![Pioneer.png Pioneer](/images/stories/2011/Pioneer1839282534-20110607111459-20110607194806.png)
![JohnSoperPhoto.jpg John Soper](/images/stories/2011/JohnSoperPhoto2111140767-20110607111459-20110607194806.jpg)
Scientists at Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont Business, are making major breakthroughs in the area of plant genetics, developing productive crops for farmers around the globe to help meet the world’s need for food, fuel and materials.
The company, which has headquarters in Johnston, sells seed in more than 90 countries around the world. Pioneer works to increase the productivity of a variety of crops, including corn, soybeans, sorghum, mustard, pearl millet, inoculants, canola, sunflower, alfalfa, wheat, and rice. Research for these products is conducted in more than 100 locations in 24 countries on 6 continents.
Throughout Pioneer’s history, one reason for the company’s widespread success has been innovation.
“Research and customer service have been leading drivers of Pioneer’s business success,” said John Soper, Vice President of Crop Genetics Research and Development at Pioneer. “We continually reinvest a substantial percentage of our revenue back into research investments to remain in a leadership performance position and stay on the cutting edge of technology. By making high-risk, long-term investments, we’ve been able to stay ahead of our competition and be successful.”
Pioneer was founded by Henry A. Wallace in 1926, and has remained in Iowa since the beginning. While the company is owned by Delaware-based DuPont, Iowa has remained the major center for Pioneer’s business. The company points to Iowa’s high quality of life and a positive family environment when recruiting scientists. In addition, Pioneer and DuPont have received recognition as the top places to work in the life sciences industry from The Scientist magazine.