BASF Plant Science, the leading provider of nutritionally enhanced corn, is expanding its breeding and testing operations to include three new facilities that will focus on developing elite nutritionally enhanced corn genetics.

An existing facility in Weldon, Illinois was purchased for yield trials and breeding. The facility currently has four full-time employees, including one new breeder, and will hire part-time seasonal employees as necessary.

Another existing facility in Estherville, Iowa was purchased for growing yield trials. It has a full-time staff of four, and plans to hire up to 30 seasonal employees.

The Hawaii facility, on the island of Kauai, is used as a continuous nursery. Corn harvested in the Midwest will be shipped to Hawaii for planting in November. Once harvested the seed will be returned to the Midwest for spring planting. This will speed up development time by allowing BASF to grow two or more generations of a crop in one year.

BASF Plant Science now has seven stations focused on developing elite nutritionally enhanced corn genetics.

"We continue to look for ways to help producers increase their profitability per acre," says Barney Bernstein, Director, Trait Marketing & Sales at BASF Plant Science. "Our goal is to continue developing new hybrids that increase the feed value of corn for swine, poultry and dairy operations. The recent additions to our breeding and testing facilities demonstrate our continued commitment to improving profitability for dairy, swine and poultry producers."

Corn hybrids developed by BASF are currently marketed as NutriDense, a corn designed to enhance animal feed performance.