Wyffels Hybrids recently donated used, fully operational research equipment to the University of Illinois. The Department of Crop Sciences received a combine with a three-row corn head, as well as a four-row planter. Spare equipment parts were also donated.

“As an independent seed corn company, we are experiencing record growth in all facets of the company, including our research program, which called for a much-needed upgrade to its equipment,” Blake Wyffels, customer relations manager for Wyffels Hybrids said. “Acquiring new equipment has allowed us to go from running a fleet of four-row research planters to eight-row planters and we are now be able to harvest more plots per day. This will help us continue to deliver elite hybrids to corn growers, but it left us with working equipment that wasn’t being used.”

The equipment donated is capable of planting, harvesting, and collecting data of replicated yield trials. The College of ACES will be using the donated equipment for research, including harvesting variety trials.

“We know the college has a prestigious academic program that involves plot work, so we felt our equipment would be a good fit,” Wyffels said.

Wyffels Hybrids supports a number of universities across their footprint, as part of their commitment to give back to the community. “We feel the success of all public university research is important to corn growers, and a rich part of Wyffels Hybrids’ roots as a company,” Wyffels said.