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Chinese seed company opens U.S. office

A Chinese seed company called Origin Agritech has opened an office in Des Moines, Iowa, its first location outside of China.

CEO Bill Niebur says Origin has developed unique genetics and technologies in corn and soybeans, which they are now offering to U.S. seed companies.

“We’re out actively seeking strategic partnerships,” Niebur says. “We’re not a competitor to the Big Six (seed companies). We want to collaborate with them.”

Niebur says they’re focused on specialty markets such as organic.

“The large companies don’t want to move away from the specialties or the identity preserved or the traceability requirement that certain sectors, such as non-GM, organic, white, waxy or food grade corns, desire,” he says. “We want to work with them to ensure that we strongly serve those high value markets that exist around the core commodity markets.”

Niebur is a former executive with DuPont Pioneer.

AUDIO: Bill Niebur