Valent U.S.A. Corporation has announced they are strategically expanding the research and development program in North America.  The new facilities are being created to accelerate discovery and early development testing of solutions for plant protection.  This announcement comes on the heels of a research and development expansion by Valent’s parent company, Sumitomo Chemical.

The expansion includes a Valent Midsouth Agricultural Research Center (MSARC) in Leland, Mississippi to focus on year-round bioassay screening and a new research center near Champaign, Illinois (MWARC) for the purpose of row crop research and agronomic training in the Midwest.  The MWARC center will include a commercial facility, a training conference center, and a seed treatment demonstration lab.  A 2,000 square foot green house is planned for 2017.

“Expansion of the Valent agricultural research centers is a core component of the global strategy to accelerate our speed of development,” said Eric Johnson, vice president of technology for Valent U.S.A. Corporation. “The state-of-the-art facilities in North America will complement the construction of new research facilities in South America by Sumitomo Chemical, creating contra-testing opportunities between our regions and expanding our discovery and development capacity overall.”

Matt Plitt, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Valent U.S.A. Corporation, explained, “Valent has set a record pace for the growth of our U.S. business, and we plan to continue that pace by investing in our discovery and development program.  This is an exciting time for Valent as we expand our business to bring more agronomic solutions to our customers.”