Monsanto says ‘Imagine this’
$6 million facility to be built south of town
by Elizabeth Barrett
May 01, 2008
The building of an agricultural learning center and breeding station south of Gothenburg is a great win for Monsanto and the community, according to one company official.
Monsanto is expected to announce plans Wednesday (today) to invest $6 million in a new center in Gothenburg that will focus on technologies, corn breeding and agronomic practices to address water use in crop production.
“This is critical to Monsanto,” said Phil Miller, vice president of U.S. technological development for the company. “We’ve invested in drought technology aggressively because it’s one of the highest impacts in agriculture where we can make a difference.
“Gothenburg is key to testing and showcasing the value of this technology.”
Pending acquisition of 160 acres of land just south of the former Pony Express Greenhouse on Highway 47, Monsanto plans to begin constructing the new facility this summer. It will be completed sometime in 2009.
Jim and Lichelle Aden are the owners of the land.
Officials said the Monsanto Water Utilization Learning Center will offer farmers and other stakeholders a first-hand opportunity to view water-use efficiency technologies such as drought-tolerant crops and other approaches—including seeds and agronomic practices—that help in water management.
Monsanto has three such learning centers in the United States—in Monmouth, IL; Scott, MI; and Huxley, IA.
Between 3,000 to 4,000 growers and investors visit the Monmouth facility a year to see demonstrations, view test plots and learn about new technology and seed products.
“In Gothenburg, we’ll have fields full of current technologies such as corn-insect protection and demonstrations on how to maximize the products we have for irrigated and dry land crops,” he said.
Miller said most of the visitors are from within a 250- to 300-mile radius from the centers which was key in deciding to locate the center in Gothenburg after considering multiple sites.
Monsanto, he said, wanted more market coverage where dry land acres were available and drought technology relevant.
Miller said Gothenburg fit the company’s mold in terms of marketing those things to producers not only in Nebraska but in Kansas and western Colorado.
The uniformity of the soil was also a prerequisite, he said, so growers can compare crops in test plots accurately.
“It’s a high-quality piece of farm property,” Miller said.
The fact that the city sits atop the Ogallala Aquifer, which is one of the largest in the world, also played into the decision to locate the center in Gothenburg.
“It’s where water management gets high attention and has agricultural significance,” Miller explained.
Another building, the breeding center, will expand the research already done by Monsanto employees at the local facility located at 715 Fourth St.
Miller said those employees will relocate to the breeding center while new people will be hired at the learning center.
“We’ll start with a little over 20-plus employees,” he said.
Miller noted that foreign agricultural ministers and ex-United States growers are also frequent guests to Monsanto learning centers.
“Water management and utilization of water has huge relevance globally,” he said.
Robb Fraley, chief technology officer at Monsanto, said every crop faces some degree of water stress at some point in the growing season.
As a result, Fraley said drought tolerance research and improved water management offer farmers a way to reduce agriculture’s impact on the environment.
“Our vision is to create products that could allow farmers to achieve more consistent yields even during times of water stress,” he explained. “This center will help us advance this research to improve farmers’ productivity, helping them meet growing demands for feed, food and fuel.”
Earlier this year, Monsanto advanced its first-generation drought-tolerant corn technology to Phase 3 of the company’s four-phase research and development pipeline.
Fraley said the advancement is a significant step, as it’s the agriculture industry’s first drought-tolerant crop to advance to the regulatory phase.
The first-generation drought-tolerance trait is designed to enhance yield stability when water is limited, he said.
“It’s the first product in a family of drought traits that has the potential for cost savings in irrigation and protection against drought stress in normal rain-fed areas,” Fraley said.
Monsanto Company officials describe their company as a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality.
More information on Monsanto is available at http://www.monsanto.com.
ebarrett@gothenburgtimes.com308-537-3636
