About

Dr. Barbier is a soil and plant scientist and agrochemical marketing professional of extraordinary ability based upon his advanced specialization in the development, enhancement, and marketing of eco-friendly and commercially viable biopesticides. Dr. Barbier’s work history and education give him unique insight and knowledge of plant health and plant toxicology. His history of work in critical roles in major agribusiness corporations demonstrates that Marcel has made significant contributions to the creation, development, and marketing of effective, organic, and eco-friendly herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides created with naturally occurring plant extracts and minerals. Marcel’s history of work has shown his commitment to reducing the ecological harm associated with artificial agrochemical products, reducing worker and consumer exposure to hazardous chemicals, and increasing the effectiveness of products and services to conserve resources and allow both small farmers and major corporations to prosper. 

 

Dr. Barbier began his studies at Rafael Landivar University in Guatemala City, Guatemala in the year 1984. In 1988, Marcel won a scholarship to the University of Tennessee at Martin to study English for six months. Marcel graduated as a “phytotechnician” in the year 1991.  As a condition of receiving his formal title, Marcel was required to submit a bachelor’s thesis thereafter. While working on his bachelor’s thesis, Marcel began working as a banana farm manager with Chiquita Brands International (Chiquita) in Guatemala. From 1991 to 1993, Marcel managed a 500-acre banana farm and managed approximately 300 farmworkers. During his time working on the banana farm, Marcel gained in-depth and first-hand knowledge of Central American farming practices. Marcel developed a comprehensive understanding of the farming industry as a whole and, most importantly, how individual farmers and farm managers think. Marcel learned how bananas are planted, grown, and irrigated, and how drainage is maintained. Marcel also saw, firsthand, how the disease can affect the banana plant and how farmers are told or instructed to deal with certain diseases.

 

In the year 1993, Marcel was approached by representatives of Monsanto Company who offered him a position. From 1993 to 1997, Dr. Barbier worked as a Territory Manager for Monsanto Company in the Sales and Product Development department. During this time, Marcel was also able to conduct several years of research on the effects of glyphosate (Roundup) on banana plants which he used to complete his bachelor’s thesis. While at Monsanto, Marcel was instrumental in the development of “Ranger 24 SL,” an herbicide used to protect bananas, coffee beans, and other tropical crops. Dr. Barbier also assisted in the development of “Rival 68 SG,” an herbicide used by many smallholding farmers on crops such as corn and beans.  Marcel was particularly effective in the field of product marketing due to his first-hand understanding of how individual farmers think and his ability to effectively explain to farmers what they need and why they need it.

 

In 1997, Dr. Barbier received and accepted an offer from Rolando Amado to work with Bayer CropScience.  While working with Bayer, Marcel was sent to Germany where he studied toxicology and eco-toxicology to gain knowledge and expertise as to how pesticides and herbicides affect plant life. During this time, Marcel also worked with the “Global Crop Protection Federation” (later renamed, “CropLife International”), an international trade association for agribusiness companies. Marcel’s work with the trade association focused on the global harmonization of insecticide, fungicide, and herbicide product labeling. Before Marcel’s work to harmonize these labels, each country in Latin America (and the rest of the world) tended to use different labeling methods to display the active ingredients of the products. Due to this variation in labeling methods across countries, there was much confusion regarding how much product was required due to incorrect guidance and suggestions from international associates who were ignorant of the labeling differences. Due to this confusion, farmers across various countries tended to use agrochemical products very ineffectively. Marcel’s work with the trade organization was instrumental to the international regulation of the labeling of agrochemical products across the world to avoid this type of ineffective product application.

 

Marcel’s official title with Bayer CropScience was the “Product Stewardship Manager and Regional Registration Coordinator for Central American and the Caribbean.” As a part of Marcel’s duties in this position, he was responsible for instructing and training government regulatory officials throughout Central America on how to interpret and understand crop protection toxicology studies. Marcel used his knowledge and experience to design lectures and produce numerous PowerPoint presentations to assist in his presentations. Marcel traveled across Central America to educate regulatory officials on these complex toxicology studies so that regulators were capable of making fully informed decisions regarding whether or not certain crop protection products should be registered in their country. 

 

In the year 1999, after making one such presentation, Marcel was approached by Flavio Prezzi of “Zeneca Agrochemicals.” Mr. Prezzi informed Marcel that he was very impressed by Marcel’s ability to take very complex and dry information and present it to people in a way that was understandable and enjoyable to watch. Mr. Prezzi recognized that Marcel had a creative mind and a unique ability to process and successfully market complex information. Mr. Prezzi offered to double Marcel’s salary to work as Zeneca’s “Tropical Crops and Fungicide Product Manager for Central America.”  Marcel accepted this position shortly thereafter.

