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JOHNSTON, Iowa — As COVID-19 vaccination rates rise and infection instances fall in Iowa, Corteva Agriscience announced it will stop providing virus test analysis services at its Johnston, Iowa Global Business Center by the end of August 2021. The global pure-play agriculture company’s decision was driven by the decreasing needs of our community partners and its desire to recommit staff and resources to agricultural research as part of its primary mission enrich the lives of those who produce and those who consume. Corteva is committed to a smooth transition for its community collaborators as it begins the process to exit its COVID-19 testing work.
The company began leveraging its screening and technology platforms to provide rapid, low-cost COVID-19 testing in April 2020 to meet the urgent, unmet public health needs the state of Iowa faced. Since then, in conjunction with a wide array of community collaborators, it has analyzed more than a quarter million polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests in Iowa. The Corteva team’s estimated contribution of PCR testing has recently dropped to less than 10 percent of total daily tests conducted in Iowa.
“The Corteva Agriscience team is proud we have been able to provide COVID-19 testing and even as we wind down our testing efforts, we remain fully committed to continuing to support the community,” said Tom Greene, Biotechnology Leader, Corteva Agriscience. “This endeavor is a true testament to the dedication of the Corteva Agriscience employees who have volunteered their time, often during evenings and weekends, to staff our test analysis lab for more than a year while balancing their regular job responsibilities. I want to thank them for applying their technical expertise and skills to serve their communities at such a critical time.”
Corteva is hopeful that the testing platforms and tools it developed will continue to serve as a basis for testing in the future. The company is actively working to transfer its assay and methods to the medical community and service providers who can ensure that Corteva’s work continues to provide value even beyond our Iowa communities.
About Corteva Agriscience
Corteva Agriscience is a publicly traded, global pure-play agriculture company that provides farmers around the world with the most complete portfolio in the industry - including a balanced and diverse mix of seed, crop protection and digital solutions focused on maximizing productivity to enhance yield and profitability. With some of the most recognized brands in agriculture and an industry-leading product and technology pipeline well positioned to drive growth, the company is committed to working with stakeholders throughout the food system as it fulfills its promise to enrich the lives of those who produce and those who consume, ensuring progress for generations to come. Corteva Agriscience became an independent public company on June 1, 2019 and was previously the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont. More information can be found at www.corteva.com.
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Contact
Kacey Birchmier
Corteva Agriscience
515-305-0085
kacey.birchmier@corteva.com