Origin Agritech establishes North American operations in U.S.

Origin Agritech Ltd. has announced the establishment of its North American operations in Des Moines, Iowa. The North America operations and international relations center will be located at 666 Walnut Street in downtown Des Moines.

This move represents a key step in a series of strategic actions to position Origin as a leading global foundation biotech and seed development company. Over the past six months, the company has also expanded partnerships on biotech traits globally and established a new leadership team.

"Des Moines is an ideal location for Origin's North American operations, providing superior access to talent, technologies and proximity to our key target markets," said Bill Niebur, Origin CEO. "Iowa is positioned in the center of agricultural innovation, which will allow Origin to attract and retain great talent, while working collaboratively with, and in close proximity to, our strategic partners."

Origin's CEO Bill Niebur, CFO Shashank Aurora and team members will office at the Des Moines location.

Key biotech and seed breeding operations will continue to be based in China, including the plant breeding and biotech research and development center, the Xinjiang Originbo seed company and the critical off-season winter nursery in Hainan. Chief Technology Officer Jihong Liang will oversee operations in China from Beijing.

"The decision to establish our key operations base in Iowa was made with careful consideration by both the Origin Board of Directors and the leadership team," said Dr. Gengchen Han, Origin Executive Chairman of the Board. "The company's desire to create a multinational corporation positions Origin for long-term success and enables our team to contribute to stronger U.S.-China relations in agriculture."

Origin has made extensive investments in plant breeding and technology in China since its founding in 1997. The North American presence is a natural outgrowth of the company's focus on globalization.