Corteva, Inc. (also known as Corteva Agriscience), headquartered in

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

, is a producer of products for seed and crop protection. The company produces

herbicide Herbicides (, ), also commonly known as weed killers, are substances used to control undesired plants, also known as weeds.EPA. February 201Pesticides Industry. Sales and Usage 2006 and 2007: Market Estimates. Summary in press releasMain page f ...

insecticide Insecticides are pesticides used to kill insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against insect eggs and larvae, respectively. The major use of insecticides is in agriculture, but they are also used in home and garden settings, i ...

fungicide Fungicides are pesticides used to kill parasitic fungi or their spores. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in losses of yield and quality. Fungicides are used both in agriculture and to fight fungal infections in animals, ...

s, and biologicals (natural herbicides) that are sold in 110 countries. The company's name combines "cor" (Latin for "heart") with "teva" (an ancient word for nature). The company owns Pioneer Hi-Bred International.

History

The company was formed in March 2018 as a subsidiary of

DuPont Dupont, DuPont, Du Pont, duPont, or du Pont may refer to: People * Dupont (surname) Dupont, also spelled as DuPont, duPont, Du Pont, or du Pont is a French surname meaning "of the bridge", historically indicating that the holder of the surname re ...

. In June 2019, DuPont completed the

corporate spin-off A corporate spin-off, also known as a spin-out, starburst or hive-off, is a type of corporate action where a company "splits off" a section as a separate business or creates a second incarnation, even if the first is still active. It is distinct ...

of the company and Corteva became a

public company A public company is a company whose ownership is organized via shares of share capital, stock which are intended to be freely traded on a stock exchange or in over-the-counter (finance), over-the-counter markets. A public (publicly traded) co ...

. In February 2020, Corteva ceased production of

chlorpyrifos Chlorpyrifos (CPS), also known as chlorpyrifos ethyl, is an organophosphate pesticide that has been used on crops, animals, in buildings, and in other settings, to kill several pests, including insects and worms. It acts on the nervous systems ...

, a pesticide, due to declining sales after it was linked to neurological problems in children. In March 2023, the company acquired Stoller Group, a maker of natural pesticides for $1.2 billion. It also acquired Symborg, an expert in microbiological technologies based in Murcia, Spain. In November 2024, the company partnered with BP to develop a low carbon intensive bio-feedstock for the production of

aviation biofuel An aviation biofuel (also known as bio-jet fuel, Note: About">Investable Universe>About' sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), or bio-aviation fuel (BAF)) is a biofuel used to power aircraft. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) conside ...

. In 2025, the company introduced Forcivo, a fungicide for corn and soybeans containing flutriafol, azoxystrobin, and fluindapyr and targeting tar spot, southern rust, and frogeye leaf spot.

Legal issues

In July 2020, a U.S. appeals court ruled that Corteva can continue to sell Enlist Duo, which contains 2,4-D

choline Choline is a cation with the chemical formula . Choline forms various Salt (chemistry), salts, such as choline chloride and choline bitartrate. An essential nutrient for animals, it is a structural component of phospholipids and cell membrane ...

and

glyphosate Glyphosate (IUPAC name: ''N''-(phosphonomethyl)glycine) is a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide and crop desiccant. It is an organophosphorus compound, specifically a phosphonate, which acts by EPSP inhibitor, inhibiting the plant enzyme 5-en ...

, after environmentalists attempted to block sales of the chemical due to its effects on plants and wildlife. However, the court ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency properly relied on studies that showed that the volatility of 2,4-D choline salt will not cause unreasonable harm to the environment. In August 2022,

Bayer Bayer AG (English: , commonly pronounced ; ) is a German multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company and is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies and biomedical companies in the world. Headquartered in Leverkusen, Bayer' ...

sued Corteva for breach of contractual obligations related to the development and commercialization of E3 soybeans. Corteva then sued Bayer, alleging that Bayer infringed upon its patents on a gene used in Enlist Corn, which is resistant to herbicides such as Roundup. In May 2025, the case was paused until the US Supreme Court considers whether to take up a separate patent-related case. In September 2022, the

Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) United States antitrust law, antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. It ...

sued

Syngenta Syngenta Global AG is a global agricultural technology company headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. It primarily covers crop protection and seeds for farmers. Syngenta is part of the Syngenta Group, entirely owned by Sinochem, a Chinese state ...

and Corteva, challenging certain US-based discount programs that allegedly block and restrict generic competition from pesticide markets. In January 2024, a federal judge denied a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

Criticism

In March 2019, Corteva was criticised by the

Humane Society of the United States Humane World for Animals, formerly the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Humane Society International (HSI), is a global nonprofit organization that focuses on animal welfare and opposes animal-related cruelties of national scop ...

for commissioning Charles River Laboratories to test its new fungicide on 36

beagle The Beagle is a small breed of scent hound, similar in appearance to the much larger foxhound. The beagle was developed primarily for hunting rabbit or hare, known as beagling. Possessing a great sense of smell and superior tracking inst ...

s. Corteva argued that such testing is required by regulatory authorities but then agreed to stop the tests and release the animals to Michigan Humane for adoption.

References

External links

* {{authority control Agriculture companies established in 2018 American companies established in 2018 Companies based in Indianapolis Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange Corporate spin-offs Dow Chemical Company DuPont