Universities and seed companies have worked together for over a century to improve crop varieties, with partnerships dating back to Henry A. Wallace’s corn-breeding experiments in 1913 near Des Moines, Iowa, according to a May 6 statement.
This collaboration has played an important role in supporting agricultural progress by fostering innovation in plant breeding and providing farmers with improved options. Companies like Corteva Agriscience, which owns the Pioneer brand founded by Wallace as Hi-Bred Corn Co. in 1926, continue these efforts by working closely with university researchers.
“We help fund research projects, as well as participate in the annual corn and soybean variety trials managed by universities in a number of states,” said Judd O’Connor, executive vice president of Corteva’s global seed business unit. “Plus, Pioneer does its own research, too. Research is a key part of Corteva and Pioneer.”
O’Connor said that demand for their products has grown significantly over the past five decades: “Global demand for our products continues to expand despite complex geopolitical and regulatory environments,” he said. “But we are focused on supporting our customers with improved products to meet their needs.” He added that agriculture remains a growth industry due to rising protein demands worldwide and increasing interest in renewable energy crops such as corn and soybeans.
University partnerships involve joint projects across agronomy, agricultural economics, education, and more—an approach O’Connor believes will continue: “I don’t see that changing,” he said. “We in agriculture have a strong reason to do this — to provide food, energy and other products for a growing population — and do it in a sustainable way. I see the relationship with our university partners continuing for a long time as we strive to help feed the world today and in the future.”
The roots of this cooperation can be traced back further; Wallace was instrumental in creating what became known as the Iowa Corn Yield Test while at Iowa State College (now Iowa State University). Kendall Lamkey, ISU associate dean for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences said: “Henry A. Wallace actually began experimenting with corn in high school.” Lamkey explained that early tests helped identify high-yielding varieties: “Those early comparisons demonstrated a need to identify high-yielding varieties and make that information available statewide to farmers. The idea quickly spread to other ag-oriented states.”
As hybrid seeds proved more productive than open-pollinated ones but were harder for farmers themselves to produce or save year-to-year, initial resistance gave way when test organizers agreed on separate categories for hybrids versus open-pollinated entries—a compromise allowing both innovation through hybridization while preserving farmer choice.
Farm Progress has supported agricultural communities by offering resources such as market updates, educational programs through regional publications distributed nationwide via digital platforms under Informa PLC’s Informa Markets Division; it also organizes events like Farm Progress Show highlighting farming innovations according to Farm Progress.
