Syngenta Canada Inc. officially opened the first Canadian Seedcare Institute™ today at its Honeywood research facility in Plattsville, Ontario.

The Canadian Seedcare Institute is part of a network of 12 facilities that are recognized as global centres of excellence for their work in supporting customers and advancing the use of seed treatment technology. Work at the Canadian Seedcare Institute is focused on several important Canadian crops including canola, cereals, corn, potatoes, pulses, and soybeans.

“We are proud to be recognized for our expertise and our almost 20-year history of seed treatment work at this site and are excited to join a global network that will strengthen our ability to serve the Canadian industry,” says Jay Bradshaw, President of Syngenta Canada Inc.

In order to be eligible to join The Seedcare Institute network, facilities must meet global service standards in six specific service areas – recipe development; application, quality assessment and engineering; stewardship; training; seed safety and biology; and product marketing support.

“Syngenta is at the forefront of seed treatment research and innovation because we understand that treatment goes beyond seed protection,” says Anja Pires, Global Head of The Seedcare Institute network. “The team here in Canada are experts in their field and work to develop products, technologies and solutions to help customers maximize their potential in Canada’s unique agricultural environment,” Pires notes, adding that the motto of The Seedcare Institute is ‘Globally Developed – Delivered with Local Expertise’.

Doug Baumann, Manager of the Seedcare Institute at Honeywood, says, “Canada is home to one of the most diverse agricultural climates, with temperatures ranging from -40^oC to 40^oC. We are also highly mechanized and have a large average farm size. This environment drives our collaborations with farmers, equipment manufacturers and other stakeholders to ensure products work under Canadian conditions.”

Global headquarters for The Seedcare Institute network is in Stein, Switzerland. The 11 other institutes are located in Argentina, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Mexico, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Ukraine and the USA.

- Syngenta Canada Inc.