Jeff Vannoy, Senior Product Manager, BASF
Yes, it’s that time of year when turf professionals can do the right thing financially by ordering early to lock in rebates and key elements of their plant protection programs for the upcoming season. And the team at BASF has once again kept the BASF Early Order Program (EOP) simple but packed with even more value. Pat Jones got the 2027 EOP scoop from Jeff Vannoy, senior product manager, to find out how superintendents and others can get what they need for next year for a lot less budget.
Let’s talk about the 2027 Early Order Program from BASF.
Jeff, how is it the same as previous years and how is it different?
First and foremost, it’s the same program everyone likes but with a few nice additions. Our program is consistently ranked by end users as the top EOP in the industry. Our customers and the distributor sales teams like the format and the simplicity, so why would we change it?
However, we’re always listening to customers and looking for ways to enhance the program without changing the underlying structure. So, here’s what we did this year:
First, we expanded our Intrinsic® Fairway Kicker1. Instead of offering only Aramax® Intrinsic brand fungicide as a special kicker, we’ve added Navicon® and Insignia® SC Intrinsic brand fungicides. Superintendents can earn an additional 4% on top of the normal rebates they’ll already earn for those products.1
Second, lawn care operators no longer need to buy multiple fungicide brands to qualify for good discounts. It just wasn’t realistic for most lawncare operators (LCO). Now, if they just buy one qualifying fungicide brand, they can earn up to 24% on rebates through the Lawn Fungicide Builder. It was 8% before, so we tripled rebate opportunity.
Third, Pillar® SC Intrinsic brand fungicide is now part of the Lawn Fungicide Builder, where there’s opportunity for the highest savings. Now, all of our best fungicides for lawn care are included in the Lawn Fungicide Builder.
Finally, a lot of superintendents like to use Pendulum® AquaCap herbicide 1x15-gallon tote for naturalized areas. And some warm-season superintendents like to tank mix with Tower® herbicide to get a bit more residual. So, we added both of those options to our Fall Golf Defense Program that fills the gaps before EOP begins in October.
In summary, the 2027 BASF program has four positive changes that give customers more options, making it the winning choice for optimized savings during EOP.
How can superintendents make the most of EOP as part of their regular maintenance programs?
The new Intrinsic Fairway Kicker for Aramax, Navicon and Insignia Intrinsic brand fungicides is a very nice option to affordably add better chemistry to fairway programs. If superintendents are spraying fairways every two to three weeks and spending perhaps $40,000 on fungicides, they can add Intrinsic brand fungicides into their fairway programs and get the 24% base rebate. Then with this added 4% kicker, rebate earnings can increase to up to 28%. That’s big.
It seems like more superintendents have embraced EOP even if the timing feels like a challenge during the busy fall season.
True, but they overwhelmingly want to head into winter with a storage shed full of their favorite BASF products and anything else they need. We understand they aren’t always thrilled about having to focus on budgets and buying in October, but as savvy professionals, they understand that it’s good business for their program and their facility. It’s the right thing to do.
What is your sales team most fired up about?
They are always excited when we have kickers on Intrinsic brand fungicides. But superintendents are benefiting a lot from our herbicides right now too, so we’ve also brought back the Tower Power Kicker, which is an added 5% rebate. Add that to the 12% rebate that’s offered with the Across-the-Course Solutions 2 and that’s 17% savings off their Tower order. For those courses that have embraced Tower as a replacement for oxadiazon for Poa annua management or goosegrass control, this is a great opportunity.
What feedback do you get about the BASF early order program that separates you from the pack?
Our program can be understood by any superintendent. We don’t always hear that about other programs. Superintendents often tell us they don’t understand what to do with other programs because they’re so complicated. The distributor sales rep has to use a model worksheet to figure it all.
Our program is super easy, and we refuse to offer a program that requires customers to buy things they may never use. We moved away from that bundling approach in 2019 because customers overwhelmingly told us, “Let me buy what I want.” That’s a big difference between us and our competitors.
Also, almost all of our products come in fairway- or green-size packages depending on the customer’s acreage. Our packaging sizes are easy to figure out and order. Ultimately, our EOP stands out because it combines smart packaging and flexible programs with very lucrative rebates.
It seems like the emphasis on fairway EOP programs really mirrors how superintendents are trying to achieve excellence from tee to green.
We’ve always had some kind of fairway kicker that allows customers to select our foundational brands at a much more competitive price. And our fairway packaging is always 18-26% less expensive during EOP.
This is also the third year of the Fall Golf Defense program. Tell us why it’s so helpful to superintendents.
The history of “pre-EOP” programs started with snow mold programs. Back in the day, snow mold applications were routinely made earlier in the fall. Since then, numerous manufacturers have realized that preemergent herbicide and fall dollar spot applications might work best in September. When we introduced Aramax Intrinsic for snow mold, we decided to start a streamlined, simple fall program to support that. This year, the program includes six brands, designed for customers who need products early.
The Fall Golf Defense program brands are Aramax Intrinsic for snow mold, Encartis® fungicide for late season dollar spot, Maxtima® fungicide for spring dead spot and dollar spot, Navicon Intrinsic for SDS, Pendulum AquaCap for naturalized areas and then Tower herbicide for tank-mixing in September. We’ve found that some superintendents want to apply Tower early, so they don’t miss the timing to protect against Poa annua germination or other early fall apps. This program was designed to meet those needs.
The end user gets the same deals they would get for those products in October, but this gives them an earlier order and delivery option.
We’re talking a lot more about lawncare this year too. What’s spurred that?
We've specifically focused on the lawn care market for several years to help LCOs build their businesses with powerful, proven solutions. Herbicides like Drive® XLR8, Pylex® and even Basagran® are reentering programs for a lot of lawncare operators. And products like Pendulum AquaCap and Tower continue to be strong fundamentals for the toughest weed pressures. In particular, weed control is a huge challenge in the southeast these days, and we’re happy we can support LCOs with the right products at the right time.
Last but not least, what’s on the horizon for BASF that we might see next year in the 2028 EOP?
We’re really excited about a new product that’s in development. It’s a carefully designed formulation that has just the right amount of Xzemplar® fungicide plus Maxtima fungicide. It won’t be available for this EOP but, assuming EPA approvals come through, we’ll have it next year. Our university and field research results from the past two years have been absolutely outstanding. Look for more information in the first quarter of 2027.
Final thoughts?
Ultimately, our philosophy is all about continuity and doing the right thing for our customers and their businesses year after year. We’re committed to presenting a solid, easy-to-understand EOP program – one that DSRs don’t have to relearn every year. We respect superintendents and lawncare operators and honor their hard work, so we want to help them be successful. We’re extremely proud to be in this market, providing solutions that help our customers create beautiful and healthy turf.
1The 4% Intrinsic Fairway Kicker will only be applied to Insignia® SC, Aramax ® and Navicon ® Intrinsic brand fungicide purchases at specified volumes and within program dates. The Intrinsic Fairway Kicker is not contingent on DYOP qualification.
2The 5% Tower Herbicide Kicker will only be applied to Tower herbicide purchases at specified volumes.
Always read and follow label directions. Not all products are registered in all states. Please check local regulatory sites for registration information in your area. Aramax, Basagran, Drive, Encartis, Insignia, Maxtima, Navicon, Pendulum, Pillar, Pylex, Tower and Xzemplar are registered trademarks of BASF Agricultural Solutions US LLC. © 2026 BASF Agricultural Solutions US LLC. All rights reserved.