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Syngenta opens new Illinois research facility

Syngenta continues its investments in innovation with a new Research & Development center in Northern Illinois. 

Trevor Hohls, Syngenta head of seeds development, says the new facility is an opportunity to develop new products and innovate through farmer collaboration.  

“For us it’s all about co-creation,” he says. “There is no point in us coming up with product concepts which are irrelevant to solve farmer-customer problems that they are trying to address.”

He tells Brownfield they take farmer input from conception through production. 

David Hollinrake, global head of strategy and portfolio management with Syngenta Seeds, says this facility is taking a closer look at regenerative agriculture practices and how implementation can work with generational farms throughout the US. 

“Introducing new practices, like cover crops, or an oil-bearing cover crop that could produce two crops in a year, requires behavior change,” he says. “That requires us to make sure that the science is proven. But it also requires us to connect with farmers to help them do more on that ground.”

AUDIO: Interview with David Hollinrake and Trevor Hohls