Syngenta's Seedcare Institute opens in Minnesota

Seed treatment allows a chemical or biological substance, like a fungicide, insecticide or nematicide, to be applied to the outside of the seed prior to planting.
Seed treatment allows a chemical or biological substance, like a fungicide, insecticide or nematicide, to be applied to the outside of the seed prior to planting. | File photo
Syngenta's 38,000-square-foot Seedcare Institute opened Sept. 22 on the company's campus in Stanton, Minnesota.

The institute will contain research and development labs; application, plantability, dust-off and quality assurance labs; climate-controlled application and planter testing labs; large-scale commercial application and performance area to simulate real-life experiences for customers; modern customer classroom facilities; a seed warehouse; and office and meeting space.

“The Syngenta Seedcare Institute in Stanton is a state-of-the-art research and training facility, offering enriched seed treatment education, better collaboration opportunities with customers, advanced training and personal application support,” Syngenta Crop Protection President Vern Hawkins said. “Syngenta’s $20 million investment in seed treatment R&D at Stanton reinforces our commitment to helping farmers grow more, while using fewer resources and protecting the environment — today and tomorrow.”

Every day, Syngenta invests more than $3.7 million in research and development globally for a total of $1.36 billion annually. Seed treatment allows a chemical or biological substance, like a fungicide, insecticide or nematicide, to be applied to the outside of the seed prior to planting. The new Seedcare Institute will help Syngenta meet increased demand for high-value seeds and seed traits.

“As the seed treatment industry continues to evolve, we strive to consistently offer more sophisticated products and best-in-class service to our customers to better serve them,” Ravi Ramachandran, head of Syngenta’s Seedcare Institute for North America, said. “This facility can provide the intensive training needed by our seed company customers, agriculture retailers, applicators and farmers to fully realize the value of our seed applied technologies, best-management practices and stewardship.”