February 21, 2011

DuPont to invest in expansion of GM soy research facilities

DuPont has intentions to invest more than US$50 million over five years to advance its biotech soy research and development programme.

The proposed investment will include expanding and improving biotech research facilities at DuPont's Experimental Station in Wilmington and at its Stine Haskell Research Center in Newark. The proposed expansion is expected to add 75 new, full-time jobs in Delaware by the end of 2015.

"For generations, DuPont has helped shape our state's reputation as a cradle of innovation. Their investment will help expand both that reputation and, more importantly, their work force," Governor Jack Markell Markell said.

"This plan includes a significant expansion of our overall biotech research effort," said John Bedbrook, vice president - DuPont Agricultural Biotechnology. "It would increase the speed at which we can bring new products to the market and help farmers around the world increase yields through tolerance to environmental stresses, insects and disease."

The expansion plan includes new soy research laboratories, tissue culture facilities, environmentally controlled growth rooms and greenhouses, which not only benefit soy R&D efforts but also extend research resources for other core crops.

The Delaware Economic Development Office has offered a US$1.5 million grant from the Delaware Strategic Fund to create jobs and to assist with the development of the new centre. The funding is performance based and conditioned on DuPont's capital investment in the project. The offer will be reviewed by the Council on Development Finance on February 28. An additional US$125,000 grant will be awarded from the Delaware Department of Agriculture.