DuPont Pioneer expands Saskatoon research facility

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Published: July 17, 2016

Julian Heath, research operations lead at the newly expanded Saskatoon facility, explains the Saskatoon plots to open-house guests. (Leeann Minogue photo)

DuPont Pioneer announced the expansion of its Saskatoon multi-crop research facility at an open house on Friday.

The expanded facility will house breeding programs for canola, soybean and “ultra-early maturity” corn.

“DuPont Pioneer is focused on developing early-maturing products, and high-yielding products for Canadian farmers,” said Bryce Eger, president of DuPont Pioneer Canada.

DuPont Pioneer has invested $35 million in research and development in Western Canada over the past five years, opening and expanding research centres at Edmonton and Lethbridge, Alta. and Carman, Man., in addition to the Saskatoon expansion.

Read Also

Barry Senft is stepping down as chief executive officer of Seeds Canada after four years. Photo: John Greig

Senft to step down as CEO of Seeds Canada

Barry Senft, the founding CEO of the five-year-old Seeds Canada organization is stepping down as of January 2026.

“And,” Eger said, “we’ve opened and expanded our (seed) production plants in Alberta and Ontario in order to support the business in Western Canada.”

Eger attributed this expansion to opportunities for market growth through the development of crop varieties bred to fit the Prairie climate, saying Western Canada has “huge potential, long-term.”

New crop varieties suitable to Western Canada’s relatively short season would be welcomed by farmers looking for new crops to expand rotations. “We’re actually breaking new ground in terms of earliness of products and adaptation to environment,” said Dave Charne, research director at DuPont Pioneer Canada.

— Leeann Minogue is editor of Grainews at Griffin, Sask. Follow her at @GrainMuse on Twitter.

 

Bryce Eger, president of DuPont Pioneer Canada announced the expansion of the company's multi-crop research facility near Saskatoon. (Leeann Minogue photo)
Bryce Eger, president of DuPont Pioneer Canada announced the expansion of the company’s multi-crop research facility near Saskatoon. (Leeann Minogue photo)
For farmers in areas where corn is a relatively new crop, growing it for the first time can be daunting. "Our goal is to give growers the best experience we can the first time," Ellis Clayton, technical product manager at DuPont Pioneer told attendees on a tour of DuPont Pioneer plots outside of the Saskatoon facility. (Leeann Minogue photo)
For farmers in areas where corn is a relatively new crop, growing it for the first time can be daunting. “Our goal is to give growers the best experience we can the first time,” Ellis Clayton, technical product manager at DuPont Pioneer told attendees on a tour of DuPont Pioneer plots outside of the Saskatoon facility. (Leeann Minogue photo)

About the author

GFM Network News

GFM Network News

Glacier FarmMedia Feed

Glacier FarmMedia, a division of Glacier Media, is Canada's largest publisher of agricultural news in print and online.

explore

Stories from our other publications