Des Moines, Iowa
September 28, 2007
DuPont today announced a pledge of $1 million to the
Iowa State University (ISU)
New Century Farm, the first research effort in the United States
to focus on producing cellulosic ethanol on the farm. The
research efforts also will focus on enhancing the production,
processing and utilization of feedstocks for biofuels and
biomaterials.
“The need for renewable sources of energy requires a dynamic new
way of thinking. The New Century Farm will research the
practical things farmers can do in the future to grow, harvest
and store biomass in a sustainable manner,” said Dean Oestreich,
DuPont vice president and general manager and president of
Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business. “We’re proud to partner with
Iowa State to create a demonstration farm that will be the first
of its kind to integrate both the growing and processing of
biomass into biofuels.”
The New Century Farm will include a facility for research in
biomass crop breeding, crop rotation needs and ways to
efficiently store and process biomass material. It also will
feature a teaching laboratory for training future scientists and
farmers, and an extension facility to demonstrate the economic,
social and environmental viability of bioenergy.
The funding from DuPont, through its Pioneer Hi-Bred business,
will be allocated from 2008 to 2012.
“Supporting the bioeconomy is one of our highest priorities at
Iowa State University, and the New Century Farm initiative is
key to these efforts,” ISU President Gregory Geoffroy said.
“We’re delighted to have Pioneer partnering with us in this
important initiative.”
The New Century Farm will be constructed on the ISU Agricultural
Engineering and Agronomy Research Farm west of Ames, Iowa.
Construction is scheduled to begin this fall, with a completion
date for the main bioprocessing facility a year later.
“We are excited to be working with Pioneer and others to create
a facility that will help address the opportunities and
challenges of producing biofuels and bioproducts from biomass,”
Wendy Wintersteen, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life
Sciences at ISU, said. “At the New Century Farm, the opportunity
is great to integrate directly into agricultural fields the
connections with harvesting, transportation, storage and
processing. The New Century Farm will not only provide a venue
for cutting-edge research, it will also allow us to train the
next generation of scientists in this critical growth area.”
DuPont is committed to delivering new technologies to the
growing renewable fuels market, which includes improving
biofuels production through improved seed and crop protection
products; developing new technologies to allow conversion of
cellulose to biofuels; and developing next-generation biofuels.
ISU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is committed to
using Iowa’s agricultural base to build the state’s bioeconomy
through application of science to practical problems, leadership
in university biorenewables programs, extension delivery of
research-based information and education, and training of
students for new career opportunities in the bioeconomy. The
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences provides significant
leadership and resources for ISU’s Office of Biorenewables
Programs to achieve the goals of the universitywide Bioeconomy
Initiative.
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State
University is building on 150 years of excellence in research
and education. The college educates more than 3,200
undergraduate and graduate students, supports the research
programs of more than 330 faculty members in the college and
across campus, and serves thousands of Iowans statewide through
its extension programs. The College of Agriculture and Life
Sciences offers nearly 30 different undergraduate career paths,
from animal science, agronomy and horticulture to biology,
genetics and environmental science, and awards $1 million in
scholarships every year. The college has a 98 percent placement
rate, with graduates on the job or pursuing advanced degrees.
Two-thirds begin their careers in the state of Iowa.
DuPont – one of the first companies to publicly establish
environmental goals 17 years ago – has broadened its
sustainability commitments beyond internal footprint reduction
to include market-driven targets for both revenue and research
and development investment. The goals are tied directly to
business growth, specifically to the development of safer and
environmentally improved new products for key global markets.
Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, is the world's leading
source of customized solutions for farmers, livestock producers
and grain and oilseed processors. With headquarters in Des
Moines, Iowa, Pioneer provides access to advanced plant genetics
in nearly 70 countries.
DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded
in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable
solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for
people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont
offers a wide range of innovative products and services for
markets including agriculture and food; building and
construction; communications; and transportation.
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