Cargill invested $10 million to build the new research and development facility, where the company will select the next generation of VICTORY seed varieties. VICTORY canola hybrids have been market leaders in Canada over the last decade and are grown and harvested in Canada and the U.S. before being crushed and refined to become Clear Valley high oleic canola oils.
“The Fort Collins facility is the starting point for our high oleic canola supply chain and arguably the most strategic piece to the puzzle,” said Jenny Verner, president, Cargill Specialty Seeds & Oils. “Seed development is a forward-looking process because the seed genetics we select today will produce crops that will be harvested about 10 years from now.”
Cargill develops specialty canola to meet grower customer needs for high-yielding, profitable crops and oils that meet consumer demand for healthy, affordable food. The Fort Collins facility is a key piece in the balance between agronomics and oil innovation. Cargill is focusing on developing seeds that will grow disease-resistant and high-yielding crops in a variety of regions, and improve the oil profile of high oleic canola.
The 45,700-square-foot Fort Collins facility features new office, laboratory and warehouse space.