 

Soon after Marcel began working with Mr. Prezzi in 1999, Zeneca Agrochemicals merged with Novartis Agribusiness and became Syngenta Crop Protection (Syngenta). Marcel worked as the “Tropical Crops and Fungicide Product Manager for Central America” based in Guatemala City, Guatemala for approximately one year. Marcel’s duties in this position included designing programs to market and promote Syngenta’s fungicide products such as Bravo (Chlorothalonil), Amistar (Azoxystrobin), and Anvil (Hexaconazole). During that time, Marcel simultaneously found the time to process the extensive research that he performed while working with Monsanto and finally complete his 40-page bachelor’s thesis. With the submission and acceptance of his thesis, Marcel officially earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree in Agronomy from Rafael Landivar University in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

 

In the year 2000, Marcel was asked to move from Guatemala to São Paulo, Brazil to act as Syngenta’s “Regional Customer Relationship Manager (CRM) for Latin America.” In this position, Marcel worked with Flavio Prezzi, the Regional General Manager, and Rob Neill, the Regional Head of Marketing, and was responsible for developing a marketing program for fungicide services and products for the entire Latin American region. Marcel’s role was critically important to Syngenta at this time. From 2001 to 2003, Brazil experienced an epidemic of soybean rust that destroyed 50-70% of soybean crops throughout the country. Given that Brazil was (and still is) the largest exporter of soybeans in the world, this epidemic threatened to devastate the Brazilian economy. During this epidemic, Marcel and his team were responsible for collecting data regarding the spread of the disease, locating and communicating with potentially affected farmers, evaluating the farmers’ current methods of combating the fungi responsible for the soybean rust, and promoting what Syngenta referred to as its “pre-alert system.”

 

The pre-alert system was a crop screening and stewardship program developed by Marcel that packaged together fungicide products and services. If a customer agreed to sign on to this program, Syngenta would monitor designated, untreated sections of the farmers’ crops for fungi development. If any signs of soybean rust presented itself, Syngenta would treat the farmer’s crops with a variety of fungicide products and invoice the farmer for the use of any such agrochemicals. In addition to physically compiling this broad customer database using CRM software and marketing the pre-alert system, Marcel was also responsible for creating and managing the fungicide application schedule wherein various fungicide products were rotated based on their active ingredients and mode of action to maximize effectiveness and reduce the development of resistance. The programs and guidelines developed by Marcel during this time are still used by Syngenta to this day. 

 

During Marcel’s employment with Syngenta, he also assisted in expanding upon Syngenta’s pre-alert system when he discovered that most farmers used brokers to sell their crops to wholesalers. Marcel found that the brokers were not adding value to Syngenta or farmers and he assisted in the development of a new, personalized service for farmers known as “One To One” or “OTO.”  With this program, Syngenta used its broad connections throughout Latin America to provide farmers of limited means with necessary machines, farm equipment, and subcontractor information, as well as a direct line to various multinational grocery stores such as Carrefour and Tesco. Enrollment in this personalized service program allowed farmers to have easier and cheaper access to necessary equipment, gave farmers direct connections to high-end wholesalers, and allowed farmers to opt for assurances or guarantees from Syngenta that their product would be of high quality and suitable for sale at these high-end grocery chains. 

 

From 2003 to 2006, Marcel worked as the “Distribution Chain and E-Business Manager” in Mexico City, Mexico. While working in Mexico, Marcel collaborated with the Syngenta NAFTA regional IT team where they successfully developed a customized, online contract-ordering system called “AgBiz.”  The field of “E-Business” and “business-to-business software” was relatively new during this time; Marcel’s extensive experience with CRM software (which was also new at the time) gave him rare experience that was highly valuable to Syngenta in creating a tool for businesses to order and edit contracts with Syngenta and monitor and edit agrochemical product orders and stewardship services. Marcel’s work in developing the AgBiz software led to savings on costs and improved sales immensely for Syngenta. The AgBiz software is still used by Syngenta to this day. 

 

From 2006 to 2009, Marcel worked as the Regional Manager for Central America and the Caribbean for Stockton Agrimor AG (now called “Stockton Group”).  From 2009 until 2016, Marcel continued to work with Stockton as an independent consultant.  During this time, he worked primarily with Stockton’s subsidiary, Biomor, to develop a biopesticide product called “Timorex Gold 24 EC,” a botanical fungicide manufactured with a base of tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia). Marcel worked diligently in his scientific capacity to enhance this product’s efficacy in multiple crops. In this capacity, Marcel published a paper in Guatemala entitled “Evaluación de Timorex 66 EC (Melaleuca alternifolia) en el control de sigatoka negra (Mycosphaerella fijiensis) en el cultivo de plátano (Musa paradisiaca) frontera Hidalgo, Chiapas, México, marzo 2007.”  Marcel presented this study at the “Segundo Encuentro  Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Productoras y Productores Experimentadores y de Investigadores en Agricultura Orgánica” on October 3, 2007, in Antigua, Guatemala. 

