CORRIDOR NEWS | APRIL 2026
 
 

BAYER OPENS INNOVATION CENTER 
AT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PARK



The Crop Science division of Bayer hosted a ribbon cutting at its new Seed Production Innovation Center at the Iowa State University Research Park campus in Ames. The facility will enable continued innovation to maximize seed quality and support farmers and will strengthen Bayer’s relationship with Iowa State University by placing teams alongside faculty, students and industry collaborators.

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LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS:

MOVING INNOVATION FORWARD ... FASTER

Iowa’s leadership in production agriculture does more than feed and fuel the world: it creates the perfect environment for innovation. In this blog post, learn why ideas move from concept to real-world impact faster here.
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WHY IOWA? 
FIVE QUESTIONS WITH DEANNA KOVAR

At John Deere, Deanna Kovar has focused on understanding the needs of customers and delivering innovative solutions. In this month's profile, she shares how Iowa's integrated ag value chain, access to farmers and strong university partnerships create a powerful environment for progress.
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IOWA STATE PROFESSOR RECEIVES 2026 BIOTECH LEADER AWARD

Dr. Brent Shanks, Anson Marston distinguished professor in engineering and Jean Steffenson faculty chair in Chemical and Biological Engineering at Iowa State, was honored at the Iowa Biotechnology Association conference. He is the director of the Center for Biorenewable Chemicals and co-founder of Pyrone Systems, Inc.
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HUUB LELIEVELD NAMED 2026 WORLD FOOD PRIZE LAUREATE

A humanitarian and food safety expert who led a global food safety movement across 113 countries was announced as the 2026 World Food Prize laureate. Huub Lelieveld will receive the award in Des Moines in October.

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A CENTURY OF SEED INNOVATION: 
INSIGHTS FROM PIONEER LEADERS

The Carl and Marjory Hertz Lecture on Emerging Issues in Agriculture will present a panel of Corteva Agriscience leaders on April 14. Moderated by Daniel J. Robison, endowed dean’s chair in the College of Agriculture and Life Science, each panelist will introduce one dimension of Pioneer’s early leadership in hybrid corn – creating, producing and bringing hybrid seed to market – and reflect on how these foundational elements have evolved.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

  • Iowans celebrated Iowa Ag Week.
  • Ag Startup Engine closed a $7 million seed fund.
  • The Des Moines metro area is defying national trends as it nears one million residents.
  • RISE Energy was selected for DARPA Embedded Entrepreneur Initiative and secured funding to speed commercialization.
  • The Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program Board approved 33 ethanol infrastructure grants to expand E15 access in the state.
  • Billi Hunt was recognized with the Non-Profit Champion Award from Advancing Talent Development's Central Iowa chapter.
 
 
 

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