For 25 years, farmers in Canada have relied on Raxil. What’s behind its lasting success?

In Canada, cereal farming isn’t a matter of quality or quantity. It’s both at once.

An industry with a CA$70bn footprint, cereals are planted on vast acreages – wheat alone accounts for 9.5 million hectares. At the same time, Canada is renowned for premium wheat, and has a lucrative export industry, serving 80 countries.

Cereal growers take their responsibility seriously. They invest in high-performing genetics and seed technologies. And they always look for ways to protect that investment from pests and diseases – a growing threat in a changing climate.

In this way, Canada’s global reputation rests on the actions of individual farmers on the ground. The right solutions, enabling effective crop protection while adhering to market standards and stewardship practices, can be real difference-makers.

That’s the reason Raxil was introduced to Canada 25 years ago. Already widely used in Europe, Australia and the US, it had become known for broad-spectrum disease management, including Fusarium and Cochliabolus pathogens. And farmers appreciated its ability to enhance the seeds they had invested in, supporting establishment and crop performance. Bayer’s integrated system-level thinking was in evidence, even back then!

It was not long until Raxil was widely adopted and seen as the standard-setter in Canada. “There can always be apprehension in the market when you introduce a new technology. Raxil shows that it’s possible to overcome that apprehension quickly when you deliver the right benefits,” says Ashley Smith, product manager, SeedGrowth. “It quickly generated a buzz and rose to the position of market leader, which it has now been for over 15 years. A real achievement over such a huge acreage.”

What made cereal growers put their trust in Raxil? Firstly, it built on a platform that Bayer had already formed with its strong reputation in Canada. Secondly, it addressed a clear need: Fusarium outbreaks had become widespread, and its seed-borne phase could cause serious quality issues. Thirdly, its protection wasn’t just effective – it was universal, too. No matter which cereal crop, it works. Plants get vital protection in the early spring, leading to improved establishment and vigor. Plus, it offers comparatively low use rate and excellent ease of use. For growers, it was the full package.

But the Raxil story isn’t only about instant success: it’s about constant evolution. The SeedGrowth team kept innovating, building a whole family of products. “We created a full pipeline,” explains Ashley Smith. “Initially, Raxil was based on tebuconazole – but when we added prothioconazole an as an active, it took things to a new level. Now, the activity against disease was systemic as well as contact.

“The innovation journey continued even further. Raxil Pro was introduced, combining three actives – and then in 2022 we launched Raxil Pro Shield, which also incorporates imidacloprid. So farmers can also access the Stress Shield effect, meaning they get disease protection and opportunities to better withstand stresses, all in the same package.”

There’s something else that sets the R&D pipeline apart: it’s about formulations as much as the products themselves. Bayer scientists are always exploring opportunities to optimize stability, ease of use, flowability and plantability.

The Canadian seed treatment market is notable for how decentralized it is. Up to 90% of seed treatment takes place locally or on-farm, rather than being performed by professional treaters. That means seed treatments need to work effortlessly in a wide range of conditions, and every practicality needs to be considered – even the packaging.

“Some of our biggest innovations in recent years have come on the application technology side,” says Ashley. “Formulating active ingredients to dry down quickly on the seed, work in a wide temperature range, flow and plant seamlessly – all this makes a huge difference to the customer experience.

“This is all made possible because we have a customer-centric pipeline. We tirelessly work to optimize our formulations, led by farmer feedback. Close collaboration with growers, backed by SeedGrowth colleagues’ commitment to improvement, has kept us ahead of evolving challenges for all these years.”

Raxil is an inspiring story – but it did not happen by chance. Hard work and creativity from a talented SeedGrowth team, and a commitment to putting the customer first, has been a game-changer for Raxil and for cereal production in Canada.

That commitment remains today – and we are always innovating, looking for new aspects to add to the Raxil portfolio. All in all, this means the Raxil story isn’t complete – and we’ll explore the next chapters in another article. It’s incredible for any solution to exist for 25 years and still have so much potential!