Wilmington, Delaware
February 27, 2007
DuPont (NYSE: DD) today announced it is executing its $100
million reinvestment plan to increase its speed-to-market for
new seed products. The plan includes the addition of more than
400 positions, mainly in research and development in its wholly
owned subsidiary Pioneer Hi-Bred
International, Inc.
"The global demand for
agricultural crops is very strong," said William S. Niebur, vice
president - DuPont Crop Genetics Research & Development. "We
have the science to help farmers and others across the value
chain meet the growing demand. This additional investment will
allow us to put that science to work for our customers faster."
The investment is the largest
year-to-year increase in research in the 81-year history of the
Pioneer business, a unit of the DuPont Agriculture & Nutrition
platform. The platform is increasing support for seed and
biotechnology research while continuing to drive a strong DuPont
Crop Protection new product pipeline and Solae healthy food
ingredients.
"DuPont continues to accelerate
its pace of development of new and improved products, traits and
enabling technologies," said Niebur. "We have the richest
pipeline in our history. This investment will help us to
increase
our innovation even further. The new products that result will
help farmers around the world improve their productivity and
meet the growing demand for grain."
As part of the DuPont reinvestment
plan announced in December 2006 to increase investment in plant
genetics, biotechnology and other high-value growth
opportunities, the Pioneer business will be expanding R&D
efforts at 67 of its 92 research centers worldwide. New
positions will be filled by redeploying current employees from
other DuPont businesses and outside hiring.
In preparation for this
unprecedented launch of new products and technologies, DuPont is
also adding positions to deliver more agronomic and sales
support to customers and take advantage of new product lineups.
Today the DuPont crop genetics
research and development pipeline includes traits and
technologies that help increase harvestable yield, increase
ethanol production per acre, protect plants from insects and
disease, increase nitrogen utilization, provide resistance to
drought, improve weed control, and produce oils that support the
demand for healthier foods.
"The Optimum™ GAT™ trait is a new
innovation in our pipeline," said Niebur. "The company is on
track to launch the trait, which will give farmers improved weed
control options, in soybeans in 2009 and corn in 2010."
Optimum™ GAT™ combines tolerance
to glyphosate herbicides and ALS herbicides, including DuPont
proprietary chemistry, to give farmers broader spectrum, longer
lasting weed control.
In addition to traits, the
increased investment in research will enhance the ability of
DuPont to improve its genetics through enhanced molecular
breeding techniques. For 2007, the Pioneer business has
introduced 86 new corn hybrids in North America, of which 17 are
from new genetic families and 16 are triple stacks. Pioneer has
launched 20 new soybean varieties for 2007 planting in North
America as well.
Pioneer is a business unit of the DuPont Agriculture &
Nutrition platform, and is a subsidiary of DuPont, the world's
leading source of customized solutions for farmers, livestock
producers and grain and oilseed processors.
With headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, DuPont Agriculture &
Nutrition provides access to advanced plant genetics, crop
protection solutions and quality crop systems to customers in
nearly 70 countries.
DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded
in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable
solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for
people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont
offers a wide range of innovative products and services for
markets including agriculture and food; building and
construction; communications; and transportation.
The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, The miracles of science™, and
Optimum™ GAT™ are registered trademarks or trademarks of DuPont
or its affiliates. |
