New seed-research facility scientists in Fort Collins are now working to create healthier oils than what nature produces. Cargill Inc. has only one seed innovation center.

On 6th august, it celebrated the completion of its new $10 million facility at 2410 E. Drake Road, which coincided with the company's 150th anniversary. At the Specialty Seeds and Oils Innovation Center, researchers are striving to breed canola plants that will produce oils very low in saturated fats and containing omega-3 fatty acids that don't naturally exist in canola.

The Fort Collins site focuses exclusively on canola seeds and canola oil, attempting to look into the future of consumer demand to create a product in a process that takes eight to 10 years.

Stadelmaier said, “This investment was made because of the omega-3 project." Health-conscious consumers have become more aware of the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, which come mostly from fish. Cargill already sells a product, IngreVita, which combines fish oil with canola oil, but it's working on a way to cut the fish out of the equation.

Once Cargill produces the seeds, it sells them to farmers mostly in Canada, who grow the canola plants and sell their crops back to Cargill, which crushes and refines the oil and sells it to companies such as McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, Marie Callender's and Chipotle.