DuPont Pioneer Receives Funding for Corn Variety Development in Alberta

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DuPont Pioneer announced last week that they will be receiving a combined total grand of $1 million over five years from Alberta Innovates – Bio Solutions and the Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund. This funding will support the development of shorter season corn hybrids with an eye to expand corn production in the province.

“The idea of having early-season corn coming across the province gives us a real chance to increase our calories per acre, give our producers another crop in their menu,” said Stan Blade, CEO of Alberta Innovates Biosultions. “So it’s a great fit for Alberta and a good investment of our half a million dollars.”

Following the announcement, Twitter lit up with questions around the decision (hear more on that in Friday’s This Week on RealAg). When asked about government funding private research, Blade responded with this:

Will growers be expected to sign a Technology Use Agreement (TUA) for resulting hybrids? Yes, according to a DuPont Pioneer spokesperson, who explained the process as an industry standard.

“While Pioneer spends significant time and investments on the research and development of early maturity corn many teams aside from those in research are tasked with ensuring corn is a viable option in Alberta and the rest of Western Canada.”

Blade is confident DuPont Pioneer will have hybrids available to Albertan farmers in the next few years.

For more on last week’s news, check out the following video, where Blade talks about the recent announcement, why it’s important to invest in this kind of research and what farmers can expect to see as a result.

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