Ciba Seeds History |
In 1974, Ciba-Geigy, then a Swiss pharmaceuticals and chemicals company, purchased all of Funk Seeds shares that were held by the public. Funk then became wholly owned by Ciba-Geigy as part of its Agricultural Division, which was based in Greensboro, N.C.
Under the leadership of Carl Kensil, Ciba-Geigy added to its strength in the seed business by purchasing the Louisiana Seed Co., which increased Funk's direct marketing area to 27 states. In 1985, the company purchased the corn, sorghum and cotton lines of Ring Around Products of Dallas, Texas. Funk's headquarters were moved from Bloomington, Ill., to Greensboro, N.C.
In 1993, Ciba-Geigy restructured its organization, and the seed division's name was changed to Ciba Seeds. The same year, the company received its first Experimental Use Permit (EUP) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for large-scale field testing of Bt corn in the U.S.
By August 1995, Ciba Seeds became the first to receive final approval and full registration from the U.S. EPA, making Ciba the first company permitted to market and sell transgenic corn in the U.S. Ciba Seeds' Bt corn is sold as Maximizer™ hybrid corn with KnockOut™ built-in corn borer control.
The timeline below shows the advances to reach this monumental step in agricultural history:
| A History of Ciba Seeds' Advances in Crop Biotechnology |
| 1984 |
Ciba Seeds begins active research on engineering crops with a genetic resistance to crop pests. |
| 1991 |
Ciba Seeds scientists successfully introduce a gene derived from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis into maize. Ciba Seeds International begins early trials of transgenic maize in the U.S., France, and Argentina. |
| 1992 |
Ciba Seeds begins small scale field testing of European corn borer (ECB) resistant "Bt corn" in the U.S. under a USDA permit. |
| 1993 |
Ciba Seeds applies for and receives first Experimental Use Permit (EUP) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for large scale field testing of Bt corn in additional locations in the U.S. |
| 1994 |
Ciba Seeds receives an extended EUP from the U.S. EPA allowing large scale field testing of Bt corn in 20 states.
Ciba Seeds becomes the first company to file formal request package with the U.S. EPA for registration of Bt corn.
Ciba Seeds files request for deregulation of Bt corn with the U.S. Departmant of Agriculture (USDA) |
| 1995 |
Ciba Seeds files pre-market notification regarding Bt corn with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
(March) Ciba Seeds receives the first limited registration of Bt corn from the U.S. EPA, allowing Ciba to produce commercial scale quantities on 9,700 acres for the 1995-1996 growing season.
(May) Ciba Seeds receives the first deregulation of transgenic corn from the USDA, allowing Bt corn to be released into the environment, be imported, and cross state lines without USDA approval.
(August) Ciba Seeds is first to receive final approval and full registration from the U.S. EPA, making Ciba the first company permitted to market and sell transgenic corn in the U.S. |
In 1997, Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz AG, both Basel, Switzerland based companies, merged to create Novartis AG. As a result, the seed divisions in each company, Ciba Seeds and Northrup King Co., respectively, merged to form Novartis Seeds, Inc.
Return to Novartis Seeds History
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