Monsanto Company Opens First Biotechnology Research Center in China
ST. LOUIS and BEIJING, Nov. 4, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Monsanto Company announced today that it is opening its first research center in China, further demonstrating its commitment to forming technology collaborations in the country.
The new research center is an extension of the company's commitment to doubling yields in its core crops by 2030 compared to a base year of 2000, while reducing the amount of inputs required per unit produced by a third. Monsanto currently invests more than $2 million a day in research in order to meet this commitment to global agriculture.
"Monsanto has made a commitment to collaborate with Chinese scientists on advanced biotech and breeding technology," said Stephen Padgette, vice president of biotechnology for Monsanto. "Monsanto has made a commitment to develop advanced biotech and breeding technology to China. The establishment of the center will give Chinese researchers access to our global research network and to our industry-leading product development pipeline."
Recently, Monsanto announced a collaboration with Huazhong Agricultural University to further gene discovery and the development of novel biotechnology traits. The company also established a RMB 1 million scholarship at the university to encourage students to pursue careers in biotechnology research.
"The establishment of the center will have a key role in further strengthening our collaboration, and speeding up commercialization and marketing of new technology," Zhang said.
"We hope to work closely with Chinese scientists and researchers on innovation in agricultural biotechnology. Establishing a research center in China is a good platform for exchange of information and collaboration between Monsanto and Chinese researchers," McLean said. "We already work with several research institutions and universities on novel agricultural traits. We firmly believe that technological advances will increase productivity and contribute to finding solutions to the challenges facing agriculture."
Contact | Media - Riddhi Trivedi-St. Clair, Monsanto (314-694-4490)
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