Sales of seed corn treated with Intellicoat^® Early Plant^® functional polymer seed coatings are expected to increase in 2004 as availability increases and returning customers expand their use of the product.

"We are pleased that our Intellicoat Early Plant technology has generated strong grower interest," says Tom Crowley, president of Landec Ag. "Intellicoat gives producers more time to plant safely into cold soils and greater profits from increased efficiency. Being able to plant corn earlier means producers can avoid yield loss associated with late planting, reduce drydown costs and spread out their workload for more timely planting of other spring crops such as soybeans."

Intellicoat Early Plant seed coating is currently marketed through seven seed partners: Ag Venture, Kentland, Indiana; Beck's Hybrids, Atlanta, Indiana; Dyna-Gro Seed, a division of United Agri Products, Greeley, Colorado; Fielder's Choice Direct, Monticello, Indiana; Hubner Seed Co., Inc., West Lebanon, Indiana; Ottilie Seed, Marshalltown, Iowa; and Seed Consultants, Inc., Washington Court House, Ohio.

"This year we are seeing return business from existing Intellicoat customers far exceeding our estimates," says Dennis Schlott, vice president sales, Fielder's Choice Direct. "It's clear that the Intellicoat technology has allowed us to offer a new, unique solution for Fielder's Choice Direct customers."

"Our customers were very pleased with Intellicoat's performance last fall," says Bob Hubner, general manager, Hubner Seed Co., which markets corn in seven states from Missouri to Virginia. "Our sales of Intellicoat have increased this year and we anticipate this continuing trend in the future."

"Last year a couple of our satellite companies tried Intellicoat Early Plant and all of them reported positive experiences with the product," says Dr. Mark Jacques, vice president of production and operations for AgVenture, which markets seed throughout the country through a network of independent satellite owners. "This year we're looking to grow the number of satellite companies selling Intellicoat to five or more."

Al Carlson, United Agri Products seed business manager says, "Customers have been asking us about Intellicoat, and we believe the technology will be an excellent management tool for them."

Plant up to four weeks earlier

Intellicoat Early Plant seed coating technology enables farmers to plant corn into cold soils without the risk of chilling injury, allowing farmers to plant as much as four weeks earlier than normal. This helps to reduce planting delays, spread out spring workloads and maximize the full yield potential of their seed corn investment.

"Our own tests at Beck's Hybrids have shown that the Intellicoat technology works and can provide producers with an opportunity to gain additional planting days in early spring to prevent later planting," says Sonny Beck, president, Beck's Hybrids, whose company markets seed in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Kentucky.

Intellicoat Early Plant corn seed coating provides a protective barrier around the seed that is impermeable to water in cold soils. Intellicoat uses a patented, polymer technology with a temperature switch that becomes permeable to water only when the soil temperature reaches a certain point.

When the soil warms above the pre-set temperature of 55 degrees, the coating becomes permeable and allows the seed to take up water and germinate under optimum conditions. Compared to uncoated seeds in early-planted trials, the Intellicoat seeds have consistently shown better, more uniform emergence and higher stand counts for improved yield potential.

"We've found that Intellicoat is an excellent technology for the progressive or the large, no-till producer," Hubner adds. "It gives them the opportunity for an earlier planting window, more uniform stands and consistently higher yields. Intellicoat also allows producers to replace their last 20 to 25 percent of planting, which normally yields less."

Landec Ag's parent company, Landec Corporation (NASDAQ: LNDC), designs, develops, manufactures and sells temperature-activated and other specialty polymer products for a variety of food, agricultural and licensed partner applications. The company's temperature-activated polymer products are based on its proprietary Intelimer^® polymers, which differ from other polymers in that they can be customized to abruptly change their physical characteristics when heated or cooled through a pre-set temperature switch.

Intellicoat, Early Plant and Intelimer are registered trademarks of Landec Corporation.