New seed branch launched

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

by SUSAN MANN

Seed development company, Dow AgroSciences Canada Inc., has launched a new seed brand called Dow Seeds.

The new brand brings together products previously marketed under Hyland Seeds and Mycogen Seeds, two brand names that Dow has discontinued.

The change has “brought together the best of those two and just made a stronger overall portfolio,” says Dow communications leader Loralee Orr.

The company sells grain and silage corn, soybean, spring cereal, winter wheat, edible beans and alfalfa seeds.

Dow AgroSciences has also increased its field resources for farmers. There are now five agronomists for the Ontario and Quebec region “to make sure we’re making those right recommendations,” Orr says, adding the sales force will now be focusing on one brand instead of being split between two brands.   

“We have better resourcing at the customer level so we can reach out to more farmers and have improved agronomic recommendations as well,” she explains.

The change coming at roughly the same time as the Ontario government’s introduction of new rules to control the use of neonicotinoid-treated corn and soybean seeds is entirely coincidental, Orr says, noting the company develops seeds and works with other companies to have the neonicotinoid treatment added to them.

The company made the change after looking at “what we want to accomplish. We have new technologies and genetics coming,” she says. “We wanted to make sure customers had access to all of the best technology we have.” BF