BRANDT Bolsters Discovery and Innovation Team
Springfield, Illinois (June 3, 2022) – BRANDT, a leading retailer of professional agronomic services and manufacturer of specialty input products, is pleased to announce Eric Winans PhD has joined the BRANDT Discovery & Innovation team. Winans will be the lead researcher at BRANDT’s 300-acre research farm in Pleasant Plains, Illinois as well as provide valuable insights throughout the agronomy team and customer base.
Winans comes to BRANDT after his doctorate work with the University of Illinois. While at the U of I, he has been part of the prestigious team focused on innovations in corn productivity under the leadership of Dr. Fred Below.
“Eric is a natural fit as we increase our focus on the sciences that create products and insights to increase crop production,” said Brian Haschemeyer, VP of BRANDT Discovery & Innovation. “He is a well-rounded researcher, but also has a great understanding of production agriculture and the challenges growers are up against. This is key as we take our research findings and translate them to real-life opportunities that benefit our customers. That is the primary objective of the work with do within the BRANDT Discovery & Innovation team.”
Winans is a familiar face within agriculture industry groups, having presented at many conferences and referenced in various publications during his time at the University of Illinois. Winans earned his PhD in Crop Science from the University of Illinois in 2022.
About BRANDT
A leading agricultural company, BRANDT serves growers around the globe. Founded in 1953 by Glen Brandt and his sister Evelyn Brandt Thomas to help Illinois farmers adopt new and profitable technologies, the company has experienced aggressive growth under the leadership of President and CEO Rick Brandt. BRANDT’s focus is providing the products and services that give growers the best opportunity for return while building a stronger, healthier and more abundant food supply.
