Nutrien donates $10M to CSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences

FORT COLLINS — One of Northern Colorado’s largest agribusinesses will donate $10 million to Colorado State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences to help boost research in agricultural technologies and develop a skilled workforce.

Nutrien Ltd., the world’s largest provider of crop nutrients, inputs and services, will donate $1 million annually to the college for 10 years. The money will fund research and teaching initiatives, as well as provide scholarships to students.

Nutrien is based in Saskatchewan, Canada, and operates Loveland-based Nutrien Ag Solutions Inc. The company has more than 800 workers in Northern Colorado, and more than 20,000 worldwide. Its employment base includes more than 600 CSU alumni.

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“We are grateful for this incredible support from Nutrien,” CSU president Joyce McConnell said in a prepared statement. “Both Nutrien and CSU share a vision of using high-tech agriculture to help sustainably feed the world. We face immense challenges to accomplish this task, and it is through improved research capabilities and training more students to bring their innovative ideas forward that CSU will make a bigger impact on the future.”

Mike Frank, executive vice president and CEO of retail at Nutrien, said his company was impressed by CSU’s strategic plans, including its commitment to sustainability, diversity and inclusion, global research, and high-tech agriculture.

“We’re extremely excited about our partnership with CSU — the university itself and in particular the College of Agricultural Sciences,” Frank said. “When we talk to CSU and the folks in the ag school about their strategic vision, it really aligns with what we’re doing.”

Nutrien’s donation will fund:

• Scholarships for students, focusing on success of women and “students from diverse backgrounds.”
• Program enhancements to help students become career-ready, including placement in the industry.
• Funding to attract top talent in applying technology to agricultural problems, including food safety, security and sustainability.
• Sponsorship of various events, including CSU’s AgInnovation Summit and the Nutrien Ag Day BBQ conducted with a home football game.

CSU also will rename the College of Agricultural Sciences’ Shepardson Building the Nutrien Agricultural Sciences Building. The 39,000-square-foot building, built in 1938, is undergoing a $44.5 million remodel and expansion, taking the structure to 80,000 square feet. The project is scheduled for completion in fall 2021.

James Pritchett, interim dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences, said the partnership with Nutrien, a global company, raises the profile of CSU ag program.

“It’s a difference maker and a catalyst,” he said. “CSU is a little bit quiet in talking about expertise and their impact, and this gift really elevates the profile.”

That could lead to contributions and partnerships with other large-scale ag companies in the future, he said.

“Nutrien is a 22,000-person company with a global reach,” he noted. “It’s almost like a cobranding and seal of approval.”

Pritchett began his tenure as interim dean in October 2019, when former dean Ajay Menon was named president and CEO of the CSU Research Foundation. Applications for the position were due in December, with a new dean expected to begin work July 1. Pritchett said finalists will be determined in March and that he is a candidate for the position.

CSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences includes more than 120 faculty and more than 2,200 undergraduate student majors and minors, and 298 graduate students. The college is a major partner in redevelopment of the National Western Complex in Denver, which broke ground last year.