Origin Agritech is a source of hybrid and genetically-modified crop seeds for Chinese farmers. Through its operating subsidiaries, the firm develops and manufactures biogenetically altered food-crop seeds; it markets its products to 200 million farmers in most provinces of China (with the exception of Qinghai and Tibet) through a network of some 69,000 distributors and retailers. Its focus is on corn seed production but it also develops hybrid rice, cotton, and canola seeds. Heartland Associates owns about 17% of Origin; Chairman Gengchen Han and CEO Liang Yuan each own 14% of the company. In 2011 Origin formed a joint venture with Xinjiang Jinbo Seed to boost production in China's northwest region.