May 24, 2011
Kinston Free Press
Staff Writer
Pioneer Hi-Bred has had a temporary facility in Kinston for about two years, but this summer will herald the building of a permanent research facility designed to help Southern farmers develop better corn and soybeans.
“The new research center will further expand our efforts to provide products that fit the specific needs of farmers in this area,” stated Greg Wichmann, business director for Pioneer’s Southern Business Unit. “This geography brings unique challenges as it is mostly dry land, with both drought and heat stress impacting yield.”
Pioneer Hi-Bred is an agricultural research and development firm, and is part of the DuPont company, which has a textile plant in Kinston.
Pioneer is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, and its Southern Business Unit is based in Huntsville, Ala.
The $2.3 million research station will take up 26,000 square feet of space on about six acres in the U.S. 70 West Industrial Park, near the Electrolux plant.
About 10 fulltime employees are expected to work there, conducting research on breeding, developing and testing corn and soybean products that are suited for growing in the southeastern U.S.
Pioneer also operates a seed production facility in Laurinburg.
“We’re hoping that the products that end up being commercialized through the research efforts there in Kinston will ultimately be produced at the Laurinburg facility,” Communications Manager Saundra Campbell said.
Campbell anticipates a groundbreaking ceremony in late June, with the building completed and operations under way by this fall.
“This is a part of DuPont,” Mark Pope, economic development director for Lenoir County, said of Pioneer. “So we’re very fortunate to have a company like DuPont and Pioneer in Lenoir County, and I think that speaks well for our county and our region and our workforce, so we’re pleased to have them.”
David Anderson can be reached at 252-559-1077 or danderson@freedomenc.com.