July 17, 2007

Pioneer expands Indiana seed quality facility in Indiana

Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont subsidiary, recently announced it has completed a 10,000 sq. ft., expansion of its seed quality facility in Tipton, Indiana. 

The US$1.3 million facility would be able to handle up to 125,000 germination, vigor and purity quality tests for corn, soy, wheat and sorghum seed per year.

Tom Bockhaus, Pioneer director of supply planning and logistics said the expansion would help the company to move samples quickly among labs to meet testing needs more efficiently around the world.

Pioneer tests its seed for germination, vigor, genetic purity, trait purity, size and plantability. Strict testing method standards are used throughout the production process and in the testing facilities to evaluate all the types of seed it sells.

The existing seed quality facility has been in operation since 1982. Another large expansion project was completed in 1988.

Other central seed testing facilities, which are all ISO 9001:2000 certified, are located in Johnston and Urbandale, Iowa; Chatham, Ont.; Aussonne, France, and Parndorf, Austria.

Headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, Pioneer provides advanced plant genetics in nearly 70 countries.