Corteva Covid-19 Response

Caring for Our Communities During COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic affects our communities, colleagues and customers, Corteva Agriscience team members are rising to the occasion. From 3D printing face shields, to making masks, to food pantry donations, our teams across the U.S. are stepping up when they see a need. We’re proud to spotlight just a few stories of our incredible colleagues taking initiative to help.

Distillery Hand Sanitizer Supports Businesses, Keeps Pioneer Customers Safe

With hand sanitizer out of stock and seed representatives busy working with customers, Pioneer district lead Jason White turned to a unique resource to keep his team and their customers safe. Jason worked with two Kansas City distilleries, which have found themselves with under-utilized stills as bars and restaurants cut their orders due to COVID-19. Fortunately, the unused grain alcohol can be distilled into an in-demand hand sanitizer product.

Jason purchased jugs of CDC-approved 80% alcohol mixture from J. Rieger Distillery in Kansas City and Holladay Distillery in Weston, Missouri. He then bottled it into personal size containers for his team and their customers. The good deed went even further. “Pioneer’s purchase has helped fund and distribute 6,934 gallons of sanitizer to first responders in the Kansas/Missouri area,” said Jordan Germano, communications manager with Holladay.

Masks Benefit Colleagues and Shelter Residents in Southwest Missouri

All it took was a Facebook post from the Moss House Shelter in Nevada, Missouri, for Corteva Agriscience territory manager Kylee Nodine to jump into action. She dusted off her sewing machine, found some fabric scraps in the basement, and sourced enough elastic to make masks for the women seeking refuge from domestic abuse.

“Hotline calls tripled during March at the Moss House Shelter,” said Martha Sanders, owner of the facility in Nevada, Missouri, which provides housing for victims of domestic abuse and their children. “The masks enabled our residents to work and shop, while reducing cross-contamination at the shelter. These acts of kindness have great returns.”

In addition to supporting the community, Kylee also made masks for her coworkers and customers who are busy in the field ensuring #Plant20 is successful. “I was happy to contribute whatever I could to keeping us all safe,” Kylee said.

Wisconsin Team Delivers Needed Food to Pepin Food Bank, Supports Schools

When Dave and Justin Bauer, owners of Bauer's Seeds & Service of Durand, Wisconsin, learned the local Pepin County Food Pantry needed help, they quickly jumped into gear! Together with Corteva Agriscience territory manager Emily Carolan, the Bauers donated 50 pounds of food to support their local community. Carolan has also purchased surplus dairy products from nearby dairy farmers for school lunches.

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit communities hard. “We’ve seen a 25-30 percent increase in demand within the past few weeks,” said Pepin County Food Bank administrator Marcia Bauer. “I have been awestruck with the level of donations we’ve received!”

T-shirts Repurposed Into Face Coverings for Louisiana Therapy Centers

While reorganizing office space, Mike Martien, Corteva Agriscience account manager in Rayville, Louisiana, uncovered a supply of unused logo t-shirts. Mike commented on his find to Kim Martien, his wife and Director of Rehabilitation at Tara Therapy, a nationwide company providing skilled nursing, rehabilitation, hospice and home health care. Fortunately, Kim knew of an immediate need.

With medical-grade personal protective equipment (PPE) in short supply, Kim and her team at Tara followed the Center for Disease Control (CDC) no-sew T-shirt face covering tutorial and made almost 200 face coverings from 50 donated t-shirts. “Our Tara Therapy team was so excited to get the t-shirts, which are now being used by 21 therapists and around 90 residents each day,” said Kim. “The face coverings are being used by residents during therapy sessions, while the therapists use the covering over their medical mask as an extra layer of protection, extending the life of the valuable PPE.”

Joining Forces to Increase COVID-19 Sample Testing in Iowa

MercyOne and Corteva Agriscience joined forces to fill the urgent need for the processing of COVID-19 samples, with an initial focus on Iowa. MercyOne health care providers are collecting the samples and delivering them to Corteva, where a small team of trained Corteva employees is processing and assessing the samples using the company’s sophisticated genetic screening capabilities.

“MercyOne is proud to be part of this innovation to meet the needs of our communities,” said Bob Ritz, President and Chief Executive Officer for MercyOne. “Rapid test results are critical to re-open health care services and other essential businesses. We are grateful to collaborate with Corteva to leverage the strengths of both organizations and greatly appreciate the commitment of our colleagues for their ongoing dedication to meet the needs of our communities. The testing provided through this program will initially be used within MercyOne care locations to provide confidence for our colleagues and patients.”

“I am so proud of the members of our team who conceived this initiative and are driving its execution,” said Neal Gutterson, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Corteva Agriscience. “Our people have tremendous heart and are extraordinarily dedicated to making a difference in their communities; this is one of many great examples of that. We are honored to collaborate with one of Iowa’s leading healthcare systems to help address this important need.”