u r g i n g t r e n d s , are going t o t h r u s t new r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s o n o u r m a r k e t i n g o r g a n i z a t i o n s .

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THOUSANDS

1940

Figure 1.

1945

1950

1955

Ι95Θ

Increase in number of machines on farms Data as of January 1 A Exclusive of steam and garden types Source. Department of Agriculture

Impact on Marketing T h e roster of new p r o d u c t s w i l l be a c c o m p a n i e d , of course, b y m a n y t e c h ­ n i c a l d a t a . O u r sales o r g a n i z a t i o n s w i l l h a v e t o be m a d e u p of t e c h n i c a l l y k n o w l e d g e a b l e specialists. T h e i r f u n c t i o n m a y w e l l be t o a c t m o r e as a g r i ­ c u l t u r a l c o n s u l t a n t e t h a n as " s a l e s m e n . " A s a consequence w e c a n a n t i c i p a t e t h a t t e c h n i c a l service w i l l be one of o u r m a j o r sales costs i n the next decade. M o r e o v e r , as o u r o w n m a n p o w e r costs increase, n o t o n l y i n t e r m s of cost p e r m a n b u t a l s o i n l i g h t of t h e broadened t e c h n i c a l services we s h a l l be c a l l e d u p o n t o render, we s h a l l h a v e t o c a p i t a l i z e u p o n t h e m o s t e c o n o m i c a l c o m m u n i ­ cations techniques we c a n devise. T h e r e i s , of course, no s u b s t i t u t e for the m a n i n t h e f i e l d — f o r p e r s o n a l s e l l i n g . B u t w e s h a l l , we suspect, p a y m o r e heed t o b u t t r e s s i n g his efforts b y the use of m o r e sales a i d s . O u r i n d u s t r y invests s u b s t a n t i a l l y i n a d v e r t i s i n g . S o m e of these funds are w e l l i n v e s t e d i n f a c t u a l , i n f o r m a t i v e , f r u i t f u l a d v e r t i s ­ i n g . M u c h a d v e r t i s i n g , however, is p r e t t y , c o l o r f u l , a n d b u r d e n e d w i t h g l i t t e r ­ i n g c l a i m s w h i c h f r i n g e , to s a y t h e least, o n fiction. T h e d e c a d e of flossy a d v e r t i s i n g is g o i n g ; the t i m e is c o m i n g w h e n the a d v e r t i s i n g of a l l a g r i c u l ­ t u r a l c h e m i c a l s w i l l be f a c t u a l a n d f u n c t i o n a l , w h e n fitting respect w i l l be p a i d to the intelligence of the f a r m audience. I t is p r o b a b l e , too, t h a t we ishall u t i l i z e the f a c i l i t i e s of closed c i r c u i t T V , CHEMICAL MARKETING IN THE COMPETITIVE SIXTIES Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1959.

Downloaded by EAST CAROLINA UNIV on January 3, 2018 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: June 17, 1959 | doi: 10.1021/ba-1959-0024.ch009

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ADVANCES IN CHEMISTRY SERIES

so t h a t a g r i c u l t u r a l s e m i n a r s m a y be conducted c o n v e n i e n t l y o n a c o a s t - t o coast basis. H o w e v e r , t h e basis for the g r o w t h of o u r i n d u s t r y , a n d c e r t a i n l y the basis f o r t h e s u r v i v a l of a n y c o m p a n y , is g o i n g to l i e i n t h e p r o d u c t i v e n e s s of i t s research a n d t h e c h a r a c t e r of the t e c h n i c a l services w h i c h are rendered b y staff specialists. L e t us n o t forget t h a t one fifth of the food crops p l a n t e d b y m a n k i n d each y e a r never r e a c h the d i n n e r t a b l e . T h e y are d e s t r o y e d o r d a m a g e d b y insect pests, fungus, or disease. A n d , i n some countries, a n a d d i t i o n a l 1 0 % of t h e h a r v e s t s is d e s t r o y e d i n storage or i n t r a n s i t , b y rodents, f u n g i , or o t h e r pests. T h i s represents a s t a g g e r i n g e c o n o m i c waste. A n d w h e r e s u c h w a s t e exists, there is a c l e a r - c u t o p p o r t u n i t y for the d e v e l o p m e n t o f means t o c u r b s u c h losses. T h a t is t h e purpose of o u r i n d u s t r y . T h a t is t h e o p p o r t u n i t y w h i c h i s ours. O u r i n d u s t r y w i l l , t o be sure, c o n t i n u e to grow. B u t we s h o u l d n e v e r forget t h a t i t is o u r r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o ensure not j u s t t h a t i t grows, b u t m o r e i m p o r t a n t l y , t h a t the a g r i c u l t u r a l c h e m i c a l s i n d u s t r y is b u i l t . F o r t h a t is o u r charge.

CHEMICAL MARKETING IN THE COMPETITIVE SIXTIES Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1959.