 

Due to Marcel’s extensive research, it was discovered that Timorex Gold’s components are very active and effective against Ascomycetes, specifically against Mycosphaerella fijiensis in banana (the cause of “black sigatoka” or “black leaf streak” disease) and Monosporascus cannonballus in melon (the cause of “Monosporascus Root Rot and Vine Decline” disease or MRR/VD). Marcel attended numerous international conferences to promote and discuss this product.  Due to the research and development efforts of Marcel, Timorex Gold 24 EC was the 2013 winner of the Agrow Awards’ title of “Best New Biopesticide.” Subsequently, in 2015, due to Marcel’s extensive collaboration with Stockton in Latin America, Stockton Group was the winner of the 2015 winner of the Agrow Awards’ title of “Best Marketing Campaign.”

 

During his time working with Stockton, Marcel simultaneously earned a Master of Science (M.S.) Degree in “Plant Protection in International Commerce” from Rafael Landivar University in Guatemala City.  After obtaining his Master’s Degree, in the fall of 2010, Marcel applied for and won a scholarship to obtain his Ph.D. from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. Marcel subsequently moved to Florida where he pursued a Ph.D. in Soil Science at the University of Florida. While Marcel studied and researched toward obtaining his PhD., he co-authored several scholarly articles that were published and cited in national and international plant and soil science journals. Additionally, Marcel was invited to attend several national conferences to present his work. 

 

While studying and researching in his Ph.D. program, Marcel briefly worked as a plant and soil scientist with B&W Quality Growers, the nation’s largest producer of watercress. Marcel obtained his Ph.D. in Soil and Water Science with a Minor in Plant Health Management from the University of Florida in 2015. Since November 2015, Marcel has worked as the Vice President of Research and Development for Organic Laboratories, Inc. In this position, Marcel worked diligently to enhance and maximize the efficacy of Organic Labs’ existing products so that they might serve as a viable, eco-friendly replacement for bee-killing neonicotinoid insecticides and a viable solution to the epidemic of citrus greening (Huanglongbing or HLB) which is currently devastating the Florida citrus industry.

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Dr. Barbier worked as a Development Specialist at US Borax - Rio Tinto. He developed key relationships with potential clients, and coordinated research, field trials, and innovation programs by leading Latin American new product trials. Marcel provided technical support to field sales teams and customers on plant protection and plant nutrition. He executed lab, greenhouse, and field trial programs with different research organizations and universities. Dr. Barbier prepared educational support presentations at worldwide conferences such as Argus Fertilizers Conferences (Brazil, China, and the USA), ASIC Conference, International Oil Palm Conferences, and others.

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During his time in Rio Tinto, Dr. Barbier traveled 175,000 flying miles and +3,000 driving Km in 12 Countries: Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and China. Dr. Barbier taught a total of 121 technical presentations and trained +1200 people, produced 8 flyers, and was involved in 13 field trials. 

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Dr. Barbier's impact on Granubor sales increase is as follows: the year 2017 = 5K MT

and year 2018 = 11K MT.

 

Dr. Barbier's greatest achievement was a legislation change in Brazil in the Department of Agriculture...

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Dr. Barbier was contracted as a Senior Sales Agronomist at YARA North America. He performed market research in Northern California to determine the level of Yara awareness and analyzed the level of relationship of the Yara Sales team with distributors and farmers to develop a method to collect information about farmers' planting area by crop in this specific region. After data collection, Dr. Barbier developed a process for data cleansing and processing to final guesstimate the biological sales potential for Yara products in that specific region per farm per crop. Around 3000 contact information was collected and processed. Finally, data was transferred to marketing for work on the interfaces to load the data into Yara’s CRM software. During the time of data collection, he established good relationships with the personnel at the different Departments of Agriculture in the top 10 counties in Northern California.

 

Today, Dr. Barbier is President & CEO of ABC Organics, LLC since 2010. He is committed to supporting the agricultural community by doing scientific-practical research trials on soil and plant nutrition, crop protection, and biostimulants. He performs market research to better understand farmers' real needs over induced needs and based on findings makes business strategy recommendations. Dr. Barbier gives consulting to individual customers as well as corporations to develop new products going from R&D and Registration to Sales & Marketing. Moreover, since 2020 Dr. Barbier is consulting as the International Chief Technical Lead at Monty’s Plant Food. He is focused on designing, conducting, and overseeing lab and field trials overseas. Prepares and delivers technical presentations and technical reports about humic products. Represents Monty's at tradeshows, conferences, and forums worldwide.

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Key abilities:

Crop experience on agave, avocado, banana, citrus, coffee, corn, horticulture, melon, palm oil, pastures, soybean, sugar cane, sweet potato, tomato, watercress, and watermelon.

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Written by Charles E. Jarrell, P.A.  

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