Nutrien Ag Solutions, a global provider of crop inputs and services, has taken a major step in advancing its research efforts with the opening of a new on-site facility at its Innovation Farm in Champaign, Illinois. The facility, designed to support agricultural research and development, aims to enhance collaboration, training, and technology adoption for growers and agronomists.
The new building now serves as the central hub for the 16-person team based at the Champaign Innovation Farm, providing a space for agronomic research, training sessions, customer engagement events, and team meetings. Since moving into the facility in November, the team has already hosted 18 events, with activities ranging from internal strategy discussions to hands-on demonstrations for industry stakeholders.
While the facility provides a venue for events, its primary focus is accelerating the adoption of new agricultural technologies. The Innovation Farm is structured to test and refine full-acre solutions, integrating products, best practices, and advanced technology to provide growers with reliable and practical recommendations. These insights are shared with agronomists and crop consultants across the U.S. and Canada, as well as with the broader agricultural industry.
Nutrien Ag Solutions’ Commitment
Nutrien Ag Solutions first acquired the 282-acre site in 2019 with the long-term vision of developing it into an advanced agricultural research center. Over the past six years, the Champaign team has worked on soil development, large-scale research projects, and educational initiatives, including hosting the national award-winning FFA project led by Nutrien Ag Solutions’ first student ambassador, Avery Watson.
The dedication of the team and their commitment to the Innovation Farm’s mission were highlighted by Thaddeus Bates, Senior Manager of Applied Agronomy.
“Our Innovation Farm Network runs off five essential components: equipment, technology, products, practices, and people. In my opinion, people are the most important component out of the list. Many people have supported and put in a lot of work to get our Champaign Innovation Farm to where it is today. There have been many hands involved in this project, and we’re grateful for everyone’s support in bringing this vision to life.”
Official Opening and Community Engagement
The official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new facility took place on March 20, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the Champaign Innovation Farm. The event was attended by Nutrien Ag Solutions employees, local growers, supplier representatives, state legislators, community members, and members of the agricultural media. Following the ceremony, attendees participated in a farm tour that featured technology demonstrations, including drones and RTK precision-enabled machinery, as well as insights into Nutrien Ag Solutions’ proprietary product offerings, weather services, and precision agronomy programs.
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A Broader Network for Agricultural Research
The Champaign Innovation Farm is one of four sites in the Nutrien Ag Solutions Innovation Farm Network, which also includes locations in Selma, California; Winterville, Mississippi; and Owensboro, Kentucky. This network is designed to generate field insights that can be applied to real-world farming operations, ensuring that research findings are practical and applicable to everyday agricultural practices.
Paul Bonnett, Senior Director of Nutrien Agronomy, emphasized the importance of knowledge-sharing across the network.
“Our goal with our Innovation Farm Network is to grow agriculture by sharing the knowledge that we gather on these farms, not by promoting specific products, but by sharing the practices, products, and technology that have been demonstrated to successfully work together as a full-acre approach that is efficient, attainable, and repeatable by farmers across North America.”
By continuing to invest in research and infrastructure, Nutrien Ag Solutions aims to provide growers with reliable, scalable solutions that contribute to the long-term success of the agricultural industry.
