Beyond the financial impact, criminal activity in counterfeit products undermines the achievement of nine of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals: no poverty; zero hunger; good health & well-being; clean water & sanitation; decent work & economic growth; responsible consumption & production; life below water; life on land; peace, justice & strong institutions.
Anti-counterfeiting and Brand Protection
Grow Right! Authentic and legal crop protection and seed products allow farmers to grow right.
Authentic and legal products undergo extensive testing and strict regulatory evaluation before being placed on the market. These development and government review processes serve to ensure only safe and high-quality products are commercialised.
However, there is a growing number of counterfeits and illegal products on the market. These illicit products compromise sustainable agriculture and also pose an unacceptable risk to human and environmental health. At Corteva, we have a global anticounterfeiting strategy to protect our customers and our brands.
Counting the cost
Global surveys indicate an average of 10% of the global crop protection and seed market are lost to counterfeit and illegal products. This criminal activity is costing the agricultural industry billions of dollars each year.
Corteva Agriscience´s Role
Corteva Agriscience has implemented a global strategy to efficiently combat production, trade and use of counterfeit and illegal crop protection and seed products. Our Anti-Counterfeit and Brand Protection strategy takes a full product lifecycle approach.
Working with farmers
Working proactively and reactively across the agricultural value chain – from production through distribution, sale and final use – we help farmers to grow right. We do this by providing them with information on how to purchase authentic, registered products produced by Corteva Agriscience™.
Working with authorities
We have an active global network to implement our anti-counterfeit and brand protection strategy. Close cooperation with authorities and law enforcement bodies, such as customs and police, is a key pillar of our anti-counterfeit approach. Corteva actively fosters and supports intellectual property rights and shares intelligence about illicit products.
Training and advocacy
Corteva provides training across the agricultural value chain, elevating awareness of criminal activities by highlighting the risks associated with production, trade and use of counterfeit products. We give distributors, farmers and authorities advice and information on how to distinguish a counterfeit from an original Corteva Agriscience product.
Recognize and avoid Illegal and counterfeit products
What can farmers do to avoid the use of counterfeit or otherwise illegal crop protection products and/or seeds?
- Buy crop protection products / seeds only from a known and trustworthy dealer and never buy from the “black market” (e.g. directly from a truck or from any other non-authorized dealer).
- Ask for a correct and complete invoice, including the name of the product(s) and/or varieties purchased.
- Be suspicious if products or varieties are offered at an unusually low price or with foreign labels.
- Always immediately report any suspicious product or supplier to relevant authorities to protect your health, environment and the sustainability of farming.
- Ensure safety features have not been compromised and original seal is still in place.