Indianapolis, Indiana
August 14, 2003

New web site gives growers instant access to produce specifics

Mycogen Seeds will offer 41 new grain corn hybrids, 12 new soybean varieties, one new CLEARFIELD™ sunflower hybrid, and one new sorghum variety for the 2004 planting season, as the company’s world-class research resources and breeding facilities are allowing it to develop and test new products at a record pace. Mycogen Seeds has made a significant investment to bring this number of new products to market in order to meet growers ever-changing needs.

Mycogen’s collaborative effort with its affiliate, Dow AgroSciences, has generated additional resources and trait technology to make this product launch possible. Together, they are devoted to advancing seed and trait offerings to benefit growers’ unique needs.

To provide useful information for dealers and customers, the company has also launched a New and Featured Products Web site, http://baderrutter.com/letstalknew/index.shtml.  The site offers information grouped into four main categories, including product development, new technology, new products and stewardship.

“We're excited about this new site. It will be a great tool for gathering important information online – it’s a handy new reference that’s available anytime you need it,” says Stephen Smith, Mycogen Seeds’ grain corn marketing specialist.  “Our agronomists will be adding information on product performance throughout the season, and we’ll also upload yield data in the fall.  We’re encouraging people to check back often and learn more about our extensive new product offering.”

The need for the site became apparent when plans were finalized for this very extensive launch. “We realize this is a large number of new hybrids and varieties to release in one year,” says Tom Kwolek, Mycogen Seeds’ product development manager.  “However, the new products have been tested for years to ensure quality and are now ready for market.  We are confident these products will meet our growers’ needs.”

“With research and breeding facilities in both Northern and Southern hemispheres, we can quickly advance our hybrids and technologies.  Growers can trust the Mycogen™ brand because of our strong commitment to developing top performing hybrids and varieties which go through extensive testing,” says Kwolek.  The company operates research and breeding sites in Molokai, Hawaii; Breckenridge and Olivia, Minn.; York, Neb.; Belmond, Huxley and Davenport, Iowa; Arlington and Prescott, Wis.; Windfall and Mt. Vernon, Ind.; Sidney, Ill.; St. Mary’s, Ontario; Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico; and in Argentina.

Many new hybrids feature the latest in-plant weed and pest protection, as well as seed treatment technologies. These protection options give growers crop plan flexibility and cost-effective control against insects, weeds and diseases that could potentially limit crop yield and profitability.  Mycogen Seeds’ collection of insect protection trait offerings includes Herculex^ä I Insect Protection, LibertyLink^â herbicide resistance, YieldGard^â Rootworm technology and YieldGard^â Corn Borer technology. 

Mycogen has also developed a lineup of leading products with herbicide tolerance, including Roundup Ready^â corn hybrids, CLEARFIELD sunflowers, plus new Atlas^ä brand Roundup Ready soybeans from Mycogen Seeds.  In addition, over 50 corn hybrids are available with Cruiser^â insecticide and Dynasty^ä fungicide seed treatments, providing added protection.

“Growers have come to expect new traits and new hybrid characteristics on a routine basis,” says Smith.  “They depend on us to deliver topnotch products year after year.  This is our way to help them remain competitive in today’s marketplace.”

While Mycogen Seeds places a premium on grower satisfaction, its wide selection of high-performing hybrids is only the beginning.  Mycogen’s expert agronomists and silage nutrition specialists help growers make the best hybrid selections for their operations.  These industry experts are valuable sources of information for growers – helping determine which hybrids and varieties are best suited for specific management practices and geographies. 

Growers can contact their Mycogen Seeds dealers, sales representatives or agronomists for additional new product information.

Mycogen Seeds is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company and is an affiliate of Dow AgroSciences LLC.  Mycogen Seeds is the leader in Silage-Specific^TM corn, the largest sunflower seed producer, and a leading producer of seed corn, alfalfa, soybeans and sorghum.  For more information on Mycogen Seeds, go to www.mycogen.com on the Internet.

ä^âMycogen and Silage-Specific are trademarks of Mycogen Corporation. 
äHerculex I Insect Protection technology by Dow AgroSciences and Pioneer Hi-Bred. 
^âLibertyLink is a trademark of Bayer. 
^âYieldGard, YieldGard Logo and Roundup Ready are trademarks of Monsanto Company. 
äCLEARFIELD is a trademark of BASF Corporation. 
äAtlas is a trademark of Mertec, LLC. 
^âCruiser and Dynasty are trademarks of Syngenta.  Mycogen Seeds is an affiliate of Dow AgroSciences LLC.