York, Nebraska, USA
June 18, 2010

Industry-leading corn research was the vision when the York, Neb., research station was founded and that still remains true in 2010 as Mycogen Seeds celebrates 30 years of research at this site. The research station founded in 1980 started out with only four employees and five seasonal summer workers. Today, after 30 years, the site remains a vital part of the community with around 20 full- and part-time employees, and numerous seasonal employees.

The York research station was integrated into the existing Jacques Seed Company Production Facility, which dried its first seed corn crop in the fall of 1978. Seed processing capabilities were constructed at the York site in 1979.

“We are proud to have been an active member of the York, Neb., community for the past three decades,” said Maynard Ochs, who was the first York Field Station leader and continues to play a critical role in the success of the York program. “Over the years, numerous commercially successful hybrids and inbreds have been developed here to benefit the industry, and we look forward to continued seed research and production in the York area.”

The former Jacques Seed Company site became a research and production facility for Mycogen Seeds and was subsequently purchased by Dow AgroSciences. In 1997, as part of Dow AgroSciences’ expansion in the U.S. seed business, research personnel from Keltgen’s Grand Island, Neb., site were incorporated into the York Research Facility. With continued expansion in the seeds business, personnel from the former Cargill research site at Seward, Neb., merged with the York site in 2001.

Due to the U.S. 81 bypass around York, Neb., in 2005, the former Mycogen Seeds research building was demolished and a new facility was constructed. In 2008, the seed corn processing facilities underwent an expansion; and then in 2009 additional office space was added to the research facility.

Today the York site conducts research on corn, sunflowers, soybeans and grain sorghum, plus it continues to process seed corn.

The Mycogen Seeds York Field Station’s history is one of continued advancement and expansion. The site is located in the southeastern part of the state about 60 miles west of the Nebraska capital city of Lincoln.

Website: http://www.mycogen.com

Published: June 18, 2010