Illiopolis Seed Production

About the Program
Bayer’s Illiopolis Seed Production program is located in Illiopolis, Illinois, where the team manages 21.5-acres of grassland habitat on-site for wildlife habitat. The team also partners with local environmental organizations to provide educational opportunities for employees and the community. In addition, the site supports a prairie restoration project to revitalize the ecosystem for pollinators and native wildlife by planting 100% native species and actively managing the vegetation using grassland best practice techniques. Furthermore, the site has a pesticide-free policy in place for managing the grassland habitat.

Practices and Impacts

• In 2010, the site initiated a prairie restoration project over 21.5-acres of grassland habitat. Team members planted exclusively native species to increase biodiversity in the ecosystem and support a diverse range of native plants and wildlife. The grassland habitat is actively managed using techniques such as annual controlled burns and biannual mowing. Additionally, monitoring is conducted once per growing season to assess the vegetative coverage.
• The site planted native species to provide safe breeding and foraging opportunities, as well as shelter for pollinators. In addition, Bayer partners with local corporate initiatives to deliver lasting ecological benefit to a range of pollinator species. The population of monarch butterflies has increased significantly since the inception of the project.