Chinese biotechnology company Origin Agritech has signed a definitive agreement with US seeds specialist DuPont Pioneer to gain access to non-GMO corn seed products for sale to the US market. The Beijing-headquartered company expects to have commercial seed products available to US farmers for planting this spring. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The deal is Origin’s second with DuPont Pioneer. Last April, the companies announced an agreement to jointly develop new seed technologies for Chinese farmers.

Bill Niebur, Origin’s CEO, called the new agreement “a critical first step “toward launching the Chinese firm’s North America strategic Pillar III growth platform, focused on serving the non-GM/Organic markets. “We look forward to offering these products to US farmers through a novel digitally-enabled route to market while building a platform from which Origin can continue to grow.”

Christine Bobst, business director of Origin North America, said the deal with DuPont Pioneer helps advance Origin’s business model of creating value by connecting growers and end-users, while providing services along the chain. She added that the company expects to serve the non-GM/Organic markets in new and different ways as it pursues a full slate of agricultural products, technology and service offerings.

Last month, Origin provided an update on the progress of its Pillars 1 and II growth platforms, which are focused on the development and launch of high-value biotechnology traits and corn products.

According to this, laboratory and field production trials for its first generation pest/weed trait were completed during 2016 with Origin applying for phase 5 safety certificate approval in November. During 2017 the company expects to incorporate the weed and pest/weed traits into its corn inbred lines, as well as into the products of leading Chinese seed industry partners, in preparation for future regulatory approval and commercialization.

Origin said it had made strong progress in seeking global approval for its lead pest/weed trait and, late last year, shipped corn seeds containing the trait from China to the US and planted in a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) greenhouse.

It is expected that corn seeds carrying Origin’s insect resistance and herbicide tolerance technologies developed in China will enter collaborative field experiments in the summer to conduct testing required by the USDA, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).